


Ano Sentaku Bou

by kenshi_vakarian7



Series: The Ketsueki Quadrilogy [2]
Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games), Soul Calibur, Street Fighter, Tekken
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Break Up, Character Death, Character Deaths, Drama, End of the World, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family, Friendship, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Torture, Imprisonment, Kidnapping, Legends, Multi, Original Character(s), Post-Break Up, Rescue Missions, Romance, Survival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-14 15:16:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 101
Words: 690,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11210745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenshi_vakarian7/pseuds/kenshi_vakarian7
Summary: Part 2 of the QuadrilogyThe realms are in peril and only four individuals can stop Outworld's reign. However, not even the yoga master who predicted this can foresee who the four are.





	1. Prelude

**Author's Note:**

> **This story was written for ff.net between December 3, 2007 to March 3, 2014. It serves as the sequel to _Chishio No Me_ and Part 2 of the Ketsueki Quadrilogy.**
> 
> **Before reading the series, please keep these following notes in mind...**
> 
> **-Everything that happens in the series will have an explanation whether in this story or later in the sequels. These include some of the character personalities and/or certain actions and expansions on a story line.**
> 
> **-Yes, Original Characters are involved (there are sfour in this part - the number actually dwindles as the series progresses) and they only represent about 9% of this cast. Three of them have prominent roles compared to the others and they are treated as equals to the main (aka they are not going to dominate the entire story). However, please note that two of these OCs will be paired with a canon character in the series. So, if you think you won't be able to tolerate the presence of these OCs at the very least, then this series is not for you.**
> 
> **These are the names of the Original Characters in Part 2 -**
> 
> _-Scott K. Wagner_  
>  -Alex Walker  
> -Matrik  
> -Donna Ridditch (OC of NightmareDoom85)
> 
> **-I try to do my best to give the characters a share in the spotlight. It's not, however, always possible for whatever reason, so I apologize in advance.**
> 
> **-Considering that this story was written between 2007 to 2014, please keep this timeline in mind... if an event in the canon happened but it is not mentioned in the story, there's a pretty good chance it's because said canon did not occur at the time I wrote this story, or it occurred during the story's progress. Example; The spirit of King Jerrod within Ermac was not known until 2011 in _Mortal Kombat 9._ I was still in the middle of typing this story at the time, therefore I did not include it.**
> 
> **Sorry for the wall of text, but sadly this stuff needed to be explained. Either way, I hope you enjoy the series!**

_Long ago, Shao Kahn became Emperor of Outworld. Throughout his reign, he had only one goal in mind… to rule every realm in the universe. For thousands of years, he took over each realm, one by one. As for the people of those realms, they were forced to serve him… whether living or dead._

_Less than a decade ago, Shao Kahn attempted to take over a realm called Earth. It was there that his plans began to foil. With the assistance of the Thunder God Raiden, Earth fought back. This gave the enslaved renewed hope for freedom and they fought alongside Earth. The onslaught weakened the Outworld Emperor, forcing him to free many of the realms he had capture over the centuries._

_Although the realms were freed, the people of those realms knew that, someday, the Emperor would rise again, and renew his plan._

_Seven months ago, it would seem as though those plans would begin to resume. A medallion, known to grant one all the power in the world, was presented to him. Shao Kahn made the decision to invite the best fighters in the universe to participate in a tournament, using the medallion as the winning prize._

_To many, it wasn’t known until the very last moment that the tournament was a decoy to lure them into Outworld. Shao Kahn had only one plan for these warriors; to eradicate them and use their souls to create a powerful army. In the aftermath of the tournament, the plan went on. However, more happened that day than he had bargained for._

_A powerful being, feared in another realm, approached Shao Kahn. He carried a large sword that the Emperor immediately recognized as Soul Edge. It was at that moment when he realized the truth behind the medallion._

_The medallion,_ Chishio No Me _, was a golden artifact with an eye carved in, and a red tear falling out of it. The tear itself was actually a piece of Soul Edge. It had served as a window for the infamous weapon. It was a way for the large sword to pick it’s next host when it no longer needed it’s current body._

_It had gone after Shao Kahn for that very reason._

_During their fight, the Emperor found the monster’s weakness, ending the fight. Immediately afterwards, another demon walked in. Although Shao Kahn was weary from his last fight, he bested the demon and stabbed him with Soul Edge. His fortress collapsed from the earthquake caused by the sword._

_Later that night, Shao Kahn would emerge from the rubble with the demon’s power. Using that power, he shattered Soul Edge and absorbed it’s essence, keeping it under his control._

_As for the winner of the tournament… it would end up being Outworld’s future Empress, Ivy Valentine._

_Together, using Shao Kahn’s new found power and their new army, he once again took over the realms. This time, however, he was taking them over in a much faster pace than anyone could imagine._

_Six months have passed since the tournament’s end. With many powerful realms in his control, he now sets his sight on two more strong worlds, the ones that would give him ultimate power…_

_Earth and Keisei..._

My eyes snapped open after these visions came to an end. Sitting in my lotus position, I pondered over these thoughts. So long have they come and go in my mind. I always knew that this moment would eventually arrive. Oh, how I wish I could warn the people of Earth of this, but who would believe me?

I had hoped that the Elder Gods would put a stop to this. But with so many realms now under Outworld’s control, it would seem that either they, too, were captured, or nothing was being done.

I much prefer to stay out of conflict. However, with Earth in peril, I knew that I must join in the fight to protect it.

In my visions, it would seem that many have lost hope for freedom. They felt as though this is truly the end.

However… I am able to offer one last hope…

It is said, according to an ancient tablet passed around my home for generations, that in a time of a universal war, four individuals will possess enough power to put an end to what the tablet called, ‘the main source of the conflict.’ These individuals possess the perfect balance of their own inner energies, which can actually form into a weapon when given the opportunity.

I’ve tried all I could to figure out the identities of these four. However, my mind was not able to foresee this. Perhaps if I could find them personally, then I will be able to see their energies and know whether or not they are the chosen ones.

With time running out, however, I fear that I may not find them before our eventual doom…

_**~The Words of Dhalsim** _

 

 


	2. Chapter One

**Outworld**

"Help! Somebody help me!"

The lone man ran through the empty field frantically, the echoes of his voice the only sound he could hear for miles. He wasn't sure how long he was running, but this he knew… he had to get far away from the place he once called his home… away from the place that was now taken over by the feared Outworld Forces.

And worst of all… he had the feeling that, at this point, he was the sole survivor.

After what seemed like forever, the small man finally reached a nearby forest, finally having the chance to hide. He stopped in his tracks and turned back towards the direction he came from. No one was there. He felt relieved despite being out of breath.

 _They haven't seen me escape,_ he thought. _…But now what do I do?_

He knew the truth about the fate of Outworld… every village in this forsaken realm was taken over by the Outworld Forces, the name for the army which was run by the Emperor Shao Kahn.

The man thought about the Emperor and growled slightly. _To think that at one point, we all thought he was truly dead…_

That was months ago. Rejoice seemed to spread throughout Outworld when it was reported that the Emperor had finally died during an onslaught at a tournament he was hosting in the south. For a moment, it seemed as though the realm was finally freed from his tyranny.

However, it wasn't very long before the reports ended up becoming false information. Not only did Shao Kahn return, but he had brought along a new Empress… Ivy Valentine. A beautiful name, the man had thought, but one that was feared throughout Outworld.

Shao Kahn had received new found powers, and he was using them to take over many of the Outworld villages, and the realms around them. Many have attempted to stand up against the powerful ruler, but to no avail. Many ended up being dead, their souls taken. Those who survived were enslaved.

The small man pondered for a moment on what to do next as he attempted to catch his breath. Unknown to him, however, two shadowed figures approached from behind him. They neared him, making sure to be as quiet as possible.

He never saw the pink projectile coming at him until he felt the blast hit his back. The blast had enough force to knock him a few feet forward before crashing into the dirt ground face first. He let out a small yelp upon landing.

Before he had the chance to get up, a rope wrapped around his neck before it pulled him back. He tried to scream as he felt what he guessed was spikes pressing into his neck, but the pressure of the rope cut him off. Enough force from behind pulled him back up to his feet. The pulling soon stopped and he fell to his knees.

The man sucked in a breath as someone behind him placed a heel on his back. The rope was loosened slightly before the person spoke…

"You're best choice is to join us," a woman's voice hissed.

The helpless man gritted his teeth. "Never! I would never-"

With one twist from the rope, a loud crack was heard as the man's neck broke. His body slumped forward before the rope finally released. Upon landing on the ground, a green mist escaped from his body before an invisible force pulled it away.

The man would never know that the Empress herself was the one who did him in…

Ivy Valentine briefly looked down at the corpse with no emotions playing in her deep blue eyes. Soon, she coiled the 'rope' that was used to kill the man… her snake sword… before placing it back in her scabbard behind her.

"He was the last one," Ivy said. She then turned her head as the second person with her walked forward until she was next to her. Ivy stared at the red-haired woman, knowing her intentions. "You may now find what you need, Kira. You've done well."

"Always glad to help, Empress," Kira said to her before bending down next to the dead man. She only searched him briefly before finding a small bag in his pocket. She looked in it, and a small smile played on her face as she saw gold inside.

Kira straightened herself up. "Looks as though the village of Lin Chang is no more."

Ivy nodded. "All that remains is the city of Lei Chen. Then, all of Outworld will finally be ours."

"I assume it's time to return to the fortress and inform the Emperor the news," Kira asked.

"Of course, dear," Ivy replied. She then turned herself around and began heading further into the forest. Kira began following her just a few feet behind.

This was just one of the things Kira has been doing ever since her decision to stay in Outworld upon realizing that she was a wanted criminal on Earthrealm. Although she had a little less freedom as a member of the Outworld Forces, it was definitely much more organized and more her style than with the Black Dragon… a clan she considered a joke.

She mostly worked with Ivy, which was considered an honor. Shao Kahn was always impressed by Kira's skills as a ruthless assassin and her determination to finish her missions at all cost.

Kira wasn't one to wonder, but she was curious at some point as to why Ivy, as the Outworld Empress, helped carry out missions in Outworld. During a conversation not too long ago, Ivy revealed her answers without Kira ever having to ask… she wanted to keep up with all she has learned throughout the years, and to improve on her alchemy skills.

In a way, Kira wondered if Ivy was doing this in order to continuously impress Shao Kahn. Either way, Kira knew that, if that was true, Ivy would never admit it.

Within an hour, the two women reached the new fortress of the Emperor. The fortress itself was built by the people who were enslaved throughout the realms. With so many captured, the new fortress had been built in what felt like no time at all.

The fortress was a replica of the previous one, but with additions to the back area and the extension of the dungeon below the ground, where many of the enslaved were kept. For those who came to the fortress for the first time, getting to the main throne room seemed like an eternity. However, for those like Ivy and the members of the Outworld Fortress, it seemed like a blink of an eye.

Throughout the fortress, many of the members were seen… normal humans who were either guards or in higher ranks, unique species from other realms, and monsters and demons from the Netherrealm. Kira always found it quite interesting how all of them are able to take over countless realms at this point.

Soon, she and Ivy reached the main throne room. With Ivy there, the two guards standing in front of the doorway immediate stepped out of the way. Kira opened the two heavy doors before they both stepped inside.

The two women walked down the red carpet that lead to two large thrones, each one made with a dark gray stone with the seat covered by a red satin pillow for comfort. The armrests had skulls carved into the ends of them.

The one on the right was empty, this one belonging to Ivy. The other was occupied by Shao Kahn himself, his large form sitting up straight as the women approached the thrones. It only seemed like yesterday when his form changed. It was the same attire he had always wore, but the clothes were as black as night and the metals were a charcoal color. The only color that stood out were his glowing red eyes. It beamed out from the holes of his helmet, which covered all of his face except for his jaw and chin. His skin seemed paler than previous.

Ivy walked over to her own throne and sat down. Kira stood just a few feet away, getting down on her knees to bow to the Emperor in respect.

"The village of Lin Chang has been taken over," the red haired woman said.

"Good," Shao Kahn said. Although the news was good to him, his deep voice came out stern. He watched Kira as she stood herself up. "Do not leave just yet," he said to her. "There will be a meeting taking place in just a moment."

Kira nodded to the Emperor. She stood where she was, unsure of how to spend her time in the large throne room. However, Kira knew that her best bet was to stay where she was.

Fortunately, it didn't take more than a few minutes before the doors opened again. Kira turned her head to see those who came in…

The first she saw was the sorcerer Shang Tsung, his eyes glowing a bright, green color. Kira knew his story… he had been killed by a warrior during the onslaught six months ago, his soul sent to the Netherrealm. Despite his failures, Shao Kahn still had use for him and had him return to Outworld. With his time in the Netherrealm, the glowing eyes never went away and his skin, once pale, was a darker shade. Kira could see part of a large scar starting from the middle of his neck and going into his shirt, the result of his 'demise.' Aside from those new features, he looked just as he did before thanks to the souls he had collected during the village takeovers in Outworld.

The next person she saw was Quan Chi. He, too, spent some time in the Netherrealm, but ended up there for reasons he refused to bring up during the onslaught. He was practically immune to the realm, so there were no changes in him.

Then there was Vega, a native of Earthrealm. He looked just the same as he did when he first joined with the Outworld Forces, but his blue eyes seemed more menacing. Kira wondered if his time spent in Outworld has made him a bit delusional.

Next to Vega was Anna, another Earthrealm native. Kira had worked with her only a few times. She had always thought Anna was a bit out of place in the Forces, especially with the fancy attires she always wore, even in battle. Never the less, her fighting skills were quite good and have improved during her time here.

Kira noted that another person was in their presence, but they stayed in hiding behind the others. She dared not moved, for it would only make her look bad in front of the Emperor and Empress.

Once the group approached the throne, Shao Kahn stood himself up from his throne. "The time has come… we have taken over many realms since we began. Many of them had much power before our takeover. Now, only two realms stand in our way… Earth and Keisei was considered the most powerful realms of them all… with our takeover, nothing will stand in our way… this universe will soon be ours."

"Let me make a suggestion," spoke up Vega. "All of us here have our reasons to head to Earth. I think they should be our next target."

"The decision is up to your Empress," said Shao Kahn as he turned his head to Ivy. "She has control of the fate of Keisei. Whatever she decides will be our next assignment."

Ivy stood up then, looking over at the Generals in the room. "I assume that all of your 'reasons' to take over Earth are of personal value."

"At least for these three!" exclaimed Quan Chi while pointing at Shang Tsung, Vega, and Anna. The three of them quickly turned their heads, their eyes narrowed at the pale sorcerer. "Vega has quite a few agendas down there with a 'few people,' Anna wants to get her hands on that sister of hers, and I'm quite sure Shang Tsung wants to suck the soul out of the blind swordsman who did him in."

"What about that spectre you've been chasing around?" Vega questioned sternly.

"For your information, _he's_ the one chasing _me_ ," the sorcerer reminded him.

A mischievous played on Anna's face. "But he was the one who-"

"Enough," a deep, stern voice called from behind them. All four of them moved over a bit, finally giving Kira the chance to see the fifth person with them…

It was Guy Hinato, the Earthrealm native who had been captured and possessed to serve Shao Kahn just before the onslaught. His transparent eyes stared at the group with the sign of annoyance scrawled on his face.

"If you all plan to have personal vendettas, the least you can do is focus on the main reason for our missions," Guy said to them.

"No need for the lectures," Ivy told him. "Besides… I think it would be quite fun to give Earth a little visit. Everyone seems so eager to get down there, so we might as well get it over with."

"It has been a long time coming," Shao Kahn said. "Then it is settled… we will head down there within the next few days." He looked at the Generals. "You are released."

With that, the six Generals took their leave. Shao Kahn and Ivy sat back down in their thrones and waiting until it was just the two of them in the large throne room.

Shao Kahn placed a hand on his jaw and settled his elbow on the armrest of his throne. "I had hoped that you would chose Earth, actually."

Ivy turned her head to him with one eyebrow raised with interest. "Really?"

"I've waited for quite sometime to get to this point," he replied. "It is as though Outworld is finally getting back to where it left off the last time we invaded the realms. One thing, however…"

He turned his head, his glowing red eyes staring into Ivy's blue iris. "As Keisei is the next powerful realm after Earth… I believe you will soon make your decision to invade that realm. I expect you to not be hesitant when we are ready to make our next realm invasion."

Ivy was silent for a moment. Sure, it was quite easy to take over the other realms, but Keisei was her home. The thought of seeing it twisted and shifted into a new form didn't settle well in her stomach.

 _Perhaps when it does happen,_ she thought. _I may be more accepting of the changes._

She always had control of Keisei's fate once she was appointed Empress of Outworld. Secretly, Ivy wanted to try to keep the realm freed for as long as possible.

Then again, she would do anything to keep her Emperor satisfied.

After a moment of silence, Ivy turned her head away and gave Shao Kahn the reply she knew he expected…

"Yes, sir."


	3. Chapter Two

**Outworld - Outside Shao Kahn's Fortress**

All was quiet as Sheeva scanned the area with her red eyes. She had been standing just near the edge of the forest since the middle of the afternoon, guarding the fortress which stood a quarter mile away behind her.

 _I better hear about something interesting this time when I get off duty,_ the female Shokan thought to herself.

Everyday has been the same to her for the past few weeks. The Outworld Forces have been working on taking over the village of Lin Chang, one of the last two free places in Outworld… the other being the city of Lei Chen. Although many realms were captured, the Forces were only trying to secure those realms and merge them with Outworld as there were still some with rebellions fighting against them.

Sheeva wondered when they were going to try to take over another realm.

As she continued to watch over the area, she began to hear footsteps not too far from her. Just to be cautious, Sheeva slowing reached to her sides, using all four of her hands to grab the hilts of her Shokan Blades.

"There's no need to have your hands on those," a deep voice said from behind her.

Sheeva whirled herself around upon hearing the voice, keeping her hands on her blades. She then got a look at the person behind her, now recognizing fellow Shokan, Kintaro.

Sheeva stared at him. "In a place like this, one should always be cautious," she said.

Kintaro only nodded. "I'm here with some news."

Sheeva removed her hands from the hilt of the blades as she continued to stare at Kintaro. He had been working for Shao Kahn for almost as long as she has, and only recently did they start to work with each other under the Emperor's orders. Although they were both Shokan, they were of different species. Sheeva's species was more of a dragon while Kintaro's was more of a tiger.

While Sheeva was working within The Blood Tournament, Kintaro had duties elsewhere, his reason for his absence during that time.

"Go on," Sheeva encouraged after some silence.

"The village of Lin Chang has been finally captured," Kintaro informed her. "And even better… within the next few days, we'll be invading Earth."

A grin played on Sheeva's face. "It's about time! We've been waiting for this moment for months."

Kintaro nodded. "For now, however, we both have an assignment from the Emperor and Empress… you and I are to leave for Lin Chang and officially secure it. Of course… there is one catch…"

"And that is…?"

"… Motaro will be coming along with us. He should be here any minute."

A small growl escaped Sheeva. It was only bad enough that the Shokans and Motaro's race, the Centaurians, were enemies for as long as they could remember… but when Shao Kahn placed her and Kintaro as their bodyguards, Motaro was placed with them as well. Basically, whatever assignment she and Kintaro had, Motaro was almost always with them.

"I'll never understand why Shao Kahn has us working with him. Does he not know our history?"

"As much as I don't understand this decision either," Kintaro began to say. "The only thing we can do is make the best of it. If we continue to make a fuss about it, it will eventually catch on around the Forces. That will only make us look bad, and it will only prove that Motaro and his race are indeed superior."

"I understand," Sheeva said. "But I still suspect that Shao Kahn still favors Motaro's race over ours."

That's when the two heard heavy footsteps near by coming towards. Knowing who was coming, they fell silent.

Soon enough, Motaro came into their view. He continued walking, his four horse-like legs heavily pounding the ground under his weight.

"I can assume you two are ready for the assignment," Motaro said while not looking at them. "Let's get this over with."

By then, he was ahead of them. As he wasn't looking, Sheeva and Kintaro exchanged glances for a moment. Then, they reluctantly followed their enemy into the forest.

~~~

**Four Months Ago, Outworld Wastelands…**

_The cool air around him was welcoming to him for once as he trained on a hilltop looking over the wastelands. The sound of the wind was all he heard as his eyes were closed._

_Only a few days ago did he escape from the Netherrealm. He had been sent there after an encounter with the Emperor of Outworld. He lost power upon his 'death,' but was able to regain more during his stay in the realm._

_He had trained endlessly there, at least until the day he finally escaped when he happened to have passed by a portal that was just beginning to close. Since then, he's been here in the Wastelands._

_His looks have changed due to his stay in the Netherrealm. With his white hair, darker skin, and his violet gi, most would think that he is now using his full power. However, only by looks, he would only be known as Shin Akuma. He still possesses power thanks to his time in the Netherrealm… but his rightful energies were now in the hands of Shao Kahn._

_Shin Akuma was not one to fight others just to get something from them. However, when it involved his own energies, the ones that made him powerful above many, it was a different story._

_As he continued to train on the hilltop, Shin Akuma suddenly heard footsteps in the distance. Believing to be a challenger, the demon quickly opened his eyes, revealing their glowing red color. He then sensed a power that was quite familiar to him._

_Shin Akuma scanned his surroundings before he spotted a small figure at the bottom of the hill. The figure was surrounded by a purple aura._

_The demon grinned._ The Satsui No Hadou, _he thought with delight._ Someone has embraced it's power.

_He already knew that it wasn't his brother Gouken's student, Ryu, as he was much larger in stature last he checked. Same with his other student, Ken._

_If that's the case, then who was this?_

_Still possessing the ability to teleport, Shin Akuma quickly maneuvered himself down the hill, and got himself behind the figure. Standing about ten yards away, he was now able to get a better look at this person._

_To his surprise, the figure was a young woman. Her short hair was a raven color, her skin a deathly pale, and the iris of her eyes a blood red. As she walked forward, she seemed to be in a bit of a daze as the purple aura around her small body continued to glow._

_It was no matter how this girl was able to unlock the Satsui No Hadou. Shin Akuma grinned to himself as he realized that he has use for this girl…_

_All he had to do was train her for a little while…_

~~~

**Present - Outworld Wastelands**

From a distance, Shin Akuma watched his student train. With his arms folded, he noted the determination and the intensity in her eyes as she focused on her inner energies.

For a while after he found her, Shin Akuma noted that the young woman seemed a bit familiar to him. Soon enough though, he realized that this was the schoolgirl Sakura, the one who idolized Ryu ever since the first World Warriors Tournament. It was the same tournament in which Ryu left the large scar on the chest of the Muay Thai fighter Sagat.

With her new form, Shin Akuma gave her the name Dark Sakura.

Standing countless yards from a tree, Dark Sakura stood where she was with her hands in front of her. With her eyes closed, the purple aura that had always surrounded her seemed to glow even more with each passing minute.

_The power of the Satsui No Hadou is unequal…_

Dark Sakura began moving her hands in a slow, circular motion. Her red eyes seemed to glow slightly.

_It is not our fists that kill those who cross our path… it is their sins that are responsible for their demise…_

A blue aura begins to develop between her hands. Her movements moved faster, causing the energy ball to grow larger in size.

_One should only focus on the fight… nothing more and nothing less…_

Dark Sakura pulled her arms back to her right side. The wind picked up a bit and the blue energy grew even bigger to the point that it was covering her hands.

_To show mercy is to show proof of your imperfection._

Then, with a loud shriek, she pushed her hands forward, letting go of the large ball of energy, which was now a beam-like projectile. A deafening roar from the energy was heard for miles.

_Perfection equals obliteration._

The projectile hit the closest tree from her with enough force to turn it into nothing more than dust. Then, nothing more than just the wind was heard.

A grin came over Shin Akuma's face. His student had done well. There was only one test left before she was ready… to see if she can perfect The Raging Demon maneuver.

Only then will he be able to use her for his plans to retain his energies…

~~~

**Outworld - The City of Lei Chen**

The tiny city was mostly quiet as the citizens preferred to remain in their homes by the early evening. Guards walked along the street, looking over everything to be sure that the city stayed safe. Lei Chen was mostly made of small houses in which the citizens lived. The largest building was a castle, occupied by it's King and the Lei Chen army.

For the last few months, this was where Siegfried Schtauffen stayed. A native of the realm of Keisei, he had nowhere else to go and no way of escaping Outworld as all the portals were either locked or destroyed.

Looking out the castle's window, which overlooked the city, Siegfried thought back on how he got here. It felt like only yesterday when he suddenly found himself beneath the rubble of a destroyed building. The last thing he remembered beforehand was being at The Palace, the lodge he stayed at while attending Outworld's Blood Tournament.

Siegfried knew that the curse he had been suffering from for sometime was the reason he found himself in the rubble. After getting himself out, he had the feeling that something big had happened during his blackout. This was judging by the blood red sky that had covered Outworld's normal purple color (the sky returned to this color since).

Not knowing what else to do, Siegfried had wandered around for a bit. Soon, he found himself back at the tournament grounds. It was here when he saw a horrifying sight… the rubble that was once The Palace, the blood staining on the rocks, trees, and the ground… and the countless, decaying corpses that laid at his feet.

Siegfried had wondered, because of his curse, if he had been the cause of all of this.

For weeks, he wandered Outworld, not knowing what his own fate was at that point. That was, until the day he arrived at the walled city, where he has been since. When he arrived, he was quite surprised to find that the people of the city became tense by his presence…

"A quiet night," a voice suddenly said, bringing Siegfried's mind back to the present. "Quite a surprise during this time of crisis."

Siegfried nodded, realizing that the person in his presence was right. "I believe that the people of Lei Chen may finally take a peaceful rest tonight."

"Let us hope that," the man replied. As he spoke, Siegfried noted the echo that followed in the man's voice. The younger man turned his head so that he faced the one who he became allies with not long after coming to this city… the enigma Ermac.

It was Ermac who welcomed Siegfried to stay in Lei Chen. His welcome calmed the citizens of the city and they too allowed Siegfried in. That same day, Siegfried got to know Ermac, from how he was created from thousands of souls fused into one body, how he once served Shao Kahn, and how he is now atoning for his past sins by helping the people of Lei Chen protect the city from the Outworld Forces.

It was also through Ermac that Siegfried was able to find out what happened that fateful day on the tournament grounds. He found out how Shao Kahn had used the tournament to lure the participants into a trap, how many souls were taken that day to rebuild his growing army… and how he was now taking over every realm in the universe. This has since left Siegfried wondering about his home realm's fate.

There was one question at the time that Siegfried had to ask. "Why have you let me into the city?"

Ermac had immediately replied with confidence in his voice. "We sense your good spirit. We can trust you enough for you to stay here as long as you like."

With that, along with six months of no blackouts on top of that, Siegfried realized that the curse Soul Edge placed upon him was finally lifted. Siegfried was unsure of what happened to the essence of the curse, but he always had the feeling that it had something to do with the day Shao Kahn fought the two 'demons' he managed to defeat. Whether Soul Edge managed to get a hold of Shao Kahn or disappeared altogether, the Keisei native wasn't sure.

Since then, Siegfried stayed in Lei Chen. He made the decision to help the city in their fight against the Outworld Forces, believing it to be a way to atone for his own atrocities while under the curse.

It was a major thing he and Ermac shared in common. The two sympathized with each other, as they had been both used like puppets by those who controlled them. They both agreed to stick together in the fight against the Outworld Forces. Ermac himself made a promise to Siegfried to help him find a way back to Keisei once the war was over.

As the two looked over the city through the castle window, Ermac paced himself a bit before speaking. "Although all is quiet now, anything could happen at any moment. The last thing we need is to let our guards down at the wrong time."

Siegfried nodded in agreement. "Especially with the Tarkatan Hordes trying to help the regular Outworld Forces' guards with taking over the city."

"It is only because Lei Chen is the only free city left in Outworld," Ermac reminded him. He then turned his head to him. "When the Tarkatans strike again, our advice is to slay the one named Baraka. He is not only the General, but he is also the strongest. Tarkatans may look the same to you, but Baraka is not hard to miss… he is the biggest in muscle mass of them all…"

From there, the two talked about additional battle plans for another short while before Siegfried decided to retire for the night. His room, provided by the king, was small and contained only a bed, nightstand, and a candle for light. Siegfried was fine with this, having been thankful for even being able to stay in the city in the first place.

That night, Siegfried was only able to get a few hours of sleep before the sounds of clashing weapons and battle cries reached his ears. As though it was out of instinct, he quickly got himself out of bed, only having time to slip his feet into his metal boots. He then grabbed the hilt of his large sword before bolting out the door.

Siegfried went straight to the battle near the entrance of the city. He passed the panicking citizens, who began their evacuation to the castle as they had always been ordered to. He soon reached the scene, immediately cutting up any enemy who got in his way.

A while past and Siegfried eventually lost count of how many enemies he had slain. Unknown to him, the leader of the Tarkatan Hordes, Baraka, fought his own battle nearby. He was able to kill off his own enemy before retracing his blades back into his forearms. As he turned his head, he spotted both Siegfried and Ermac battling not too far away.

"I knew we'd find them eventually," a female voice said next to him. Baraka didn't even have to look to know that it was Mileena who stood next to him. Briefly, he felt her smooth hand brush up his arm before resting on his shoulder.

Mileena then continued. "So… shall we take care of them?"

Baraka raised his arms up a bit, letting his blades quickly extend out of his arms. "I've been waiting quite a while to take them down, again."

He then began running forward. Mileena quickly took out her twin sais, both stained with blood, and followed Baraka.

Both Ermac and Siegfried finished off their last opponents. When they prepared themselves for their next targets, they spotted Baraka and Mileena coming after them. Soon, all four began their face off with Ermac fighting Baraka, and Siegfried fighting Mileena.

Using his axe, Ermac was able to block Baraka's rapid blade attacks. At one point, the two leaned their weapons against one another in an attempt to overpower the other.

"Give it up, traitor," Baraka barked. "Lei Chen is the only freed city left in Outworld. You are better off joining with the Emperor if you want to live."

"You may end up having the chance to conquer the city," Ermac replied. "But we will never serve Shao Kahn again." With that, Ermac managed to overpower Baraka by pushing him back. He then jumped forward, attacking Baraka while getting the chance to be on offense.

Meanwhile, Mileena found herself jumping away from Siegfried's attacks, since her weapons were much smaller than his. She hoped to eventually find a way to get passed the sword and attack him hand to hand.

At one point, Mileena backed herself away before staring at Siegfried. "Why don't put that toy of yours down and play," she suggested while speaking in her most seductive voice. Siegfried's only reply was another swing from his sword, forcing Mileena to once again duck away from the large weapon.

The battle between the four only lasted a short while before Baraka realized that he and the Tarkatan Hordes were being outnumbered by Ermac and the Lei Chen Army. This angered Baraka as he preferred to stay behind until every single one of his enemies were dead. However, under orders of Shao Kahn, he was to retreat when the number of his forces dwindled.

With that, Baraka ordered a retreat. The others hordes followed his demand, pulling away from battle and began heading back away from the city.

Baraka turned his attention to Ermac. "This isn't over yet, enigma! This is only the beginning!" With that, he began following his hordes with Mileena not too far from him.

The Lei Chen Army watched the hordes disappear into a nearby forest. This had happened on more than one occasion. Either Lei Chen managed to defeat a group of the Outworld Forces, or those who remained ended up retreating.

Once everything was calm, Ermac was the first to speak. "We fear that the city may eventually fall if these onslaughts continue."

He knew that Baraka's words to him were definitely true… this wasn't over yet…

~~~

**Netherrealm**

“ _Raikou… waga… Shukun…_ ”

These words were chanted slowly by a large group dressed fully in black. Down on their knees with their arms stretched out, they bent themselves down at the waist, bowing down until their faces reached the ground. Then, they would rise themselves back up before repeating their movements again.

In the middle of them was a bit of space serving as an aisle. A single person walked this aisle as he moved towards the front of the group to a single stoned altar. With his glowing blue eyes, he scanned as the figures bowing before him.

The figures… members of the newly built Brotherhood of Shadow, were bowing to their leader; Noob Saibot.

It took Noob many months to get to this point. For nearly a year, he has been trying to rebuild the fallen Brotherhood of Shadow, a clan he has been working with for as long as he's been in the Netherrealm.

As the wraith walked towards the altar, he recalled the last eight months in his mind;

While in the realm of Outworld, he found Smoke, the gray cyborg who once served the Lin Kuei, a clan from Earthrealm. Noob was able to activate Smoke, setting up his program so that Smoke would only serve the Netherrealm wraith.

Not only was Smoke a useful ally, but he would also be a template for a future army of cyborg demons. They were to be part of the newly built Brotherhood of Shadow.

Noob was just going forth with his plan, but only one person stood in his way; Ashrah. She had once served as an assassin for the Brotherhood and was wanted for treason. All members of the Brotherhood were ordered to kill her on sight.

Ashrah herself wanted to eradicate Noob. Not only was he a Brotherhood, but he was 'corrupted' enough to the point that if Ashrah defeated him in battle, then she would be freed from the Netherealm.

The two had battled and although Ashrah did defeat him, she did not kill him. However, it was enough for her to get herself out of the forbidden realm.

Her sword, the artifact responsible for her ascension, had been left behind. As a way to get back at her, Noob used his magic to corrupt the sword. With that, whenever he used the sword against anyone he fights, they would be tainted with evil. Eventually, they would tainted enough to serve the Netherrealm wraith.

Noob went to Outworld afterwards, taking Smoke with him. Smoke's nano-technology always seemed to go haywire whenever they were in the Netherrealm for too long. In Outworld, Noob had hoped to find a way to fix that 'problem,' all the while creating his cyborg demons.

At the same time, a tournament was taking place. It had involved an artifact that apparently had 'all the power in the world.' Noob wanted to use the medallion not only to rebuild the Brotherhood, but also to gain new power. However, that never came to be as he lost the tournament.

During that time, he also made an alliance with Sektor, the leader of the Tekunin clan. Sektor himself was looking to make his clan stronger. Noob was interesting in his technology and hoped to use it to make his own plans beyond what he imagined. The two had formed an alliance throughout the tournament. The two had built machines of their own. They had even tried to capture a couple of victims for testing, but they ended up escaping from their grasps.

Of course, Noob and Sektor had a few thorns on their sides throughout the time. Ashrah happened to have arrived in Outworld. For a while, she worked alone, and Noob believed that he would easily get her out of the way in a short time.

Then, she made an alliance with someone Noob himself had not seen since his arrival in the Netherrealm. It was his own brother, Sub-Zero.

Sub-Zero had become much stronger. Not only that, but he was now the leader of the Lin Kuei clan. Joining with the two was Matrik, a former member of the Tekunin, and a thorn in Sektor's side.

With the three of them working together, they became quite a challenge for Noob and Sektor. During that time, they also developed a machine that gave them the power to fuse together, making themselves a force to be reckoned with.

The three had managed to capture Smoke, freeing him from Noob's control. From there, his plans slowly began to crumble.

After the tournament ended, Noob fought Sub-Zero in a battle. Noob lost his grip on the sword that had freed Ashrah. And at one point, Sektor left Noob behind after taking care of Matrik. Noob guessed that Sektor may have found out about his later plans to betray the red cyborg and manipulate his programming into serving him. The wraith had not seen him since.

Noob never had the chance to kill off Sub-Zero or Ashrah. He also never had the chance to reclaim Smoke. Instead, he escaped back into the Netherrealm to renew his plan to rebuild the Brotherhood.

During the last six months, Noob collected various demons around the Netherrealm. Ashrah's sword had given him some new power abilities, which including turning mindless Netherrealm demon into his servant.

Noob has since lost count of how many he has recruited into his newly built clan. And although this wasn't what he had envisioned, at least now the Brotherhood of Shadow had returned.

After walking passed many of the new members, he soon reached the altar. Two of it's members stood on either side of the altar. Noob noted that one of them was holding a scythe. The seven foot handle curved slightly as it climbed up. The base that held the four foot curved blade consisted of six, blue jewels, three on each side, that glittered slightly in the light. The entire weapon, besides the jewels, was of a jet black color, including the shiny blade itself.

The two members stepped forward until they were a few feet away from Noob. They got down on their knees and bowed to him for a moment. Then, the two stood themselves up. The first returned back to the altar. The other, the one holding the scythe, stepped towards Noob. He then extended his arms with the weapon in his hands.

"We, the Brotherhood, present this to you, my lord," he said. "It a gift that represents our loyalty to you."

Noob reached his arms out and took the scythe into his hands. The weight of the weapon was nothing to him, but he could imagine that it would be quite heavy for a normal human.

The servant returned back next to the altar as Noob turned his attention to all the other clan members. "Rise!" he demanded. The Brotherhood of Shadow did as they were told, getting themselves on their feet. Noob waited until all of them were still.

"Our clan is now in full session," the wraith announced. "In a few days, we shall enter Earthrealm. There, we will head to Artika and take care of the Lin Kuei clan. They are one of many who stand in our way, and it is with my great intention to get them out of the way first."

Noob moved his head a bit to get a better look at the newly formed clan. All had their heads bowed down underneath their hooded cloaks, but the dark demon knew that they were listening.

"When we arrive at the headquarters," Noob continued. "We shall eradicate everyone there."

Noob then planted the end of the scythe into the ground. He held the long handle with his right hand. With his left, he formed a fist next to him.

He then continued, but his voice a bit lowered. "And I'll finally see to it that Sub-Zero will meet his demise."

~~~

**Edenia - Four Months Ago…**

_Outside the windows of the main throne room, a battle could be heard. The clashing of swords and the battle cries of soldiers seemed to become louder as they brought themselves closer to the Edenian Castle._

_Jade stood a few feet from the window, but the only thing she saw involving the battle was the rising dust from the ground outside. She tightened her grip on her Bo staff in a bit of frustration. As General of the Edenian Knights, she wanted to be out there, fighting alongside her comrades._

_But also as the bodyguard of the royal Edenian family, she remained in the castle within the sleeping quarters of the Queen._

_Jade, along with three others of the army, stood protectively in front of the two members of the royal family… Queen Sindel and Princess Kitana. Both Sindel and Kitana had their own respective weapons in their hands, ready to battle against their foes. Jade and the guards knew that the two could take care of themselves, but as the only two living members of the royal family, the guards could not afford to lose their current Queen and Princess._

_As Jade continued to stay on her guard, she suddenly heard a faint, whistle sound coming from outside. She turned her head in time to see a handful of arrows speeding into the room. Everyone jumped out of the way, and they managed to avoid being wounded._

_"That was too close," one guard said after everyone recovered._

_"It was, indeed," agreed Sindel as her grip on her Kwan Do tightened._

_"Keep on high alert," suggested Kitana. "Anything could-"_

_Before the Princess could finish her sentence, the door to the sleeping quarters was busted opened, much to everyone's surprise. The now-broken door hung from it's hinges as four Tarkatans entered the room._

_"Damn!" Jade cried out. "How did they get passed the other guards?"_

_"They've must've snuck in," guessed another guard._

_The Tarkatans growled before jumping towards the group. Jade and the three guards immediately attacked while Kitana and Sindel were only a few feet behind them. They stood in their own fighting stances, ready to attack any of the Tarkatans who come near them._

_Jade easily took down the mutant who went after her, knocking him out cold with her staff. She then looked around to see two of the three fellow guards get the upper hand in their own battle. However, the third, after a bit of struggle, was stabbed through the chest by the Tarkatan's blades._

_"Garan!" one guard yelled out before using his blood stained sword to decapitate the last remaining Tarkatan. Jade watched as the head rolled back out of the room. The headless body stumbled back a bit before falling to the floor._

_The guard who did the killing immediately bent down to his ally to check on him. After a few seconds, he shook his head grimly. "Garan's dead…"_

_Jade frowned a bit as she looked down at Garan's lifeless body. She had only known the young man for a short time as he served the Edenian Knights for only a few weeks._

_As she moved her head, something caught the corner of Jade's eye. Quickly, she looked towards the window and saw someone coming up to them from behind Sindel and Kitana._

_Quickly, the Edenian General took out her razor-rang. "Look out!" she yelled before throwing it. Sindel and Kitana heard the call in time and ducked out of the way of the weapon's path. However, the intruder saw the flying object in time and, with a sadistic grin, caught it with their hands._

_Jade showed no reaction upon realizing that her own weapon ended up proving useless. However, upon recognizing the intruder, her teeth clenched._

_"Tanya," she growled. The hatred that Jade had for the former Edenian Ambassador's daughter grew even more than ever. Tanya earned Jade's loathing the day the yellow-clad woman betrayed Edenia by letting in a fallen Elder God and his minions into the realm, therefore wreaking havoc. This, along with countless other crimes, made her a wanted criminal._

_This was the first time Jade has seen Tanya since the Blood Tournament._

_Tanya sneered upon hearing Jade say her name. "The one and only. So glad you and I are able to meet again."_

_"You have a lot of nerve returning to Edenia," Jade said. "You will die much sooner if you stay here long enough."_

_"Perhaps," Tanya replied. "… but then again, with the Emperor's new found power, I don't think that'll be happening."_

_Before Jade could comprehend what was just said, Tanya quickly threw the razor-rang back at her. The green-clad General attempted to raise her staff up to block it, unsure if her own speed would block the flying weapon in time. However, Jade suddenly found herself being pushed sideways, stumbling a few feet before hitting the wall._

_"Roman!" Kitana cried out._

_Jade never heard the weapon slice through her fellow guard's neck during the moment when she hit the wall. As she turned her head back to the scene, she saw Roman's head on the ground. His body stumbled a bit, just like the Tarkatan's, before falling to the floor._

_Another frown appeared on the General's face, realizing that Roman sacrificed his own life to save hers._

_That was when Jade heard two battle cries before the sound of clashing weapons were heard. Jade turned her attention to the noise, and she saw Kitana fighting Tanya with her fan blades. Tanya herself fought with her two Kobu Jutsu weapons._

_Jade looked over to where Sindel is, where the last remaining guard was keeping watch right next to her._

_"Zarek, get the Queen out of here!" she demanded to him._

_"What about the situation here?" Zarek asked with concern._

_"Kitana and I will take care of her. We'll catch up as soon as we're done here."_

_Hearing the new orders, Sindel stepped forward. "I'm not leaving unless my daughter is with me!"_

_"My Queen," Jade began to answer. "It's best if the both of you were separated. In that case, it would be better for our enemies to only find one of you than both at once."_

_Sindel only replied with a nod, understanding Jade's decision. With that, she reluctantly followed Zarek out of the room._

_Just before Jade could join in the ensuing battle, Tanya managed to execute a roundhouse kick at Kitana's side. The kick was enough to send the Princess flying sideways before crashing into the ground._

_Tanya began to move towards Kitana, but Jade quickly kicked her away. Tanya stumbled a bit before regaining her balance. Without any words, the two began to battle. However, it would only end up being a brief battle._

_Neither Jade nor Kitana ever spotted a second intruder coming into the room. Jade was focused on taking down Tanya, never knowing that the intruder came from behind her. It was only after she received a blow to the side of her head did she realize that someone else was there._

_The attack was enough to knock the General to the floor. She tried to get herself back up, but darkness fought her down. Jade tried to fight back, but the darkness ended up winning as she slipping into unconsciousness…_

~~~

**Present - Edenia Hillsides**

"Jade? Jade?" a male voice said. "Are you all right?"

Jade blinked a few times as a hand waved in front of her face. When the hand moved away, she found herself staring towards the pathway which lead to a group of trees. The trees themselves hid the pathway quite well from the rest of Edenia…

… Or what was left of it.

Without turning to the person speaking to her, Jade replied. "Yeah… I'm fine."

"Good," the gentleman said. "I'm glad to know that you weren't thinking about-" He then stopped himself before he could finish.

Jade turned to him then, her eyes laying on Zarek. She then sighed a little. "You know I still feel guilty for what happened."

"I know," Zarek replied. "There's nothing we can do about it. All we can do now is hope for the best."

Jade replied with a nod. "You do the same. I know you blame yourself for what happened that day too."

Zarek sighed a little before changing the subject. "Are you on guard duty now?"

Jade nodded. "Should start right about now. Let's head out."

With that, the two began walking down the path and towards the woods.

In her mind, Jade thought about what happened after being rendered unconscious… both Tanya and the second intruder, who she later found out was Reptile, attacked Kitana. Jade believed that Kitana tried all she could to fight back, but the two overpowered her.

Zarek ended up having the same thing happen involving Sindel, only it was Tanya and Reptile's fellow ally, Rain, and some demonic minions of the Outworld Forces. As far as everyone knew, both Sindel and Kitana were still alive. However, both were captured and were now being held prisoner.

Six months ago after Jade left Outworld, Edenia rejoiced when word of Shao Kahn's death spread throughout the realm. With his death, Edenia enjoyed peace for the first time since anyone could remember.

However, the peace would only last for two months. Jade guessed that the news of the Emperor's 'demise' was used so that no one in the realm would be prepared for what would end up being a take-over.

Jade has heard of many other realms being captured. The people of those realms were either killed or enslaved. When the realms were taken over completely, they would merge with Outworld.

The Edenian General refused to see her realm captured again. Joining with the surviving knights and citizens, she formed the Edenian Freedom Fighters. Their purpose was to fight back against anyone who contributed with threatening Edenia.

Jade had two goals in mind as the leader. She would see to it that the realm of Edenia would be freed from it's current tyranny. The other… to find a way to free Kitana and Sindel from their captors.

 _If only our portals weren't destroyed,_ Jade thought a bit grimly. At this point, she had no other way of accessing any other realms, let alone Outworld.

As she and Zarek entered the woods, they suddenly heard the sounds of battle taking place not too far from them. Without saying a word, the two of them began heading into the direction where the sounds came from.

Soon, they reached the edge of the woods and saw their fellow knights fighting against a small group of Tarkatans. Some of the fighters were already dead, their broken bodies lying on the green grass as the others continued on.

Quickly, Jade and Zarek jumped into the battle. However, before Jade could pick someone to fight, a familiar female stepped in front of her path. Jade growled, recognizing her foe Tanya.

"You!" Jade yelled out.

A grin came over Tanya's face. "So glad you could join in. Shall I cut you up now, or just torture you… slowly."

Jade quickly got herself in a fighting stance, ready for battle. It was then that she heard a hiss-like voice from her left.

"Well, if it isssn't the all-great General." The green-clad woman didn't have to guess that it was Reptile who stood a few feet away from her. "Now I think will finally be the time to burn that pretty skin off of your bones."

"Now, don't rush just yet," another voice said from Jade's left. The Edenian General turned her head this time, her eyes laying on Rain.

Although Rain was absent during the Blood Tournament, Jade knew that he was quite a powerful warrior in his own right. Like Tanya, he was an Edenian who became corrupted at some point in his life.

"Nice for you to join us, Rain," Jade spat.

"That'll be _Prince_ Rain to you," the black and purple clad warrior. "Because when Edenia is finally in our control, I will soon rule this realm."

"Over my dead body," the green clad woman growled. It was at that moment that a knight attacked Rain and the two began their own fight. Seconds later, the same happened with Reptile, leaving Jade alone with Tanya.

"And soon, my dear, your dead body will lay before my feet," Tanya said with a hint of delight in her voice.

Without saying any more, Jade launched forward, ready to fight her enemy. In the back of her mind, Jade had the feeling that this wouldn't be the last time she would battle Tanya…


	4. Chapter Three

**Somewhere in Japan**

_So long since I've last been here… and yet, hardly anything has changed._

Ryu looked up at the hill top which housed the place he grew up in. It's been more than a year since he left, but to him, it seemed much longer. Taking a deep breath, the young man began ascending up the hill, the crisp, white snow crunching underneath his black boots.

As he walked, memories flooded in his mind. Most were his times training up there. He can still remember the distinct smells of burning wood and oil which mostly came from within the dojo. If he closed his eyes right now, he would still remember every inch of this place… every tree, and every large rock.

Ever once in a while, especially after traveling for so long, Ryu wished that things were just as they were all those years ago.

Before he knew it, Ryu reached the top of hill, and he was able to get a glimpse of the dojo he once trained in. It had the look of abandonment. The windows were covered in mud from the rain, some of them cracked or broken. He was sure it was covered in dust and spider webs on the inside. Ryu shivered at the thought of those eight-legged creatures. Oh, how he hated them…

On the outdoor training grounds, some of the equipment were falling apart, and the wood on some of them were decaying due to termites. Ryu shook his head a little at all of this. Only a year gone, yet, nature had left much damage during his absence.

"Master Gouken would not have been pleased," Ryu said to him with a small chuckle.

He then frowned a little upon thinking more about his deceased master, who was murdered by the hands of his own brother. Once known as Gouki, he now preferred the name Akuma.

Ryu sighed, thinking about the events that took place six months ago. He had gone to a realm called Outworld to attend a tournament where the best of the best gathered. Ryu didn't win the tournament, but he had been honored to be a part of it.

However, the tournament had been a ploy to enslave the strong fighters. Ryu was one of the lucky ones to have escaped. However, he couldn't remember what happened during the chaos. Everything had been nothing but a complete blur, up until he found by his best friend Ken Masters and Julia Chang…

Julia… Ryu sighed to himself as he suddenly thought of her. During their stay, he had grown to care for the young woman, a woman who shared his love of nature. Everything between them was pretty okay at first.

Then, Sagat revealed a horrifying truth about Julia's mother. She had gone missing two years ago, having been kidnapped by Shadaloo as Sagat revealed, and brainwashed to serve them. Sadly, she had been killed while on a mission… it had been a mission to assassinate Ryu himself.

And according to Sagat, it was Ryu who caused her death…

Just like during the chaos, the events of that day was nothing but a blur. Ryu remembered every fight he's been in, but no matter how much he tried, he could never recall the one with Michelle Chang, let alone killing her.

Julia was split on what to think. She wanted to believe that it was an accident if anything, but at the same time, she had her doubts. Sagat had no true evidence, but promised the young woman that if anything came up, he would return.

Upon their return from Outworld, Ryu went back with Julia to her home in Arizona for a few days. It had been a promise Julia made earlier during the tournament. And after, she would have followed him to Japan for the rest of the summer before returning to college.

In the end, however, Julia chose not to go with him. Not only that, but due to the doubted feelings, she chose to separate herself from him. It had been painful for her, Ryu had seen that in her eyes… he last saw her when he went through the security gates at the airport, soon boarding a plane which returned him to Japan.

Ryu had not heard from her since…

Until now, Ryu traveled Japan, living once again by his motto; 'The fight is all.' He attended a few tournaments here and there, but they didn't really give him any sort of true challenge.

He sighed to himself as his mind returned back to reality, gazing at the abandoned dojo standing in front of him. He then looked up towards the sky, the sun beginning to set behind the high mountains which surrounded his former home.

Ryu placed his large duffle bag down on the ground, deciding on what he wanted to do first. He found an empty bucket with a sponge inside near a water pump. He wondered for a moment if the pump was still working. However, upon lifting up the lever, water spouted out of the faucet and into the bucket, soaking the sponge inside. Once it was filled halfway up, Ryu stopped and grabbed the bucket before walking to his destination.

It was a five minute walk before Ryu found himself staring at the simple gravestone just by a river which was covered in thin ice. The simple kanji etched on the stone read his master's name. It didn't feel so long ago when Ryu was forced to bury Master Gouken alone after his murder. It had been hard on the young man at the time, but it had to be done.

Ryu bowed his head to the stone before looking up again. "I'm back, Master Gouken," he said. "I'm not sure how long I'll stay this time, but I guess I'll know soon enough." With that, Ryu placed the bucket down next to the stone before getting down on his knees. He then took the sponge out, squeezed out the excess water, then proceeded with cleaning the mud and mold off the stone.

The task took a while to do. By the time the stone was completely cleaned, the sun had already set, darkening the clear sky above. The wind picked up a little, and Ryu noticed the cold for the first time all day. His constant moving had kept him warm all day, but now that he had settled himself, he was starting to feel it more.

He sat down in front of the grave in a lotus position, staring at the stone once more. "I have just returned from a long journey, Master," Ryu said. He then explained his trip to Outworld, the tournament he attended, and the blur he experienced during the chaos out there. He had thought of mentioning Julia at one point, but quickly decided that the information wasn't too important to comment.

Ryu continued to reflect for a while despite the cold becoming more bitter as the minutes passed. Soon, however, he stood himself up, and looked down at the grave one last time. "Goodnight Master," he whispered before turning around to head back to the old dojo.

However, Ryu only took a couple of steps when a flash sudden came to his vision. He gasped, the moment startling him, but before he could catch his breath, the flashing came back. It blinded him, and the pain in his head suddenly became unbearable, forcing him to bring his hands to his temples.

The flashes only lasted a moment, but it seemed like forever before they finally ended. Ryu suddenly found himself on his knees, out of breath, the beads of sweat developing on his forehead despite the cold air. His dark eyes were widened, horrified by what he just saw.

In the tournament, he had flashes of chaos and destruction… and there it was again, the blood red sky, the blood stains on the ground, and worse, the decaying corpses that laid before his feet. He had thought that he had seen visions of what happened six months ago…

But now, Ryu realized that wasn't the case anymore.

 _Something's going to happen_ _,_ he thought as he managed to finally catch his breath. _That vision… it felt too real…_

The wind blew much more heavily this time. Ryu looked up towards the starry, moonless sky, the tail of his red headband flapping over his shoulder and in front of him.

What did these visions mean? Will something soon happen here? Somewhere else on Earth? Back in Outworld? Or perhaps in another realm?

Ryu let himself feel his surroundings for a moment, but soon realized that nothing seemed out of the ordinary, for now at least. In the meantime, he decided to settle himself in the dojo for the night. He would medicate on the vision during the dark hours…

~~~

**Tokyo, Japan**

**Tokyo Dome**

"Hurry, Mika, it's going to start soon!" Cassandra Alexandra called out as she spotted her friend trying to rush down aisle to get back to her seat.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Rainbow Mika called out as she tried to get out of the way of the crowd. At the same time, she carried two drinks in her hands and was trying not to spill it's contents.

"If these small-sized drinks weren't so expensive, I wouldn't be so worried…" she found herself grumbling a little.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Mika finally reached Cassandra in the front row and sat down next to her. "Phew! That was close," she said as she handed Cassandra her fruit juice drink. "I was so sure I was going to spill them again."

Cassandra chuckled a little. "Well, luckily, it didn't."

The two then fell silent for a moment and Cassandra found herself looking at her surroundings. Being from another realm with different customs, clothing, and technologies, it still amazed her how much she had discovered since coming here to Earth.

Of course, it wasn't like she had too much of a choice when she accidentally walked through the wrong portal instead of the one that would send her back to her realm of Keisei. Even after six months, she was still mad at Paul Phoenix, the one who had encouraged her into the portal in the first place during the chaos in Outworld. She has been stuck here since, thankfully welcomed into the home of Mika and her parents until she could find a way home.

 _Where's Raiden?_ Cassandra found herself thinking for who knows how many times. _You'd think he would know I was in the wrong realm by now…_

She was worried more about her own family than anything else. She had been away for so long and, because there was no way to contact them at this point along with the knowledge of how this realm knew of what happened in Outworld, Cassandra had the feeling that her family believed her to be dead. The thought saddened her, and she hoped to get home as soon as possible. But with no progress up to this point, who knows when that would be.

Whatever the case, if she ever saw that cur Paul Phoenix again, she planned to give him a good, swift kick in the behind for sending her to the wrong realm!

"What are you thinking about, Cassandra?" Mika's voice suddenly cut in.

Cassandra shook her head a little before looking at her friends. "Oh nothing, but, eh… I was wondering… I noticed people seemed to be excited about the next match. Why is that?"

Mika gave her a big grin. "It's the biggest rivalry in wrestling history! King vs. Marduk, the battle of the century!"

“Ah, I see. How did their rivalry begin?"

"It's a long story, but I'll keep it short," Mika began. "Well basically, Marduk had been in a bar brawl which killed King's teacher, Armor King-"

"That's terrible," Cassandra frowned.

"Yeah, it was," Mika agreed. "Well anyway, Marduk was put in jail for the crime until King bailed him out, but only so that he could extract revenge on him. They fought each other in a tournament, and the fight was so brutal that it sent Marduk to the hospital. Marduk didn't want to accept the defeat and… well… they've been going back and forth since for the past few months. It makes you think how this whole rivalry is going to end, though I get the feeling some wrestling fans don't want it to end."

Just as Mika finished her sentence, the announcer came to the middle of the four-sided ring. "Ladies and gentlemen! We have now reached the final match of the evening! So without further ado…" He points to one end of the ring. "From this side of the ring… standing in at six foot seven inches and weighing in at one-hundred and ninety-nine pounds, from Mexico… King!"

The audience cheered wildly as King made his way through the walkway, waving at the people around him. He wore his signature jaguar mask over his head, and black cape covered the rest of his body with the exception of his yellow wrestling boots.

Once King was in the ring, he took off his cape, giving it to the assistant waiting on the side of the ring. This revealed his bare, muscular torso, yellow elbow pads with matching forearm covers, black fingerless gloves with yellow trims, and blue and yellow trunks baring his name in front over purple wrestling tights.

The audience soon fell a little more quiet as the announcer spoke. "And from this side of the ring… standing in at seven feet tall, and weighing in at three hundred and thirty-eight pounds, from Australia… Craig Marduk!"

There were some cheers, but they were deafened by booing as a large figure came out to the arena. He raised his arms up in the air, spinning himself around once as though showing himself off.

"Keep all those cameras on me!" he called out.

Like King, Marduk also showed off a bare, muscular torso, sporting a matching tribal tattoo on each arm. He wore purple and green fingerless gloves with white bands around the wrist, basketball-like shorts in two different shades of green with white trimmings, and matching knee pads, each one baring his first name, Craig. He wore nothing on his feet, and it didn't seem to bother him as he made his way to the ring.

"Ew, he's hairy," Cassandra suddenly said, her nose turned up as she noticed the hair on Marduk's chest.

Mika chuckled at her comment. "Yeah, some wrestlers don't shave. There's nothing wrong with that, and I really don't mind it. My favorite wrestler, Zangief, doesn't shave either."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow, a sly smirk appearing on her face. "Well that's why you don't mind it… because your favorite doesn't."

Mike eyed her. "Be quiet."

Finally, the bell rang for the match to begin. The audience cheered wildly as King and Marduk circled each other, waiting for the other to make their first move.

Marduk decided to get the fight started and he went after King. King moved as well, and they both covered the space between them before Marduk attempted a fist to the face. Quickly, King blocked the move with his forearm.

For a minute, the two exchanged moves, both of them finding themselves at both offense an defense. Eventually, King found an opening, quickly bent down before performing a sweep kick. The move connected, sending Marduk crashing onto the ground. King then attempted to stomp on his chest, but the bigger wrestler saw this in time. He rolled out of the way before quickly getting himself back on his bare feet.

Once again, the two exchanged punches and kicks before Marduk managed to duck away from an incoming attack. With King now vulnerable, Marduk quickly elbowed him square between the shoulder blades. The pain shot through King's body as fast as lightning, forcing him on his knees. Marduk then followed that with another blow in the same spot using his foot, sending King flat on his masked face.

As King tried to recover from the pain, Marduk quickly grabbed him with both arms before lifting him above his head. He ignored the boos and the chants meant for King from the spectators watching them.

With a loud roar, Marduk threw King forward, intending on getting him out of the ring. However, King managed to regain himself and, upon reaching the ropes, grabbed a hold of them, and performed a _tiger feint_ _kick._

The audience cheered wildly once King recovered. He landed back on the ground before coming after Marduk with a kick, who blocked the move with his own fist.

Another set of punches and kicks were exchanged. It lasted even longer, making the audience wonder who was going to get the upper hand next.

"Come on, King!" Mika called out from her seat, nearly spilling her drink on Cassandra as she jumped up.

"Hey, watch it!" Cassandra yelled as she moved out of the way from the tipped cup.

Finally, King managed to get behind Marduk and grab him, perform a German supplex that forced the bigger wrestler to take the hard impact from his back. As King got up, Marduk's hand felt the steel chair that was laid against the ring. He smirked to himself.

 _I'm done with these rules,_ he thought to himself.

Just before King could perform another move, Marduk managed to get a hold of the chair. He pulled it towards him and, once the Mexican wrestler was in reach, he smashed the chair into his face, knocking King back.

The bell rang almost right away, making the match a disqualification with King winning. The audience booed, not expecting the match to end this way. Marduk grinned as he stood up. The chair was still in his hand, bent in half.

"I think we've wrestled enough to where I believe we don't need to follow rules anymore," he said. "It's about time we had a real match… then we can truly settle our score!"

King was getting himself up as his nemesis said this. His mind drifted to the day he heard of his master's death at Marduk's hands two years ago. He wasn't going to let him forget that!

With a loud roar, King leapt at Marduk, and the both of them tumbled out of the ring. They began to beat each other up again, and the audience once again went wild, realizing that their match wasn't quite over just yet.

"Oh my!" Mika called out. Quickly, she grabbed Cassandra's wrist. "Come on, I want to get a closer look at this!"

Before Cassandra could protest, she found herself being pulled out of her chair, losing her grip on her unfinished drink which was now spilling on the floor. The rest of the crowd had the same idea as Mika, however, and they all began to surround the two fighting wrestlers.

However, before Mika could get a good look at the match, security had been called in to stop the fight, which obviously disappointed the spectators highly…

A half hour later, Mika and Cassandra were in Mika's car on the way home. Well, at least they were trying to. They were still stuck in the parking lot, trying to get out and head on to the main streets of Tokyo.

"I knew we should've got to the car as soon as we got out," Cassandra sighed.

"Sorry," Mika said with a goofy grin. "I had to go to the bathroom you know."

"Yeah, and then the line to that was long too. All these lines to wait on… it makes me feel like I'm part of a herd of cattle."

Mika chuckled a little. "I always think that every time I go to Tokyo Disneyland."

"Tokyo what?" Cassandra asked confused.

Mika giggled a little. "Sorry, I forget you're from another realm. But it's a fun place anyway. I should take you there."

Cassandra shrugged a little. "Okay."

A sigh escaped Mika's lips. "I so can't wait for the Wrestling Convention tomorrow! We get to meet all these wrestlers, including the ones we saw tonight. Too bad Zangief won't be there. Hopefully he will come next year…"

As Mika rambled on, Cassandra found herself looking out the window of the car, barely noticing the outside word. Her mind drifted to her home in the realm of Keisei. Already she imagined the smell of pastries in her mother's bakery shop, her sister Sophitia's voice, even when nagging at her, and the laughter of her niece and nephew as they played on the green grass at their home.

Although she was enjoying her time on Earth, there was no doubt in her mind that she was also homesick. What bothered her more was that, since everyone here on Earth knew what happened after the tournament in Outworld, she knew that word got to Keisei as well. And due to that, Cassandra knew that her family believed her to be dead. If there was only a way for her to get some sort of message to them, if only to let them know that she was alive.

_Sophitia… I hope you and the rest of the family are doing okay…_

~~~

**Another part of Tokyo, Japan**

**Tokyo International Airport**

"Well, here we are," Baek Doo San said as he stepped out of the terminal.

Behind him, his student, Hwoarang, stretched his arms out a bit while yawning. "It's about time. I felt like I was never getting off that plane."

Baek sighed a little. "Hwoarang… it was only a two in a half hour flight."

"Yeah, Hwoarang," a female voice said from behind him. "It was only a two in a half hour flight after all."

Hwoarang cursed under his breath. "Who asked you?" he said. He turned around to face the young woman who he had reluctantly known for almost six months… Seong Mi-na.

For a moment, Hwoarang found himself remembering how Mi-na came into his life..

_Nearly six months ago; Seoul, South Korea_

_Hwoarang found himself surrounded by three guys in an alleyway. He didn't mind since he was looking for a street fight in the first place. And with the three involved, it may or may not be a good challenge._

_The young man got himself in a fighting stance as did the other three. "So… you ready to begin this?" he said._

_None of the three spoke. Instead, they began their attack. Hwoarang was able to take them on, but the fight would only last a few seconds._

_Suddenly, the three were being beaten by someone else and, before Hwoarang knew it, the three were on the ground unconscious. He looked around, wondering who had helped him. Soon, he spotted a young woman holding a kwan do weapon, her dark brown hair pulled back in a single ponytail that ended at her waist. She had worn a mix of green and red, her short-sleeved shirt high enough to reveal her whole stomach. Her dress was split on the sides revealing her slender legs, the dress itself held up by black bands that rested on her hips. On her feet were red, ankle-length boots covered by green leg warmers._

_Just by the outfit alone, Hwoarang knew that she wasn't from around here. And perhaps he would've found himself staring at the brown-eyed beauty for some time… but his anger overrode that. After all, a_ girl _had done his work!_

_"_ _Hey!" Hwoarang called out. "I was doing just fine until you came around!"_

_The woman's smile quickly faded and anger replaced it. "Well I see someone is quite unappreciative of being helped."_

_"_ _I didn't need any help, let alone from a girl!"_

_She placed a hand on her hip. "Well excuse me, I thought you were in trouble! And besides, what's wrong with a girl helping out?"_

_They continued to argue to the point that their words were suddenly incoherent to anyone who would have been listening. Then, at one point, Hwoarang felt a presence behind him. He whirled himself around, only to be face to face with his master, who stared at him with his arms folded…_

_Baek had been searching for Hwoarang after waking up to find him missing. He had the feeling that his student was out gambling in street fights again. Seeing three young men unconscious on the ground, his feelings were correct… however, he didn't expect him to see him arguing with a woman._

_"_ _Hwoarang… I see you that you left the dojamg without my permission."_

_"_ _Master, I-" Hwoarang began._

_"_ _How many times have I told you not to venture out without my permission? You always get yourself in trouble, and the last thing I need is to find out you're in jail. I want you to return back to the dojang. We'll be training as soon as we return."_

_Hwoarang sighed, trying to keep any more of his anger in. "Yes, master…"_

_That's when Baek noticed Mi-na for the first time. He noted her clothes. "You're not from this realm, aren't you?"_

_Mi-na shook her head. "No. I'm from Keisei. I, um, kind of stumbled here by accident. You see… I was attending a tournament-"_

_"_ _The one where 'the best of the best' would attend?" Baek asked._

_Mi-na looked at him with surprise. "How did you know?"_

_Baek turned his head to Hwoarang. "He had received the same invitation, but… I forbade him to go."_

_Mi-na decided not to ask why as she proceeded with her story. "Well, Hwoarang should consider himself lucky. After the tournament… well, it had turned out to be a ploy to lead us all to our deaths, our souls taken for slavery. There were portals opened, one for each realm, and in the chaos, I, um, accidentally went though the wrong one, and I ended up here." She pointed to one of the alleyways. "I ended up sleeping over there overnight…"_

_The story Mi-na mentioned wasn't the entire truth. The real truth was that her friend, Hwang, encouraged her to go to Earth so that she could get away from marrying a suspicious man she wanted nothing to do with. That marriage was arranged by her own father. Although she loved her father, she didn't want to go through with the marriage._

_But now that she was here, she realized what a mistake she made. If only she went back to Keisei, she and Hwang could've talked to her father together. With Hwang's influence, there would have been a chance to convince her father to change his mind._

How foolish I feel _,_ _she thought._ Now Father will worry about me…

_"_ _You're lucky you're not hurt," Baek said with concern. "This place can be dangerous at night." He then noted her weapon. "But I can see that you would be able to hold your own. You were able to survive what happened at the tournament after all. What's your fighting style?"_

_"_ _We call it the Ling Sheng Su style," she replied. "It's been in my family for generations, mostly weapon-based."_

_Baek nodded. "I see. And, since you are from another realm, I assume you have nowhere to go?"_

_Mi-na slowly shook her head. "I have a few friends from here, but I don't know their location. Other than that, yes, I have nowhere to go."_

_Baek nodded, having known the answer even before he asked. "You are welcome to stay with me until we can find a way to get you home. I'll even train you in my fighting style, Tae Kwan Do, during your stay."_

_Mi-na bowed her head to him. "Thank you, Master…"_

_"_ _Baek. Now, let's head back to the house." He then turned around and began walking forward._

_With Baek's back turned, Mi-na looked over at Hwoarang. The look on his face was just the same anger as it was during their previous argument. She knew what he was thinking… he was now stuck with her for an undetermined period of time, and he already knew that it was not going to be pleasant._

_Mi-na grinned before spitting her tongue out at him. She then began following Baek._

Damn it! _Hwoarang growled in his mind. His fists clenched at his sides, he wanted to punch something then and there, but he knew that he would get in more trouble than he already was in. Taking a deep breath, he followed his master and his new student back to their dojang…_

Mi-na had not replied right away to Hwoarang's question as she gave him a sly look. Then she noticed him staring at her for too long and she narrowed her eyes. "What are you looking at?"

Hwoarang narrowed his eyes as well. "Nothing, just your-"

"Now, now," Baek cut in. "We didn't fly all the way to Japan just for you two to bicker at each other. You've done enough of that back at home."

"Sorry, Master," they both said with a small sigh.

Satisfied that he was able to stop their arguing (at least temporarily), Baek continued to walk. "Now let's pick up the bags, then head to the hotel."

The three walked over to the baggage claim to pick up their belongings…

Meanwhile, someone that both Hwoarang and Mi-na knew had just arrived at the airport from Australia. A single bag thrown over his shoulder, he glanced at his surroundings after exiting the terminal.

For the first time in over six months, Jin Kazama was home.

The young man's time away had been a long one, and it felt like ages since he was last here. Over a month of it was spent in another realm called Outworld, having entered a tournament there. He had come very close to winning, making it into the final round before being defeated at the hands of Ivy Valentine.

Briefly, he wondered what became of her after all the chaos that took place, but he decided not to dwell on it.

But that wasn't even the worst of it. He had, at one point, given in to his devil gene. Most of what happened had been a blur, with the exception of one… he had killed one of his allies, Sakura Kasugano…

Another ally, Asuka, had witnessed what had transpired at the cathedral that day, and she had managed to tell him the details right after their return… both he and another, Ryu, were in their dark forms fighting against each other, most likely to see who was the strongest. When they shot their energy blasts at each other, Sakura had come between them, and the blast was powerful enough to kill the young woman…

Jin couldn't remember actually killing her, but he knew he was responsible upon seeing her broken body on the floor. He was still in his devil form, but he clearly remembered holding her in his arms, giving in to his grief briefly before everything went black…

He was back to normal when he woke up, and had just made it to the portals that would take him back home before they shut down completely.

With him during that moment was Cammy White, a woman from England's MI-6 who he met during the tournament. The two had grown to deeply care for each other during their time together. It had been the first time that Jin didn't have to worry too much about his bloodline...

At least until the day he gave in to the gene once more after his fight with his own father, Kazuya Mishima… He had been foolish, letting his guard down during that last week of the tournament…

After their return to Earth, Jin spent a few days with Cammy in England where she lived, just as they planned. Actually, it was supposed to be a two-week stay, but Jin had been affected by the events after the tournament. Cammy herself was affected as well, having lost three of her teammates during the chaos, and witnessing the death of one of their leaders, Rose, who she tried to save.

After those few days, Jin knew that he had to isolate himself for a while. It was to reflect on his time in Outworld, but there were two other reasons… one was so that he could find a way to be rid of his devil gene for good. That was the most important reason. The other was to keep himself away from those he cared for, so that what happened with Sakura didn't repeat itself again.

He had left a note behind to Cammy in the middle of the night, explaining his reasons for leaving… and how, until he can find a way to break his curse, that they must not see each other again. She would be safe from him. The decision was not easy, but Jin knew that it was for the best.

He headed to a familiar location… Brisbane, Australia. The last time he arrived here was over two years ago after his own grandfather, Heihachi Mishima, betrayed his trust. Four years prior, Jin had promised his mother that he would sought him out if anything was to happen to her. When she did die, Jin did just as she asked.

Heihachi was willing to take Jin in, training him in the Mishima-Style Fighting Karate. This was only to make him powerful enough to lure the Fighting God, Ogre, to him in hopes for creating an ultimate life form. Jin himself wanted revenge on Ogre as he was responsible for his mother's death. The training went on for four years.

After the third King of Iron First Tournament, Ogre had been thought to have been defeated by one of the fighters who attended. However, Ogre then transformed into a more monstrous form known as True Ogre, which Jin managed to defeat. It was afterwards that he discovered Heihachi's true intentions. Heihachi then tried to kill him, but Jin managed to defend himself before escaping.

Angered by his grandfather's betrayal, his bloodline, his Devil Gene, knowing the Mishima fighting style, and even himself, Jin went to Brisbane. There, he spent two years in a dojo to unlearning the style and learning traditional karate by the master who lived there.

After his training, Jin only left for a few months. Then he returned, not wanting to go back to Japan right away, and having no other place to go…

The dojo's master welcomed him back. There, Jin did almost nothing but train and meditate, trying to keep his focus on nothing but… he had hoped, through meditation, that he would find the answers he need…

But instead, just last night, he received a vision… it had been similar to the one he had received during the tournament… the sky above was red, blood stained all over, and the decaying corpses laid on the ground. Jin remembered snapping his eyes open, his face covered in sweat. Even before he left Outworld, he always had a feeling that the chaos wasn't over…

He had pushed the thought aside until now…

Jin knew that something was about to happen. He also knew that it was time to go back to Japan. He had allies there, and, despite his own circumstances, he knew he had to get back and warn them of the impending darkness.

And now here was here in Tokyo…

Jin continued to look around until he found a sign that lead to an exit. The bag in his hand was his only luggage, so he decided to head out, intending on catching a taxi that will take him to a hotel.

Meanwhile, Hwoarang, Baek, and Mi-na waited for their luggage to show up on the conveyer belt. A bit bored, Hwoarang found himself looking at his surroundings. To his right, he noticed a figure wearing a heavy blue jacket with white flames on it, his pants matching as well. Upon looking at the person's face, a smirk almost formed on his lips as he recognized Jin.

"Well, well," he uttered. He briefly looked over at Mi-na and Baek, noting that they were distracted as they waited for their luggage. This gave him the chance to sneak away and walk over to Jin.

Hwoarang briefly thought about their first encounter. Up until he met Jin, Hwoarang was practically undefeated in his street fights. Then _he_ came along. It had been quite a fight, but the Japanese man had defeated the red-headed Korean. Hwoarang swore that he would face him in a fight again as revenge for his defeat.

"Kazama!" Hwoarang called out just a few feet away.

Jin stopped his tracks. The voice was one he had not heard in nearly a year, not since the last King of Iron Fist Tournament.

Without turning his head, Jin spoke. "What do you want?"

Hwoarang walked closer to him, giving him a cool look. "Well, for one thing, it's been a while," he answered. "Secondly, you know exactly what I want. You still owe me a rematch, Kazama."

Jin sighed before turning his head to Hwoarang. "This rematch you want so much… it's going to have to wait-"

"I've waited long enough!" Hwoarang growled. "We're both here, so I'd say-"

"There you are!" Mi-na called out from behind. Not noticing who Hwoarang was talking to right away, she walked over to him. "You almost missed getting your bag, you know. I'm the one who had to drag it out and-"

By then, Mi-na had turned her head, finally noticing who Hwoarang was talking to. She had to catch her breath as she recognized Jin, not expecting to see any one she knew from Outworld for quite a while.

Jin had recognized her too and he managed a small smile. "It's good to see you again."

Mi-na managed to nod. "It's good to see you again, too."

Hwoarang suddenly found himself looking back and forth between the two. His rival? The woman who annoyed him more than anyone else? "You two _know_ each other?"

"We were both at The Blood Tournament," Mi-na mentioned.

Hwoarang swore his head was ready to explode. Suddenly, it was him against the world. _This is a nightmare!_

Jin looked back at the Tae Kwon Do fighter. "Again, you're rematch is going to have to wait. There is much more to worry about than our own little problems. The Blood Tournament Mi-na mentioned… it had brought much more than we anticipated. And even though the tournament's over, I fear that it's only the beginning."

The young raven-haired man began walking away then. "If anything big arises, I'll be at the Tokyo Hotel if you need me."

The two watched as Jin walked away and disappeared into the crowd. When he couldn't be seen anymore, Hwoarang folded his arms. "What the hell was he talking about? I think Kazama's gone loony."

Mi-na barely heard Hwoarang's words as she thought about what Jin said. After witnessing the horrors in Outworld, she was surprised that something may happen soon enough. Those who ran the tournament had intended to enslave those there. What wouldn't stop them from enslaving everyone in the universe?

And the worst part of Jin words… he seemed so sure of it.

For the first time since she could remember, Mi-na was frightened…

~~~

**Osaka, Japan**

It was the first day back at Osaka University after winter break. The afternoon sun shined high in the clear blue sky. In the spring, it would have been perfect to sit outside and enjoy the day, but the snow that was left a week ago was still melting, making the ground muddy and wet.

After finishing with her last class of the day, Asuka Kazama walked over to where her bicycle was, locked on the rack with the rest. She took out a key to unlock the lock that kept her bike safe from thieves while she attended her classes.

Once she got that done, she go on her bike, then began pedaling down the sidewalk. She maneuvered herself out of the way of the other students who chose to walk. In a way, Asuka couldn't wait to get off campus so that it would be easier for her to ride through and head back home.

At the same time though, she knew she had to be careful. There wasn't too much snow on the ground, but she knew she had to be cautious incase she slid into a patch of ice. It happened to her once in high school. She had fallen forward, and a few perverts managed to get a view of her panties when the bottom edge of her school uniform's skirt flew up.

 _At least I taught them a lesson,_ Asuka thought, chuckling at the memory of chasing those boys down with enough anger to frighten even a bear away.

At least in university, unlike high school, she was able to wear whatever she wanted. Today, she had on a pair of blue jeans with brown snow boots, a puffy black jacket that zipped up and covered the white t-shirt underneath, brown gloves to keep her hands warm, and a brown knitted hat that she made herself.

As she continued riding, she noted another young woman standing on the sidewalk as though she was waiting for something. This young woman was wearing black designer jeans and snow boots. Her hands were placed in the pockets of her heavy pink jacket. She also wore pink earmuff to keep her ears warm.

Asuka rode a couple of more feet before stopping in front of her. She smiled a little. "Is Ishizaki late again, Karin?"

Karin Kanzuki sighed a little. "It's only been a minute so far, but that butler of mine better get here soon. I'll freeze if I stand here any longer." She looked at Asuka curiously, noting that she was on her bike. "Aren't you cold?"

"Not really," Asuka said. "I've been riding my bike to school ever since my first day of high school, so it doesn't bother me anymore."

"I see," Karin nodded. She yawned a little before proceeding. "Well, it could be worse, I guess. Still, I hate it when he's late."

Asuka nodded. Briefly, she thought about Karin, who was the heir to the extremely wealthy Kanzuki dynasty. She remembered, on her first day of university, when the students warned her of her snobbish ways.

 _“I never understood why a rich, snotty girl like Karin would even attend public school?”_ one person had said.

 _“It's because she's trying to mock us 'commoners!'”_ another had answered.

And when Asuka finally did meet Karin the next day, she was as snotty as they came. Asuka had tried to avoid her as much as possible. However, one afternoon, Asuka nearly ran over Karin on her bike. Karin was very offended and the two ended up arguing before it became a real fight. The fight between them lasted a while before Karin found herself pinning Asuka down…

_"_ _I swear," Karin growled. "You're like that Sakura girl I knew in high school!"_

_That clicked something in Asuka's mind, and the anger that was written on her face was replaced by a curious one. "Sakura? You mean Sakura Kasugano?"_

_Karin's fist sudden loosened, but her determination remained. "How do you know her?"_

_"_ _I met her at a tournament over the summer," Asuka replied._

_"_ _You mean that tournament meant for 'the best of the best?' Hmph, to think I could've been there if Ishizaki hadn't got us stuck in traffic! I could've beaten Sakura if I had the chance."_

_Asuka suddenly felt the tears in her eyes a she thought about her friend. She also realized, by Karin's attitude, that she was unaware of what happened to Sakura. "There is something you should know."_

_Karin snorted. "And what would that be, hmm? Is she finally issuing a challenge to me? Because I would-"_

_"_ _She's dead…"_

_The determination on Karin's face suddenly changed to shock. Her jaw had dropped, and her brown eyes were wide. She then got herself up on her feet, finally giving Asuka the chance to get up as well. Karin looked down at the ground, seemingly trying to collect her thoughts after hearing the sad news._

_Then finally, without a word, Karin quickly turned around and began to walk away. Asuka thought about going after her, but stood back, realizing that the wealthy blond needed to be alone._

_Unknown to Asuka, it was the right decision. Not wanting anyone else to see, Karin bowed her head down as she walked. Her long curly hair had fallen in front of her cheeks, hiding the thick tears that dripped down her face. Sure, she and Sakura had their rivalry, but Karin also had a mutual respect for her._

_But now, Sakura would never know that…_

Ever since that day, Asuka and Karin learned to respect each other. They weren't the best of friends or anything, but whenever they saw each other, they would stop to say hello, like they were now. Mostly, they caught up on what the other was doing before going their separate ways. Asuka had thought about asking Karin to have lunch with her a few times, but that has yet to happen.

"So, how was class?" Karin asked after some silence.

Asuka shook her head a little. "It's fine, but I kind of wish our vacation was a little longer."

"I know what you mean," Karin replied. "But I guess that's the way life is."

Soon, a long white limo appeared in front of them and stopped. Quickly, Karin's butler, Ishizaki, came out of the car. The chubby man seemed a bit panicky. "Sorry, Miss Kanzuki! There was construction on the way over here-"

"Don't fret over it, Ishizaki," Karin cut in. "You're only a few minutes late. Besides, I had a little company." She looked over at Asuka. "See you later, Asuka."

"Bye Karin," Asuka said.

As Asuka rode her bike, she heard Karin talk to her butler. "Now, before we head home, I'd like to get some of that lemon tea from my favorite place…"

After a few minutes of weaving around people, Asuka finally managed to get off campus and began her ride back home. Her father would be waiting for her with a cup of hot tea at home. Doing her homework was not going to be fun after her vacation. However, she didn't have that much work, so Asuka knew that she would have a lot of time on her hands afterwards.

The young brunette wondered what she was going to do this afternoon. Most likely, her father would want her to do some training after homework, which she didn't mind. She wondered if she should knit another hat, but then decided against it.

As she continued riding, Asuka reached a corner and stopped, waiting for the cross way light to turn green. Just across the street, Asuka spotted a familiar figure at the corner. It was the Saikyo fighter Dan Hibiki, and all Asuka had to do was looking at his pink fighting gi.

Even from across the street surrounded by a crowd, the young woman was able to hear him yelling. "Are you looking to become the best fighter in the world?" Dan called out as he passed flyers to pedestrians. "Then come take lessons at Dan Hibiki's Saikyo Dojo! Learn to be the best from the master of Saikyo himself! And always remember, your first lesson is free!"

Asuka felt a little pity for the guy as she watched. Ever since they returned from Outworld, he had been trying hard to promote himself, feeling that he was enlightened after his time with the shaman, Nightwolf. Nightwolf, unfortunately, died during the chaos, and Dan had made a promise to him that he would carry the lessons taught to him.

However, the man in pink couldn't convince anyone in Osaka that he had changed for the better. Mostly, they would ignore him. Anyone who did take a flyer barely looked at them before tossing them in the trash along with the others.

Soon, the light turned green, and Asuka was able to ride her bike across the street. Dan noticed her at that point, and he smiled and waved.

"Good afternoon, Asuka," Dan greeted cheerfully.

Asuka stopped her bike just a few feet away from him. "Hi Dan. Any luck today?"

Dan shook his head. "Yesterday, I thought luck came my way. A few kids about your age seemed interested… but they didn't show up for the lesson."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Asuka replied. "Just keep trying, and I'm sure you'll get some students very soon."

"I hope so," Dan nodded. He grinned. "You know my offer still stands to teach you as well."

Asuka shook her head. "You know my father forbids me from learning from other dojos."

"No problem. I just thought I'd try my luck again."

The young woman nodded. "Well, I better get going. Bye, Dan."

"Goodbye, Asuka."

Asuka began peddling home again. As she did, a thought came to her.

_Strange how these past six months have been. It's like things have changed, and yet, things have not change…_

~~~

_Six Months Ago, Realm of Keisei, Unknown Area_

_A portal had opened in front of the main camp of the Manji clan. The clan members had immediately noted this. Each one got in their fighting poses, prepared to take the person on in case they were an adversary._

_Just as quickly as they did so, they relaxed themselves upon recognizing the figure who stepped out of the portal. Standing before them was their long-time leader of their clan._

_"_ _Welcome back, Yoshimitsu," one member said once the portal closed. "We have been waiting for you."_

_"_ _It's good to be back," Yoshimitsu replied, nodding to his clansmen. For a little over a month, he had spent time in Outworld trying to receive the medallion called_ _Chishio No Me_ _so that he can finally destroy it due to it's dark nature. While there, he attended a_ _tournament that took place, the artifact itself being the prize. He had returned to Keisei, realizing that Outworld's Emperor, Shao Kahn, was dead, most likely killed by the medallion's power and now in a new location, where it awaits it's next victim._

_"_ _I have much to tell you," Yoshimitsu began to say as he sheathed his katana into it's scabbard._

_"_ _As do we," one member said, stepping forward._

_Yoshimitsu nodded. "You may go first, Akio." Akio had been the one in charge of leading this camp during Yoshimitsu's absence._

_"_ _Well," Akio began. "It's a bit of a mouthful…"_

_"_ _Take your time."_

_Akio nodded. "Well, those who were previously sent as spies in Outworld before you left… I had sent them back for two reasons. One, to be a second pair of eyes. Two, to protect you in case anything goes wrong."_

_"_ _It was not needed, but it is much appreciated," Yoshmitsu replied. "Before you proceed, I wish to tell my side of things…"_

_From there, Yoshimitsu told his clan the truth behind the tournament, and how Shao Kahn was killed during the onslaught, though he did not witness it._

_Akio seemed to look at his leader grimly. Yoshimitsu noted this once he completed his tale. "You have something to tell me?"_

_"_ _Yes," Akio replied. "Two things, as a matter of fact. Both grim and good."_

_"_ _Get on with the good first."_

_"_ _Well… the good news is that the medallion has been completely destroyed. Our spies saw it burn into ashes."_

_Yoshimitsu was shocked by the news. After so many years of hunting down for the artifact, he never expected to hear news like that for some time. He looked down at the sandy ground a little, unsure of how to react to the news._

_"_ _However, this is where the grim news comes in," Akio continued. "It sort of involves Soul Edge…"_

_Yoshimitsu's head snapped back up. "Soul Edge?"_

_"_ _You see, it was destroyed just seconds before the medallion was as well. We believe that the two had a connection of sorts. Whatever it is, we're not too sure about it."_

_The Manji Clan leader looked down at his deformed right hand, remembering the times he once possessed the medallion in that very hand. "Do you happen to know who destroyed Soul Edge."_

_Akio was quiet for a moment before he quietly answered. "The Emperor himself…"_

_Yoshimitsu's eyes closed. That was one answer he didn't expect. "You mean… Shao Kahn is still alive?"_

_"_ _Yes," Akio said. "And it seems that he's stronger than ever. Worse… he now has an Empress. It may not matter to some, but the thing is… she's from this realm."_

_"_ _Who is she?"_

_"_ _Ivy Valentine."_

_This time, his good hand clenched into a fist. Although he didn't know Ivy personally, Yoshimitsu was aware of her plight. The cursed blade was a part of her blood, and she was doing anything at any cost to destroy it._

_He wondered if Shao Kahn destroying Soul Edge perhaps won Ivy over in a way…_

_"_ _Shao Kahn had desired to take the souls of the warriors at the tournament," Yoshimitsu said. "He desires to rule the universe, just as he attempted years ago." He then gazed at his clan members. "With him surviving, he will proceed with his plans. We must protect the realms at all cost…."_

~~~

**Present, Japan, Unknown Area**

Practicing his katas near a waterfall, his glowing green katana in hand, Yoshimitsu's mind drifted to six months ago on the day of his return to Outworld. It didn't feel so long ago since he returned to Keisei after his time in the darker realm.

It took a while for the Manji clan to devise a plan to protect the realms. They first had to map out the location of every realm in the universe. Then, they had to figure out which realm was actually populated since not every realm was occupied.

However, by the time they arranged their plans, Shao Kahn was already pushing his orders…

The smaller realms were taken over faster than the clan could comprehend. Obviously, they were much easier to conquer. Once they were aware of that, Yoshimitsu began sending his clan to the realms. For a while, the Manji Clan leader remained in Keisei.

Plenty of the realms the clan tried to protect were since captured. It was no doubt to Yoshimitsu that many of his clansmen were killed or enslaved. For those who were enslaved, he hoped to someday get to Outworld to free them, despite their oath that the civilians came before them.

Then, he heard a rumor of Earth being next. Yoshimitsu himself was born in that realm, and the last thing he wanted was to see it crumble to it's feet. He volunteered himself to lead the clansmen already stationed there to help protect that realm. Using his sword, which possessed the gift to create a portal to any realm he wished to travel to amongst other powers, Yoshimitsu made his way to Earth.

Five months have passed, and the Manji leader had been here ever since.

As of now, Earth was safe. It had turned out that the rumor of Earth being next was actually targeted at the realm of Edenia. No doubt more members were lost that day.

During his short time here, Yoshimitsu, at one point, met up with an old friend, Dr. Boskonovitch, a doctor who he met years ago while raiding the Mishima Zaibatsu and saved from servitude. The doctor had always been grateful for Yoshmitsu's kindness and was happy to see him again when he arrived.

The doctor had noted Yoshmitsu's right arm, amputated years ago and had since been replaced with a wooden prosthetic, and offered to enhance it. Yoshimitsu obliged, feeling that it would help him better in his fight against Outworld. Dr. Boskonovitch gave him a mechanical prosthetic arm, making his right arm more useful than ever before.

Not long after the procedure, Yoshimitsu had been away to scout out the surrounding villages for safety measures. It was during that time when Dr. Boskonovitch's lab was destroyed. When Yoshimitsu returned, the doctor survived, but the clan members who were there to protect him were killed.

At first, Yoshmitsu thought that the invasion began. But when he asked the doctor who did it, he uttered one name;

Bryan Fury.

Hearing the name alone made Yoshimitsu angry. Prior to his time in Outworld, Yoshimitsu had saved Bryan from death, and brought him to the doctor to help him. Being a cyborg, Bryan's system was weakening and if he didn't get a new body, he was sure to die. Dr. Boskonovitch was going to help him with that, thus expanding his life.

Yoshmitsu had never asked what happened to Fury upon his return as his mind was too focused on the invasion ahead. The doctor had explained that all to him. It turned out that Bryan's body was too complex and, rather than risk killing him, placed a perpetual generator that would not only keep him alive, but it would enhance his abilities.

While the Manji clan leader was away, the doctor had awaken Bryan. He barely had the chance to explain much when Bryan went on a rampage. The clan members tried to stop him, but were killed in the process. The doctor was only injured and only spent a couple of nights in the hospital.

 _Was this your way of thanking me, Fury?_ Yoshmitsu had thought bitterly as he continued his katas. _Invasion or no invasion, you_ will _pay for the senseless killing of my clansmen._

That was what bothered him more than anything… the reasoning for their slaughter. The members he lost due to the invasion was one thing. They were fighting for mankind and were willing to sacrifice their own lives to do so. But the very simple assignment to look after the doctor while he was away, only to be killed by someone angry about something that didn't go his way?

Unacceptable.

Just as this thought left his mind, one of the clansmen approached him. "Yoshimitsu, I come with news."

Yoshimitsu straightened himself up, ending his kata. "Go on."

"We spotted Fury about two miles from here. What do you want us to do?"

Yoshimitsu thought of this for a moment before he made a decision. "Take me somewhere where we can see him from afar."

"Yes, sir."

With that, the two of them began heading to a hill area. The walk took a while, but they soon reached a cliff that wasn't too high up. About a quarter mile away, Yoshmitsu spotted his enemy.

Even in the Japan snow, Bryan Fury was shirtless, baring the scars from past experiments. The only thing he wore were a pair of black and gray fatigue pants, black army boots, and a pair of black fingerless gloves. A large machine gun was in one hand, and a belt containing bullets wrapped around his waist.

As Bryan continued walking, the clan member turned to his leader. "Shall we initiate an attack?"

"Not now," Yoshimitsu said. "However, have some of the other members spy on him, but make sure they keep their distance. His abilities can detect someone even at a far distance, and the last thing we need is for him to notice one of us."

"I'll let them know right away," the member said before departing.

For a moment, Yoshmitsu stared at Bryan, watching him continue his walk until he disappeared amongst the trees.

"When the right time comes," Yoshimitsu uttered. "We'll settle our score."


	5. Chapter Four

**Five Months Ago - Honmaru - Japan**

_Heihachi Mishima stood where he was as his son, Kazuya, stepped into the main room of his resort. The old man stared at him, arms folded in front of him. Kazuya stared at him as well, his fists clenched on either side of him, his left eye slightly glowing red with every casting shadow that crossed his face._

_A little less than a month ago, the two had battled it out in Outworld. It was their own fight while a large battle was taking place a mile away from where they were. What it was about at the time was neither of their concern, and the battle between them was all that mattered._

_However, because of the battle nearby, the environment around them began to get more and more unstable. It soon came to the point where the two had no choice but to escape back to Earth. The two ended up separating after going through the portal._

_About two weeks later, Heihachi received a message from Kazuya through the computer. He wanted to meet Heihachi in his Honmaru resort to finish the battle. The area was secluded and there was hardly any chance of interruptions. Heihachi agreed to the location._

_Now the date of their battle has come as Kazuya walked further into the main room. Once he was about ten feet away from the older man, he stopped in his place. The two stared down at each other for a moment, and the only noise around them was the small gust of wind coming from outside._

_Finally, Kazuya spoke. "So… we finally meet again. This time, I'm going to make sure that you die."_

_"_ _Hmph," Heihachi snorted. He unfolded his arms, a small side-smirk appearing on his face. "You sometimes amuse me, Kazuya. However-"_

_"_ _Enough talk!" Kazuya cut in as he got himself in a fighting stance. "Let's begin this."_

_Heihachi got himself in his own stance. "I couldn't agree more."_

_As soon as the old man finished that sentence, they suddenly heard what sounded like a helicopter coming from outside. Surprised by the sound, both Mishimas found themselves looking up at the ceiling._

_"_ _What the…" Heihachi began to utter._

_Then without warning, the ceiling caved in with wood splinters flying everywhere as a group of androids crashed into the resort. The androids created a circle around the Mishimas as they came in one by one._

_Soon, the last android jumped in. Heihachi could've sworn he felt his blood boiling from within his body. He recognized the androids as the ones created by his rival company, G Corporation. They were mostly known as Jacks._

_And last he heard, Kazuya had some sort of association with them…_

_"_ _Is this your doing, Kazuya?!" he exclaimed._

_Kazuya grabbed him by the shoulder and shoved him slightly, causing Heihachi to stumble back a couple of feet. The two eyed each other for a moment._

_"_ _I had nothing to do with this," Kazuya growled._

_That's when two of the androids approached, each one going after the other. Both of them knew of their approach. Once they were close enough, the Mishimas landed a blow to their faces at the same time, knocking them to the floor._

_When they were out of the way, the both of them, with their backs to each other, got into fighting stances, waiting for more attacks from the androids. Their scanned the room, eying each machine that stood before them._

_Finally, one android quickly approached Kazuya. It attempted to land a punch on his head, but Kazuya quickly ducked under the attack before landing a blow to the android's mid-section. The area smashed into pieces by the force of the impact._

_Another approached Heihachi, ready to smash his head in. Without hesitation, Heihachi pushed it forward, but as it turned around to face him, he used both palms of his hands, as Kazuya did, to break the android to pieces._

_Once that was done, another launched towards him from behind. Quickly, Heihachi turned his attention to it and gave it a head-butt hard enough to send it flying across the room. The same android ended up in Kazuya's path. Ready and waiting, Kazuya grabbed it's leg. He swung around once, knocking the other incoming machines around him before letting go, sending it flying. It hit more of it's kind before finally crashing into the large statue that was in the room._

_Kazuya then heard another android approaching from the ceiling. He turned his attention to it just as it crashed through. It stared right at him, fist up and ready to take him down. However, once in reach, Kazuya merely performed an uppercut, sending it upward into the air. While still in mid-air, Heihachi took the opportunity to jump up and perform a spinning double kick. It soon crashed onto the wooden floor as Heihachi landed safely on his feet._

_Quickly, four more of the machines approached him, and Heihachi took them down with just a single punch or kick. When he cleared house, he got into a stance, letting out a battle cry, ready for more._

_Unexpectedly, more androids crashed through what remained of the ceiling. Their numbers seemed to double from the ones who welcomed themselves in first. Once again, their surrounded the two._

_Heihachi took a deep breath as he broke from his stance. He backed up a couple of feet, wondering how much longer this was going to last. Heck, how many more were there?_

_Suddenly, Heihachi felt someone grabbed him from the top of his head and he was pulled back a couple of feet. At first, Heihachi thought another robot managed to grab him, but upon shifting his eyes, he only saw Kazuya._

_He should've known…_

_Before Heihachi could retaliate, Kazuya threw him forward, causing the older man to stumble forward before tripping to the ground. This not only gave the androids the chance to tackle him down, but it also gave the chance for Kazuya to escape. Unknown to Heihachi, Kazuya smirked at his predicament before hopping out of the building, changing himself into Devil before flying away._

_"_ _I'll get you for this, Kazuya!" Heihachi called out as he struggled to free himself._

_Then, one particular android jumped in front of him. It stared at the old man for a moment before it's face transformed into a timer. On the timer read four seconds. Heihachi quickly realized what was about to happen to him._

_"_ _Shit…"_

_The last thing he remembered was a loud boom before his entire world went black…_

~~~

**Present Day - Mishima Zaibatsu Headquarters - Japan, Unknown Area**

In a small room filled with the smell of incense, Heihachi Mishima's mind thought back on what happened five months ago in Honmaru. His eyebrows furrowed as he sat in a lotus position on the floor. He was supposed to have fought his son Kazuya that day. They were supposed to finish the battle they started in Outworld.

Then, his rival company, G Corporation, decided to intervene. As he later learned, the company had sent their androids to the resort to not only destroy Heihachi, but to be rid of Kazuya as well, even after being of help to them after his near-death some time ago. Heihachi learned this through a double agent working for both him and G Corporation.

Then, he learned something interesting when he learned of the double agent's death. Kazuya, for whatever reason, became the new head of G Corporation. That he learned only a month ago.

What happened after the destruction of Honmaru was another story in itself. Heihachi found himself thinking back on it, taking in a deep breath as he continued his meditation.

The blast that would have killed any normal human, let alone being sent flying several miles away from the site. His body eventually landed in the middle of a forest. He believed that he was on the verge of death for several weeks, and he had no recollection of what happened between then and his awakening. Once he finally did recover, he immediately returned to the headquarters of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Those loyal to him had fixed the damages from Kazuya's earlier visit while he was away in Outworld.

By the time Heihachi had re-settled himself back into what he called his 'kingdom,' well… let's just say he only managed to do so two months ago.

Heihachi soon opened his eyes after meditating. He thought about his first task since learning of Kazuya's take-over of G Corporation. He was going to find his son and eliminate him.

 _This will end,_ Heihachi thought to himself. _Enough of these games. When I see Kazuya next, he will be annihilated once and for all. And that gene of his will be of good use for future experiments as well._

And maybe, if he felt like it, he would merge G Corporation with his own company as well. Perhaps, he would become more powerful than ever…

~~~

**Mount Kenpi - Japan**

A memory from the past comes to Maki Genryusai's mind…

_"_ _It's your turn, you know," a girl with long black hair said._

_Another girl with long, thick blonde hair stared at her. "Nuh uh, it's your turn to be it in hide and seek."_

_"_ _Not unless you catch me first," she said before running off._

_The blonde girl was bewildered for a moment before she began chasing after her. "Rena! Wait!"_

Maki sighed at the small memory. It only seemed like yesterday when she and her older sister, Rena, were just young kids playing children's games at this very mountain.

It wasn't one of the biggest mountains in Japan, but it had quite a sight with trees and fields all around, a few shrines in the distance, and when the weather was completely cleared from city smog, one could just make out the city of Osaka in the distance.

In this visit, snow covered the mountain area, give it a shimmering look since it was untouched by anything living.

It had been Rena's favorite spot. As a little girl, she would come here to play. As a teenager and a young woman, it was a place for her to visit and clear her mind from the stresses of life.

So when Rena passed away from leukemia nearly five years ago, she had been cremated and her ashes were spread here. It was as though she would always be at her favorite place for eternity.

Ever since then, Maki would try to visit here whenever she could. She would end up thinking through whatever came to her mind, just as her older sister did. Upon sitting down on a hill area, the first thing that came to mind was the childhood memory she had of her and Rena.

Then, the past seven months came to her. The second and third of those seven were spent with the Bushin clan, a group she had been a part of for most of her life. For as long as she could remember, Maki longed to someday be the main successor. Her father had been one, and she desired to follow in his footsteps.

Never had she ever imagine actually changing her mind. This was all due to recent events from the past seven months…

The more minor of them was her developing relationship with Yang Lee. They had known each other from past tournaments, but the last one in particular, The Blood Tournament in Outworld, was much different. It gave them the chance to spend more time together, thus developing a romantic relationship.

The only thing was that they lived in different countries… she in Japan, him in China. Since they returned to Earth, they kept in contact through the internet, and both have traveled a few times to see each other, hoping that someday they would permanently close the distance that parted them.

The major thing was witnessing one of her closest friends being subjected to mind control. She had known Guy Hinato, the current successor of Bushin, for most of her life since he joined the clan. He had also been Rena's fiance, and it was he who was at her side when she passed away.

Maki had followed Guy to Outworld when he received an invitation to the tournament. He never bothered to tell her about it, and she herself witnessed him inviting his long-time friend, Cody Travers, along with him. She had been mad, and followed him so that she can prove she was just as good of a fighter as he was.

Though they never had the chance to discuss this particular circumstance, Maki, weeks after returning to Earth, realized why Guy never told her about the tournament. Most likely, his meditations revealed to him that there was something dark about the tournament, and he didn't want any of the other clan members to be involved. In other words, he was trying to protect them.

Some time during their last night in Outworld, Guy went missing. Whatever happened, it resulted in him becoming brainwashed. In the mind control, he had gone after her and Cody. For the duration of the fight between Guy and Cody, Maki had been rendered unconscious.

Cody had tried his best to convince Guy that this was not who he was, but he was never persuaded. In the end, Guy ran off. Cody had wanted to go after him, but Maki realized that the environment around them was getting too unstable, and they had no choice but to escape. She knew Guy would have wanted that, and Cody realized it too once she mentioned it.

She promised herself and Cody that they would somehow find Guy and try to free him.

That was six months ago.

With Guy missing, their clan was forced to get a temporary successor until Guy returned… if he ever did. Months ago, Maki would have jumped at the chance to be that successor.

But with the way the events occurred, and what happened to him, Maki realized that she didn't want the title after all. Maybe, just maybe, she would change her mind at a later date. Right now, however, it just didn't seem like it was for her.

Time went on, and she realized more and more that the clan wasn't really for her anymore. She highly believed that it was out of guilt for what happened to Guy more than anything.

"Sometimes, I feel that I failed you, Rena," Maki said aloud. A gust of wind blew, causing her ponytail to sway. "Cody and I had tried to help him, but I fear that the brainwash was too much. It's been six months already, and there's no progress. I'm not sure how to help him at this point."

She sighed a little as the wind slightly died down. "There is one other thing. I get the feeling that I'm not going to be back here for a while." She smiled a little as she looked up into the clear blue sky. "I made a decision the other night. I'm… I'm going to be moving to Hong Kong. Funny thing is, I haven't even discussed this with Yang yet. Don't get me wrong, I love Japan, always have, always will. But I love Yang, and he loves me too, and well… suddenly it makes sense. It's going to be a while though… new country, you know."

Maki placed her gloved hands into the pockets of her red-orange jacket. "But yeah, that's my little plan. If anything…" She closed her eyes. "If Guy is okay, even if he's still under the brainwash… protect him for me until Cody and I could get to him somehow. I'm not sure when that will be…"

For a few more minutes, Maki stood in silence, thinking of more of her childhood memories with her sister. Briefly, she felt the tears stinging her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away, not wanting to shed them.

Soon, she decided to take her leave and head back to the log cabin she was staying at tonight. Within the next day or two, Maki was going to head down to Osaka to do a little shopping… and perhaps reunite with a couple of her friends who she met at the tournament in Outworld.

~~~

**Hong Kong, China**

**Hong Kong Cemetery**

Holding a pair of lit incense in their hands, Yang and Yun Lee kneeled in front of a single grave. The weather was cool, which was probably the coldest it will get all winter in Hong Kong, but it didn't bother the brothers as they prayed in front of the grave.

On the modest stone, it only read one name simply; Gen.

It had been not long after their left for Outworld more than six months ago that Gen passed away from leukemia. He himself was the one who received the invitation to the tournament, but due to his condition, he handed the invitation to his grandsons. Yang was reluctant to go, not wanting to leave his grandfather alone, but Gen highly insisted.

It wasn't until Yang was at the docks to the tournament that he changed his mind. In a way, he felt guilty, wishing that Gen wasn't alone at the time of his death. But Gen had insisted for them to go, which seemed to ease his guilt a little.

Soon, their prayers ended, and the brothers stood up on their feet at the same time. They placed the incenses in a container before heading over to the cemetery's exit. Once they reached the streets, Yang took a moment to strap on his rollerblades while Yun waited for him, skateboard in hand.

"So, what time do you start work?" Yun asked curiously.

Yang briefly looked at his watch. "I have to get there in about three hours. You have the day off today, don't you?"

Yun nodded. "I'll probably just spend some time looking into other schools to attend, or something like that." A small smile appeared on his face. "Too bad our sister Yin decided to go back to Beijing. I'm not used to going a day without bickering with someone."

Yang chuckled a little. "Yeah, but she was homesick and she missed our aunt." He sighed a little. "I get the feeling it had something to do with our time in Outworld."

"Yeah…"

Yang had noticed the deep inhale his brother took. He looked at Yun, nothing that he bowed his head a little, the rim of his hat hiding his eyes, a small frown appearing on his face. He then noted his hand touching his own shoulder… the area where he had been stabbed by Anna Williams, the woman Yun had been infatuated with while they were in Outworld.

Yun might as well had been stabbed in the heart.

Then to come home to learn of their grandfather's death… it was all too much for them. Yang had to be the strong one of the two after their return. Yun had spent the remainder of the summer keeping himself distant from others, keeping himself busy so that he didn't think about the things that were depressing him.

Recently, Yun came to a decision… he wanted to go to school so that he could improve the quality of his life. Gen's death had left them to pay off his medical bills. Though they were making enough money to pay them off okay, they weren't exactly left with much else. Yun didn't know what he wanted to major in just yet, but one thing was for sure… he didn't want to spend the rest of his life waiting on people at a restaurant.

Yang was happy for Yun, and supported his decision. Yang himself was content with his restaurant job, hoping his hard work would someday earn him promotions to much higher positions.

"Ready to go?" Yun asked him after a moment of silence.

Yang tightened the last strap of his rollerblade before sitting up. "Yup, I'm ready to go."

Yun placed his skateboard down on the ground before placing his feet on it. With that, the Lee brothers began skating down the street, heading back further into the city of Hong Kong.

As they did, Yang's mind wandered to his girlfriend, Maki. He thought of her, wondering what she was doing right now in Japan. Last time they talked three days ago, she was planning on going to the Osaka area for a few days, where she grew up.

 _I hope we can close the gap in our long-distance romance soon,_ Yang thought.

~~~

**Another Part of Hong Kong, China**

**M At The Fringe Restaurant**

"I almost forgot how nice this place is," Chun Li said as she placed a cloth napkin on her lap. The smell of her dinner almost made her mouth water. She looked down at her plate, nothing her smoked salmon with creamed potatoes, pickled cucumbers, poached egg, and rye crisps.

In front of her, Lei Wulong took a fork and knife in his hands. He was getting ready to dig into his own dinner consisting of a spicy stuffed roast chicken wrapped in Parma ham served on soft polenta with a very spicy tomato sauce.

"Yes, it definitely is nice," Lei agreed as he cut into his chicken. "I'm glad we agreed to come here."

"Me too," Chun Li said with a smile.

Lei and Chun Li, both workaholics who were detectives with Interpol, managed to receive one of their rare day offs together. Lei took the opportunity to invite Chun Li to dinner at a fancy restaurant. This was mainly due to a little surprise he had planned for her later.

The two of them ate for a little while before Chun Li decided to break the silence. "So, how is your investigation going with Feng Wei?"

Lei quickly swallowed his food as he stared at her. "Didn't we agree not to talk about our investigations today?"

Chun Li chuckled a little. "Sorry Lei, I can't help it. It's always been a bad habit with me."

Lei couldn't help but chuckle as well, briefly placing his fork and knife down on the table. "It's a bad habit of mine too. Then I wonder why I can't keep a girl for so long."

At that comment, Chun Li reached a hand over to place over Lei's, give it a slight squeeze. "You don't have to worry about that now." She gave him a warm smile.

Lei smiled as well, turning his hand so that their fingers laced. "No, I definitely don't." He then brought her hand up to his lips, kissing it briefly before looking back into Chun Li's chestnut-colored eyes.

"About Feng Wei… we're actually gaining in on him, finally. I won't give too much detail, but from the last temple he raided, we're close to finally arresting him. We just have to do the usual careful planning before we capture him."

"That's good," Chun Li said. "Speaking of raids, we're finally wrapping up the drug cartel case I've been on for the past five months. Now we have the usual paperwork that is going to take days to fill out."

"That's always fun," Lei replied without much enthusiasm, knowing how Chun Li felt about paperwork. He then released her hand before returning back to his meal. "You know, it's funny… these new missions we've been investigating… they really don't seem like much compared to our time in Outworld."

Chun Li found herself frowning a little at the mention of Outworld. The two were chosen to investigate a tournament that took place in that realm, more out of suspicion than anything else. In the end, it turned out to be a fight for survival and the two were forced to escape back to Earth.

Since then, it was believed that Outworld would eventually invade the realms and take over. Chun Li and Lei both highly believed this would happen. Whether the other realms were enslaved by now, they were unsure. They had even told Interpol their concerns, but due to 'lack of evidence,' they words fell on deaf ears.

Seems like word of mouth from them and other participants just wasn't enough…

On a smaller note, their time in the realm brought Chun Li and Lei closer together, and the two had been a couple since. Though both workaholics, they made sure to spend time together whenever there was any downtime in their jobs. Even though it didn't happen as often as they want, their days with one another were definitely worth it, especially knowing how much they loved each other.

Chun Li quickly decided to change the subject after the mention of Outworld. "Did you want to do anything after we eat?"

Lei shrugged. "Not sure. Maybe we can, um, walk around for a bit. Maybe we'll see something interesting."

As he talked, Chun Li noticed his hands and how they seemed to slightly squeeze on the utensils he was holding. She knew from past dinners together that Lei would do this when he was nervous for whatever reason.

"Are you okay, Lei?" Chun Li asked him with concern.

Lei found himself swallowing, not expecting Chun Li to ask him that. "Yeah, um, why do you ask?"

"Because you're squeezing your utensils," she mentioned while pointing at his hands. "We've have enough dinners where I notice that now."

Lei took a deep, quiet breath. He had been fine for a while, but once she asked him what he wanted to do next, he suddenly felt his hands sweating. "To be, um, honest, I'm not sure why." He quickly changed the subject. "Hey, do you think you might still be a little hungry after dinner? I wouldn't mind sharing a desert."

Chun Li smiled. "I'd like that."

The rest of their dinner was spent in silence until they cleared their plates. Almost as soon as that was done, their waiter came to their table. "How was your dinner?" he asked.

"Excellent, thank you," Lei replied. "And we'll be having desert tonight." He looked at Chun Li. "Is a raspberry souffle okay?"

"That will be fine," Chun Li said.

"Coming right up," the waiter nodded before taking his leave.

Once he was gone, Lei removed the napkin from his lap and placed it on the table. "Excuse me, Chun Li, I'll be right back." Before she could say anything, Lei stood up and began walking away, going in the same direction the waiter went.

Chun Li sighed to herself, figuring that Lei had to stop in the men's room. Briefly, she took her cell phone out of her purse to check to see if she received any messages. To her relief, she didn't, so she placed the phone back in her purse.

Some time passed before Lei finally began to return. Chun Li smiled as she noticed him. Following him was the waiter, who had their desert in hand.

"I'm-" Lei began to say. That was when he got too close to a chair nearby, causing him to trip forward and land face first on the floor.

Chun Li chuckled a little at his predicament. He turned on his back, getting ready to get himself up. However, the waiter did not notice him on the floor. Before he knew it, he too tripped over Lei, the hot desert leaving his hand. It turned over, and the desert landed on Lei's face!

"Oh boy," Chun Li said as she got up. By then, the other customers around them saw what happened and they stared and chuckled when the desert landed on Lei.

Chun Li kneeled next to Lei as he sat himself up. "Are you okay?"

Lei laughed a little. "I'm fine. Only a guy like me would end up having a moment like that. At least the souffle was not too hot or else I'd be screaming right now."

Chun Li giggled. "That is true, it could've been worse."

Lei looked down at the suit he wore. "Of course, now I have to take my suit to the cleaners."

The waiter to tripped heard him say this. "I'm so sorry for that! I didn't-"

"It's okay," Lei assured him. "It was only an accident."

"I'll get the chef to make you another one right away."

"That's all right," Chun Li said. "We'll just take the check from the rest of our meal. Thank you though."

"Are you sure?" Lei questioned.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, you're a mess now and-" Chun Li then stopped mid-sentence as she noticed a shiny object on the floor. Curious to know what it was, she reached a hand over to it. "Hey, what's this?"

Lei realized what she found and he didn't stop her from grabbing it. In her fingers now, Chun Li brought it up and, upon closer inspection, she gasped.

In her hand was a diamond ring!

Despite a face full of souffle, Lei smiled at Chun Li's reaction to the ring. Just moments ago, he had approached the waiter and asked for the ring to be amongst the small decoration on top of the souffle for Chun Li to see. It didn't exactly go as planned, but at least she had the reaction he hoped for.

Now was the time to ask…

Lei got on his knees and looked at Chun Li's eyes. "Chun Li… this is going to look funny with desert on my face, but…" He took a deep breath. "I've always loved spending time with you. Despite how busy our jobs are, our moments together are ones I always cherish. I love making you laugh, and I love it even more when you make me laugh. In the end, I love you more than anything in the world."

Lei then took the ring and slipped it onto Chun-Li's left ring finger. "What I'm trying to say is…" He took a deep breath. "Chun Li, will you marry me?"

The smile that was already on her face grew wider. Long before he began his speech, she knew what he was going to ask her… she just wanted to hear what he had to say for the sake of memories.

"Yes! I will marry you!" Chun Li called out as she quickly embraced him. Lei returned the hug as well as the witnesses around them cheered and clapped after she accepted his proposal. The nervousness that he felt for the past couple of hours finally left him once she said yes.

Chun Li then moved her head and their shared a passionate kiss. However, it lasted only a moment once she tasted the raspberry on his lips. She laughed as she pulled away, the desert now on her face and dark blue qi pao dress.

"Looks like my dress needs to go to the cleaners now too," she chuckled.

~~~

**Charred Mountain, Red Dragon Headquarters, China**

"I have a message for you," a guardsman announced.

Mavado heard the man's call and turned to him. "Who is it from?"

"The messenger did not say."

Mavado nodded as he took the small scroll out of the guard's hand. Normally, he would be suspicious since it would seem like it was from someone who refused to reveal themselves. However, Mavado didn't even have to ask as he only expected a message from one person.

"Return to your duties," he said. The guard briefly bowed to him before depart.

Once the guard was out of sight, Mavado unrolled the scroll, revealing a message written to him;

_Mavado-_

_The plans are almost complete. Soon, the Outworld Forces will be invading Earth. Shao Kahn himself had made it official. When it will take place, I'm not sure, but I suspect that it will be within the next couple of days._

_Once I know the full details, I will come to aid you and your clan to Outworld. There, you will be provided sanctuary, and your souls will be spared from the onslaught. Once I return from the invasion, I will give you further instructions._

_I have already contacted your subordinate, Hsu Hao, so there is no need to do the same._

_-Quan Chi_

Mavado nodded a little as he rolled the message up. For some time, he and the sorcerer Quan Chi had kept in contact. Not long ago, Quan Chi had contacted Mavado, realizing his use for his clan in order to dominate the universe. The Red Dragon, an ancient clan that has existed secretly for centuries, had always desired to rule Earth. Quan Chi had offered for them to also rule the universe with him, which intrigued Mavado.

And it was through the sorcerer that Mavado discovered the new existence of their rival clan, The Black Dragon. Mavado had always sworn to rid of every member of the 'inferior' clan, which began when rebels of the Red Dragon detached themselves and created their own clan.

For a while, he believed that they finally eliminated the Black Dragon. Now with this new information, that wasn't the case after all. Mavado was curious to know who restarted the clan. He hoped to eventually find out.

Soon, Mavado turned around and began heading further into the headquarters, his black leather trenchcoat swaying behind him. He didn't walk too far until he reached a room. Without hesitating, he lightly knocked on the door.

"Come in," a female voice called out.

Mavado went into the room before closing the door behind him. He noted that the fireplace in the room was lit. Immediately, he walked over to it before tossing the scroll into the fire.

"What was that about?" the woman in the room asked him.

"Just a message from Quan Chi," Mavado replied before turning to her.

In the single chair in the room, he saw the young woman staring up at him. Her right eye was purple, and her left eye was red from a implant in her brain. On her head was a black hat similar to a cop's. Her hair, which was black with a tint of blue, ended just above her shoulders and curled slightly in the front. Her pale skin was contrasted with her outfit consisting of a mid-drift halter top, elbow-length gloves, a short skirt, and laced knee-high boots, all black. She wore black lipstick on her full lips and purple eyeshadow on her eyelids.

The name Quan Chi caught the woman's curiosity. "What does he have to say?"

"Just that he'll be coming to us within the next couple of days. The invasion you've been hear about, Donna, it will happen very soon. Before it begins, The Red Dragon will be given sanctuary in Outworld so that our souls will be spared from the onslaught."

Donna nodded. "Anything else?"

Mavado knew what she was thinking. "You'll be happy to know that we will soon be meeting up with Hsu Hao in Outworld."

Donna smiled at that. "Good. Personally, I think he was with Special Forces for far too long. After all, he was still ordered to remain there long after the original Black Dragon members were eliminated."

"It was for safety precautions, just in case Special Forces discovered our existence," Mavado mentioned. He then began to head towards the exit. "Once everything begins, as I mentioned, Quan Chi will arrive prior to the invasion. We'll receive further orders once we get there." With that, Donna heard Mavado open the door and step out before closing it behind him.

The smile remained on Donna's face. "It's about time we reunite again, Hsu," she muttered to herself. "It's been far too long since I last heard from you."


	6. Chapter Five

**Wu Shi Academy Grounds - China**

Sitting on a small grassy hill, Li Mei found herself looking down at the two male figures sparring together on the field. The wind blew lightly as they began their session, causing her long black hair to sway behind her.

After a few seconds of watching, Li Mei found herself looking up at the bright, clear blue sky above her. _Has it already been six months since I ended up here?_ Li Mei ended up thinking.

A native of Outworld, Li Mei had desired to live on Earthrealm ever since the people of her village were slaughtered during The Blood Tournament, an act ordered by the sorcerer, Shang Tsung. Along with witnessing the death of a fellow participant, Ibuki, Li Mei had mostly kept to herself for a while.

Then, when the tournament was over, it had turned out that the event was a ploy to lure strong warriors into a trap. Whether dead or alive, their would be enslaved by the Emperor, Shao Kahn, giving him more of a chance to conquer the realms at a later date. Li Mei had been captured by Shang Tsung, who intended to add her to his large harem. However, she managed to escape and, with assistance from another participant, Guile, she was able to get to the portal which lead her to Earth.

Somewhere in the portal's vortex, she became separated from her allies. Once she landed on Earth, she found herself practically in the middle of nowhere with the exception of countless trees and open grass with tall mountains in the distance. Hoping to find some sort of civilization, she began walking, unsure of where she would end up. She survived by eating fruits from trees and drinking water from whatever lakes and rivers she came by.

It was four days later when she stumbled upon a large temple. Hoping that it wasn't abandoned, Li Mei entered the grounds, hoping that there was at least one person dwelling there.

To her relief, there were many present upon entry. All wore orange robes, their heads shaven. Li Mei managed to walk a few feet before they all stopped what they were doing and stared at her. Li Mei stopped in her place, suddenly feeling nervous. She looked at each of them, soon realizing that she was the only woman there.

 _Oh great…_ she thought, not sure of what their reaction to a female's presence would be.

Then she remembered what happened next…

_"_ _Hello there,_ _"_ _a male voice said from her right._

_Li Mei turned her head and spotted two men, both dressed completely different compared to the others. The one who spoke to her wore a black, sleeveless shirt with silver buckles going down the middle. On his chest were two silver dragons facing each other. A red sash was wrapped around his slim waist, and a pair of black gauntlets wrapped around his wrists and forearms. He also wore blue-green pants and thick, black boots on his feet. What really caught Li Mei's eyes was his hat. A black color, it was round on top, the brim wide. The round end of the brim was made of steel and, by how narrow it was, Li Mei realized that it was very sharp._

_The other man with him was older judging by the bags under his eyes along with the wisps of gray that began to develop in his long, thick black hair, tied in a high ponytail. A full beard covered his lower face. A large man, his belly was prominent, but he seemed to carry himself well. His bare feet was partially covered by white tape, his gray pants matching his shirt which was underneath a brown vest. He also wore a red sash around his waist, and a gold medallion with a face on it rested on his chest._

_Li Mei found herself swallowing. "I… I'm sorry if I was intruding…"_

_"_ _You look lost," the large man said. "Perhaps we may be able to help."_

_Li Mei sighed to herself. "I'm not sure if you can. You see, I'm from Outworld, and I ended up here a few days ago. I have a few friends here, but I'm not sure where they live…"_

_The slim figure smiled. "That's a coincidence." He looked at the other man. "Master Bo' Rai Cho is from Outworld as well."_

_Li Mei smiled as well. "That is indeed a coincidence."_

_"_ _Were you there during The Blood Tournament?" Bo' Rai Cho asked curiously._

_"_ _Yes, I was! As a matter of fact, I was a participant. How did you know about it?"_

_"_ _We were both invited to attend," the younger man replied. "However, we had reasons to stay behind. Come with us to the tea house. We wish for you to explain everything that happened there."_

_"_ _That's a good idea," Li Mei said, realizing how dry her throat was at the mention of tea. "I have so much to tell, it might take a while."_

_"_ _Then let's not waste any more time," Bo' Rai Cho nodded._

_Soon, the three of them began walking through the grounds. As they did, the young woman turned to the man with the large hat. "My name is Li Mei, by the way."_

_The young man nodded. "I'm Kung Lao."_

The memory of that day soon faded as she continued to look down the hill. There, she watched as both Kung Lao and Bo' Rai Cho continued their sparring session. In the distance, the sun was beginning to set behind the mountains, only leaving some light left.

She had told her story of the tournament over tea. It came to no surprise for the two men. Bo' Rai Cho had never stated his reason why he declined to attend the tournament, but Kung Lao had been asked by the Thunder God Raiden to watch over things on Earth during the tournament. Kung Lao found it odd that, after the tournament, Raiden did not come to visit him afterwards, only learning what happened in Outworld through Li Mei.

Although the Wu Shi Academy only accepted men in their facility, Kung Lao and Bo' Rai Cho made an exception with Li Mei as she had no other place to go. Li Mei became an honorary student in the academy, and Bo' Rai Cho personally taught her a new fighting style called Mi Zong.

Before Li Mei knew it, the sparring session ended with the two bowing to each other. They spoke to one another quietly for a moment before they began making their way up the hill where Li Mei waited.

"I hope you paid good attention to what you saw, Li Mei," Bo' Rai Cho said to her as she stood up. "Because I'll be teaching you some of the same moves soon enough."

Li Mei bowed to him. "Yes, Master Bo' Rai Cho."

"Now," the older man said as he began walking. "I believe that dinner will soon be ready at the dining quarters."

As he walked away, Kung Lao turned to the young woman, noting the blank expression on her face as she looked at the mountains in the distance. "Is everything okay?" he asked her.

Li Mei shook her head a little as his voice reached her ears. "I'm fine. I think I'm just a bit tired."

"Perhaps you need something to eat," Kung Lao suggested. "Let's follow Master Bo' Rai Cho."

With that, the two of them quietly began walking to the dining quarters.

~~~

**Six Years Earlier, China, Unknown Area**

_An old man watched a few feet away as his student concentrated on his training. It wasn't the usual kata training, however. It was more intense than that._

_In the dark of night, only the soft, reddish-orange glow of burning coal was noticed. The young man used the bowl of hot coals for his training. Every few seconds, he would punch a hand into the coals, leaving it there for a just a moment before switching his other hand. He let out a 'Hee-yah!' with every motion._

_The master nodded with approval. This student was known as Feng Wei. He came to his dojo as an orphaned boy to train in the Kenpo fighting style. He had become so skilled at the style that he was known as a Shinken, or God Fist, within the dojo. At only twenty years old, he became the best student the school had ever seen._

_There was only one flaw that the master knew of; Feng Wei possessed some frustration and anger. The old man imagined that it was obtained from his rough childhood, and he would do the best he could to teach him to channel that anger. His training with hot coals was one of them._

_The old master continued to watch Feng Wei until he was done. He took a deep breath for a moment before turning around to face his master._

_"_ _Very good," the old man said. "Most of the other students would not have lasted as long as you have in this particular training."_

_Feng Wei nodded as he agreed with him. "I do not think you came to see me just to watch me train with coals."_

_The old man chuckled a little. "Indeed, I did not. As a matter of fact, I wish to share something with you." With that he began to walk out of the training room, signaling Feng Wei to follow him._

_They went to the master's quarters. They sat in front of a low table with pillows underneath them for comfort. Tea was served to them as candles and incense were lit, the smell of fresh leaves surrounding the room._

_The older man took a sip of his tea before beginning. "Have you ever heard of the God Fist scrolls?"_

_Feng Wei raised an eyebrow. Considering that part of his nickname was in that sentence, it caught his interest. "I don't think I have."_

_"_ _That's because not many people know about it. Only true masters are aware of it's existence." The old master placed his cup down on the table, keeping his hands around it for warmth. "As you know, you are the best student this school has ever seen. And I believe that you are ready to learn a little about it._

_"_ _Not too much is known about it, but the scroll is supposed to contain the ultimate power. Once a warrior reads upon the scroll, it gives the warrior powers beyond his imagination, perhaps even more so than The Dragon God himself. Many masters have tried searching for the scroll, but their efforts were in vain. Sometimes, it was because they were inexperienced. Sometimes, they lusted for the power so much that it blinded them from their true purpose, their destiny._

_"_ _Those who know about the scroll only pass this information down to those who are truly worthy. I've known about it from my own master. For years, I have told no one about it." He smiled at his student. "Until now."_

_Feng Wei took a sip of his tea. Aside from his anger and frustration, he was not one to show much of his other emotions, even when he was completely elated with honor. The master knew that since his student was a boy._

_"_ _Are there any clues as to where this scroll might be?" the young man asked curiously._

_"_ _There have been rumors," the master answered. "Some say it is hidden within a temple somewhere here in China. Or perhaps in Japan or Mongolia. Some say that a family called the Mishimas have it in their possession. No one is truly sure. Most of these are just rumors anyway."_

_"_ _Why do you tell me all this?"_

_The master knew that Feng Wei would eventually ask that question. "Someday, when I feel that you are ready, I hope to send you out to seek the scroll. We don't call you a Shinken for nothing. I wish to see you live up to that name and, with that power, I believe you will. I'll most likely not live long enough to see you achieve that, but when you do, I hope you use it for the greater good."_

_Feng Wei said nothing as he stared down at his half-empty cup. Already, he felt eager to seek the scroll out, but he did not want to defy his master. After all, he desired to become the strongest fighter ever known to man._

_For now, he would have to be patient…_

**Five in a Half Years Later…**

_An old man watched a few feet away as his student concentrated on his training. It was the usual kata training, and his student was in full focus._

_The master looked at him, shaking his head in disapproval. How things have changed with his young man. At twenty-six years old, he was the best the school had ever seen. But even with that title, he was starting to become reckless. The master couldn't understand why._

_Plus, he had just learned from another student that Feng Wei had been getting himself into fights, mostly tournaments, outside of the school with warriors with other styles. For a long as the dojo had been opened, it had been forbidden for any student to fight outside the school unless it was a life or death situation._

_"_ _Feng Wei!" the master called out. It had been the first time that he ever disrupted his student's training. Feng Wei stopped himself and straightened himself up, not turning to look at his master. Within the darkness of night, light rain began to fall upon their shoulders._

_"_ _I am very disappointed in you!" the master scolded. "You are the best in this school, and yet, you disobey me."_

_A small crackle of thunder is heard in the distance. Feng Wei slightly turned his head, but his master still could not see his face. "There is no challenge here anymore! You know I-"_

_"_ _Desire to become the strongest fighter," the master finished for him. "That is NOT an excuse! If you truly desire to become strong, you know that you would have to seek the God Fist Scrolls in order to achieve that."_

_It didn't make sense to Feng Wei at all. He shut his eyes in frustration as the rain poured much harder now, soaking him. He spoke through gritted teeth. "You told me this story years ago. You said that, when I was ready, you would send me to find the scroll. I've been ready, and yet, I still wait."_

_"_ _That's because you are NOT ready. You still haven't channeled your anger and frustration. You-"_

_From the moment 'anger and frustration' was mentioned, something inside of Feng Wei snapped. He saw it all happening, almost in slow motion, but he couldn't control himself. He had quickly turned to face his master and stepped forward, letting out a growl through his clenched teeth._

_He slammed a fist into the old man's abdomen so fast that the master never had time to defend himself. His body hit the tree behind him with such force that it actually snapped in half. The impact broke nearly every bone in the old man's body._

_When it was over, the master had fallen onto his stomach, the top half of the tree a few feet away, barely noticed by Feng Wei. The storm was more frequent now, lighting flashing every minute or so, the rain almost becoming blinding._

_He found himself staring down at the old man wide-eyed, surprised by what just happened. This man had raised him ever since he came to this school training him in Kenpo and teaching him all he knew… and this was how he thanked him?_

_Feng Wei didn't have to bend down to see if his master was all right. The blood that seeped from his mouth indicated that he was indeed dead…_

_After what seemed like a long time, Feng Wei looked up, his eyes narrowing. No one in the school had witnessed what just happened. If someone had, the other students would surely had punished him by now._

_Deciding not to wait around, Feng Wei began to walk away, intending on never returning to the dojo again…_

~~~

**Eight Months Later - Present Day - China, Unknown Area**

_The God Fist Scroll… it must be here…_

Surrounded by boulders and trees in a mountain retreat, Feng Wei focused his inner energy, taking in deep breaths, his eyes closed, arms outstretched. He tried to clear his mind, but he ended up thinking about the scroll he was currently searching for.

About a month after killing his master, Feng Wei decided that now was the time to seek the ultimate power. He waited too long to start his search.

His search began in Japan, going by what his master told him years ago. He combed through the dojos there, practically destroying them and fighting anyone who challenged him. Over six months ago, he tried his hands on the Mishima family, but when he arrived there, the Zaibatsu hideout was deserted.

He then heard a rumor that there was a Zaibatsu in Mongolia. Feng Wei decided to try there, search every dojo he could find. Once again, it was to no avail.

Only two months ago did he return to China. The area he was in was mostly land, so he didn't run into too many dojos. Some, to his disappointment, were deserted as well.

In between his searches, Feng Wei would train every morning, like this one, before beginning another day of scroll hunting. Mostly it was katas, but like today, he usually focused his energy on one object.

That object today was a large boulder that was just a few feet bigger than he was.

When he felt ready, Feng Wei let out a loud battle cry before landing a punch on the boulder's surface. It shattered into small rocks, the pieces falling around Feng Wei, who clasped both hands together as though he was ready to pray. Once all the rocks were on the ground, he opened his eyes as a light wind picked up.

His morning training was done. Now he would continue his search…

_The area around him was scorching hot, something that he was far from used to. He struggled against the mysterious captor who pinned both of his arms behind him. The captor was strong, he realized._

_"I'm very glad that you were able to make it here, little brother," a familiar, demonic voice said._

_He quickly turned his head, noting the figure who was completely black, like a shadow. "Noob Saibot," he growled._

_"I didn't think your 'good' soul would be capable of withstanding the Netherrealm, Sub-Zero." Noob folded his arms, his glowing blue eyes narrowing. "But I guess even trying to turn the Lin Kuei into a force for good wasn't enough."_

_"You don't know what you're talking about!" Sub-Zero called out. He struggled against his captor again, but the stranger managed to subdue him._

_"On the contrary, I do," Noob said. He unfolded his arms as he began to walk towards his brother. "I do not believe you know this, but I've just become ruler of the Netherrealm. I've desired this position for so long, and to finally become one, well… heh, I should be elated, but I just don't feel that emotion. I guess that's what happens when you've been here for too long."_

_He then stopped just a foot away from Sub-Zero. "And, as my first act as ruler… you shall be slain by my own hands. I doubt that your own soul will rest peacefully after your death."_

_Sub-Zero hardly had time to react when Noob quickly grabbed a hold of his right arm, pulling him forward. The mysterious captor grabbed a hold of his left arm, and the two pulled at him towards their own direction._

_As Sub-Zero began to feel his body tear in half, he quickly looked at the stranger on his left arm. His eyes widened as he recognized his own best friend; Smoke!_

~~~

**Arctika, Himalayan Mountains - Lin Kuei Headquarters**

Sub-Zero gasped as he shot up from his bed, waking up from the realistic dream. Sweat dripped down his face and his blue eyes were wide, still seeing the images in his mind.

 _What was that?_ he asked himself. _I haven't even thought of my brother in some time…_

After catching his breath, Sub-Zero rubbed his eyes with his fingers, shaking the images out of his head. Although he slept well nonetheless, he knew that he had to get himself focused if he was going to get through the day. He was Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei after all.

Taking a deep breath, Sub-Zero got out of bed. He got himself dressed, not placing his mask over his face right away. He had something to do before he met with the other Lin Kuei members.

Not too far from his room was a laboratory. It was not here a year ago, but Sub-Zero had it built upon his return from his last trip to Outworld six months ago. It took about a month for it to be ready.

It was here where Sub-Zero worked up repairing the cyborg he met at The Blood Tournament. Her name was Matrik, a former member of the Tekunin clan, the Lin Kuei's enemy.

Along with the demon huntress Ashrah, the three of them worked together to capture the Tekunin's leader, Sektor. They discovered that he had also allied himself with Noob and Smoke. And when they managed to rescue Smoke, it was then that Sub-Zero discovered that Noob was his older brother, who became a wraith upon his death.

Sub-Zero had sworn to save his brother in anyway, but so far, nothing had become of that. Meanwhile, as an onslaught in the aftermath of the tournament took place, Matrik was almost killed by Sektor, nearly destroying her system. Smoke managed to stop him from further damage.

Although still alive, Matrik has been considered inactive ever since. Once the laboratory was ready, Sub-Zero immediately realized that her mechanics were more complex than he realized. He was familiar with Smoke's, but he was turned into a cyborg years ago. Matrik consisted of the latest technology. The ice ninja guess that she had been a cyborg for a year at the most prior to her escape from the clan at her own free will. However, she suffered from amnesia and her earliest memories were of being controlled by Sektor.

He, Smoke, and Ashrah returned to the Lin Kuei headquarters after escaping Outworld. Ever since then, he had been trying to repair Matrik.

The last couple of weeks, he realized how close he was to finally bringing her back. However, the chip that controlled her brain left him frustrated. That particular chip was delicate, and he had to take precautions. It was what helped Sektor control her to begin with and, if he wasn't careful, she would most likely wake up as she was when she was with the Tekunin.

Sub-Zero had decided not to tackle the chip this morning. He would take care of it later this evening after dinner. Briefly, he checked Matrik's vital signs and saw that everything was good. Satisfied, he left the room, closing the heavy door behind him.

As he walked through the hall of the Lin Kuei headquarters, Sub-Zero thought about the demon huntress Ashrah. After their return, she had only stayed for a few days before deciding to leave. Sub-Zero had offered her a place in the clan, but the woman had declined. Now that she was free from the bounds of the Netherrealm, she wanted to live the free life she always desired.

He had not seen nor heard from her since. He could only imagine that she was living a life of peace, wherever she was.

Soon, the sounds of students training reached his ears, and Sub-Zero knew that he was not too far from the training room. Once he reached the door, he immediately spotted the cyborg Smoke, who was looking over things while waiting for the Grandmaster to arrive.

Sub-Zero sighed to himself, thinking back on the dream he had earlier. Perhaps, if Noob still had his control of Smoke, he would've done what he did. But this Smoke… the one he knew… the ice ninja knew that he wasn't capable of such a thing, not to a friend at least.

Sub-Zero soon noted the two women sparring together with intensity. He immediately noted his own student, Frost. Her eyes narrowed with determination, and the vapors that emitted from her short, spiky light-blue hair waved above her with every movement she made.

The Grandmaster noted her moves as she fought. He found himself slowly shaking his head. She was still a bit sloppy. He would have to work with her on her mistakes later.

He then glanced over at the other woman sparring with Frost. Her eyes showed that she was calm and collected. Her shoulder-length black hair, which consisted of a single white streak next to the left side of her face, swaying with her movements.

Six months ago, Sub-Zero found this woman at the temple doorsteps upon his return from Outworld. She was Sareena, a former assassin who once worked with Quan Chi in the Brotherhood of Shadow.

Because his mind was on other things, Sub-Zero couldn't figure out what this woman wanted, and why she was here. Once he was settled, he was able to sit with her and hear her story…

It turned out that, when his brother had gone on his mission to retrieve an amulet under Raiden's orders, he had fought her and her fellows assassins. However, for some reason, he spared her life. In return, she helped him defeat her own master. She had desired to leave the Netherrealm, but was killed before he could help her.

Sareena only recently escaped to Earth through an abandoned portal after years of torture. She had desired to see Sub-Zero's brother again. At first, when he returned to the headquarters, she thought he was that brother. But the more she studied him as she patiently waited, the more she realized that he wasn't the Sub-Zero she remembered all those years ago.

Sub-Zero had to inform her of his death. However, he did not tell her of his true fate as a Netherrealm wraith.

Because she had assisted his brother in the Netherrealm all those years ago, Sub-Zero offered her sanctuary within the Lin Kuei headquarters. Sareena had accepted, swearing to uphold the laws of the clan and to protect it from any outside threats.

Six months later, Sareena has so far proven her loyalty. She sometimes felt wary about her demonic nature, but Sub-Zero was confident that nothing would go wrong for her.

As the trainings continued, Smoke turned his head and noted Sub-Zero by the door. The gray cyborg approached his friend. "Are you ready to start the group session?"

Sub-Zero nodded. "I'm ready."

"Just keep an eye on Frost," Smoke suggested. "Something tells me she's a little agitated today."

"I'm not surprised," Sub-Zero replied. "I'll be training her personally again after the group session is over."

Before Smoke said anything else, the Grandmaster walked into the room. He clapped his hands a couple of times to get the students' attention, signaling the beginning of the group training.

~~~

**Nepal, Unknown Area**

A small plane landed on a private runway at the G Corporation facility. Surrounded by mostly mountains, the landing was tricky, but the pilot of the plane was able to land with success.

Once it slowed down, the plane approached the drop off area before coming to a complete stop. The airport crew set up the stairs at the plane's door. Once ready, the door opened.

A few agents, all dressed in black business suits and sunglasses, stepped off the plane. They all carried a suitcase in their hands, and a couple of them were chatting away on their cell phones.

Then, Kazuya Mishima stepped off the plane. Briefly, he scanned the mountain area through his sunglasses before going down the steps. His black leather trench coat swayed behind him. Underneath, he wore black leather shoes, black slacks with a matching vest, a purple button down shirt tucked in, and a beige tie.

Once he reached the bottom, his agents surrounded him, protecting him from any assassins who may be close. The group began walking towards the building nearby.

Kazuya's mind soon drifted to the last few months in order to pass the time during the long walk…

Ever since he was revived by G Corporation, it had been his number one priority to destroy his father, Heihachi Mishima, and his Zaibatsu. At least it _was_ his priority…

Over six months ago, after spending time with the corporation, he traveled to his homeland of Japan, his intention clear. He arrived at the Mishima Zaibatsu headquarters, but Heihachi was not there. Kazuya took the opportunity to destroy everything there, save for one… a portal. Kazuya realized that Heihachi had used it to go to wherever it was he went. He pressed a single button, activating it to it's last destination. Kazuya would soon find himself in the realm of Outworld.

He had arrived there three weeks into a tournament, so it was too late for him to enter. He laid low for a while, watching the activities around him from the shadows.

Not only did he discover Heihachi's presence, as he had hoped, but he also discovered that his son, Jin Kazama was there as well. As a successor of the Devil Gene, Kazuya always desired to take that power for himself. He always believed that it belonged to him, and only he could possess that gene.

Kazuya and Jin had a brief confrontation after the tournament ended, but it quickly ended when Jin gave in to the Devil, transforming into a hideous being before flying away. Kazuya thought about going after him, but he realized that it was better to take care of Heihachi first. After all, the old man was the reason he was here in the first place.

The next morning, he finally confronted Heihachi. The two fought for some time, neither one of them giving in, but the environment in Outworld had become too unstable to where they had to stop. They would meet back on Earth to resume their battle.

Two weeks later, Kazuya sent a message to Heihachi, wanting to meet him at his resort in Honmaru in order to continue their fight. Heihachi accepted the challenge, and the two met at the resort three days later.

What should've been a location with no interruptions actually became one when a large groups of androids crashed into the building. Kazuya and Heihachi fought them off together, at least briefly. Then, Kazuya decided that it was best to make his escape. He distracted the androids by throwing Heihachi towards them. As they all jumped on him, Kazuya took the opportunity to jump through one of the broken walls, changing himself into Devil before flying away.

Moments later, an explosion was heard, and Kazuya turned around to see the resort in a large ball of fire. He knew, from that moment, that his father was finally dead.

Later, he would discover that it was G Corporation who sent out the androids to kill the Mishimas. He knew why the company was after Heihachi, but the real question was, why did they betray Kazuya? Whatever the case, once he discovered the branch responsible, he killed everybody there.

From there, he became the new head of G Corporation.

Mostly, during the past few months, he spent time trying to develop new technologies, making deals with other companies with his own money, and destroying anything or anyone that got in their way.

Soon enough, he and the agents approached the building. Just before they entered, the sliding glass door opened. Another agent approached them, stopping just a few feet away. He saluted to Kazuya, who returned the gesture.

"I have a note here for you that was sent just a few moments," he said. "It's marked as urgent."

Kazuya outstretched a hand, and the agent gave him the envelope. Kazuya opened the letter, unfolding the single paper before reading;

_Attn: Kazuya Mishima, CEO_

_URGENT G Corporation_

_Nepal_

_Dear Mr. Mishima,_

_We had just received word from our spies in Japan that your father, Heihachi Mishima, is_ _ alive _ _. He has revived the Mishima Zaibatsu, and their new location is within the Mt. Fuji region. I have already sent you a fax in your office containing proof of this discovery. When you are finish reviewing the evidence, please contact us as soon as possible for further instructions._

_Sincerely,_

_Arata Tanaka_

_Chief Administrative Officer, G Corporation, Japan Branch_

Without show any reaction, Kazuya folded the paper. "I'll be heading to my office right away."

"Yes, sir," the agent replied.

It took a few minutes, but Kazuya soon reached his office, which took up the entire top floor of the building. He went to his desk, soon noticing the pictures resting on his fax machine. He immediately grabbed the pictures, which seemed to have been taken from a mountain top a couple of miles away. They were taken in a cargo area, with members of the Zaibatsu seemingly unloading boxes from three trucks. And there, standing not too far from the working area stood Heihachi himself.

Now seeing the proof, Kazuya crumbled the papers in his hands. No one could have survived that blast! Then again, his father wasn't exactly 'normal' either.

"… he won't remain alive for very long," Kazuya promised aloud. With that, he took the pictures and tossed them in the wastebasket.

~~~

**Russia, Unknown Area**

The trek to the facility was long, but it was worth it once Raven reached the doors to the single building. With the heavy snow, Raven's long, white hooded coat camouflaged him from anyone or anything that could potentially spot him.

Raven was sent to this facility by the international spy agency he worked for. They had evidence that the international criminal organization inside possessed a data disc containing information about their motives. This disc was used to transfer information to their other branches. However, in previous investigations, those branches had already erased the information.

Raven's employers had decided that it was best to retrieve the disk from their main facility here in Russia. Once they located the building, Raven, their best agent, was sent here to retrieve it.

Raven had immediately noticed a security system next to the door. He took a moment to hack into the system. Soon, the doors opened for him, and he went inside without any incident.

The agent removed the hood from his head, revealing his short, bleach blonde hair, his sunglasses, and an x-shaped scar that crossed his dark-skinned face. His hand reached for the earpiece that rested on his right ear, soon pressing the single button on it.

"This is Raven," he said as quietly as possible. "I'm now inside the facility and will begin my search for the disc."

"Good work," a voice on the other end replied. "Report back as soon as you are out of the building with the disc."

"Understood."

With that, Raven quickly moved forward, shedding the white coat behind him. Underneath he wore black clothing, suitable for the inside of this building now that he was in.

Quietly, he moved about, keeping himself in the shadows so that any cameras that may spot him do not detect him. Some time passed before he could hear voices not too far away. He crept up to one of the doors, and the voices became louder.

Raven guessed that there were at least two me inside talking amongst themselves. They spoke in whispers, most likely not wanting to hear anyone listening to their conversation. The agent tried to listen to what they were saying, but no matter how hard he tried, it was to no avail.

It was then that Raven noticed someone coming down the hallway from the opposite side. While the stranger wasn't looking, the agent looked around for another hiding place, soon seeing a large pipe above him. He quickly jump up before landing on top of the pipe, keeping himself hidden.

The two other men inside heard footsteps and immediately opened the door to see who was there. The three men stared at each other for a moment before the one who just arrived spoke.

"Have you retrieved the disc yet?" he asked.

The two men shook their head. "Not yet, we were just about to retrieve it, then escape from here."

As they continued to talk, Raven couldn't help but smirk a little. He found it interesting how he ended up running into a couple of goons who were planning on betraying their own clan.

This mission was going to be a lot easier than he realized.

While they were distracted, Raven jumped down from the pipe. None of the three realized what was happening until Raven managed to kick one of them in the back of the head, knocking him out cold.

"What the hell?" one cried out as and the other backed away. Raven stared at the two for a moment before quickly jumping away, disappearing into the darkness.

"What the-" the same man who spoke a moment ago said again.

"I have to hand it to him," his friend replied. "He's got good ninja skills."

"Who cares about that!" the man yelled out in almost a frantic. "In a moment, he's gonna-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Raven quickly appeared behind him. Before his friend could warn him, Raven quickly grabbed his head before snapping his neck like a twig. The snapping sound echoed around the area before the man collapsed to the ground, his life draining out of him.

Raven stood up straight and folded his arms, staring at the last of the trio who was visibly shaking in fear. "I had hoped that at least one of you would put up a fight. I assume you must be a lower ranking criminal… considering how you planned to betray your clan anyway." He lowed his head slightly, his eyes never leaving his enemy. "Now, if you want me to spare your life, you will tell me where the data disc is."

"I… I… I don't know what you're talking about!"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. I heard the conversation between you three. I know that you know where it's located."

Quickly, the man took out a large knife. "I'll die before I ever tell you!" With a loud roar, he ran towards the agent. Raven stood where he was, waiting for him to get closer so that he could quickly take care of him.

However, before the man was within reach, he suddenly stopped as a small noise was heard. His face withered in pain, and he dropped his knife before collapsing forward to the ground. Once he did, Raven noted the knife in his back.

Unfolding his arms, Raven glanced up to see who had attacked him. He slightly raised an eyebrow upon seeing the man in dark green military gear. He also wore black boots, short black gloves, a gray vest, and his shoulder-length black hair was pulled halfway up. That was just the man's normal attire, but his complexion was another story. He was so pale that he could've been mistaken for a corpse, and his blue eyes were so pale that they were almost white. A couple of scars were noted on his chin and above the upper left side of his lips.

Raven knew exactly who he was. He was Sergei Dragunov, a member of a Russian special assignment team called SPETSNAZ. Raven once was assigned to investigate the team for illegal operations, but his mission kept being stopped by Dragunov, a deadly fighter who was nicknamed the 'White Angel of Death' on the battlefield. It was the only mission Raven was forced to abandon due to the disturbances.

The agent swore that, during his last few missions, Dragunov would not be too far. Was it because Dragunov was really sent to keep an eye on Raven? Or was it purely coincidence that the two were given the same assignments?

After a few moments of silence, Raven spoke. "If you intended on finding the data disc, it's going to be a lot harder than you know. So far, no one is revealing it's location."

In reply, Dragunov raised an arm up. Then, to Raven's surprise, he noted the data disc in the militant's hand.

Raven's eyebrow raised up even more. "Well… it looks like you did the hard work for me already. But let's see who will actually leave with the disc."

Quickly, the two darted towards each other to engage in combat. For a moment, they exchanged various punches and kicks and defending themselves by mostly blocking or dodging the other's moves. It wasn't the first time the two fought, but the more they did fight, the more they were starting to learn one another's maneuvers.

Then, Dragunov attempted a forward punch, forcing Raven to quickly jump up. The agent somersaulted forward and got himself behind the militant. As Dragunov recovered from the maneuver, he was suddenly kicked between his shoulder blades, letting out a short moan as he was pushed forward. He nearly lost his balance, but managed to regain himself before he fell.

As Raven went after him, Dragunov waited in his spot until the agent was close. Once he was, Dragunov grabbed Raven by the back of his head, bending him down forward before slamming a knee into his abdomen with full force. Pain shot through Raven's body, and felt the air in his lungs quickly leaving. Before he had the chance to gasp for breath, Dragunov delivered a blow to the base of his neck, knocking the agent to the ground.

Dragunov then attempted to deliver a stomp to Raven's back, but the agent managed to look up to see this in time. He quickly rolled away, forcing the militant to stomp on the ground instead. Despite the pain still in his stomach, Raven managed to somersault back before getting himself back on his feet. He then got into a fighting stance, waiting for Dragunov's next move.

However, as soon as their fight began, it quickly ended as the noise of their battle caught the attention of the criminal organization they were here to retrieve the disc from. Before the two knew it, the members managed to grab a hold of them, various guns now pointing at them. With the guns in their faces, the two were forced to stand still, especially if they wanted to escape from here alive later on.

A tall figure with long black hair tied in a low ponytail approached them. Raven realized almost right away that this was the leader of the syndicate.

"So… you thought you could escape here with the disc?" Immediately, he reached into Dragunov's shirt pocket, taking back the disc. "How did you manage to get this?" The only replied he received was an icy glare from Dragunov. "ANSWER ME!" Again, more silence followed, this time with the militant narrowing his eyes at him.

The leader backhanded him, causing his head to snap sideway. Dragunov slowly turned his head, seemingly not bothered by the attack. He most likely endured this many times before, Raven guessed.

The leader looked at his minions. "Take them to the cells. I'll decide what to do with them soon enough."

With that, the syndicate members began dragging Raven and Dragunov to the cells in the lower levels of the facility.

~~~

**Kerala, India**

Sitting underneath a tree on top of a grassy hill, Dhalsim sat in a lotus position. Despite the sounds of laughing children nearby and the splashing river in the distance, he was able to block the noises in his mind, clearing it from any disturbances.

For a short while, Dhalsim's meditation was relaxing.

Then, he suddenly found himself catching his breath as pictures flashed through his mind. His eyes closed tighter, trying all he could not to react more to the visions so that those who saw there did not become frightened by his reactions.

In his mind, he saw the blood red sky, and the litter of corpses scattered all around a field along with the rubbles of what was once buildings. He saw many of the realms being taken over, and Shao Kahn himself watching the events unfold. His figure was nearly like a shadow, with the exception of his glowing red eyes, and he laughed manically as he reveled in the anguish of his victims. He saw Earth becoming a victim of his wrath as well.

But most disturbing of all… he saw the future of the realms… a future of nothingness…

Dhalsim's eyes snapped opened as he gasped for breath, disturbed by the visions. He barely noticed the bead of sweat that developed at his brow.

 _This wasn't the first time I've seen these visions,_ the yoga master thought as he tried to catch his breath. _But they are becoming more and more intense each time I see them…_

Indeed, he had known about their fate for some time… a fate that his forefathers predicted for many decades. Many stories had been passed down to Dhalsim since he was a boy, this being one of them.

 _“Someday,”_ his father once said to him. “ _The fate of the realms will be at the hands of a powerful warlord, a warlord possessing nothing but greed with a lust for the ultimate power. What will happen afterwards will not be without grim results for those who suffer.”_

As a boy, Dhalsim never really understood this. How were they able to foresee the fate of the realms? And more importantly, if the predictions were true, was there anyway that it could be stopped?

When he was a adolescent, Dhalsim asked these questions to his father. He was able to answer only one of them. It was the usual alignment of stars in the sky, one that Dhalsim heard many times before. This one aligned thirteen stars, a bad luck number in most places. Unfortunately, with today's light pollution, it would be hard to see those stars align unless they went out in the middle of the ocean. The first ancestor to predict the fate of the realms noted this.

The more important question was not answered until Dhalsim was twenty years old. One day, his father had asked him to come to a secret location only his family knew about within the mountains. Not long ago, his father had traveled here, only to read through the ancient tablets that were left there by former occupants of the area. He asked Dhalsim to read through them. The young man did and, after nearly an hour of reading, he reached one tablet that caught his attention;

_Ano Sentaku Bou - The Chosen Ones._

_In a time of universal war, four individuals within this universe have the power to eradicate the main source of the conflict. With the perfect balance of purity and sins within their souls, their energies, when together, could be used as a weapon against the enemy._

"I believe _this_ might be the answer to how we can save the universe," Dhalsim's father said once he knew he was done reading. "I cannot foresee if that is true, but I hope that you will soon enough."

A few weeks later, his father passed away.

For twenty-two years after reading the ancient tablet, Dhalsim kept the _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend in his mind, knowing that this was most likely the only way that the universe would be saved from it's grim fate.

Dhalsim was doubtful if this was the answer for the first few years. Then, about ten years ago, he began to see an interesting vision. Recently, this vision had become stronger, though it remained mostly the same. Dhalsim found himself in a dark environment, and four individuals stood before him. However, he could not see their forms as they were all shrouded in light, each a different color. Dhalsim realized not long ago that these colored lights represented their inner energy.

Now with the conflict actually happening, though it has not reached Earth yet, only one question remained… who exactly were these four individuals? The ones powerful enough to defeat 'the main source of the conflict.' That was what bothered Dhalsim the most. Even though he possessed psychic abilities, even he couldn't foresee who the four are.

Perhaps if he actually got close to the four, it would be easier for him to know. But that was the worst and longest way to go about it.

 _If only there was an easier way,_ Dhalsim thought with a sigh.

He looked up to the sky and noted the sun setting for the evening. The yoga master knew that supper would soon be ready. Feeling his stomach growling, Dhalsim stood up before carefully walking down the hill back to his village.

Once at the foot of the hill, he was met by a young boy about the age of ten. The young boy smiled upon seeing Dhalsim. "Father!" he called out happily.

Dhalsim smiled as his son embraced him, not seeing much of him all day. He patted the boy's bald head, which matched his own with the exception of the stripped red paint on the older man's head.

"Is supper almost ready, Datta?" Dhalsim asked him.

"That's funny, I was just coming to tell you that it was ready," Datta chuckled. He grabbed his father's hand before leading him further into the small village towards their home. "I don't know what mother made, but I hope it's nice and warm."

"Yes, it has been unusually chilly lately," Dhalsim agreed.

Soon, father and son reached the hut they called home. It wasn't very large, but it was still very comfortable for three people to live in. The two reached the kitchen, where Dhalsim's wife, Sally, was seen setting the plates on the wooden table. She looked up to see her family coming in and smiled.

"There you are," she said cheerfully. He looked up at her husband. "I made you your favorite today."

Dhalsim sat at the table and looked down at his plate. He smiled upon seeing a serving of curry vegetables. Indeed, it was his favorite. And best of all, Sally made the best curry vegetables he had ever tasted.

"Thank you, dear," Dhalsim said as his wife and son settled themselves at the table.

Despite the current, happy environment in his home and being with his family, Dhalsim couldn't help but to think of the dark visions he had seen today as he slowly ate his dinner…


	7. Chapter Six

**Somewhere Above the Arabian Sea**

Glancing through a long telescope, Ruby Heart glanced down at the sea below her. From very high above, it was a sight to behold as she saw nothing but a few scattered white clouds and blue waters that nearly matched the Earth's sky.

As she continued gazing at the view, she heard the footsteps of one of her crew members approach her. "Captain, I wanted to inform you that your supper will be ready within the next hour."

Ruby Heart removed the telescope from her eye. "Thank you. Let me know once it is ready."

"Yes, ma'am," he said before departing.

Once he was out of sight, Ruby Heart tipped the brim of her large, dark blue tricorn hat to shield her left brown eye from the sun's afternoon rays. A gray cloth covered her right eye, concealing an injury she received some years ago. She then began to walk along the edge of the ship, her long wavy blonde hair swaying slightly behind her.

Like with most of her missions these days, she was out hunting for treasure. While in Spain, she heard of a chest filled with gold somewhere on the beaches of the Samoan Islands. It would be a long journey, but one she was willing to take.

She only hoped that no one else had claimed it before she got there.

Reaching the quarter deck of the ship, Ruby Heart placed a hand onto the wooden steering wheel, touching it tenderly. Looking up at the white sails, a memory from a few years ago came to her mind as she remembered how she obtained this flying ship.

As a child, Ruby Heart was always fascinated by pirates ever since she learned from her parents that they were descendents of ones. Although pirates nowadays were considered a thing of the past, the young woman desired to live that life.

Once she became old enough, she learned that she wasn't the only one with the same desires. However, for a while, she wasn't taken seriously. Even in today's day in age, the other pirates still considered the old wives tale that women on ships were bad luck. Despite this, she was determined to prove her worth.

A little over five years ago, Ruby Heart received an injury after a sword battle with an enemy. In an effort to die in peace, she stumbled upon a large cave, choosing to meet her demise there. When darkness took over, it seemed as though death was upon her.

However, she would soon wake up on someone's bed. Turned out a middle-aged man lived in the cave. He had discovered her near the entrance and tended to her wounds. After a few weeks, she managed to recover thanks to the stranger.

As her injuries healed, the young woman discovered more about this man. He was an inventor who created marvelous gadgets which were, unfortunately, deemed 'not ready' for humans. Ruby Heart was fascinated by his creations. One in particular was that of a ship. It was like any other ship, but this one possessed propellers that would enable the ship to actually fly. It wasn't completed yet once she saw it.

Impressed by the idea, Ruby Heart decided to assist the man in finishing his invention. It was her way of thanking him for saving her life.

It took a few months of planning and building, but once it was done and tested, it was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen. However, she and the inventor never truly had the time to revel in their success. One night, the man had died in his sleep. The tragedy had shocked Ruby Heart as he did not seem sick at all. Mostly likely, he had some heart ailment, and the beating organ most likely gave out.

After she buried him, his spirit gave her a visit. This was no surprise to her. Ever since she was a child, she had known that she was a medium… the power to contact the spirits of the dead. He had thanked her for all she's done for him and, as his final gift, he offered her the ship.

Since then, Ruby Heart had used this ship to travel around the world. Sure, she liked the smell of the sea, but she had one advantage that the other pirates didn't have… flying was indeed the fastest way to travel.

She had also discovered some interesting things within Earth. She knew of other realms beyond this one, and she had discovered a few portals within the sky that lead to those worlds. Ruby Heart never went through them herself, though she had been curious from time to time. However, they may actually explain why some aircrafts in the past may have disappeared without a trace.

Ruby Heart sighed a little as she looked at her hand, holding on to one of the handles of the steering wheel. She chuckled slightly. She was always amused by the fact that she hardly ever had to steer the thing. It was almost like her mind was connected to this ship because it always seemed to know where she wanted to go.

Perhaps the spirit of the inventor was controlling the ship?

Ruby Heart took out a compass from her pocket, checking on the arrow for a moment. "Definitely going in the right direction," she said aloud before placing the item back. "Just hope that treasure is still there once we arrive."

With that, she strolled herself back towards the edge of the ship. Once again, she looked down from where she stood and admired the beauty Earth had to offer.

~~~

_"GO!" Rose demanded. She continued to barely hold the portal open with what little strength she had left. "Do not worry about me! I'll follow you after you go through the portal! Go before it's too late!"_

_Without hesitating, Asuka jumped in first, followed by Lita. Both Cammy and Jin went into the portal at the same time. As they did, Cammy turned around and reached her hand out to Rose._

_As Rose reached her hand out as well, she gasped as a sai suddenly stabbed through her back and out her chest from behind!_

_Cammy gasped in horror upon seeing this. "ROSE!" she screamed out. She tried to step forward towards her…_

**London, England**

Cammy White gasped as she shot up from her bed. She felt the cold sweat on her face as she attempted to catch her breath.

 _Not that dream again…_ she thought to herself.

The rays of the morning sun shined through the barely closed curtains of her apartment bedroom. Cammy hardly noticed them, however, as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. As she did, the dream she had more than once came to her again.

 _Rose,_ she thought. _I was right there… I could've saved you. It's been six months, and I still feel guilty now as I was at that moment…_

Cammy had seen plenty of horror that day in Outworld when she and the rest of the chosen ones were forced to defend themselves from Shao Kahn's forces. In the beginning of The Blood Tournament there, Cammy was accompanied by her Delta Red team as they investigated the true purpose of the tournament. There were five of them and only Cammy and one other, Lita Luwanda, made it out of there alive. Cammy had been forced to witness the death of her Captain, Keith Wolfman. Lita however, witnessed the deaths of their other two teammates; Major Matt McCoy and Tech Expert George Ginzu.

The psychic Rose, along with the Thunder God Raiden, were the leaders of the chosen ones that Cammy and the Delta Red team were a part of. Their mission was to discover the truth about the tournament's prize, the medallion known as _Chishio No Me_ (or The Bloody Eye). If one of the chosen ones were to win the prize, it was to be handed over in order to be destroyed.

When Cammy was escaping through the portal after the tournament, she had witnessed a sai stabbing Rose through the back. The young woman had been reaching out to her at that moment in order to help her get through the portal. She remembered the haunting smile on Rose's face afterwards. It was as though she was letting her know that it was okay to go.

Cammy never got a good look at Rose's killer, though she wish she did…

As for Raiden, no one knew what happened to him. It was as though he completely disappeared without a trace.

As the young woman opened her eyes, another person came to her mind… the one person she hadn't thought of in weeks…

Of all the chosen ones, it was Jin Kazama who managed to make it to the final round of the tournament. Unfortunately, he had been defeated, losing any chances for the chosen ones to win the medallion. They had just begun a Plan B when Shao Kahn sent his troops to attack…

Cammy and Jin had grown to care for each other during their time in Outworld. For a while, things seemed to be okay between them, and Cammy believed that their relationship could perhaps continue afterwards.

However, fate had a completely different idea. Some time during their separation the morning of Shao Kahn's attack, something happened to Jin that greatly disturbed him. He never told Cammy exactly what it was, and she wasn't about to pry the information out of him. It would only upset him more, she realized, so she decided that the smart thing to do was to wait until he was ready.

They went to London together as planned in what would've been an undetermined amount of time. Their time together didn't even last a week. The nights were silent with the exception for Cammy's occasional weeping over her guilt for not saving Rose or her teammates. She took comfort in the pair of strong arms that wrapped around her small-framed body from behind.

On their last night, however, the roles were switched with Cammy holding him from behind. Jin was quiet about it, but his shaking shoulders gave it away. Whatever happened to him was now getting a hold on him, at least Cammy thought.

It was some time during that same night that Jin took his leave. Cammy swore that she had felt a gentle kiss on her forehead in the dark hours, but wasn't sure if she was dreaming or not.

He had left a note on the night stand, which Cammy read the next morning. She had since burned the letter, but the words on the paper were still branded in her mind;

_Cammy,_

_As you sleep next to me, I find myself awake with too many thoughts. For a while, when we were in Outworld, things seemed peaceful for the first time since I was a teen._

_Ever since my mother's death, everything I had ever known about life had turned completely upside down. It was a slow process, but I didn't realize what was going on until it hit me in the back of the head... quite literally to say the least. I have my Grandfather to thank for that…_

_Cammy, there's so much going on with me that you don't know about, things that may be too much to comprehend. My bloodline is no ordinary one, and a certain moment that occurred in Outworld truly made me rethink everything… the things that could happen… the things I can't have… the heavy guilt that now weighs on my shoulders…_

_Because of this, I must leave you. I know writing this letter is not the best option, but I feel as though I have no other choice. My presence in your life will only put you in more danger than I've already placed you in._

_Please, don't make any attempt to find me. The one thing I ask of you is to move on with your life and forget about me. I'm not worth it as much as you think I am._

_If it's any comfort to you, I want you know that I've enjoyed the small time we've had together, and it's something I won't forget any time soon. Whether fate will unite us again, I'm not sure, but I feel that it's best that we stay apart…_

_I'm sorry._

_Jin._

Cammy had not seen nor heard from him since…

Obviously, because she couldn't understand what was going on with him, Cammy was left more confused and frustrated. Now with this on top of her guilt, she became more depressed.

But this time, there was no one to wrap their arms around her for comfort.

She was consoled by her partner Lita, along with her surrogate family over the phone. Her surrogate brother, Wagner, tried cracking his usual jokes, but even they were slightly lacking since his time in Outworld as well.

That was the usual routine for the first two months…

As Cammy's mind thought of the past, the door to the bathroom slowly opened, and a light that was on inside switched off. The petite woman looked up to see a young man emerge from the small room. His blonde hair was ruffled from sleeping, and he wore nothing but a pair of red boxers, his body a medium-built.

This was the famous boxer known as Steve Fox. Cammy and Lita met him four months ago when MI-6 gave them the unusual assignment to act as Steve's bodyguards to protect him from the mafia who were after him. It was all because they wanted him to throw a fight, but he had refused and won the match instead.

Steve himself was a little turned off at the idea of two women protecting him at first, but the moment he saw them both fight and take down six men who tried to kill him, he realized that Cammy and Lita were perfect for the job after all.

He got to know the two women during the last four months, and he ended up becoming infatuated with Cammy. She had been resistant at first since she was still getting over Jin, but two months ago, she accepted him into her life. With the exception of Lita, no one else knew of their relationship in order to avoid controversy in their careers.

Two weeks into their new romance, Cammy and Lita's other assignments were becoming more frequent, giving them less time to help Steve out. With that, Cammy had him move in to her apartment so that he was further protected from the mafia. It nearly drove him mad to be confined in one space, but at least he was alive…

He looked at her. "We're almost out of toothpaste in there," he informed her as he approached the bed. "And I think we might need more toilet paper soon."

Cammy couldn't help but smile a little, loving his cockney accent. "Well then, I'll have to stop at the store later after I get off from work."

Steve sat down on the bed next to her, reaching up a hand to brush a strand of blonde hair that fell over the side of her face. "Sounds good, but that depends if MI-6 sends you on an important mission later. You know I'd go get them myself, but…"

He stopped mid-sentence as she placed an arm around him. "I know you would have. You can't even risk a delivery boy sending the stuff up either."

Steve shook his head before staring back at her. "Did you sleep well?"

Cammy shrugged a little. "I guess I did, but the dreams could've been better." She then began to absently trace a finger over one of the scars that seemed to branch out like a tree up and around his left arm. "How about you?"

"I still feel like I have to keep one eye open, but I guess last night was a little better."

"Just keep everything closed and locked, and you'll be all right," she suggested.

He brought himself closer to her before wrapping his arms around her. "You say that every time."

She smiled. "Just thought I'd remind you."

With that, Cammy closed the gap between them, pressing her lips against his. Using her arms, she brought Steve closer to her, while he returned the kiss with more fervor. Without breaking the kiss, he two of them shifted to where they both laid on their sides in the bed, facing each other.

Just as they began to open their mouths to let their tongues intertwine, the alarm on the clock began beeping. The sound forced the two to break the kiss. Cammy found herself sighing, suddenly having the urge to throw the device across the room.

"It's later than I thought it was," Cammy sighed as she turned on to her other side to shut the alarm off. She then looked back at Steve. "You don't mind, um, waiting, do you?"

Already turned on his back, Steve smiled a little as he placed his hands behind his head. "I guess… how do they say it… work comes before pleasure."

Cammy chuckled a little. "Yes, I guess so." She got up from her bed before heading towards the bathroom. "Will you be all right while I'm gone?"

"I'm sure I will," Steve replied. "I'll most likely practice for a few hours, then I'll be bored as usual. Maybe they'll play a good movie on the telly this time."

"I hope it's a good one," Cammy said before shutting the door behind her.

Two hours later, Cammy found herself at the compounds of MI-6 Headquarters. Just like every morning, coffee in hand, she would head down to one of the training areas on the base, specifically the shooting range, where Lita Luwanda was at every time she came in.

And like always, at least for the past two months, Lita was there training one of the newest MI-6 recruits, one who Cammy knew too well. As she reached the range, Lita and the new recruit were the only ones there. Cammy stayed out of sight, wanting to watch the two of them for a moment.

A few rounds were shot before Lita spoke. "Excellent aim, Juni," she said with enthusiasm. She then chuckled to herself. "You're learning a lot faster than I did when I was training."

Juni smiled a little as she brushed a strand of strawberry blonde hair from her forehead. "I'm sure you were still a good trainee." She then frowned a little. "But then again, as you know, I still feel kind of strange about it… like I've done this before."

Cammy found herself frowning a little as she heard this. Just like Cammy, Juni was once a brainwashed member of Shadaloo as one of the Dolls, serving their master without question. She was only sixteen when she was kidnapped, and four years of her life was taken away.

Only last year, Juni was freed from Shadowloo's grasps. Both Cammy and Wagner were the ones who managed to rescue her while on a joint mission to stop the organization. Unlike Cammy, however, she retained memories from before her capture. She had no memories of ever being one of the Dolls.

Juni would have mourned for her lost years, but it was nothing compared to learning about the death of her mother. She had been murdered only a few weeks after Juni was kidnapped. Juni highly believed that she was the one responsible for her murder under the brainwash.

Juni had stayed in her homeland of Germany for a while. Then, once she got her life in order, Juni decided to join with Cammy in England and become a member of MI-6. It was not only a way for her to thank Cammy, but it was her way to atone for whatever sins she committed while under the brainwash.

As Juni continued to focus on her training, Lita looked over and happened to notice Cammy standing by the door.

"There you are, Cammy girl," Lita said cheerfully. Juni stopped to look at Cammy and gave her a smile. Cammy smiled as well as she walked in.

"How's the training going?" she asked them.

"Quite well, actually," Juni said as she took aim at the target in front of her.

"How's you-know-who?" Lita said, referring to Steve.

Cammy nodded. "He's fine. Poor bloke has been going mad, I think."

"I would be too if I was confined in one space for so long," Lita answered. "Let's just hope his issues are resolved soon." She then handed a gun to Cammy. "Say, why don't we have a little contest between the three of us before the Captain gives out our assignments for the day?"

Cammy took a sip of her coffee before taking the pistol into her hand. "Sounds good to me."

For a while after, Cammy, Lita, and Juni held their own shooting contest.

~~~

**Ireland**

_Shadaloo File 239_

_Subject: Vega Fabio De Cerna_

Nina Williams raised an eyebrow as she noted the name on the computer. Recently, the client who assigned her to assassinate Vega eight months ago sent her various files through the computer regarding the now debunked Shadaloo. The files were picked up recently by an unknown source after their had searched through one of the old bases in Asia.

The client had not gone through the files themselves, but he had been told that there was new information regarding former members and past assignments from the last ten years. Perhaps she would learn something new about Vega.

Up to when she read his name, Nina had been going through the files for the last five hours.

A light snow began to fall outside the window, but Nina didn't pay any attention to it as she read through Vega's file. However, she found herself reading the same information she already knew about… his childhood, his fighting skills, his assignments, and his disappearance with one of the Shadaloo dolls after the organization fell by an unknown source.

Nina sighed to herself. "The same as always. Nothing new here…"

The only thing she could add was that she chased Vega and the doll all the way to Outworld seven months ago, where she ended up attending the tournament there in hopes of getting closer to them. She would also end up becoming one of Raiden and Rose's chosen ones in order to stop their enemies from retaining the _Chishio No Me_ medallion.

Nina briefly thought back on that fight night on the ship that transported them to Outworld…

_The energy then formed into a purple-haired woman, wearing a pink off-shoulder button down dress with a black and gold belt, a purple sleeveless top under the dress, purple stockings, pink high heels, and a yellow scarf wrapped around her shoulders. Everyone looked at her and feel silent, unsure of what to say._

_"Greetings," the woman said. "I'm glad all of you are finally assembled here. I am Rose, and the realms are in trouble."_

_McCoy was the first to speak. "Well, hello there."_

_"What's going on?" asked Julia._

_"Unfortunately, we cannot explain it here," Rose replied. "Come with me. You have been chosen…even you Nina." Everyone turned around and saw Nina standing in the shadows. She sighed to herself and stepped into the light._

_"Why me?" she asked in a monotone voice._

_"Let's just say that it involves your sister."_

_Nina looked up, interested then. Whatever was to happen, the assassin was going to keep her distance from the rest of the group, only being concerned with her assignment and Anna._

The blonde-haired woman found herself clenching her fist slightly at the thought. She had believed that Rose would give her that chance to get to Anna. However, it turned out that the psychic only predicted her younger sister's involvement with Shao Kahn and, ironically, Vega.

The thing was, the woman never elaborated on it.

Then, there was those words Rose said to her later on while she explained the situation; _Nina, just because you are an assassin, doesn't mean you should not open up to those around you. Loneliness is not the good way of life._

It never made sense to her. Nina didn't need anyone in her life! Aside from her frustrations with Anna and her memory loss from the cryogenic sleep she was forced into years ago, she was already content with her life.

Nina was also prevented from fighting Anna during the tournament. She also was on one assignment which only ended up getting her captured, even though she managed to get information on the medallion.

The whole mission ended up failing anyway once Jin Kazama lost the tournament. It had all delayed her in her mission to assassinate Vega.

More frustrated at the thought than ever, Nina found herself slamming a fist down at the desk she sat at. "If I wasn't a 'chosen one,' Vega would be dead right now, and my score with Anna would have been settled!"

Quickly, she got up from her chair before strolling over to the window, her arms folded in front of her. She barely noticed the falling snow as more thoughts ran into her head. At least her client paid her partially for the rescue of the Doll Vega had kept for himself. The client would pay her the rest once the matador was dead.

She knew both Vega and Anna were currently in Outworld. Someday, she hoped to find access to the realm. This way, she would be able to kill two birds with one stone.

Thinking about her outburst a moment ago, Nina found herself amused a little. "Hmph… hopefully, I'm not starting to become like that wretched sister of mine."

The moment she finished that sentence, she heard something being slipped underneath her door. Nina quickly turned to the door and found an envelope on the floor.

One eyebrow raised with curiosity, Nina approached the door before bending over to pick up the envelope, which was thick. She began to open it as she walked back to her desk, taking out the contents after sitting down.

In her hand was a large sum of cash. She knew from that moment that a new assignment came through, a first in two months. Nina checked the cash to make sure it wasn't counterfeit before taking out the picture of her target. It was a young man with blonde hair, who looked oddly familiar to her…

She then took out the letter accompanying the picture and read it's contents;

_The cash in the envelope is half of your payment. You will receive the rest once the job is finished._

_Report to Dublin Airport at 7am, and retrieve your ticket to London when you get there. Someone will meet you at London Heathrow Airport when you arrive. You will receive further directions from there._

_The name of your target: Steve Fox._

~~~

**Metro City, United States**

Two police officers were on either side of Cody Travers as the three of them walked through the halls of the jailhouse they were in. Some of the cells were empty, but some had prisoners inside already yelling out at Cody as he walked by.

 _Didn't feel so long ago since I was last here,_ Cody thought to himself as he sighed a little.

Cody found himself a prisoner of this very jail more than six years ago. He had been arrested for a few counts of assault when he briefly became a vigilante of Metro City. It had been the city's way of 'thanking' him after he helped in defeating the old Mad Gear gang years ago. He served his time, trying to stay on his best behavior.

Now, for the first time since his release less than a year ago, Cody finds himself staring at those walls once again. Some memories stirred up in his mind, mostly unpleasant, but some amusing. The prisoners he met here ranged from small-time crooks to murderers, and Cody had made sure to stay with the right people.

Soon, they reached a particular cell, and one of the officers took out his keys out to unlock them. The door soon became ajar and opened it. Cody found himself staring at the young man who occupied the cell.

The young man grinned at him. "Hey bro, glad you came to bail me out," he said laughing.

Cody smiled a little, but he still found himself shaking his head. "Kyle, you got yourself arrested for disobeying orders from an officer just to avoid a speeding ticket. You, little brother, are an idiot."

Kyle stepped out from the cell before the two, along with the officers, walked back towards the front office. "I was only going five miles faster than the speed limit."

Cody sighed a little, still smiling. "You're just lucky I got the money to get you out in the first place."

Once the paper work in the office was complete, and a trail date for the ticket was set, the Travers brothers stepped out into the busy streets of Metro City. The heavy snow that fell during the Christmas season had mostly melted from the bright sun that shined high in the mid-afternoon sky.

"Next time you get yourself arrested," Cody began to say. "Try to do it for something more worthwhile than a speeding ticket. I highly doubt I'll have any more money to bail you out again."

Kyle sighed a little. "But five miles over-"

"Doesn't matter if it's one mile, some cops will get you for that if they feel like it," Cody mentioned. "Especially if they're having a bad day."

Kyle decided to change the subject. "Say, are you coming with me to the fight club tonight?"

"Probably," Cody replied while cracking his knuckles. "I could use some extra cash anyway."

"Cool," Kyle nodded. "I was hoping Vanessa would come down tonight, but she's stuck working. I was thinking we could go to the bar afterwards to meet up with her."

"Sounds good to me," Cody agreed, already looking forward to a bottle of ice cold Heineken despite the chilly weather.

They soon reached a crossway and waited for the light to turn green. As they did, Kyle glanced over at his older brother. "You know… I never really mentioned this, I don't think… but I swear, ever since you came back from that crazy realm six months ago, you've changed."

Cody raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Well, obviously you had a strange experience there… you've seemed to have more of a clear head on anything these days. You're actually thinking through things before acting, and you're trying to get me to see that."

Cody nodded. "Yeah, I guess I have changed."

The brothers fell silent as they continued to wait for the light to turn green. Cody sighed a little and looked up at the sky. He knew why he changed…

 _Six months since I made that promise to help you, Guy,_ he thought. _But there's no progress since…_

Cody had known Guy for years since the latter came to Metro City for a while. The two of them, along with Mayor Mike Haggar, were hailed as heroes for a while after they defeated the Mad Gear Gang that not only terrorized the city, but had also kidnapped Haggar's daughter and Cody's now ex-girlfriend, Jessica.

Cody had gone to Japan to visit Guy after his release from jail. By then, Guy received an invitation to The Blood Tournament in Outworld, and invited Cody to come along for the ride. There, they became one of Raiden and Rose's chosen ones.

On their last night in Outworld, Guy was somehow captured and brainwashed during the night. The next morning, Cody was forced to fight him as Guy attacked him. Cody had hoped to help free his friend, but Guy had escaped before he had that chance. At their friend Maki's suggestion, it was decided to let him go for now and to try to help him at a later day.

But too much had passed, and Cody wondered if he would ever be able to fulfill his promise.

Soon, the traffic light turned green, and the Travers proceeded with their walk back home.

~~~

**Phoenix, Arizona**

Sagat scanned the hotel room he would be staying in, carrying the single luggage in his hand as he entered the room. The room was nicely decorated, mostly in beige and green colors, and there was a decent view of the city with a balcony.

It had been a long flight from Thailand, and the Muay Thai master was looking forward to resting for the remainder of the day. He planned to take care of business in the morning.

Placing the luggage on the single king-size bed (he realized his feet would definitely hang over the edge judging by it's length), he unzipped it before opening it. Taking out the single disc that was in a sleeve, he examined it to make sure that the airport crew did not leave any damages. Thankfully, everything was intact.

Sagat decided then to step out to the balcony for a little while, taking in the fresh air the weather had to offer. It was wintertime here, but it was more like spring here do to it's location. Sagat actually preferred this kind of weather.

As he looked over the city, thoughts ran through Sagat's mind. It was his second time in Phoenix in less than a year, and both trips had been for the same reason. As a former member of Shadaloo, now out to atone for his sins, he felt that it was his responsibility to tie up the former organization's loose ends.

By the late spring, Sagat managed to tie everything up, save for one… to inform a woman named Julia Chang of her mother's fate.

The first time he was here, he managed to sneak in to her apartment at her college. There, he noted the invitation to The Blood Tournament sitting at her desk, where she was sleeping. He decided then to leave a note, where he would inform her of everything he knew.

Sagat realized now that waiting had been a bit of a mistake. During the tournament, Julia had met Sagat's rival Ryu, the one who had left a large scar on his chest during a fight years ago.

Sagat was aware of their friendship, but he didn't know that the two knew each other as more than friends until after he explained everything to Julia… how Michelle was brainwashed by Shadaloo to serve them without question… how one of her missions was to assassinate Ryu…

How Ryu, in self defense, kicked her off a cliff, the fall which killed her…

As a matter of fact, Shadaloo had meant to capture Julia, but they instead took her mother by mistake. She was still a strong warrior, however, as Sagat remembered the story of how she fought with all of her might before she was subdued. With that, the organization had use for her after all… at least until she failed her last mission…

As for Ryu, he couldn't remember what happened that day. Sagat saw the honesty in his face when he said this. Why he couldn't recall the invent, the Muay Thai fighter wasn't sure, just as he wasn't sure what became of the two of them after he informed Julia of the event.

He had promised her that if he found any additional evidence of Michelle's death, he would bring it to her.

That day came.

A month before his arrival in Phoenix, Sagat was called upon by the military to help in the investigation of a former Shadaloo base on an island off of Cambodia. Sagat had been cooperative with any military or police unit that called upon him to help in collecting videos, evidence, and anything else important from the organization in order to help them with understanding the objects' meanings. It was in exchange for any prison time he would have served for his crimes.

As Sagat and some of the soldiers viewed the videos and discussed it, one in particular came up. Sagat knew that a video was made that witnessed Michele's death, but never viewed it himself. He got to do that for the first time during the investigation.

There, additional information came up… information that Sagat was never aware of when told of Michelle's death. He knew that it was crucial evidence that he had to show Julia.

Once he was done with the Cambodian military, he bought a plane ticket to the United States.

Now he was here, looking at the view of Phoenix from his hotel room. He wasn't sure how long he would be here, but one thing was for sure… he was going to seek out Julia and tell her about the contents in the disc he had with him.

Tomorrow, he would do just that.

~~~

**San Francisco, California**

Riding his motorcycle south on the Golden Gate Bridge, Paul Phoenix turned his head slightly to his left. Through his sunglasses, he was viewing the city of San Francisco for the first time in over five months. He smirked a little as the smell of heavy gasoline reached his nose. Oh, how he loved that smell.

Aside from that, he would have felt good about coming back to his home city. However, because of recent events, it was not under the circumstances he would have wanted.

As he continued crossing the famous bridge, Paul thought back on the last seven months of his life…

It all started at a Chinese restaurant when Paul overheard a conversation between a couple of people talking about The Blood Tournament. The invitations that were passed out stated that 'the best of the best' would be fighting in the tournament. Paul had been enraged because he had not received one. He had considered himself 'the best in the universe,' so it was an insult to him that he wasn't invited.

However, his closest friend, Marshall Law, received an invitation. He and his son, Forrest, were planning to attend together, and they tried to invite Paul as well, but the blonde Judo fighter declined as his pride equaled that to his ego.

However, a few days before the ships from San Francisco would transfer them to the tournament, Forrest got himself injured in an accident while out with some friends. He would recover, but the injuries would prevent him from attending the tournament. Marshall convince Paul to take the invitation and go on to the tournament.

It took some persuading, but Paul finally decided to accept. After all, how else was he going to prove that he was indeed the best in the universe?

There were eight rounds in the tournament altogether. Paul only made it to the second round before he was defeated. He was knocked out cold in the process.

From there, things turned bitter. And everything that Paul ever knew in life suddenly changed.

For over two weeks, he was placed in the dungeons for reasons he never found out. There, he faced unspeakable torture which left scars on his body that would most likely never go away. While most of the other prisoners died within a couple of days, Paul ended up surviving longer than anyone else as far as he knew. Apparently, the Emperor of Outworld was impressed by his endurance. Despite this, Paul had highly believed that his death would come…

However, during a supposed breakout involving one prisoner and a rescuer (whoever they were, he never found it out who and whether or not they lived afterwards), Paul was rescued by the enigma Ermac, who once worked for the Emperor and made the decision to turn his back on him.

The two hid out until they were discovered by the Fighting God Ogre. Paul never found out what happened to Ermac after that. All he knew was that he was knocked out cold. When he woke up, he was suddenly in a cave, eventually becoming one of Raiden and Rose's chosen ones.

Once he was safe, Paul tried to keep himself upbeat. It was easy for him then to conceal his mind from what he experienced in the dungeons. However, upon escaping back to Earth after fighting his way to the portal with others, the memories would coming spilling out.

He still possessed his fighting spirit and his usual attitude, especially in front of his buddies like Marshall Law. But it was Marshall who saw that Paul was hiding something. The scars on his body spoke for him. Feeling the inner pain from the experience, Paul knew that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress.

One day, about a week after returning to Earth, Paul got on his beloved motorcycle and began riding out of the city. He had only intended to go for a little ride. However, he found himself going from city to city, barely noticing how long he had been driving until he reached the state of Nevada… then Utah… then Colorado…

For six months, Paul Phoenix traveled the country. He was able to see things he never expected to, and meeting some of the most interesting people. He would offer his services to family farms and auto services to help out with any chores and fixing that needed to be done in exchange for money, food, gas, and lodging. Paul almost enjoyed this new lifestyle.

It turned out to be a good thing for the 49-year-old. It helped him to re-evaluate his life, and all of his experiences he had gone through, good or bad. He also realized how much crap he put people through with his attitude.

He couldn't change the past, but at least he could change the future.

One day while in Oregon helping out on a cattle ranch, Paul was eating some lunch in the kitchen, taking a break from his chores. The small television was playing the news, mostly talking about politics, which always bored him.

Then, a new piece of news came up. Paul could not forget the words that were said by the newsman;

"… _In other news, could the rumors of a possible invasion be a fact or just another hoax? For the last few months, people have been speculating whether or not Earth will once again be invaded. Several years ago, a realm called 'Outworld' managed to invade Earth, but the plans were thwarted from anonymous help. Last time, no one had expected such an invasion to happen. However, ever since a tournament that took place there several months ago, the rumors rose once again. Even police and the military are skeptical of the rumors, but they will continue to prepare just in case it turns out to be all true_ _…"_

By this point, Paul stopped listening. Because of his travels, he had not heard much of what's going on around the country and the world, only little tidbits here and there. This was the first time, since his return to Earth, that he had heard anything about a possible invasion.

After his experiences in Outworld, Paul was fully convinced that the rumors were true. When it will happen was the question.

Once he completed his chores on the ranch, Paul knew that it was time to return to San Francisco…

After crossing the bridge, Paul entered the city, going through the busy streets. He knew where he wanted to go…

After about ten minutes, Paul finally reached the small building that served as his old dojo. He once taught Judo there, but lack of business forced him to close it down. He still owned the building, using it as his own personal training ground.

Parking his motorcycle and shutting the engine off, Paul took off his sunglasses. The building still looked older than the other ones surrounding it. He did, however, notice that it was repainted, and the shattered windows were replaced with new ones.

Paul raised an eyebrow. "Wonder who did that," he asked himself. He got off his bike, then proceeding towards the entrance.

Upon opening the door, the dust and broken furniture that was once inside was now cleaned and filled with new equipment. As he gazed around, Paul then saw the familiar father and son sparing together.

The door Paul opened had squeaked loudly, causing Marshall and Forrest to turn their heads. Both their eyes widened upon seeing Paul, never expecting to see him again anytime soon.

"Paul!" Marshall called out as he approached him. Once he close enough, Marshall reached out an arm, and the two shook hands. "Where have you been?"

Paul gave him a serious look. "Suddenly, it doesn't seem important anymore."

"What do you mean?" Forrest asked curiously, though his tone indicated that he was a little annoyed. "You've been gone for six months and you're telling us it's not important?"

"Settle down, kid," Paul suggested. "I've just been riding around the country all this time. But there's other stuff I need to discuss with the both of you."

The three of them walked further into the dojo, soon sitting down on the mat in the middle of the floor. Once they were settled, Paul spoke. "You know the rumors of an invasion, right?"

"Yeah?" Marshall answered. "What about it?"

Paul sighed. "I think it's actually going to happen."

From there, he explained everything he had seen while he was at the tournament, including the onslaught he was a part of prior to his escape back to Earth. Still, he left out the detail of his two-week long torture.

"I always thought it was just a hoax," Forrest said after Paul was finished. "But the things you described, it's making me think otherwise."

"Same here," Marshall agreed.

Paul shook his head. "After what I've seen, I have no doubt about it."

He then found himself gazing around the dojo. "Say… how did you manage to rebuild this place?"

"I didn't," Marshall replied. "Your friend, Sid, was the one who brought the place. You… didn't exactly pay off your rent after you left."

"Heh," Paul chuckled. "Guess I didn't."

"He knew you wanted to fix the place up for a while. So while you were gone, he brought the place once it was up for sale. All of us got together to fix the place up. Forrest and I have been working for Sid since trying to pay off the medical bills."

"How's that going?" Paul asked.

"Better than in the beginning," Forrest answered. "Those get-rich quick schemes were definitely not worth it, I'll tell you that."

"I'm curious to know what you tried to-"

"That doesn't matter right now," Marshall cut in. "But I did have an idea. I was thinking, once you get yourself back on your feet, you could possible try to buy the place back from Sid, at least half of it. Then, once I have enough money, I could pay the other half. Then, we can become equal partners. Imagine… a dojo where you can learn both Judo and Jeet Kune Do… and other various martial arts, all in one dojo."

Paul found himself rubbing his chin a little. "Hmm, that is an interesting idea. But we'll have to discuss it later. I'm about ready to fall asleep."

"I can only imagine," Forrest said. "You've been riding for months."

Paul stood up, stretching his arms a little. His eyes then widened as he realized something. "I just hope my apartment still belongs to me!"

"Lucky for you, Sid paid off a year's worth of rent," Marshall mentioned. "You just owe him now."

Paul grumbled. "I hate owing money…" He looked at his old friend. "But hey, once we get the money and have this dojo thing going for ourselves, the cash will roll in for the both of us."

Marshall smiled at the thought. "Sounds good to me."

The blonde man waved to the Laws as he began to exit the dojo. "See you tomorrow."

The minute he opened the door, however, he suddenly ran out. The Laws heard him yelling. "Hey! What the hell are you giving me a ticket for?! That sign was not there when I was here last time!"

Forrest looked at his father. "I think you forgot to tell him that the police placed a 'no parking' sign in front of the dojo last month."

Marshall scratched his head. "Heh, guess I did forget."


	8. Chapter Seven

**Pasadena, California, USA**

" _Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to Amy! Happy Birthday to you!_ "

With family and friends gathered around, Amy Guile thought deeply over what she wanted to wish for her 8th birthday. However, it didn't take her very long before she came up with what she wanted. With that, she took a deep breath and blew out the candles on her birthday cake.

Everyone in the room clapped for her once she was done. Her mother Jane took out a cutting knife. "All right, time to cut the cake."

"I want the one with the flower," Amy mentioned.

Her father, Colonel William Guile, patted his daughter's head. "It's all yours, sweetie."

As Jane began cutting the cake, Amy felt a small nudge on her arm. She gazed up to see her surrogate brother, Scott K. Wagner, smiling at her. "So kiddo, what did you wish for?"

"I can't tell you!" Amy replied, placing her hands on her hips. "Or else it won't come true!"

Wagner scratched his head while giving her a faux sheepish look. "Whoops, I almost forgot."

Nearby, three of Amy's relatives watched as Jane continued serving the cake. "It's nice to be down in LA," said Ken Masters. He gazed at his wife, Eliza, who was Jane's little sister. "Especially seeing your family again… even if Guile and I don't always see eye to eye."

Eliza couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Well, it could be much worse, I suppose."

"I'm not sure how, besides a possible brawl, but I guess you're right."

"Dad!" Ken heard. He looked down to see his three-year-old son, Mel, staring up at him. His little arms were raised up, signaling that he wanted to be picked up.

"Hey there, buddy," Ken said as he picked up his son.

"Cake?"

"I almost forget how cute he can be," a voice next to Ken said. Ken turned his head to see a friend of his. Standing next to him was Julia Chang, who came to visit the Masters from Arizona.

"He has his moments," Ken replied. "But don't turn your back on him. He's just as much of a trouble maker as I was when I was his age."

Julia couldn't help but giggle at that. "I bet."

Ken always liked to keep in contact with people he met, Julia being one of them. The two met during The Blood Tournament in Outworld seven months ago. Currently, the university Julia attended was on winter break for a few weeks. Having nothing much to do during that time, Ken had invited her to come visit him at his San Francisco home to meet his family. Julia had declined at first, but after some persuading, she was convinced to visit the Golden State.

A week ago, the Masters received a phone call from the Guiles to come on down for a few days to celebrate Amy's birthday. Eliza herself invited Julia to come along, especially since she would be reunited with Guile and Wagner, who she also met at the tournament.

Ken and Julia had only spoke once about Ryu since her arrival. She only asked him how he was since they returned to Earth. However, Ken had not heard from his friend since then. He could only imagine him traveling throughout Asia just as he always did in the past.

Aside from Julia, the Masters, and the Guiles, there was also Wagner, who Guile brought in to their home when he was just a troubled teenager. Then there was Wagner's biological sister, Lisa, who he finally reunited with six months ago from a former Shadaloo member's clutches.

Finally, there was one other girl by the name of Juli. Julia wasn't sure of her full story, but she apparently had some connections with Shadaloo some years ago. Only a few months ago, she began working on the Air Force base as a secretary.

And from the looks of things, in Julia's point of view, it seemed as though Wagner and Juli had become quite close…

Soon, Jane served everyone a piece of cake, which was devoured quite quickly. It was then followed by some of Amy's favorite party games. Eventually, 9pm hit, and Amy was starting to doze off. By that time, Mel had fallen asleep on the floor.

Once the two kids were tucked in, the adults chatted for a while about whatever subject came up. Mostly, it was about the latest world news.

At one point, Wagner decided to step out to get some fresh air. He leaned himself back against the bench on the front porch. A bottle of coke rested on his lap as he held it in his hand. For a few minutes, nothing came to mind, and all was quiet. Then, the front door opened, catching his attention. He turned his head and saw his sister Lisa stepping out.

"What's up?" he asked her.

Lisa tucked in some of her blonde hair behind her ear. "Not much, I just wanted to get some fresh air before bed." A small shiver from the air went up her spine. "Aren't you cold?"

"Nope," Wagner replied. "And that's one of the best things about California. Despite the daily smog, heavy rush hour, and… other issues, it does offer good weather. Not too many places offers fifty degree temperatures in the winter."

"Speaking of places," Lisa began. "I think we should try to visit Brockport soon. I haven't been there since…"

Wagner frowned a little once his sister trailed off her sentence. It was times like this that he knew that Lisa was still trying to get over what had happened to her over a decade ago. Brockport had been their childhood home, right before Shadaloo destroyed their lives…

He had been only eleven at the time with Lisa being fourteen. Their parents were killed by Bison due to his Dad's failed assignment, something he never found the full story to. Wagner had thought Lisa had died as well, but she had been resurrected in order to serve Bison as one of his Dolls. Only last year did he find this out.

And six months ago, thanks to the psychic Rose, Lisa was freed from the mind control. However, ten years of her life was lost. Her mind was that of a fourteen year old trapped in a twenty-five year old's body.

For now, Lisa was working on her GED so that she could at least catch up on her education. Afterwards, Lisa wasn't sure what to do. For now, she was working on the Air Force base as an assistant for one of the Generals and living in her own loft in Los Angeles. Wagner would be there for her whenever he could, whether it was to help with groceries, or her wanting to talk about her feelings.

Lisa was doing okay for the most part, but she still had a long road ahead of her…

Wagner slowly took a sip of his coke before speaking. "Only when you're ready," he suggested.

A yawn escaped Lisa's mouth and she stretched her arms a little. "I think I'm going to go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Just remember," Wagner began. "If you get any dreams, write them down."

Lisa nodded. "I always do. Good night."

"Good night."

With that Lisa, opened the front door, going back in the house before shutting it closed.

Wagner sighed as he looked up at the stars, barely noticeable due to light pollution. Indeed the past six months had been very long. It wasn't just because he was helping Lisa with getting her life back together.

For a while since he returned to Earth, Wagner was worried about a possible invasion from Outworld after what he had seen. He was surprised that Guile felt the same as well. The older man was usually very reserved about his feelings, so it was the first time the young man heard him express one of his worries.

For those who found themselves back in San Francisco, where the boats left to take them to Outworld, Guile made a plan. He knew of an army fort, no longer in use, where the group could meet just in case the invasion does happen. This way, they could receive the time needed to plan an attack against their enemies.

Wagner wasn't sure how much it would help, but at least it would get everyone to get together, at least for those living in the United States.

For a month after the meeting, Guile and Wagner got the fort in the Rocky Mountains prepared. They stocked them with all the necessary supplies that was enough for three hundred people to last on for a year.

"We just have to come back in two years to restock some of the food," he remembered Guile saying.

"I still don't understand why bottled water have expiration dates," the younger man had replied.

"Federal law requires it since it's consumable," the older man said. "Plus, the water tastes different after a while due to the plastic."

"I see."

Wagner chuckled a little at the memory. "I should've known," he said to himself.

As he continued looking up at the sky, Wagner found himself thinking about someone he hadn't thought of in a while. Another sigh escaped his lips as Sonya Blade came to his mind.

The two became good friends during their stay in Outworld. Since most of their comrades were all playing matchmaker with each other, Wagner and Sonya mostly stuck together since neither one of them were really interested in a relationship. He was still getting over a past relationship, and she was focused on her career. Wagner knew that they would never be in love or anything, but they did highly enjoy one another's company very much.

Then again, there was that one evening at the beach. A mix of frustration and lust got the best of them, and they momentarily let themselves go. It wasn't Wagner's first time making love, but Sonya did give him quite a challenge.

But then, a few days later, Sonya was dead. Wagner had arrived too late, and he had not realized that she was dying until the moment her eyes closed. She had been in a fight with their enemy, Kira. Needless to say, Kira managed to defeat her. Wagner wasn't sure what happened to her, but he knew that she was on top of the FBI list.

He swore that Sonya would one day get her justice…

As Wagner's mind wandered, he didn't notice the front door opening again. It was only when a pair of arms wrapped around him that he was brought back to reality.

"What are you thinking about?" a young woman's voice said next to his ear.

Wagner turned his head to gaze at Juli, her brown eyes staring at him with curiosity. "Nothing, really," he replied.

Juli smiled a little. "You always say that."

Wagner smiled sheepishly. "Do I?"

"Yeah," Juli answered. By then, she had placed her head on his shoulder, and Wagner used a free arm to wrap them around her.

"I've just been thinking about the last six months," he said.

Juli knew most of his story, and was aware of how much the invasion rumor was bothering him. She squeezed him a little. "All we can do is hope for the best."

Wagner turned his head to gently leave a kiss on her forehead. "I'm trying."

Briefly, he thought of how he met Juli…

It was four months ago when Guile brought her in, fully aware of her story as a former Shadaloo doll. She had retained some of her memories from before her kidnapping. She had come to Mexico from Germany to help her father, a doctor, with assisting those without hospitals. She knew her father had been murdered by Shadaloo, which was the last thing she remembered before everything went black.

Only two years ago was Juli freed. He wasn't sure how it happened, but she had stayed in a hospital in California and had stayed here since, being mostly cared for by the government until she got back on her feet. Guile offered her a job as a secretary once she was ready.

That's where Wagner met her, and he found that he couldn't take his eyes off of her whenever she was around. For a while, she was mostly quiet and distant from others. It was understandable, considering what she had been through. However, being a guy who liked making people smile, Wagner was determined to add humor into Juli's life.

After a while, he didn't just succeed in at least seeing a small smile on her face. He found himself caring about her to the point where he wanted to protect her from any harm.

To his surprise, Juli had seen something in him. Despite the way her life played out, she accepted him into her life. The two had been taking things slow, more for her sake than anything.

For a while, as they continued sitting on the porch, they stayed in silence, taking in the view around them. The sound of crickets were heard somewhere in the distance, the only noise around them.

Eventually, Juli lifted her head up and pulled her arms away. "Hmm, I'm about ready to go to bed."

As she said this, Wagner found himself yawning before looking at his watch. "Heh, it's only 1am. I haven't been up this late in a while."

"That's what happens when you're an Air Force Sergeant," Juli mentioned.

The two stood up from the bench with Wagner still having his arm around her. "Guess so."

He looked down at her with his midnight blue eyes, feeling a tug in his heart as she gazed up at him. He leaned down towards her before gently pressing his lips against hers. Juli returned the kiss, and the two went into a slow motion for just a few seconds before Juli pulled back.

"Let's head to bed," Juli suggested. "At least we both have the day off tomorrow."

The couple began heading back into the house. "Yeah, but Guile's still going to wake me up at 6am to go jogging," Wagner mentioned as he opened the door. "I should learn to jog in my sleep."

Juli chuckled at that as they walked inside the Guile home.

~~~

**Los Angeles, California, USA**

_Looks like another sleepless night…_

In the darkness of her apartment's bedroom, Alex Walker looked up at the ceiling from her bed, sighing to herself a little. Just a split second ago, she had looked over at her digital clock, which had read 1:31am.

Well, the bright side was, she didn't have to report to the Special Forces base until 10pm later. However, she would have liked to have some wink of sleep before sunrise.

Perhaps it had been due to events earlier in the day. Today, Special Forces had placed a memorial plaque in front of the main building, a memorial that was in memory of one of their own; Captain Sonya Blade.

Alex sighed a little as she thought about her comrade, who had died during their mission in Outworld six months ago. Alex herself ended up in Outworld accidentally, but Sonya, along with their free agent, Kenshi, had been assigned to infiltrate a tournament she had been invited to in order to get a better idea of the truth behind it. It had been based on past events with Outworld and their near-take over years ago.

Just as they were beginning to find out the truth about the tournament, Sonya was killed at the hands of Kira, a criminal wanted by the FBI for some time. What happened to Kira is unknown, though it's believed that she may have remained in Outworld to avoid punishment on Earth. Some day, though, she will be captured. To kill someone like Sonya would definitely earn the wrath of the members of Special Forces.

Alex shook the thought out her head before turning to look at the clock again. 1:32am.

 _Definitely going to be a long night…_ she thought.

Alex reached for the remote on her nightstand, turning the television on. As the TV grew brighter and the pictures began to show, Alex listened in on the newswoman reporting on the latest news;

" _I'm here near downtown Los Angeles where a ruthless gang's attempt at robbing a bank was thwarted by the mysterious vigilante who has been seemingly protecting the city from crime for the past few months. According to police, by the time the authorities arrived at the scene, one gang member was dead from stab wounds, while the others were knocked unconscious. They were taken to the hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries. With the exception of one of the windows being broken, there was no other damages, and everything inside the bank remained as it was._

" _But once again, we ask ourselves… who is this vigilante? Why is he or she protecting our city? These are questions that authorities and the media have been asking, but for now, they remain a mystery. As of now, no one has come forward with information regarding the vigilante, and even those who have been arrested have not answered any questions about this person. Most likely, it is out of fear for their own lives…_ _"_

By this point in the news report, Alex stopped listening, her eyes suddenly feeling heavy. Perhaps now, she could finally get some of that sleep…

… It felt like minutes, but it was actually three hours later when Alex woke up to movement behind her. Alex didn't have to turn to see who it was, and she welcomed the arm that slowly wrapped around her waist. In reply, she leaned herself back into him before reaching her hand to rest it over the back of his head. His wet hair indicated that he had showered before coming to bed.

The two were like this for a moment before Alex spoke. "So… does the vigilante have any injuries I could attend to?"

She felt him shake his head from side to side. "Just a couple of bruises from a fall, but it's nothing," he said.

Alex slowly turned on to her back so that she could face the vigilante the whole city had been talking about; the blind swordsman, the former Special Forces free agent Kenshi.

How Kenshi became a vigilante… well, he kept that to himself. But to know it's was for a noble cause, to eliminate the crime of Los Angeles, that was enough for her. In a way, Alex wished he was doing something else, like go back to working with Special Forces, but the truth was, fighting was the only way of life he knew. It made sense, especially now since his long-time mission; to kill the sorcerer Shang Tsung and free the souls of his ancestors he had captured so many years ago, was over.

As he laid on his side, Kenshi barely felt the soft touch of Alex's hand on his face, which contained a stubble. His mind was somewhere else. He would have been back in the apartment earlier, but a vision… his first time 'seeing' since he went blind, greatly disturbed him.

When they were in Outworld six months ago, he remembered hearing the story of the shaman Nightwolf's vision. It had been of chaos and destruction and the sky above had turned a blood red. Corpses laid around and the smell of death was prominent. Nightwolf believed that it had something to do with the tournament. And when chaos and destruction, the blood sky, and the death of countless fighters did happen, it had seemed as though the shaman's visions came true.

But now Kenshi was seeing the vision as well. Why now? Was it a warning of something worse to come? Or perhaps something similar will occur again.

There had been talks about an incoming invasion, and even a camp was set up in the Rocky Mountains in case such an event does occur. Kenshi hardly thought about it in the past few months… at least until now.

The most disturbing of this was that, after the vision ended and he saw nothing but darkness again, the sword that once belonged to his ancestors actually spoke to him;

 _Something is coming…_ it had said.

Kenshi had been confused. "What is coming?" he asked.

The sword had remained silent. Kenshi had asked the question again, but only received the same answer; nothing.

Kenshi had spent some time meditating on a rooftop, trying to debate what was going on and what could possibly be coming. After a while without an answer, he decided to head back to the apartment that belonged to Alex. Perhaps he'll dream of it again… that is if his insomnia permitted it.

He already decided long before his return that he was not going to mention his vision to Alex. She had her own worries over at the Special Forces base anyway.

Kenshi's thoughts were then cut off as he felt Alex's lips pressing against his own. Kenshi returned the kiss with a little more fervor and they stayed like this for a moment before Alex pulled away. He then felt her nuzzle her head into the curve between his neck and shoulder and her hand resting on his bare chest.

The swordsman slowly turned on his back, leaving one arm around her as she drifted off to sleep. As for him, he would most likely spend the rest of the night thinking, just as he does on most other nights.

~~~

**Special Forces Base, Early Morning, Los Angeles, California, USA**

"For now, all seems quiet," General White of Special Forces said. He stood in front of a small group who listened to him as he spoke. "At least here on Earth. Rumor has it about the other realms being in peril. Whatever the cause of it, we are not sure, but whatever the case, we must be prepared."

In the group, Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs stood up, catching the General's attention. "There's one thing that has to remembered," he began. "Word came around once those who participated in The Blood Tournament in Outworld returned. And we also have to remember that Outworld once attempted to take over the universe." He stared at the General. "Indeed, we must prepared. I also believe that we must band other units, such as the Air Force and Interpol, to assist us."

White nodded to him. "The Air Force, at least the branch here in California, are willing to help us out. Colonel Guile is working on trying to get the other units together on this. Unfortunately, Interpol have not responded to our messages. The idea that this whole thing is a rumor most likely turned them off.

"As for The Blood Tournament… it could be a coincidence for all we know…"

"How so?" the cyborg Cyrax asked. He stood up next to Jax. "Clearly, the rumor began when the participants of the tournament returned. And I don't see why the rest of the units would not help in at least preparing for the invasion."

White took a deep breath. "Even with how strong the rumors are, the units are not willing to spend the money to prepare until they know it's fact." He then turned his attention to another individual in the group. "Hsu Hao… perhaps you can get into contact with the Chinese Secret Military. Maybe they can offer some assistance."

Agent Hsu Hao scanned the room, keeping himself silent for a moment before replying. "It's not going to be very easy, but... I will pass the word."

"Excellent," White nodded.

The meeting went on for another half hour before the group dispersed. Jax and Cyrax walked together, heading towards their respective office rooms.

"Some meeting," Cyrax said. "I don't think we're really accomplishing anything."

"Neither do I," Jax agreed. "But we can only do what we can and hope for the best."

"I bet if Sonya was here, she would have really got things moving."

Jax had to laugh a little. "Yeah… she was definitely better at that than any of us…"

Cyrax nodded, staying silent for a moment before proceeding. "I don't care what anyone is saying, I believe Outworld is definitely behind it. And I also believe that Shao Kahn is still alive. I swear, if the universe exploded right now, the only survivors would be cockroaches and Shao Kahn…. and maybe Chuck Norris."

Jax rolled his eyes. "Please don't bring up the Chuck Norris jokes. They're so old…"

"Better than me going on with Johnny Cage jokes," Cyrax said. "Years later and I'm _still_ pissed about losing my eight bucks after seeing, ' _Ninja Mime_.'"

Jax chuckled at the cyborg's predicament. "Why did you go see it in the first place?"

"Ebert gave it two thumbs up. Let's just say I never listened to his reviews again."

Jax decided to change the subject. "Say, I'm going to be going over heavy paper work later this evening. Do me a favor… relay the information about our meeting to Agent Walker when she comes in."

"Will do," Cyrax nodded.

Jax then found himself looking around for a moment before turning back to the cyborg. "I wonder where Hsu Hao went. I wanted to ask him about his mission from two nights ago. I've been really behind the past week."

"I'm not sure," Cyrax answered. "I know he's been with us for a while, but after all this time, I still have a weird feeling about that guy. I can't really pinpoint what it is."

"You always say that every time you're around him," Jax mentioned. "Anyway, let's forget about it. I'll speak with him later tonight."

"Whatever you say," Cyrax said.

Meanwhile, Agent Hsu Hao arrived at his apartment, which was part of the housing community on the Special Forces base. His shift was over for the day, and he was not needed again until eight o'clock tonight. He had fourteen hours to relax.

As he closed the door behind him, he noted a scroll that sat on the nightstand in the living room. He knew that he received a message from his superiors.

Immediately, he walked over to the stand, picking up the scroll in his hand. He unrolled it before reading the message on the paper;

_Hsu Hao-_

_Everything is going according to plan. The invasion of Earth will begin within the next couple of days. Once I receive more information, you will be notified of further instructions._

_I've already sent a message to your superior, Mavado, so there is no need to contact him._

_-Quan Chi_

~~~

**Some Time in the Last Six Months…**

_He had expected himself to be returned to the Netherrealm… it was a repeat from some time ago when the sorcerer tried to escape from his grasps. It was no matter… he would continue his revenge there…_

_But instead of seeing the infamous inferno, he saw nothing but darkness. For a long while, he wondered what this was about. Had_ he _sent him into some sort of vortex where there was no escape?_

_However, he soon realized that wasn't the case when three beings appeared before him. The light around them got brighter as the three approached, causing him to squint._

_He was suspicious of them, and he wasn't sure what they had in store for him. Nevertheless, he was prepared to fight them._

_"_ _Scorpion," one of them spoke. "It was only a matter of time before we finally had you arrive here."_

_The suspicion in his pale eyes never left the ninja spectre. "What are you talking about? And where is Quan Chi?!"_

_"_ _Do not concern yourself with the sorcerer," the figure continued. "We have another offer for you, one that we believe will be more satisfying than revenge."_

_Scorpion had wanted to fight the being then and there. How dare he denied him to continue his revenge! But the floating sensation that the spectre was feeling seemed to make him somewhat paralyzed. Perhaps these people knew what he was capable of…_

_Another one of the figures spoke. "Most of what we're about to say may be unbelievable to you, but you must trust us. We know that trust doesn't come easy to you, but it's all you must do."_

_The figure took a deep breath before continuing. "You are currently in a vortex that leads to the Heavens. You're impure soul cannot enter the realm unless we cleanse it ourselves. As for us," he pointed at himself and the other three. "My name is Daichi. These are Hinote and Mizu. We are four out of a handful of the Elder Gods…" he pointed a finger at him. "And you, Scorpion, are our Champion."_

_Scorpion only stared at the three in reply. At this point, Daichi was right about one thing… this_ was _unbelievable._

 _And yet, the ninja was curious. "Champion? Since my death, I've only thirsted for revenge, and my only concern is to destroy Quan-Chi. Why, of all beings, am_ I _the Champion?"_

_"_ _Indeed it's not easy to comprehend," Hinote answered. "But you had been destined to become our Champion even before you were a member of the Shirai Ryu as a mortal. Your premature death prevented us from telling you any of this. It was hard to catch you in the Nexus, the vortex that resides in between realms, until now…"_

_Mizu proceeded. "Normally, as a Champion, you would have taken on tasks that we cannot accomplish ourselves due to other matters that requires our attention. We had even planned for you to stop the Dragon King if he was ever awaken. However, the situation was, thankfully, taken care of, so there is no need anymore."_

_"_ _When why call upon me now?" Scorpion asked, feeling a bit impatient._

_Daichi replied. "Because there is one particular task that must be done. Outworld is once again invading the realms. We cannot interfere ourselves, and we must keep everything in check where we are. This task is an unusual one, as it involves one of our own."_

_Silence lingered for a moment before Hinote spoke. "In exchange for this task, we will reunite you with your family here in the Heavens… your wife… your son… your clan…"_

_Now they got Scorpion's full attention. "And what of Quan Chi?"_

_"_ _Do not concern yourself with him," Daichi spoke. "If you want to be with your family again, you must do as we ask. It's not going to be easy, but it must be done."_

_Scorpion found himself staring at the three for a moment. He wanted nothing more than continuing torturing the sorcerer for killing his family and clan all those years ago… but now, he had the chance to reunite with them, if he could only complete this one mission for the Elder Gods._

_Scorpion's narrowed his eyes. "What is this mission?"_

_Mizu sighed. "It's an assassination assignment. The person is currently located on Earth. He was once a great man… but he has since changed for the worst. Unfortunately, his days of helping us are over. He's not what he used to be, and despite his intentions, he poses a great threat."_

_Scorpion nodded. "And who is this person?"_

_A sigh also escaped from Daichi. "The Thunder God, Raiden…"_

**Present Day - Unknown Area - Earthrealm**

It had been some time since Scorpion met with the Elder Gods. They had given him the interesting task of eliminating the former protector of Earthrealm, Raiden.

They told him the rest of the story. In Outworld, when Raiden killed the Fighting God Ogre, he unleashed an inner, dark power that consumed him. His essence returned him back to Earth afterwards.

Since then, everything that Raiden believed in suddenly changed. His patience for mortals had worn thin. When a mortal even slightly threatens the realm, he would kill them. The Elder Gods tried to reason with him, but it was to no avail.

The last straw for the Elder Gods came when they learned that Raiden had killed one mortal in particular. The mortal, simply known as Shujinko, had been a tool of the Dragon King. Using an essence he called 'Damashi,' the demon attempted to trick him into collecting relics known as 'Kamidogus,' bringing them together so that he would return. Shujinko believed himself to be the Elder Gods' Champion, something that Dark Raiden had noted.

Protecting Earth at any cost, Dark Raiden was able to discover the truth upon seeing Shujinko collecting a kamidogu in Edenia prior to it's invasion. Dark Raiden managed to separate the Kamidogus that were already collected. He then traveled to a shine in Outworld. There, he killed the worshippers and destroyed the large egg, killing the embryo inside that was prepared. Had the kamidogus united, the demon would have awakened, the egg cracking and taking it's nearest host.

With the egg shattered and embryo dead, it destroyed any chances of the Dragon King's return.

Then, Raiden killed Shujinko. He may have nearly assisted in Earth's destruction, but the poor old man had believed that he was working for a greater good. Either way, it didn't matter to Dark Raiden.

From that moment, the Elder Gods knew that his reign as God of Thunder and Protector of Earthrealm was over…

That was when they called upon Scorpion to help them.

Recently, Scorpion was sent to this place. Standing on a high mountain, he gazed upon a temple so tall, it reached the clouds. On the very top, he was able to spot his target… Dark Raiden.

Raiden still wore his rice harvester on his head, his black tattered cape flapped behind him by the strong wind. His eyes now glowing red rather than it's usual white, he trained immensely where he stood, most likely preparing himself to protect Earth.

Scorpion had wondered, at one point, whether or not the Thunder God was aware of the bigger threat from Outworld that was soon to come. It was as though he was more focused on the mortals who lived here rather than Shao Kahn himself.

As the sun set for the evening, Scorpion made a decision. He knew that Dark Raiden was going to be a challenge, and he had a feeling that he may already be aware of the spectre's presence.

With that, Scorpion decided to abide his time…

~~~

**Another Unknown Part of Earthrealm**

Sitting in a lotus position within the forest, the God of Wind Fujin managed to clear his mind from any thoughts. The sun was close to setting for the evening, and the sound of crickets were beginning to stir.

His clear mind did not last for long before Fujin opened his eyes, revealing their white color. _I fear that the time is almost here,_ he found himself thinking. _It will only be a matter of time before Shao Kahn arrives._

Some time ago, Fujin traveled to Earth, having remained here ever since. This was because a certain situation in the Heavens came up that didn't sit well with him.

After The Blood Tournament in Outworld, Fujin's closest friend, Raiden, somehow changed, and became someone he was not. Raiden had taken his title as Protector of Earth to the extreme, killing those who threatened the realm in any way, even if it was minor.

Eventually, it got to the point where the Elder Gods called upon their Champion. It was to eliminate Raiden for his crimes.

Fujin was the only Elder God who did not agree with this decision. He highly believed that there had to be some other means to dealing with Raiden. The Wind God knew that Raiden wasn't himself, and if there was any way to make him snap out of it, he would.

But death seemed to be the only answer to the other Gods.

As Fujin argued with them, a frustrated Hinote finally said, "Are you with us, or against us?"

Fujin suddenly found himself indecisive at that moment. His silence gave the others the answer. He wouldn't be agreeable, but they were still going on with it anyway.

Therefore, Fujin relinquished his Elder God status.

He knew where Raiden mostly stayed. Whenever he came to Earth, his home was the Sky Temple in Asia, where he meditated and trained himself. Fujin was only a day's trip away, but he kept his distance, not wanting Raiden to detect him right away.

Fujin also knew that Scorpion was nearby. He figured that the spectre knew of Raiden's location. However, for whatever reason, Scorpion was not attacking him just yet.

He would try to find a way to help Raiden. At the same time, he hoped to somehow keep Scorpion out of the way.

Then, there was also the new threat to Earth. Rather than preventing it, the other Elder Gods chose to 'keep an eye on things.' To them, as long as the realms existed, it didn't matter how many people died.

For the first time since he became Elder God, Fujin felt disgusted with the others…

It was going to be a hard job, dealing with both the invasion and the situation with Raiden. But it was something that he was willing to take on.

 _I'm not giving up on you Raiden,_ Fujin thought to himself. _The others may have, but I haven't. And I hope you realized that we have a much bigger threat than just the mortals here…_


	9. Chapter Eight

_The realm of Keisei…it is a world in the distant galaxy, a place with many similarities to Earth. However, both worlds have historical differences and landmarks…_

~~~

**Imperial Guards Headquarters, Ming Dynasty**

With the sun high above the afternoon blue sky, Xianghua performed some katas on a platform surrounded by lush green trees. Her sword in hand, she focused on her fluid movements, making sure not to make a mistake.

However, she eventually found herself daydreaming. Brown eyes slightly narrowing, her mind drifted off to events that started seven months ago…

The young woman, along with her two friends, Kilik and Maxi, were chosen to attend The Blood Tournament, a competition that ended up taking place in another realm. Xianghua knew of the existence of other worlds, but it was the first time that she was traveling outside of Keisei. She had been excited by the idea, highly looking forward to meeting people from different realms. Plus, she would spend it with her two closest friends.

However, the tournament turned out to be more than any of them bargained for. For one thing, the tournament's prize, the _Chishio No Me_ medallion, apparently granted the wielder all the power in the world.

Then, Xianghua, Kilik, and Maxi met a group led by Earth's God of Thunder, Raiden, and the psychic, Rose. The three of them ended up joining as well. Their mission was to make sure that the medallion didn't fall into the wrong hands.

Aside from that, things seemed normal for a little while, at least it did for Xianghua. She met plenty of new friends during the tournament, and had a few sparring sessions with them that pitted her against fighting styles she never fought against before.

However, thing started to turn grim the moment one of the chosen ones, Ibuki, died under mysterious circumstances. Xianghua only knew her for a very short time, but she had found herself saddened as though she knew her forever.

Then, there was her own encounter with an Earthrealm native named Vega. He had fought and lost against Maxi in the tournament. Apparently, the madman had, at one point, seen the two of them together and, ultimately, decided to use her as revenge. At least that's what it seemed like to her.

Xianghua felt foolish for falling for his charms. She never looked at red roses the same again since he had given them to her twice. One night, they met for dinner and things seemed to be okay at first.

Then, he brought her up to her room to look at the view from his balcony. She knew in her mind that she shouldn't have gone up with him, but the young woman ended up doing so anyway. She realized that mistake and tried to leave. That was when Vega attacked her.

Thankfully, Maxi and their other friend, Seong Mi-na, realized that she was missing and managed to save her before anything worse happened. Needless to say, Xianghua was shaken just by the idea alone of what might've happened to her. Although she was able to move on from the ordeal since, she sometimes still shuddered at the thought of the attack.

Then, when the tournament ended, not only were the chosen ones unable to retrieve the medallion, but they also realized the truth about the tournament. It was to lure the strong fighters to one place so that they would become enslaved, whether dead or not, under Shao Kahn's power.

Thankfully, Raiden and Rose managed to get some portals opened for the fighters to escape through. Kilik, Xianghua, and Maxi fought in the battle for a while. Maxi, however, had received injuries the night before the onslaught. He claimed it was from fall, but Xianghua had a feeling that her companion was in a fight with someone strong the night before. Who it was, she never found out.

Kilik had encouraged Maxi to make his escape, knowing that his injuries would not help him in the battle. Maxi heeded his words and took his leave.

After that, neither one of them heard from Maxi since. Xianghua could only hope that Maxi survived, even if he ended up in another realm.

Once they returned to Keisei, Kilik and Xianghua traveled together for a few days until they returned to the Imperial Guards headquarters, where Xianghua had lived since she was born. During that time, Kilik mentioned the possibility of an invasion from Outworld.

 _“What gives you that idea?”_ Xianghua remembered asking him.

“… I _t's just this feeling I have,”_ was all he said.

Despite that, Xianghua believed it. However, the both of them only hoped that it was nothing more than a speculation.

Soon, the two parted ways with Kilik planning to meet with his old master. Xianghua had remained with the Imperial Guard since her return, helping to protect nearby villages from evil.

Lately, however, rumors were spreading about a possible invasion. Could Kilik's own speculation actually be true?

She hoped not…

"Xianghua," a voice suddenly said, cutting through her thoughts. Xianghua straightened herself before turning her attention to the guard who began to approach her. In his hand was an envelope.

"A letter just came to you," he continued once he was a couple of feet away. He then extended his arm out, the paper in hand.

"Thank you," Xianghua replied as she took the envelope in hand. As the guard took his leave, the young woman looked at the writing on the paper. A wide smile came upon her face as she instantly recognized the handwriting.

"It's about time I heard from you, Kilik," Xianghua said with a small chuckle.

She opened the envelope before unfolding the single piece of paper inside. She wondered what her long-time companion had written. However, once she started reading, she knew that the words within were not going to be good;

_Xianghua -_

_I hope this letter reaches you. Before our last departure six months ago, we shared our concerns about a possible invasion from Outworld due to what we were forced to witness after the tournament there. At the time, I had hoped that it was nothing more than a speculation._

_Now, however, I've come to realize that our worries over this are, to our dismay, coming true. I'm not sure if it's something you are aware of already, knowing your position as an Imperial Guard, but my master and I had witnessed newcomers from other realms warning us of impending doom in Keisei. I believe their words for they are visibly shaken, clearly traumatized from their experience when they spoke._

_When Outworld will arrive to destroy Keisei, no one knows. However, there's a rumor going around… not only is Shao Kahn alive, but he has an Empress who comes from Keisei._

_I'll be taking my leave within the next day or two from here. I hope to meet with you at your headquarters. I was thinking one of the best things we can do is gather everyone from Keisei together who were in the tournament. This way, we can easily prepare ourselves when Outworld invades._

_Unfortunately, since we last saw each other, I was not able to find out what happened to Maxi. I'm still hoping that he was able to make his escape back to here, or at least in another realm if he had no other choice._

_I look forward to seeing you again._

_\- Kilik_

Xianghua frowned a little, especially over reading about Maxi. She, too, has not heard from him since they separated in Outworld six months ago.

 _I hope he's okay, too,_ the young woman found herself thinking.

Xianghua folding the paper before placing it in her pocket. She gazed down at her sword, still in her hand. She knew in her heart that she was looking forward to seeing her companion again.

If only it was under better circumstances…

~~~

**Coast Guard Headquarters, Chili-san, Lee Dynasty**

The night was mostly quietly with the stars glimmering, and the half-moon bright. The wind blew softly, causing the green grass to sway like gentle waves in a lake.

Inside a small building, candles were lit, brightening the room just enough for one to be able to see where they were going and what they were doing. Sitting on a pillow in front of a low table, Hwang Seong-gyeong cupped his hands over a glass cup filled with hot tea. His dark brown eyes were narrowed, his mind deep in thought. Staring at the empty space in front of them, his memory drifted to a conversation that took place here six months ago…

_"_ _Welcome back, Hwang," his master, Han-myeong, said as Hwang entered the room. A cup of hot tea sat on the low table, waiting for him._

_The young man had quietly sighed to himself, feeling uneasy. He had some news to bring to his master, one that he knew would not sit well with him. Hwang had been sent on a mission, one that he initially succeeded in, but ultimately had to come home empty handed due to circumstances beyond his control._

_Upon looking at his master, Hwang was already regretting a certain decision he made before coming here…_

_As the young man approached the table, Han-myeong spoke. "You've been gone for almost two months." He chuckled a little. "I must admit, that's quite a record. Last time, it took you six months to return Mi-na back home."_

_Hwang suddenly felt a heavy weight on his shoulders upon hearing her name. It was supposed to have been a simple mission. Mi-na had run away from home, and he and the Coast Guard were supposed to retrieve her. At one point, Hwang lead a group to the docks. Hwang ended up being the only one to notice her go on one of the boats, and he followed. The boat ended up leaving with the two of them still on board._

_Hwang had believed that the boat would simply bring them somewhere else in Keisei. However, the both of them ended up being taken to a realm called Outworld. There, they found themselves one of Raiden and Rose's chosen ones to help in keeping a medallion from falling into the wrong hands. That medallion was the main prize in a tournament that was taking place there._

_Meanwhile, Hwang took his time with his mission. He knew there had to be a reason why Mi-na ran away. Part of him wondered if it had anything to do with her search for the infamous weapon, Soul Edge. That was the reason why she ran away last time. Unaware of it's true nature, she wanted the weapon not only to protect her home, but to also prove herself worthy as a fighter._

_Two nights before they ended up in Outworld, Mi-na and her father had an argument. Han-myeong did not reveal right away what the argument was about, but whatever it was, it had caused Mi-na to run away. He asked the Coast Guard, since he was good friends with their leader, to help find her before she disappeared out of the country._

_Hwang knew he had a duty to fulfill, but at the same time, he didn't want to betray Mi-na's trust. So, taking the time they had in Outworld, Hwang decided to ask Mi-na about the situation first before deciding whether her reason was justifiable._

_It wasn't until near the end of the tournament when Mi-na finally revealed everything to her long-time friend. Han-myeong had set up an arranged marriage with a rich farmer named Reeh Tak. Hwang wasn't aware of this because Han-myeong wanted the wedding to be a surprise._

_Reeh Tak was indeed very rich, but there was a heavy rumor going around about the way he treated his last wife. Mi-na, fearing for what could happen to her, tried to reason with her father, but the man didn't believe the rumor, thinking that Reeh Tak was as nice as they came._

_Usually, when father and daughter argued, Hwang usually took Han-myeong's side, finding his reason justifiable. However, the young man found good reason on Mi-na's part. Hwang was one of the people who arrived at the farm the day Tak's wife died. The death was ruled a suicide, but Hwang always wondered otherwise. He had been to the farm more than once, and it was always because the two had a spat with each other._

_Also, Hwang knew Mi-na's father had good intentions. It wasn't greed, he was too good of a man for that. Hwang knew, however, of Han-myeong's desire to see Mi-na settle down, and he wanted it to happen as soon as possible._

_He, too, was once considered a suitor after rejected his master's offer to adopt him as his own son, but Mi-na refused. Even after that, the two remained good friends._

_Hwang was going to help Mi-na convince her father not to go through with the arrangement. Then, after the tournament's end, chaos ensued as Outworld's Emperor sent his army out to kill and enslave the fighters there._

_As the two approached the portal, Hwang noted Mi-na becoming hesitant. Hwang knew in the back of his mind that he was thinking irrationally when he had the idea of suggesting Mi-na to go to Earth temporarily, feeling that it would be easier to convince her father that the marriage was a bad idea._

_Now that he was back, he felt very foolish about the decision. He realized that Mi-na's departure to Earth would only make things worse._

_Hwang knew that he had to face Han-myeong sooner or later. After a couple of weeks of traveling, he now found himself back home…_

_"_ _Where is Mi-na?" Han-myeong asked with concern as his student sat down on the pillow in front of the table. He especially noted the disturbed looked in Hwang's eyes. The older man's heart pound against his chest, realizing that something might be wrong._

_Hwang shook his head a little. "So much has happen since you sent us to search for Mi-na…" The young man first told him of how he did managed to find her and how they were brought to Outworld and The Blood Tournament._

_"_ _I heard there was a tournament going on in another world," Han-myeong replied. "This explains why you two were gone for so long. Were you able to find out why my daughter ran away?"_

_"_ _I have," Hwang began. He told of how she didn't want to go through with the marriage with Tak._

_"_ _I figured as much," Han-myeong said. "And I'm afraid… she was right. About a week after you two disappeared, they found evidence that he murdered his wife, and he was hanged the next day…" The older man shook his head in shame. "I'm foolish, very foolish. All I wanted was my daughter to be happy. I was too blind to see that my involvement would only make her unhappy."_

_Hwang frowned, feeling sorry for his master. "You only did what you thought was best for her. Suggesting is not such a bad thing, but in the end, only she could make her own decisions._

_"…_ _I'm afraid the story doesn't end there…"_

_Hwang then proceeded to tell them that, during the chaos, Mi-na ended up escaping through a portal to Earth, while he returned here. Han-myeong's head hung down low as his eyes gave away his despair._

_"_ _There is one good thing," Hwang said, forcing optimism in his voice. "The Protector of Earth there, Raiden, said that he would make arrangements as soon as possible to return Mi-na home._

_Hope came upon the older man's eyes. "That is good to hear. I hope she comes home soon. I have so much to say to her."_

Six months later, Mi-na still had not returned back to Keisei…

Hwang believed that Raiden would do his job to return her back. Even if something happened to Mi-na, he believed that the Thunder God would have at least informed him. Even that hadn't happened.

 _What could be taking so long?_ he thought.

Meanwhile, his master tried to remain optimistic about his only child's return. Still, Hwang could see the hurt in his eyes, and he swore that he noticed a few new gray strands in his dark brown hair… a sign of stress and age.

For a while, in his heart, Hwang believed that she was safe somewhere on Earth, perhaps being well taken care of by one of their allies they met in Outworld. However, lately, he grew more worried as word of a possible invasion spread like fire.

The Coast Guard had been preparing themselves for the incoming attacks. They had even teamed up with their sworn enemy, the army from the Ryukyu Kingdom. That particular army had attempted to take over Lee Dynasty for the past few years. For now at least, they were working together to fight a common enemy in order to protect Keisei.

Lingering in the back of his mind, Hwang wondered if Earth was invaded yet. And if so, was Mi-na okay?

Then, Hwang's mind was disrupted as a fellow guardsman approached. "Hwang," he began. "I wanted to remind you that your shift will begin shortly."

"Thank you for the reminder," Hwang replied before taking a long sip of his tea, the hot liquid soothing his throat and warming his body.

After finishing his tea and placing his cup down on the table, Hwang stood up on his feet. Picking up his Chinese sword, named Blue Thunder, in his hand, he took his leave, beginning his guard duties for the night.

~~~

**Eurydice Shrine, Ottoman Empire, Keisei**

The harsh winds that blew all around was unforgiving. It made the temperature colder, but all that didn't bother Sophitia as she approached the shrine of Hephaestus. Besides, the dark brown cloak that covered her body gave her warmth. The hood covered most of her head, revealing only her pale face, green eyes, and wisps of light blonde hair.

For a moment, Sophitia looked up at the statue of Hephaestus, which stood over twenty feet tall. Soon, she got down on her knees and bowed her head before clasping her hands in front of her.

"Hello Hephaestus, it's me again," Sophitia began. The wind seemed to die down a bit as soon as she started speaking. "I haven't been over here in quite a few weeks. I happen to be passing through and thought I'd stop here for a moment."

She raised her head up, looking up at the statue's face. "Thank you for your continued protection of my family and I. It's very much appreciated. I only ask that you continue to do so. I hope you also do the same for everyone in Keisei. I fear that we will soon be at war with the rumor of an invasion. If you could at least find a way to ease their fears, it would be appreciated."

Sophitia then sighed deeply as a particular person came to mind. Tears began to well up in her eyes, but she managed to hold them back. "I know my sister, Cassandra, did not have faith in you, but for me, please continue to give her the peace she deserves now that she is no longer with us… just until we reunite again in the Heavens…"

Finished with her prayers, Sophitia stood up on her feet. She gazed at the statue one last time before turning around to head home.

The walk back to her village only took a half hour. During that time, an event from seven months ago filled her mind, not long after a travel that left her weary…

_Sophitia smiled as Cassandra approached the bed. "Sister, I'm glad you are here."_

_"So am I," Cassandra replied. "You indeed look tired."_

_Sophitia nodded. "I'll be okay. It'll take some time before I go out into the world again. For now, I need rest."_

_The younger sister sat on the bed. "Is there anything I can do?"_

_Sophitia smirked then. "Well, there is a reason I asked you here." She reached over at the wooden box next to the bed and took a envelope into her hand._

_Cassandra looked at it with curiosity, seeing Sophitia's name neatly scripted on it. "What is this?"_

_"Originally, I was invited to a tournament in another realm. It doesn't say which realm it is though. As much as I want to go, I can't. Besides, I'm sure I wouldn't hear the end of it from Rothion." Sophitia let out a light laugh before looking at her sister with a bit of seriousness. "Watching you grow up and learning the ways of the Athenian style, I know that you have become a great warrior as I have. I believe that one way of learning more of everything is to travel. That is why I am giving this to you, my dear sister." With that, Sophitia handed the invitation over to Cassandra._

_Cassandra was shocked by this. She never really considered herself what her sister just described and felt honored by it. She opened the letter and read the information given. "Are you sure about this?" she asked looking up._

_Sophitia nodded. "Within my heart, I know you can do this. I know the whole thing may sound frightening, but do not lose your confidence. Trust yourself within your heart and soul and remember that the Gods will always be with you."_

_Cassandra smiled then. "Thank you sister."_

_"One other thing," the older sister continued. "I offer you my sword and shield for good luck."_

_The younger sister gasped and looked over at the short sword and small shield which laid against the wall recently fixed up by Rothion. "Sophitia," was all she could say._

_"You will do great and I wish you the best of luck in your journey," Sophitia concluded._

_Cassandra looked down at the invitation. Sure, the tournament sounded a little strange, but what wasn't strange now a days? Even before Sophitia spoke, Cassandra desired to go for the competition, but she was reminded of her biggest value; family. Now, her other reason of going was in honor of her sister, who journeyed all of Keisei and fought many odds throughout the way._

_"Thank you," the young girl said. "I won't fail."_

Once again, Sophitia found herself fighting back the tears that swelled in her eyes, but she refused to shed them. _If only I had known what would happen afterwards…_ she found herself thinking.

Over a month after Cassandra left, word spread that the tournament had actually served as a trick to lure strong warriors into one place. There, an evil emperor sent his troops to kill off the fighters. Whatever the reason was, at the time, no one was sure. However, there were those who attended the tournament who managed to survive to tell their tale.

For many weeks, Sophitia and her family prayed and hoped for Cassandra's safe return. However, the longer time passed, the more they were forced to come to terms that Cassandra was most likely never coming home…

Though her family didn't hold it against her, believing that the same could've happened to her as well, Sophitia still blamed herself for deciding to hand the invitation over to Cassandra. Had she simply just tossed away the invitation, her little sister would still be here.

Now, rumors spread of a possible invasion from the very realm where the tournament took place. Sophitia believed that it would eventually happened. Thinking about those who died, including Cassandra, she realized that the tournament existed in order to due away with those who had the potential to thwart their plans to dominate the universe.

If the invasion of Keisei did occur, Sophitia knew that she would join other warriors to fight back. Deep down inside, she knew that she had the desire to avenge Cassandra's death. It wasn't in her nature to even think that normally, but her own guilt convinced her otherwise.

Soon, she arrived at her village, reaching the cottage she lived in. Going inside, she first noticed her two children, Patroklos and Pyrrha, playing with their toys on the floor. Once they heard the door open, the two children looked up to see who came in. Bright smiles appeared on their faces as they noticed their mother coming in.

"Hi, Mama!" the two children called out in unison. They got up and ran over to her, each of them grabbing a leg to hug. Sophitia smiled as she reached down to pat their heads, happy to see them.

"Have you been good today?" she asked them.

"Yes!" they both said.

"I want a Danish, Mama," Pyrrha said almost out of nowhere.

Sophitia chuckled a little. "We'll see after supper, dear. Now go on and play."

With that, the kids skipped back to where their toys were and continued to play. As they did, Sophitia noted her husband, Rothion, sitting on a settee reading a piece of paper. She found herself frowning a little as she noted how tired he looked.

Ever since the rumors of an invasion began to spread, Rothion and the rest of the blacksmiths in the area began working harder than ever. They would spend many hours crafting various weapons so that there would be enough to go around for everyone. Sometimes, they would work through the night, almost nonstop.

Sophitia approached her husband before leaving a kiss on his forehead. Rothion looked up to see his wife. "Hello, Sophie."

"Hello, Roth," she said a little quietly. "Long day?"

He nodded. "I've lost count over how many shields we crafted today."

Sophitia left another kiss on his forehead. "Well, you rest for a little while. I'm going to start making supper."

"Sounds good," he said before resuming to his reading. With that, Sophitia headed into the kitchen to prepare their meal.

~~~

**Unknown Area, Keisei**

The forest area was covered in darkness, but that didn't bother Tira who stood hidden amongst the trees. A sour look was written on her face, having stood there for a long period with nothing going on.

"Look out for anything, they say," the young girl grumbled. "People are after us, they say. Yeah, right…"

A large ring blade in hand, Tira twirled the object in her hands for a moment to ease her boredom, the strands of her dark brown hair, done in uneven pigtails, swaying with her movements. Once she stopped, she happened to look up and saw a raven circling around her. Her expression suddenly changed as she felt a feeling of content. She raised an arm, and the bird immediately landed on her shoulder. Gently, she pet the animal's belly with her fingers.

"Hopefully, you had a better night that I had," she said before giving a peck on the raven's cheek.

Briefly, she thought about the past, which didn't seem so long ago. Tira was born into a secret clan known as the Birds of Passage. The clan took no sides, only working for the rich and powerful in helping to eliminate their foes. They left no one alive, never giving their victims the chance to reveal their existence. Because Tira was born into the clan, she was hardly given a choice of her destiny. She had killed so much since she was a child that she had become void of any emotions when it came to death. Plus, she couldn't go a day without kill since it gave her stimulation.

Then, about seven years ago, an event in Keisei known as the Evil Seed happened. Word had it that the Evil Seed was caused by the infamous Soul Edge when it accepted a new host, spreading a light that effected those who were within the light's proximity. Tira's master was one of the affected, and he lost his mind. With that, the Birds of Passage disbanded, and Tira was freed.

Not long after, Tira was adopted by a seemingly loving family. She struggled to adapt to her new life, but when she thought about the benefits of her freedom, the young girl realized that this new life of hers could be acceptable.

One day, Tira noted the family's pet bird. She felt sorry for the bird, feeling that it shouldn't be trapped in a cage, so she set it free. The family ended up scolding her for her actions. In a blind rage, Tira slaughtered the entire family before fleeing.

Since then, Tira found herself mostly wandering, killing anyone along the way. At one point, Tira heard about the azure knight named Nightmare. Because she had been so used to following someone, she wanted to offer her services to him.

Then, about four months ago, Tira heard from members of the Manji Clan that Soul Edge was destroyed. Needless to say, she was very disappointed.

Two months ago, she found herself in this very area, meeting with the leader of another clan she never heard of before. They offered her to join with them. Their promise; to be able to kill anyone she pleased, even if it was the leader himself! That alone intrigued her.

And indeed, the promise was kept, at least so far.

Soon, Tira's mind went back to the present. She continued to pet the raven until it flew away into one of the trees. She then heard someone coming up from behind.

 _Finally!_ she screamed out in her mind. She quickly whirled around, her ring blade ready, but then a frown quickly appeared on her face as soon as she recognized the figure who was also in her new clan.

"Tira," he began. "You are wanted back at the cave."

Tira bit her lip before replying. "Fine then." With that, she began following him back to their hiding place. Briefly, she thought about killing the messenger, but quickly decided against it since their particular person had been okay with her… at least so far…

The walk back was about a half hour, and Tira hoped to run into some other poor soul who dared to run into her path. However, she didn't have that kind of luck tonight. When she returned to the cave, the sour look she had on her face moments ago returned.

She didn't go far into the candle-lit cave before she noted two people inside. One spoke in a calm, well-mannered voice. "I see you have returned, Tira," he said. "Did you see anything of interest?"

Tira shook her head. "I'm very displeased, master," she growled.

"Tsk, tsk," her leader began. "Tira, haven't I told you not to call me master? It's too… orderly. Call me Havik."

"And why are you, displeased?" the other person next to Havik asked.

"I suspect she didn't have the chance to eradicate anyone today, Kabal," Havik replied for her.

"Exactly!" Tira yelled out. Even though she was loyal with the Black Dragon clan and happy to have been accepted in with her own destiny to still choose, she still felt like she was going to explode at any moment.

The clan originated from a realm called Earth when a small group disbanded from another clan, the Red Dragon, to form their own. They were mostly killed off with time, and the clan briefly disbanded until Havik met Kabal more than a year ago after he was injured by Mavado, a Red Dragon member. The two reformed the clan, having invited a few other recruits (some have died, and one in particular chose to betray them, at least to Kabal).

After a tournament in Outworld, Havik and Kabal escaped to Havik's home, Chaosrealm, where they planned to recruit more members as a universal clan. Then, Shao Kahn's invasion began, and Chaosrealm was one of the first realms to suffer. The natives of that realm praised the entropy… at first. Then, Havik realized that the actual plan was to enslave him and his people, dead or alive. For them to be controlled under someone's will was considered a great insult.

Havik and Kabal managed to escape to Keisei, where they have been ever since. There, they began recruiting new members to help in spreading the chaos, starting with this realm. Tira herself joined in two months ago.

Their biggest enemy, for the moment, was the Manji Clan, who believed them to be a threat. To Havik, all he wanted was to spread chaos. However, with a help of a few magic pendants to help them understand the ways of chaos, he managed to make a few Manji Clan members join the Black Dragon.

Havik's true desire was to take care of their leader, Yoshimitsu. However, he heard not too long ago that he was currently in Earthrealm. It disappointed Havik, but no matter… perhaps the more he dealt with his clan, the sooner that would bring Yoshimitsu back to Keisei.

After Tira's outburst, Kabal spoke again. "Besides, you've been out long enough. Go and rest for the-"

"You know that I can't go a single day without killing someone!" Tira yelled out in almost a panic. "I haven't murdered a single person all day!"

"Then why don't you go out and do that," Havik said in his usual calm voice. "And if you can't find anyone, go ahead and kill one of us."

"Preferably someone with a pendant on their chest," Kabal added.

"Whatever."

The scowl on Tira's face suddenly changed. This time, it was replaced with a happy grin, her violet eyes glowing. "Thank you so much!" she said cheerfully. "I won't be too long!" With that, she turned around and skipped away, humming a tune that was unfamiliar.

When Tira was out of earshot, Kabal sighed. "Remind me again why we invited her into the clan."

Despite having no flesh around his mouth, Havik seemed to grin. "Because she has a cunning and chaotic nature… plus, she possesses one of the most interesting split personalities I have ever encountered!"

"As long as she knows what she's doing," Kabal said. He kept the next sentence to himself. _Though I highly doubt it…_

~~~

**Proving Grounds, Ming Dynasty**

The similarities between the sky and the river was amazing. With the blue sky possessing scattered white clouds and the river possessing chipped ice spread all around, they nearly matched each other. Snow capped mountains complimented the scenery.

Standing on a raised platform, Kilik gazed at his surroundings, the soft wind blowing his shoulder-length brown hair forward. For five months, it was almost the only thing he saw. Today, he would be leaving this place, and he wanted to take in the view before he departed. Who knew when he would see this again.

During his time here, he reflected on past events, including his time outside of Keisei. Seven months ago, he, along with his friends Xianghua and Maxi, came to Outworld to attend a tournament there. None of the three were able to make it to the final round, but in the meanwhile, the three became Raiden and Rose's chosen out. Their assignment was to make sure that the tournament's prize, the _Chishio No Me_ medallion, didn't fall into the wrong hands.

The chosen ones had failed in their mission, and soon a massacre against the fighters began. Kilik and Xianghua managed to make it back to Keisei together. Whether their friend Maxi made it out or not, Kilik wasn't sure. He had not heard from his friend since that day…

Upon his return to Keisei, Kilik and Xianghua traveled together for a few days before stopping at the Imperial Guards headquarters, where Xianghua lived. Kilik had a feeling that an invasion of the realms would eventually take place after seeing what happened in Outworld. He only hoped that it was nothing more than a speculation.

Afterwards, Kilik decided to travel to the Proving Grounds to meet with his master, a man simply known as Edgemaster. He had trained under him many times before, and it felt like he had come home. There, he continued to train intensively, and to also reflect on his recent travels.

Recently, during trips to a nearby village, Kilik met with new people from other realms… realms that had, unfortunately, faced the wrath of Outworld. As they told their stories, Kilik saw how traumatized they were. Their eyes were filled with tears, and their voices were shaking with fear as they spoke.

Kilik believed their stories, and the more he heard them, the more he came to realize that, eventually, Outworld would come for Keisei.

A few days ago, the young man wrote a letter to Xianghua, letting him know what was going on. As he wrote, an idea came to him. If only he could help in gathering some of the Keisei natives who were at the tournament together in one place. Perhaps then, it would be a little easier in helping to prepare for the invasion. He would meet with Xianghua during his travels.

As Kilik continued to gaze at the scene, a voice spoke from behind. "Why are you hesitating?" he asked.

Kilik turned around to see Edgemaster standing a few feet away. "I'm not hesitating," he replied. He smiled a little. "I just wanted to take in the view before I leave. I'm not sure when I will be back."

"What's important is that you stop this new evil from taking over this realm," Edgemaster suggested. A small smirk appeared on his face. "And when your journey is complete, you are more than welcome to return anytime you wish."

Kilik nodded to him. "I'm sure I'll return someday."

"As long as this evil is eradicated," Edgemaster reminded him. "What will happen to the universe, we're not sure of. Mankind can only do what they can."

His duffle bag over one shoulder and his red Kali-Yuga staff in his hand, Kilik began walking towards the pathway that would lead him to his journey. As he walked passed Edgemaster, he spoke one more time. "Farewell, master."

"Farewell, Kilik."

For a long time afterwards, Kilik traveled through the rough terrain, mostly going down the mountains, nearly tripping on the rocks. He sometimes had to use his staff in order to support himself from falling.

About three hours into his journey, Kilik found that the area around him was quiet. Leave-less trees surrounded him, and aside from the wind, the only sound he heard was the crunching of snow underneath his boots.

He then stopped for a moment to kneel down for a moment. He wasn't tired, but he wanted to relieve the slight sores in his knees before continuing on downward.

Just as he began straightening himself up, Kilik suddenly heard another pair of footsteps nearby. He shifted his browns eyes towards the noise, wondering exactly where it was coming from. Slowly placing his duffle bag down on the ground, Kilik slowly raveled his hands around the staff, just incase the person nearby was ready to attack him.

Then, a voice out of nowhere spoke. "Looks like I arrived just in time before you ran off!"

Kilik's eyes widened, instantly recognizing that voice. He quickly whirled around to face them. Just a few feet away stood his friend, Maxi!

Maxi grinned once Kilik noticed him. "Long time, no see," he said.

"Maxi!" Kilik called out. He walked over to him. "I haven't seen you since…"

"Since we were in that wonderful realm of Outworld," Maxi finished for him. There was a bit of sarcasm in his voice when he said that, but there was also a bit of humor in there. "Tell me about it."

"Xianghua and I weren't sure what happened to you," Kilik mentioned. "We hoped you were okay."

"For the most part, I was," Maxi said. "If it's any comfort, I've been in Keisei the whole time. I ended up in a village in the Holy Roman Empire, and the people there took care of me. My injuries weren't that bad, but they took care of me anyway. I stayed there for a while, feeling that I owed them for their kindness. Then, a month ago, I heard rumors about a possible invasion in Outworld, and I immediately set off to find you. Thank goodness for these new stagecoaches, or else I would've still been traveling. I went to one of the villages here, asking around for you, and they told me you were living in these mountains.

"One thing is for sure… you sure know how to pick a place to live… I almost fell three times on the way up!"

Kilik couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it," Maxi said. "I've traveled in worse places."

"But it's a good thing you came now," Kilik mentioned. "I'm actually on my way to another journey."

Maxi scratched his head. "At a time like this? With the possible invasion-"

"That's exactly why I'm traveling." Kilik looked at his friend seriously. "Maxi, people from other realms have been arriving here. You should have seen them when they told their tales. I don't doubt that it's going to happen."

"What do you plan to do?"

"Well, first, I'm going to meet with Xianghua at the Imperial Guard headquarters. Then, I'm hoping to gather the rest of our friends who were at The Blood Tournament together. This way, we can better prepare ourselves for the onslaught."

Maxi couldn't help but smirk a little. "I'm invited, right?"

Kilik chuckled. "Of course. Let's start by trekking the rest of the mountain before sunset."

"Sure," Maxi said.

As the two began making their way down, Maxi sighed a little. "Just when I thought my traveling was finally over…"


	10. Chapter Nine

**Yoyagi Park, Tokyo, Japan**

Making his way through the sidewalk, Ryu strolled through the large public park, his gray duffle bag slung over his shoulder. He was able to hear the birds singing amongst the trees, which currently contained no leaves since it was winter.

Ryu wore his white, sleeveless karate gi with a black belt around his waist, and a pair of brown fighting gloves on his hands and forearms. He also wore a red bandana around his forehead, a gift from his best friend Ken when they were teenagers. Well, actually, Ken gave it to him after Ryu received a cut on his forehead when he delivered a roundhouse kick.

Ryu stopped for a moment to get a better look at his surroundings. At one point, he looked down and noted the black boots on his feet. It wasn't something he was used to wearing as he much preferred to walk barefoot. However, considering the cold, it was better than getting frostbite. He only wore them in the winter anyway.

He heard voices nearby and turned his attention to that general area. He saw a few teenagers underneath a tree. They were dancing around to some music being played on someone's ipod, singing and laughing. The cold didn't seem to bother them even to those only watching.

Five minutes later, Ryu gazed to his left and saw two people standing on a two-foot platform, both dressed in karate gis like him. Nearby, their sensei watched as the two sparred. Ryu stopped in his tracks, deciding to watch them for a little bit.

As he continued to observe, Ryu found himself smirking at a small memory, realizing the environment the two were working in. He remembered when his master would train him even when the cold was at it's most bitter. It wasn't the most grueling of all the trainings he's experienced, but it was definitely not easy.

Then, Ryu felt a strong energy just next to him. He raised an eyebrow, wondering where, or who, it was coming from. However, before he could turn his attention to the energy, someone spoke;

"I never thought I would run into you again."

Ryu's brown eyes widened upon hearing that. The voice was too familiar, and it was someone he had not seen since…

He turned around to face his old friend, Jin Kazama. Jin stood a few feet away, a duffle bag also behind his back. He wore a pair of pants which were white on the left leg and black with white flames on the right leg, the flame outlined by a gold trim. His jacket was just the same, only without any flames, and a pair of red and silver gloves covered his hands and forearms. Underneath the jacket was a black shirt, and a black and gold belt, like Ryu's, wrapped around Jin's waist.

Ryu smiled a little. "I didn't think I'd see you either."

Jin nodded in agreement. Briefly, in the back of his mind, he wondered if Ryu remembered their last… encounter… the time when they both gave in to their dark sides and fought each other. However, Jin noted Ryu's calm and collected look on his face, giving no indication that he remembered…

Unless he was that good at hiding it…

"What have you been up to?" Jin asked after a brief silence.

The two found themselves watching the spar between the two students nearby. Without looking at one another, Ryu continued.

"I just arrived here this morning. I might as well cut to the chase… I'm trying to get some of us from the Blood Tournament together."

Both of Jin's eyebrows raised up. "That's a coincidence… I'm aiming to do the same thing. You're the first one I ran into from the tournament."

Ryu nodded. "And you're the first I found, too. I know Mika lives here, and was hoping to find her. I assume she still has contact with some of the others."

"I'm curious to know," Jin began. "What is your reason to get everyone back together?"

A sigh escaped Ryu's lips. "I have this feeling… I think Earth is going to be invaded, and soon. You see, I had this vision-"

"A blood red sky, countless corpses lay everywhere, and the stench of death is strong… just like in Nightwolf's visions…"

Ryu's eyes widened as he turned his head to him. "You had the same visions?"

Jin turned to Ryu as well. "Yes… I had the feeling you did once you told me you wanted to get everyone together. I just had to ask." He looked over at the students again. "The sad thing is, these people wouldn't believe us… but I know our friends will."

"Do you happen to know where anyone in Japan lives?" Ryu asked.

Jin shook his head. "If only I knew. Besides, I just got in from Australia the other day… which reminds me... Seong Mi-na's here."

"Seong Mi-na?" Ryu said. "I thought she lived in Keisei."

"So did I, but I guess she lost her way during the chaos," Jin replied. "I never got to ask what happened…" he sighed. "And I also forgot to ask where she's staying. That's sure going to help us."

"Have you talked to Cammy?" Ryu asked, remembering what went on between them during the tournament.

Jin shook his head. "I… lost contact with her after we got back…"

"Sorry to hear that."

That somehow reminded Jin... "Is there a way you can contact Julia?"

"I… lost contact with her too."

"Sorry to hear that."

Then, an idea came to Ryu, and he mentally slapped himself for not thinking about it before. "Wait a minute… I can contact Ken! I almost forgot he set up an email account for me in case I ever needed to contact him. From there, he can send the message to anyone in the US."

"That'll be the best way to start," Jin said, feeling relieved that they can finally start somewhere. "There's an internet café not too far from here. I saw it on my way over here."

"Let's go," Ryu suggested. "The sooner I can send the message to Ken, the better."

Without any more hesitation, Ryu and Jin began heading out of the park.

~~~

**Convention Center, Tokyo, Japan**

A long line of people extended from inside the building and circled around the walking area. The line led those waiting towards a long table where fans have the opportunity to meet their favorites wrestlers. They were available to take pictures and sign autographs.

Mika and Cassandra were amongst the people in line. As they waited, Mika looked through the stack of photos of different wrestlers who were at the convention today.

"I can't wait to get all of their autographs!" Mika called out excitedly.

Cassandra found herself shrugging a little. "I don't get it… people are waiting in line just to get a picture and a signature from other people. Why?"

"Because they're famous," Mika answered. "And because of that, people who have seen them perform want to be able to say, 'I met them!'"

Cassandra shrugged again. "We have famous people in Keisei too, but it's nothing to go crazy over."

"Have you ever met any of those famous people?" Mika asked her.

"Well… no."

Mika grinned. "When you do, you'll understand."

Cassandra sighed a little as she brushed a little lint off of her blue pleaded skirt, which fell to the middle of her thighs. She also wore a pair of cream-colored stockings with white knee-high boots, a stripped blue and white sweater, and a white headband over her blonde hair. She also had a white jacket, which she took off for now and was currently holding it.

Mika found herself taking off her blue jacket, realizing that the heater in the building was on high. Underneath her jacket was a white tank top. She also wore blue jeans, a pair of blue and white Sketchers shoes, and her long blonde hair was done in high pigtails. She also wore a necklace with a blue heart pendant around her neck.

Unzipping a blue backpack, Mika folded her jacket and placed it inside. As she did, she continued talking.

"I'd love to be famous one day. For now, I'm just competing in amateur contests, but it'll look good for the bosses once I go professional." Mika chuckled a little. "Of course, then I have to watch out for the media and the paparazzi. They can be cruel at times."

"How are they cruel?" Cassandra asked curiously.

"Well," Mika began. "They would follow you around just to take pictures of you to sell… it's even better when they catch you in any sort of scandal. It's a huge deal to them, and sometimes, to the public as well.

"Speaking of the public… then you have to worry about the fans stalking you and getting into your face when all you want to do is just eat." Mika suddenly frowned. "Oh great, I just made myself sad."

Cassandra chuckled. "I'm sure being famous is not all that bad. If it was all bad, no one would be doing it."

"That's true," Mika agreed. "You get to do what you love, makes a lot of money, live the life you can afford, and donate to charity. That's why King is one of my favorite wrestlers… he uses most of his earnings to help his orphanage in Mexico. It's definitely one of the best things you can do with all that money."

"That's sure a nice thing to do."

The two friends continued to talk for a while, eventually growing silent once they ran out of things to say. Soon, after what seemed like forever, they reached the table where all the wrestlers sat. Cassandra watched as Mika received autographs and took pictures with them. Most were gracious, but some seemed to try to force themselves to provide the fan service, not wanting to be there.

Soon, they reached the last wrestler, the one Mika had been waiting for.

"It's finally nice to meet you, King!" Mika called out, trying to contain her excitement.

King still wore his famous leopard mask to conceal his identity. Instead of his wrestling attire, he wore a blue shirt with a black collar, the v-neck containing two sets of crossed ropes tied in front, and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He also wore a pair of white fingerless gloves with a silver wristwatch on his right wrist, a pair of white pants, and white shoes.

Mika continued talking as she pulled out his picture for the autograph. "I've been a fan of you ever since you won your championship two years ago. After you pulled that German supplex against your opponent and knocked him out, I mean, you didn't even have to pin him, I was like, wow! Definitely a great moment amongst others!"

"Thank you," King said with sincerity as he grabbed for a pen. "What's your name?"

"Oh, you can talk! Well, um, I knew that, but I never actually heard you speak, but I guess all that growling is for the ring and-"

"Ahem," Cassandra said while nudging Mika's arm. "He asked for your name."

Mika felt her cheeks flush, suddenly embarrassed. "Oh, I'm sorry! It's Mika. Actually, make that Rainbow Mika. That's my wrestling name. I hope to go professional one day. I'm in the amateur circuit right now, but I hope to fight guys like you someday."

"Keep up the hard work," King replied genuinely. "And perhaps someday, you and I will have a match."

"I would love that! Say, do you mind taking a picture with me?"

"Not at all," King said.

Mika turned to Cassandra. "You know what to do."

"I know, I know," Cassandra said as she held up the blue digital camera. She was glad, at this point, that she was able to handle a camera well after what seemed like a million tries to learn how to use one.

Mika got herself next to King, who stood up before crouching down a little to slightly match Mika's height. Once Cassandra set herself up, she spoke. "Okay, smile!"

Mika gave her best grin while holding two fingers up like a peace sign. With that, Cassandra went on to take two pictures.

"Thank you so much, King," Mika said. "I hope we meet again someday."

"Keep up with your practices and we will," King suggested.

Soon, Mika and Cassandra found themselves sitting on a bench with Mika going through her pictures in the digital camera. "I look funny looking in some of them," she sighed. "But the ones of King and I are great!"

"You sure like this King guy a lot," Cassandra noted.

"He's one of the best wrestlers out there," Mika said. "Too bad Zangief wasn't here. He's actually my number one favorite. That would've made this entire day complete to me!"

Mika placed her camera down before looking through the autographed pictures. "These things will be worth millions of dollars one day."

"People pay money for that?" Cassandra asked astonished. "That's crazy!"

"I know, but that's how much people want these." As she said this, Mika reached King's photo, then read what he wrote;

_To Rainbow Mika,_

_All the best! Thank you for being a great fan!_

_-King_

"Simple, yet, memorable," Mika uttered happily.

She then reached another picture and saw that it was Marduk's… the only one in her collection not signed.

Cassandra happened to look over her shoulder and noted this. "Say, I wonder where he is," she asked.

Mika shrugged. "Who knows, which is too bad. Despite being a heel and what he's done, he is a very good Vale Tudo fighter."

~~~

_Yesterday…_

_Sagat found himself standing on the front steps of an apartment door. The last time he was here, he paid a visit to Julia Chang to tell her of her mother's fate seven months ago. Now he was back, this time, with further information._

_Soon, he took a deep breath and knocked on the door. For some reason, he was feeling uneasy about this meeting, he couldn't explain why even to himself._

_Then, the door opened, and Sagat expected Julia to be on the other side. Instead, another young woman had answered the door. Her eyes widened in surprise as she found herself staring at his stomach. She then slowly looked up at him, and he noted how nervous she was starting to get._

_Sagat was used to this kind of reaction from strangers. "Is Julia Chang here?"_

_The girl immediately shook her head. "She, she's not here."_

_"_ _Do you know when she'll be back?" Sagat asked._

_The girl shook her head again. "I, I don't know."_

_Sagat sighed, realizing that, even if he asked further questions, she was not going to answer. He understood, though. Wouldn't you be shocked to see a bald man standing over seven feet tall with an eye patch?_

_Deciding to come back later, Sagat began turning around. "Just leave a message for her. Tell her it's about her mother. She'll know who I am."_

_He only took a few steps forward before he heard the girl call out. "Wait a minute… you're Sagat, aren't you?"_

_Sagat turned to face her. "Yes, I am."_

_The girl stepped out of the apartment before closing the door behind her. "My name is May, I'm Julia's roommate. She told me you might come by some day with information about her mother."_

_"_ _Do you know when she'll be back?"_

_May shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't know. I assume it'll be before school is back in session in two weeks. Right after Christmas, she was invited to meet a friend she met a few months ago in California. She was in San Francisco, but she called me four days ago to say she was also going to Los Angeles."_

_Sagat sighed to himself, realizing that he arrived in Arizona at a bad time. He knew that he couldn't wait two weeks for her to return as he was expected to return back in Thailand in eight days._

_He then decided to try to find Julia in Los Angeles._

_"_ _Thank you for the information," Sagat said. "Do me a favor… don't tell Julia I was here."_

_May shook her head. "I won't."_

**Los Angeles, California**

Sagat sighed with relief upon closing the door to his new hotel room. The flight from Phoenix was only an hour, but waiting in one airport and trying to get out of another was definitely a pain.

The sun had set by the time he arrived here. At least the plane ride wasn't long, that he was grateful for.

Now only one question lingered in his mind… where to begin?

Sagat began unpacking his suitcase, trying to figure out where to start. Los Angeles was a big place, so he knew it was going to be like looking through a needle in a haystack.

Then he remembered something… Julia was with Ryu the day he told her of her mother's death. Briefly, he wondered if the friend she was meeting was Ryu, but Sagat quickly put that thought aside.

Then he remembered something else… Sagat knew of Ryu's friendship with Ken Masters, another fighter he encountered in the past. And if he remembered correctly, Ken did live in California.

Was it possible that Julia was visiting Ken?

Sagat wasn't one hundred percent sure, but at least it's a start.

Wondering if there was a phone book in his room, Sagat began looking through the nightstand drawers. The first one, he only saw a Bible, which he stared at for a moment before closing the drawer. He then looked through the other nightstand before spotting the phonebook.

He skimmed through it until he found Ken Masters' name. He just had to hope that this was the same person. Picking up the phone, Sagat dialed the number provided. He then waited as he listened to the phone ring.

After about three rings, someone picked up. "Masters residence," a cheerful, female voice said on the other line.

"Is Ken home?" Sagat asked.

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Masters won't be home for a few more hours. May I take a message?"

Sagat was silent for a moment. At first, he wondered if he should ask the woman if he knew Julia. However, he quickly decided against it.

"No message. I'll call back later." With that, he hung up the phone back on the receiver.

Sagat sighed to himself. He decided it was best to call back tomorrow morning. Hopefully, Ken would be there by that time. And more so, he hoped that knew of Julia's whereabouts.

~~~

**Japan, Unknown Area**

Not long ago, Kazuya Mishima received information on the whereabouts of his father, Heihachi Mishima, once it was discovered that he lived through the explosion that took place in Honmaru months ago.

Last night, a smirk came over Kazuya's face, his left red eye glowing, the sign of his devil gene. _Wouldn't it be nice to pay the old man a surprise visit?_ he thought almost amused at the idea.

Getting on his private jet, Kazuya left the G Corporation compound in Nepal and headed to Japan. There, he would indeed pay Heihachi a 'visit.'

Arriving at his hotel room, there were a stack of papers waiting for him on the desk. Kazuya had expected them to be there since the Japan branch of his company had informed him of further information on the Mishima Zaibatsu, their rival corporation.

Before he began, Kazuya made sure that the door was locked securely before going over to the windows on the opposite side of the room. From there, he locked all of the windows and closed the heavy curtains. This was more for precautionary reasons than anything else. Even if someone did try to kill him, Kazuya was very confident that he would take care of his attackers like they were nothing but flies.

Upon reaching his desk, Kazuya noted the folder on top with a handwritten note saying, ' _Please Read Immediately._ ' Without any hesitation, he picked up the folder and opened it.

There were nothing but pictures inside, but they spelled out everything Kazuya needed to know. The pictures contained a single building in what looked like the middle of the forest. In the background of one picture was a mountain. Kazuya looked at the back of the photo with only two words; Mount Fuji.

His spies had discovered the whereabouts of the Mishima Zaibatsu's current headquarters.

But Kazuya raised his eyebrow suspiciously. He only discovered Heihachi being alive just this week. Now suddenly, he figured out where he was hiding out.

It was all too easy.

Either way, he was not about back down just yet. He came to Japan in order to eliminate Heihachi once and for all. Not even a thousand bullets from his men would stop Kazuya from his mission.

~~~

**Internet Café,** **Tokyo, Japan**

Jin could only watch as Ryu rummaged through his duffle bag. "Where is that piece of paper?" Ryu mumbled at one point.

"It's been how long since you last used the computer?"

Ryu sighed a little. "I think the last time was before the Blood Tournament… less than a year ago, that I can figure."

Curiosity got the best of Jin. "What's in that big duffle bag of yours anyway?"

"Mostly food," Ryu answered.

"Non-perishables, I hope."

"Of course. I'd be- oh, here is." Ryu pulled his hand out which held a single piece of paper. He then turned his attention to the computer in front of him. "Now to try to figure out how to… um…"

"Log in?"

"Um, yeah."

Realizing how much Ryu didn't know about the internet, Jin leaned over to his computer to help. His hand over the mouse, he opened the internet browser. "What's the website name?"

"Let's see…" Ryu uttered while looking at the paper. "Capcom Communications dot com."

Jin typed the website address in before proceeding once the main page of the website came up. "Now you're user name and password."

Ryu sighed as he looked at the paper. "The username is B-o-r-i-n-g-r-y-u. The password is K-e-n-r-u-l-z."

Even though he kept a straight face, Jin was amused by Ryu's username and password as he typed them in. "I can see Ken gave you a lot of help in setting up your account."

"Yeah, I meant to change that," Ryu mentioned. "I think I can figure out the rest from here."

"Whatever you say," Jin said as he leaned himself back in his chair.

While he waited, Jin decided to check his email since it's been a while since he did. He signed into his account, only seeing a few junk mail before he noted one written by a friend of his from high school.

"Heh, I haven't heard from her in a while," Jin said under his breath. He clicked on the message before reading it's contents.

_Jin!_

_I just found myself bored out of my mind and thought, 'Hey, I haven't talked to Jin since the spring!' So I thought I send you an email and say hi! Sometimes, I wish you were back at my school. Why did you have to be older than me?_

_Anyway, the holidays were fun. You remember Miharu, my best friend? Anyway, I spent the holidays at her family's house, it almost made me wish I was living there instead of at the school, but oh well._

_But hey, this is my last year in high school and I almost can't wait! I haven't decided what college I want to go to yet, but I know one thing… I'm sick of these school uniforms. I want to wear my own clothes to school this time!_

_We gotta hang out one of these days whenever you're in town. When you are, call me!_

_TTYL!_

_~Xiaoyu_

Indeed it has been a while since Jin had seen his old high school friend. The thing was, however, this particular school didn't exactly bring good memories to him, especially considering that it was owned by the Mishima Zaibatsu.

Jin also noted that Xiaoyu didn't mention about the invasion rumors at all. Ever since he came back from Australia, he heard a lot about it, from conversations amongst a group to news broadcasts on the TV's he would walk by. Judging by this alone, he knew that it was big talk.

Most likely, she chose not to mention about it.

Jin pressed the reply button before typing in his own message;

_Xiaoyu,_

_It's good to hear from you again. Whenever I'm in town, I'll be sure to let you know. I just left Australia and I'm trying to figure out what to do next._

_While I'm writing, there's something I need to mention. I'm sure that you are aware of rumors of an Earth invasion since it's been all over the news. Do me a favor? No matter what happens, be careful. I know that you are a good fighter since we've sparred before, but don't try to fight back, or be a hero. Try to get yourself and your friends to a safe place, and stay there until it's all over._

_I'm sorry to end this email on a grim note, but it's all I can say right now._

_-Jin_

Jin pressed the send button on his browser before signing out of his account. He then leaned back and stretched his arms a little before turning his attention to Ryu. Ryu managed to figure out how to open a new message box, and he had already typed in Ken's email address. However, Ryu was only using his index fingers to type, and he was slowly trying to find what letters to press.

Jin leaned back a little before placing his hands behind his head. He realized that they were going to be here for a while.

~~~

**Special Forces Base, Los Angeles, California**

Alex Walker had barely sat down in her office to begin her shift for the night when one of her superiors walked in with a pile of folders in his arms. He practically dropped them on top of her desk, nearly knocking her cup of coffee over.

"The first thing I need you do is sort through these files," he said in a monotone voice. "They used to belong to Captain Blade, and we found them in her old office while clearing it out. Try to keep them in order by date, earliest to latest."

Standing up, Alex tried not to raise her eyebrows at her assignment. It was the sort of thing that should've been done months ago…

"Afterwards, Major Briggs would like to see you. And try to finish those files as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir," Alex replied. The two saluted to each other before the superior took his leave.

The young woman sat back in her chair. The pile in front of her was the length between her elbow and wrist. Who knows how long it was going to take her to finish them.

Decided not to waste any more time, Alex picked up the first file, noting that it was from two years ago, a simple mission involving the capture of a Black Dragon member. She closed the folder before placing it down next to the pile.

As she sorted through the paperwork, Alex's mind drifted back to six months ago when she and Kenshi returned from Outworld after the Blood Tournament. Since she had found herself in the tournament unexpectedly due to seeing an unidentified figure entering the ships without anyone's knowledge, she knew that she would have a lot to explain to a few people upon her return.

And that she did. At first, Alex was reported missing, believing that something happened to her on her way back from dropping Sonya and Kenshi off at the docks that took them to Outworld. However, once her car was found in the parking lot, Special Forces had a feeling that she may had gone to the tournament. Just in case, they still posted missing posters with her picture on it. Her aunt in Florida even managed to get the picture on milk cartons, which baffled Alex because she thought they didn't do something like that any more.

Even with Alex's explanation, Kenshi backing her up (before he left Special Forces), and even Major Briggs trying to stall their superiors, the General still had her demoted from First Lieutenant to Second Lieutenant since she had left without permission from a superior. Not that it made too much of a difference, but it still threw her off for a while. Still, she knew it was something she had to accept.

The thing was, nothing notable has happened since she returned. Some of their soldiers were sent to other countries to fight organizations that were potential threats, though nothing groundbreaking has occurred in those missions yet. Unless you also count them setting up for the rumored invasion, that was about it.

Now that she was thinking about it, ever since her demotion, Alex lost a bit of enthusiasm as a soldier. It was mostly likely because her self-esteem was a bit deflated afterwards. Perhaps she'll feel a little better when she returns to her previous rank.

Still, she had a duty to uphold and she couldn't let that sort of thing get in her way.

About a half hour later, Alex had finished going through about twenty-five files when one in particular came up. All the ones she went through was about capturing someone or taking down an organization.

This time, it was about a victim.

There were two pictures of the victim, a young woman with black hair with a blue tint that was notable in the sun, and purple eyes. That particular picture was a photo of her standing in front of a tree wearing a red qipao shirt and black pants. Her hands were placed behind her, and she gave a closed-mouth smile.

The second picture was what the girl looked like after the incident. Alex was long used to seeing graphic details of an injured person, or a decaying corpse for that matter. She found herself frowning as the girl had a large bandage covering her head, a few more bandages on her cheeks, and a sling rest around her broken right arm.

Alex moved on to the file report on the case, dated seven years ago;

_File 2473_

_Victim: Donatella Ridditch_

_Age At Time of Incident: 18_

_Location: Nantong, China_

_Case: A witness had heard a loud crash from across Ming Avenue around 1500 hour. He noted one of the cars with it's roof caved in, the windows broken. Upon closer inspection, he saw Donatella lying unconscious on top of the car. An officer of the law was nearby and was able to give first aid immediately. Investigations revealed that she had jumped from a window from the 8_ _ _th_ _ _floor of what was thought to be an abandoned warehouse._

_Police contacted Special Forces after investigating the warehouse. One evidence, a seven inch butcher knife, consisted of an engraving of the Black Dragon logo on the hilt._

_Special Forces were able to apprehend a few members at a bar nearby that evening at about 2300 hour. Some of these members confessed to the particular operation taking place at the warehouse._

_For about a year, they used the warehouse for human trafficking operations, a branch not discovered until this case. The victim, Donatella, according to her father who only calls himself Elder Ridditch, had been kidnapped the same day she was found. It is highly believed that she was captured by the Black Dragon with the intention of using her for their human trafficking operations._

_Although the victim was beaten, doctors reported no signs of sexual assault. More than likely, her desperation to escape her situation lead her to leap out the window._

_According to doctors at Nantong Medical Hospital, Donatella, as of this writing, is in stable condition, though we will not know the extent of her injuries until she regains consciousness, if possible._

From there, the record ended.

Alex closed the folder, organizing it amongst the others. Afterwards, she sighed to herself, feeling a little depressed after reading that file. She almost wish she hadn't.

 _I wonder what happened to her_ _?_ she found herself asking as she took a sip of her coffee.

As she thought this, Alex looked down at her wrists, noting the couple of scars that she received during her time in Outworld. She had been hanged from ropes, that she knew, but the reason it happened had long left her memory. Alex was told she had been through an ordeal, but the exact details were never given, except that Kenshi managed to rescue her before anything worse happened.

The ordeal also left whip lashes on her back. Although they've healed since, there were still a few notable red scars that were not going to heal any further than that. If she wanted them gone, it would require surgery she couldn't afford right now. One scar ran down her entire back, and it was enough to make her a bit self conscious, especially at the beach.

Whatever the case, it was nothing compared to what this girl went though. Donatella had been very close to serve as a sex slave for the remainder of her life. And more than likely, this girl would remember her ordeal clearly.

Alex felt sick just thinking about it.

Quickly, she shook the thoughts out of her heading, remembering that she still had work to do. From there, Alex continued to sort through the files.

~~~

**London, England**

Arriving from Ireland, Nina Williams was led to a car with tinted windows. Neither she nor the driver ever spoke during the ride to her destination.

She soon arrived in front of the hotel. Adjusting her dark sunglasses, Nina began heading inside, a single suitcase in her left hand. Wearing a hip-length black jacket with a sash around her waist, she also wore black slacks, a pair of opened-toed high heel shoes that clicked against the floor every time she took a step, and her medium-length blonde hair was pulled back in a single ponytail. It was one of her favorite ways of dressing up. It made people think that she was a business woman rather than an assassin.

Nina checked into the hotel under a false name, as directed by her client. After showing documents provided for her, she began heading up to her room.

Upon arrival, Nina immediately locked the door behind her. Already, a note was left on her desk, and a sniper's gun was set up next to the window. Placing her suitcase down on the queen-sized bed, Nina reached for the envelope, ripping it open before reading the single paper inside;

_You are positioned diagonally in front of your target's loft. It is the blue building numbered 652. The loft your target is located is the fourth floor (the fifth if you count the ground floor), the first three windows to your right._

_You will be able to see everything from your room without detection. Once your mission is complete, immediately take a flight back to Ireland. You will receive the rest of your payment upon your return._

After reading the letter, Nina immediately started a fire in the fireplace that was inside the room. Once the blaze was lit, she immediately threw the note into it, watching it burn into ashes for a moment.

She then turned her attention to the single window in her room. The young woman noted the building involved, seeing the windows where her target lived. Normally, Nina would get down to business right away, but upon feeling the rumbling in her stomach, she realized how famished she was. She had only tea this morning and could go for some lunch.

"Well," she said out loud to herself. "I might as well get a closer look at the building while I'm at it."

Deciding to go to the first restaurant she sees, Nina grabbed her purse and stepped out of her room before locking it behind her.

~~~

**Kerala, India**

With the children playing below the hill he sat upon, Dhalsim looked up at the clear afternoon sky, the sun shining at it's highest point. It was a beautiful day, one that Dhalsim and the villagers were enjoying at this very minute.

Briefly, Dhalsim thought over what he did today. The children of the village were always fascinated by his abilities to stretch his limbs. It wasn't like any other stretching exercises. He could actually extend his arms and legs up to fifty feet long! This was all due to years of intense mental training taught by his elders. So, after he had breakfast, he demonstrated his abilities to the kids, who clapped and cheered for every new move he did.

Meanwhile, his wife Sally tended to the garden along with the other women in the village. In the afternoon after lunch, Sally went inside to cook tonight's dinner while his son Datta played with the other children just down the hill he sat on. Since lunch ended, Dhalsim has been here meditating and practicing his yoga.

His meditation had been mostly quietly today. There were no visions of the future as of yet. Dhalsim had hoped to try to see more on the legend of _Ano Sentaku Bou_ , especially on the four chosen ones. However, at this point, it was to no avail.

"Father!" he heard his son call out. Dhalsim opened his eyes, a small frown appearing on his face. Datta's voice seemed to be filled with worry and concern and he knew that something may be amiss.

Dhalsim waited until Datta was a couple of feet away before the older man spoke. "What's the matter, my son?"

A frown also appeared on the ten-year-old's face. "I want to ask you something. Some of the other kids were saying that some other world is going to come and try to take over Earth. Is that true?"

Dhalsim found himself speechless, heartbroken over the fact that his own son, let alone the rest of the children, discovered what was about to come. The other night, Dhalsim discussed his worries with the elders of his village, who took his word greatly. More than likely, one of the children may have stumbled upon the meeting. Dhalsim was usually good at detecting a presence nearby, but for some reason or another, he didn't notice.

But it was also possible that one elder may have discussed the meeting with a family member with children listening close by. Either way, what's done is done and now the children knew about it.

Dhalsim placed his hands on Datta's shoulders. "I'm not sure, my son," he began. "However, keep this close to your mind… no matter what happens, the people of our beautiful world will fight to protect it. It's good to be prepared, but do not let the possibility place fear upon you, or else you won't be able to enjoy what you have now."

After his words were spoken, Datta embraced Dhalsim. "Thanks Father. I feel a little better now."

"I'm glad," Dhalsim replied. Datta then pulled away before running back down the hill to return to where the kids were playing.

The moment his son caught up with them, a strange feeling suddenly came over Dhalsim. This frown becoming more noticeable, he looked up to the sky. Although there was still not a single cloud above, the sky seemed to be slowly getting dark with each passing second. The energy around him seemed to become gloomy.

The thing was… the sun was not supposed to set for another few hours.

Dhalsim did not like the feeling of this…


	11. Chapter Ten

**Hollywood Memorial Cemetery, Los Angeles, California**

The sun had already set for the evening, the bright full moon high above the dark sky. All was quiet with the exception of the rustling leaves from the palm trees and the splashing water of the pond within the grounds. This was all despite the fact that this particular land was surrounded by an urban setting.

In the darkness of the cemetery, Kenshi stood on top of the roof of a mausoleum located on the back corner of the graveyard. While most would hear barely anything within the grounds, Kenshi's keen senses gave him the opportunity to hear outside the gates. The cemetery offered him one of the few places in the Los Angeles area where he could stop and think, doing so within the safety of the night.

On this particular night, not much in the criminal world was happening, at least for the moment. As matter of fact, tonight was a very quiet one… perhaps maybe _too_ quiet.

In his mind, Kenshi thought back on how he found himself becoming a vigilante in the first place. For years, before finding himself a member of Special Forces nearly a year ago, he roamed Japan and most other parts of Asia challenging other swordsmen in order to prove that he was the best.

Then, a decade ago, his ego got the best of him when he was led to a well containing a sword that an old man mentioned would reflect his greatness. Upon removing the well's stone cover and peering into it's depths, he was hit with a green blast which had left him blinded. The old man turned out to be the shape shifter, Shang Tsung, who consumed the souls that had rested within the well. It all had been a ploy, and the souls he had taken were those of Kenshi's ancestors. He was left to die in the tomb, but the very sword he had sought out had some unknown power that assisted in leading him out of the tomb's depths.

The sword's power had heightened his remaining senses to make up for the loss of his sight as well as grand him the power of psychokinesis. This aided him in the beginning of his quest to seek revenge on Shang Tsung and free the souls of his ancestors.

It had taken more than a decade for his goal to be fulfilled. At one point, Shang Tsung had escaped to Outworld, forcing Kenshi to search for other means to travel to that realm.

That's where Special Forces came in…

In Japan, Captain Sonya Blade and Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs were impressed with his skills and invited him to join Special Forces as a free agent. At first, Kenshi wasn't interested in joining… until they told him about how he would be a part of the Outerworld Investigation Agency, a branch that involved inter-realm travel. The swordsman realized that this was his chance to travel to Outworld. With that, he accepted their offer, planning to leave upon completing his personal mission.

It was a few months later when a particular mission came up. Sonya had received an invitation to The Blood Tournament, sent by a Shadow Priest known to have serve Outworld's Emperor Shao Kahn. The last time there was a tournament involving Outworld, Earthrealm was nearly destroyed.

Intelligence also discovered that small terrorist groups, like the revived Black Dragon clan, would be there as well.

Sonya had brought her concerns to the General. He encouraged her to investigate the motives behind the tournament and to bring one person from the OIA with her. Jax had wanted to go along, despite having a three-week leave coming around the same time, but Sonya encouraged him to take that vacation.

With Cyrax and Hsu Hao focused on other missions and Alex's inexperience with being off-world, she picked Kenshi to come along on the mission. They would also meet with the United States Air Force since they also received the same invitation.

By the time they arrived in Outworld, Alex ended up coming along since she had went after an intruder that snuck on to the ship that took them to the realm.

Although Kenshi only made it to round six of eight of the tournament, he was able to find Shang Tsung as he had hoped. With assistance from an enigma named Ermac, who he helped in freeing from Shao Kahn, he was able to annihilate Shang Tsung and free the souls of his ancestors.

Sadly, Sonya was killed during their time in Outworld. Upon his and Alex's return to Earth, Kenshi stayed with Special Forces long enough to help wrap up the investigation and attend Sonya's memorial service.

Once he left Special Forces, it was now a question of what to do next. In the beginning, he planned to return to Japan, content on roaming as a lone warrior once again.

Technically, he was still a lone warrior… just not a roaming one. He had two reasons to remain in Los Angeles right now. One, there was Alex. During their time in Outworld, the two became close and he realized how much he cared about her, enough for him to stick around. Of course, if he really wanted to return to Japan, he would have ask her to come with him. Whether she would accept or not, he wasn't sure.

But it was the second reason for being in Los Angeles that truly gave him the consideration to stay…

It was about a week after he left Special Forces. One night, Kenshi decided to roam the city. He had been used to the country side, something he grew up with, but at this point, he was starting to get used to the urban setting. He was wandering aimlessly, unsure of what to do.

Then, a cry for help was heard. Naturally, Kenshi headed over to the area to find out what was going on.

On a seemingly quiet street, two women were being mugged by a group of men. Hearing the struggle, Kenshi quickly attacked the men, staying within the shadows so that no one saw him. The two women managed to escape during the struggle to call the police. When the police arrive, the men were tied and gagged, ready to be put away.

For the remainder of the night and most of the next day, Kenshi didn't think nothing of it. All he did was take down a few petty criminals and help out a couple of people before anything worse happened.

The next afternoon while Kenshi was practicing Tai Chi in the apartment, Alex came home from her shift in a huff. He usually didn't ask her about her day at the base, but he suddenly felt compelled to ask.

She, Cyrax, and Jax had spent the last few weeks investigating a local criminal organization, the operation highly delicate enough that it would most likely take years to complete.

"We barely began our mission and all of a sudden, it's all over," he remembered her saying. "The FBI managed to bust the drug gang, arresting over forty people. And guess how it all happened? All because, last night, five of their followers tried to mug two women, and some vigilante schmuck managed to take them down. They were so scarred that they confessed to what they were a part of and where the operation was located." She shook her head. "Amazing how things turn out."

Kenshi didn't tell her right away that he was the vigilante (or the fact that she called him a schmuck without realizing it) who was involved. However, the moment she told the story, he realized his potential. If a petty crime led to a bust like that, imagine what else could be done to rid the city of crime. Ever since then, he had patrolled Los Angeles nearly every night, toppling local criminal organizations and protecting the citizens from their wrath.

It had been five months since he began his nightly patrol. So far, he had been lucky. Not a single person had figured out who he was since he used shadows and the darkness to conceal himself. Even those who had seen him, all of them criminals, they never spoke of him most likely out of fear for their lives. He concealed himself not only because he didn't want to attract attention during the day, but it was also for Alex's protection.

Speaking of Alex, he knew that she would be spending the night at the Special Forces base working her shift. At least, tonight, she wouldn't be alone.

The eerie quiet that surrounded the area was suddenly broken as a loud shriek was heard nearby. Kenshi turned his head in the direction it came from. It was only a matter of time before he was called upon to help once more.

Kenshi quickly jumped down from the one-story building, landing just in front of the mausoleum's entrance. Turning right, he ran down the cemented road before going through a small path on the grass, passing through the countless gravestones and flowers, both fresh and welting, that adorned them. Reaching the brick gate, he jumped over it, avoiding the circled row of barbed wires on top meant to prevent intruders, before landing on the sidewalk on the other side. From there, he began heading towards the direction where the scream came from.

~~~

**Pasadena, California**

A soft knock was heard on his office door while Guile was looking through some paper work. Looking up from then, he saw his daughter Amy standing at the doorway. She was dressed in a long pink nightgown that fell just below her knees, and her blonde hair was done in a ponytail tied on the right side of her head. One arm wrapped around a brown teddy bear, a toy she had since she was three.

"Hi Daddy," Amy said with a small smile. "I wanted to come in to say goodnight."

Guile quickly looked at the clock on his desk before turning back to her. He chuckled a little. "Honey, it's almost midnight. What are you doing up so late?"

Amy walked towards her father. "Mommy and me-"

"Mommy and I," Guile corrected her.

"Oops… I mean, Mommy and I were watching a movie."

"What movie?"

" _Up_."

"Was it a good movie?"

"Of course!" Amy called out excitedly. "I saw it like forty ca-jillion times already!"

Guile patted her head. "Well, I know you don't have school tomorrow, but in any case, it's way past your bedtime."

"Mommy said that, too."

"And she's right."

Amy then gave Guile a hug, which he returned along with a kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight, kiddo."

"Goodnight, Daddy. Love you."

"Love you, too."

From there, Amy pulled away before walking out of the office to head to her room. Once she disappeared, Guile turned his attention back to the paperwork in front of him.

The file in front of him concerned an intelligence report that came in today. It seemed as though strange things were being spotted just above Earth's atmosphere. The report almost made Guile laugh. The Air Force was never concerned about space activities before.

Then again, rumors of the invasion has lead the Air Force to stay on their toes, just in case. Special Forces were assisting them in that field, but hardly any other military, government, or police branch were helping out.

Just last night, Guile was on the phone with his long-time friend, Chun Li. At first, he thought she was just calling to tell him of her engagement with Lei Wulong, who he met at The Blood Tournament. However, the happy news was overshadowed by her news of Interpol's reluctance in helping them out with preparing for the invasion. Chun Li had hoped to find evidence of what was going on outside their world.

"What if you could try to find someone who may have escaped to Earth after their world was invaded?" Guile had asked.

"Knowing Interpol," Chun Li had replied. "They would just deem them as insane and have them placed in an asylum."

Speaking of Chun Li, Guile decided that it was a good idea to send the intelligence report to her. Opening the internet browser on his computer, he logged on to his email account, started a new message box, typed in Chun Li's email, then began sending the message;

_Hey Chun Li,_

_General McCall sent me an intelligence report from today, and I found this one out of place and unusual from what we're used to. Apparently, NASA had reported unusual activities just above Earth's atmosphere. Pictures were given to us, but they're unfortunately too blurry to make out anything. I honestly don't know what to think of it, but if it has anything to do with the rumored invasion, it's at least something to keep in mind. Just thought I'd pass the word along._

_-Guile._

Just before Guile could move his mouse to send the message, the computer suddenly began to go fuzzy.

"What the-" Guile mumbled. He gently slapped the side of the monitor, thinking that it was finally giving in to old age. Then, the screen went completely black.

"Oh great," he sighed.

"Honey!" he heard his wife Jane call out. "The TV in the living room just went out!"

"I'll look at it in a-" Guile began to say, but then he suddenly stopped mid-sentence as a thought came to him. Not only did the computer go out at the same time but… they had just bought the TV brand new two weeks ago.

His phone suddenly rang. Guile immediately reached over for it and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Guile, it's Wagner!" the young man called out on the other end in almost a panic.

Guile quickly grew worried. "Scott, what's the matter?"

"Something weird is going on, and I don't think it's a coincidence. Juli was watching TV, and I was browsing the internet and both systems went fuzzy before they went out. We just found out that the rest of the neighborhood is having the same issue."

Normally, Guile would've thought that Wagner's neighborhood were having issues with the cable network there and that he was only jumping to conclusions. The thing was, however, the same thing happened to him here in Pasadena, and Wagner lived in Los Angeles.

Before he could reply, his cell phone suddenly rang as well. Guile's eyes widened, realizing that something big was going down. He looked at his phone, seeing that the incoming call was from his General.

"Hang on, Scott, McCall's calling me on the cell." He put the phone down on the desk before answering the cell phone. "What's going on, General?"

"I'm not exactly sure," General McCall said, sounding confused. "First, there was a report that some mutant creature was seen lurking just outside the base. We were just trying to figure out what it was when all the computer screens went out."

"The computer and TV in my home just went out too," Guile mentioned. "And I just talked to Wagner and the same thing happened to him. I'm not sure what-"

His sentence was suddenly cut off as he heard a loud crash on the other end of the receiver. A few screams were quickly heard on the other end as though there was a sudden panic.

"What's going on?" Guile called out. There was a sound of struggle on the other side before he heard a loud noise as though the phone just dropped to the floor. "McCall, can you hear me? McCall?! Abe?!"

Just then, a loud crunch-like sound was heard, causing the sound to suddenly cut off. A chill went up Guile's spine as he tried to figure out what just happened.

That's when a loud alarm outside went off outside. Guile knew exactly what alarm this was… the civil defense siren was originally made over sixty years ago in case a nuclear war hit. However, five months ago, it was decided that it would be used in case the rumored invasion actually did happen to warn the citizens.

Faintly, Guile heard his name being called. He turned his head, wondering where it was coming from… then he remembered that Wagner was still on the home phone. Quickly, he picked it up again. "Scott?"

"You hear that?" Wagner asked, sounding more worried than ever.

"I do," Guile replied. He tried to stay as calm as possible. "Do me a favor. You and Juli stay where you are. I'm coming to get you."

"All right," Wagner agreed. "I'll try to contact Lisa and Cammy while I'm at it."

"Try to keep yourself out of trouble in the mean time. I'll be there as soon as I can." With that, he quickly hung up the phone.

"Will?" he heard Jane say his name by the door. Guile stood up and turned his head to his wife. A worried look appeared on her face as the alarm's sound continued.

"Is the van filled up?" he asked as he walked over to her.

Jane nodded. "Thankfully, I stopped at the gas station today. The emergency kit is already in the trunk, it's been there for the last four months."

"Good. Grab Amy and get in the van, I'll quickly pack some water bottles in a backpack. Make sure the car's ready by the time I get there." He quickly looked out the window, his eyes widened as he noticed a fireball in the distance, about ten miles away he guessed.

"It looks like we're heading to the Rockies tonight…"

~~~

**Charred Mountain, China**

Showing up at the main room at the Red Dragon headquarters, Quan Chi approached the members before standing just a few feet from Mavado, who stood in front of everyone. Next to him on his left was Donna.

"The invasion has begun," Quan Chi informed him. "The Emperor and his troops have already begun their arrival. You will all be sent to Outworld for protection immediately."

"Would you like us to assist you in the onslaught?" Mavado offered.

"I'm sure the Emperor would be pleased with your offer," Quan Chi answered. "However, it's not necessary at the moment. For now, we are focusing on the more stronger locations here. We'll be back at a later time to invade the weaker places, so that it would be easier to eventually merge Earthrealm with Outworld. You'll most likely assist at that time."

"And what of Hsu Hao?" Donna questioned.

"He'll meet us in Outworld within the next day or two. He's offered to… take care of certain business before his arrival. He's mentioned that he knows a way to Outworld, so I trust that he'll arrive soon enough."

Donna replied with a single nod.

Quan Chi briefly scanned around the room before turning his attention back to Mavado. "And where is your superior, Daegon?"

"He won't be joining us," Mavado mentioned. "He decided to remain here on Earth. Daegon decided to take advantage of the invasion and take care of personal business. He'll join us when he wishes to do so. In the meantime, I'll be the clan's leader until his return."

"I see," Quan Chi replied. "Whatever pleases him. Now…"

Chanted a few words in another language, he focused some energy in his hands. Once he was ready, he shot his hands out, developing a swirling green portal that would lead to Outworld.

Mavado turned to his clan and nodded once. In reply, all the members began heading to the portal, each of them walking one by one. This lasted for a few minutes until only Quan Chi, Mavado, and Donna remained.

"The Emperor and Empress will be waiting for you at the palace," Quan Chi mentioned. "I will meet you there as soon as the invasion is over with."

With that in mind, Donna walked through the portal with Mavado following. Once they disappeared, Quan Chi closed the portal. He then began heading of the cave, a smirk appearing on his face.

"Now, let's begin the chaos."

~~~

**Near Los Angeles International Airport, California**

"Too bad you couldn't stay a little longer," Ken Masters said as he drove his red Porsche convertible through the freeway.

"I wish I could," said Julia Chang, who sat in the front passenger seat, her two braids swaying behind her from the strong winds. "But I thought I should get back to Arizona and get prepared for the next semester. Besides, I'm sure my roommate will be wondering where I am."

Ken suddenly thought of something. "Didn't you say that you were working on some big project? Something to do with trees."

Julia smiled. "Yes. It's called the Forest Rejuvenation Project. Our ecosystem is changing so rapidly that it's causing forests to become deserts, including the home of my tribe. My goal is to restore those forests as they once were."

"How the progress?"

Julia sighed a little. "Well, last time, we tried one method, but that failed. In November, I tried another way, and I'm just waiting up on the results, which I hope would be by the spring."

"Good luck with that," Ken said sincerely.

As much as she liked talking about her project, Julia decided to change the subject. "So, what are your plans after I leave?"

"I think Eliza, Mel, and I are going back to San Francisco within the next few days. I loved to stay here longer. As a matter of fact, I'd love to stay in Los Angeles full time, but Eliza doesn't want to do that. She grew up in San Francisco and couldn't imagine leaving for good."

"How did the two of you meet?"

Ken laughed a little before replying. "It's kind of funny actually. Back then, Eliza hated watching fights, she thought they were pointless, though she learned to tolerate it more once we got together. About seven years ago, I was in the US Martial Arts Tournament. Eliza was dragged by a friend of hers who was a big fan of another fighter that was there, I forgot who he was since it's been so long. Anyway, I ended up winning that tournament, and Eliza's friend managed to drag her backstage so that she could meet the fighter she loved so much. Well, that's when I noticed her for the first time. I wouldn't call it love at first sight, but man, she was as beautiful as she is now. The first thing I said to her was, 'Did you enjoy the show?' You know what she said?"

"What?"

"She said with her arms folded, 'No, I hated it. I don't even know why my friend dragged me here.' I didn't expect that answer at the time since I was used to other female fans flirting with me."

"At least she was being honest," Julia mentioned.

"That's true, and I think that made me attracted to her more," Ken said. "So I asked her, 'What do you like then?' and she asked, 'Excuse me?' I'm sure she didn't expect me to ask that. So I asked again while adding, 'Well, a nice, beautiful girl like yourself has to like something.'"

"Smooth," Julia said almost chuckling.

"Yeah. I thought she'd walk away at that point, but Eliza actually answered my question. When she mentioned Thai food, we ended up talking about, well, Thai food. Naturally, I invited her to meet me at a Thai restaurant for dinner the next night. From there, let's just say that the rest is history."

Julia found herself smiling. "And now you-" Her sentence was cut off as Ken's cell phone played a verse from Sevendust's song, ' _Hero_.'

"Hm, that's my email alert," Ken said. "Do me a favor and check it for me."

"No problem," Julia replied as she picked up his cell phone from a compartment in front of the gear shift. Upon reading the caller's name on the phone, Julia's eyes suddenly widened and she swore that her heart jumped to her throat.

"Who is it from?" Ken asked as he began to change lanes, knowing that the exit to the airport was coming up.

"… It's from Ryu."

Ken's eyes widened as well. "Really? Must be important. He usually contacts me whenever something comes up. What does it say?"

Julia pressed a button on the phone, which brought up Ryu's message. From there, Julia read his email out loud to Ken;

"Ken - I'm in Tokyo while I'm typing this, and I'm with Jin Kazama. We both received the same visions, the one that Nightwolf had during the tournament. We both think that the invasion is going to happen very soon. We are trying to find our friends from the tournament in Japan. We want to gather them together so that we're better prepared. I'm writing this because I hope you would do the same thing with everyone in America, and it would be our first step in warning as many as we could. Try to be safe. And do me a favor…"

Julia suddenly found herself quiet as she read the last sentence. The silence made Ken nervous. "What favor?"

She took a deep breath. "Make sure Julia is safe. -Ryu." With that, she slid the flap of Ken's cell phone.

The two fell silent for a moment as thoughts ran through Julia's mind. The last time she had seen and spoken to Ryu was over five months ago on the day he left to return to Japan. Because of her confusion over her mother's death, she had decided to end her month-long relationship with Ryu. At one point, she decided it would only be until she resolved her confusion. Not too long ago, she realized that she was able to move on just fine, only mentioning him once to Ken, more so to ask him how he was doing.

Now seeing Ryu's email, she almost wished that Ken hadn't asked her to read it to him. It was as though old wounds had opened up within her heart again. Even after all this time, he still thinks of her, at least that's what it seemed like.

Then, to Julia's surprise, Ken yelled out something she couldn't understand before quickly pressing on the brake. With the wheels screeching, Julia screamed with terror as she found herself pushed forward, her glasses flying off her face and landing on the floor. The seat belt she was wearing the only thing holding her back and preventing her from flying through the windshield.

A loud thud was heard as Ken's Porsche hit something, causing it to go flying back a few yards before landing with a loud crunch. Julia looked up in time to see someone rolling on the road before coming to a stop, their body now completely still.

"Oh my God!" Julia called out.

Quickly, Ken put his car on park, turned on the emergency lights, and then got out of the car with Julia doing the same. The both of them ran over to the person, hoping that they survived somehow.

Briefly, Julia was wondering why someone would be walking at this time of night on a freeway exit ramp of all places. However, when the two of them reached the person, they were horrified by what they were looking down that, especially once they noticed their teeth.

"Ken… isn't that one of those mutants we saw when we were at the tournament in Outworld?" Julia asked, suddenly feeling a lump in her throat.

Ken found himself slowly nodded. "I think so…"

Suddenly, a loud explosion was heard about three miles away. The two of them turned their heads to see where the noise came from. They eyes widened as they noted a fireball within the city, and in the distance, screams of panicked citizens were heard.

Almost as soon as they noted the fireball, an ear-piercing alarm sound was heard.

"That explosion looked like it came from the Special Forces base," Ken mentioned. He turned to Julia. "Guile said that the army would use the nuclear warning alarm if the invasion did happen."

Julia looked at Ken, horror appearing on her face. "You mean…"

Ken nodded. "I think it's started. Come on! We have to get out of here!"

The two of them ran back to the Porsche. Once they seated themselves, Ken immediately put the car on drive and began speeding down the ramp, hoping to get on another to go in the opposite direction they came from.

"I guess I'm going to the Rockies instead of Arizona…" Julia found herself saying.

"One thing is for sure," Ken said as he maneuvered around the other cars. "We have to get to Eliza and Mel before those mutants get to them!"

~~~

**Special Forces Base: Los Angeles, California**

In his office, Jax found himself buried in paperwork. He almost growled at the idea of this work since it seemed as though it's all he's been doing this week.

 _I just wish something interesting would come up right now,_ he found himself thinking.

Just as he finished thinking that, his office phone rang. Wondering who was calling, he picked up the phone. "Major Briggs speaking."

"Major, it's General White," his superior said.

"What can I do for you, sir?"

"Well, I was looking through our computer system to make sure that everything on the base is okay. Have you or anyone from the OIA used the inter-realm portal today?"

This question confused Jax. "No, sir. We've been monitoring it to make sure everything is working well, but we haven't done that in the last three days. Plus, no one has walked through the portal in a while."

"That's strange," General White said curiously. "Because, right now, I'm looking at the computer and it's saying that the portal is activated."

This confused Jax even more. "That's impossible, sir. And I'm quite sure none of my teammates would be using it, not without my permission. Agent Cyrax is currently at a meeting concerning the drug gang in Inglewood, Agent Walker is in the training room with Colonel Green, and Agent Hsu Hao is off duty for the evening. However, if it helps, I'll go to the portal room and check it out."

"Please do so, and report to me as soon as you're back in your office."

"Yes, sir."

Once he hung up the phone, Jax got himself up and began heading out. At least this was better than paperwork.

The walk to this office to the small OIA building took about a half our by foot, so Jax got into one of the base's pick-up trucks and began to make the drive there. Soon he parked right in the front and shut the engine off before proceeding towards the OIA building.

When he reached the door, curiosity caught Jax as he fiddled with the keys. Before he went looking for the key to the main entrance, he reached for the handle of the door and pulled. To his surprise, it was already opened.

 _Someone's definitely in here,_ Jax thought.

He went inside and quietly walked through the hall, heading towards the back room where the portal was located. When he was a few yards away, he noticed that the door to the room was ajar. He then heard a humming noise, and realized that whoever was in there, they had managed to activate the portal!

Quickly, he ran to the door, kicking it open upon reaching it. He looked over at the glass encasing that served as the transporter to another realm. In that encasing, he managed to get a good look at Hsu Hao's face moments before the swirling blue energy engulfed him.

" **NO!** " Jax called out as he ran to the controls. Even if he managed to stop the activation process, it was already too late. The energy soon disappeared with Hsu Hao long gone.

"Motherfucker…" Jax growled. He then noticed something different on the control panel. Upon closer inspection, he noted a device with the timer. The timer read – 00 MIN : 12 SEC.

" **Shit!** " Jax yelled out, noting that Hsu Hao had set up a bomb.

Realizing that there was no time to either deactivate the bomb or go after Hsu Hao himself, Jax did the only other thing he could. He turned back around and quickly began running with every energy he mustered out of the building.

Jax was almost sure that he wouldn't make it, and he heard a beeping sound the second he managed to reach the exit. When he opened the door, an invisible energy struck him from behind, sending Jax flying a few yards ahead before crashing face first onto the pavement.

Looking back, he saw a fireball engulf the OIA building, the fire shooting up high enough that he was sure that most of LA had seen it. Debris fell around him, forcing him to get under his truck for protection. The heat was so intense that, if Jax wasn't bald already, his hair would've most likely fallen off by now.

Two soldier driving by noticed the explosion and stopped their vehicle. Upon noticing Jax under the truck, they quickly got out of the car to check up on him.

"Major!" one called out. "Are you all right?"

Once he was sure that the debris stopping falling, Jax got himself out of the car. He coughed a few times before speaking. "It's that bastard, Hsu Hao! He-"

Before he could finish, the civil defense siren was heard, it's loud sound nearly making Jax go deaf. He and the two soldiers were silent for a moment before someone on an intercom spoke.

" _Get in positions! This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill!_ "

Jax got closer to the two other soldiers so that they could hear him better. "Looks like Outworld has finally shown themselves! Let's go!"

"You need a gun?" one yelled out.

"Hell yeah! And make it a machine gun, I get the feeling we're going to be dealing with a ton of bad guys!"

~~~

**Osaka, Japan**

Throughout the early afternoon, Maki walked the streets of Osaka doing some shopping. At this point, she only brought a couple of articles of clothing. At least she was only carrying one bag at the moment.

Feeling her stomach rumbling, Maki decided that it was time to get something to eat. Unsure of what to have, she strolled down the sidewalk, hoping to find something good on the way.

At one point, Maki noticed a café. She noted a few tables set up outside the small place with a few people sitting down drinking their coffees and tea. For a moment, Maki wondered if she should get herself a vanilla latte and an apple Danish, but then decided against it. She was more in a mood for tapioca pudding anyway.

"Maki!" a female voice suddenly called out.

Maki looked around for a moment, wondering who was calling her… unless there was another person around with the same name. Boy, she would feel foolish if that was the case.

"Maki Genryusai!" the same voice called out louder.

She soon spotted someone waving their arms at her at one of the tables that sat in front of the café. It took a moment for Maki to recognize the person, but once she did, a big grin came over her face.

"Asuka!" she yelled out. She ran over to her friend, who she met at the tournament in Outworld, and the two quickly embraced upon reaching each other.

"Long time, no see," Asuka said before she pulled away. "How are you?"

"I'm doing all right," Maki replied. "How about yourself?"

"I'm good. I just began my second semester at Osaka University. Oh! I almost forgot." Asuka turned her attention to the person sitting at her table. "Maki, this is my classmate, Karin. Karin, this is my friend, Maki."

"How do you do?" Karin said politely.

"Hello," Maki replied.

Karin rested the tip of her fingers on the side of her chin. "Since you two know each other, would you like to join us, Maki? A friend of Asuka's is a friend of mine."

Maki smiled as she sat down in the empty chair. "That's nice of you."

Karin smirked a little. "I have been quite generous today." She shrugged a little. "I'm not sure why."

"Well, you did invite me to your favorite café today," Asuka said to her. "That was a surprise in itself."

"Hmm," Karin hummed. "Oh, Maki, I suggest you try the lemon tea here. It's exquisite, and it's not so high in sugar like most of the other teas here."

"That's good know," Maki said. "I'll keep that in mind."

"What have you been doing for the past few months?" Asuka asked curiously.

"Well," Maki began. "I'm in town to do a little shopping. I'm staying here for a few days at my childhood home in Mount Kenpi."

"That's a lovely place," Karin mentioned. "My family and I have a home near there, we always go there every summer."

"That's nice," Maki said with a nod.

"Say, are you still together with Yang?" Asuka questioned.

Maki smiled more. "We are. As a matter of fact, and I didn't even tell Yang yet but… I'm going to live with him in Hong Kong, hopefully soon."

Asuka grinned. "That's awesome. You two were so cute together during the tournament. But I wonder… would he want you to go to Hong Kong, or do you think he'd rather come to you?"

"It doesn't matter where we are as long as we're together."

Karin had to smile at that. "Sounds like a nice romantic novel, which hopefully will have a happy ending."

"Thank you, Karin. Oh, and I think I will try that lemon tea."

"Splendid. I'll call the waiter over and-"

That's when a large gust of wind hit, one strong enough to blow some lose particles, like napkins and papers, off of the tables. The people around them started grunting, forcing themselves to pick up the debris.

"That was a big one," Asuka mentioned.

Then, the natural light from the sun suddenly seemed to dim down, making their surroundings darker. People slowly started gazing around, confused by what just happened.

Karin briefly looked at her gold watch. "That's funny. It's only three in the afternoon. It shouldn't get this dark for at least another two hours."

That's when Asuka heard a few people whining and yelling about something. She scanned the area and noted that the few who had laptops with them were having issues. One screen, she noticed, seemed to go fuzzy before blacking out. It was as though it shut down completely on it's own.

With the afternoon seemingly getting dark, the harsh wind that suddenly hit, and the laptop issues people seem to be having, a shiver went up Asuka's spine. Was all of this just a coincidence? Or was it because…

Asuka found herself swallowing. "I don't like this. I don't like this at all…"

~~~

**Somewhere Above India**

Looking through her telescope from her flying ship, Ruby Heart scanned the area below her. Just a moment ago, her ship finished crossing the Arabian Sea and had just entered India.

"Finally, some land," she said to herself. No, they haven't reached their destination yet, but the young woman was always glad when they reach a new part of the world. To her, it meant that she was getting closer and closer to her intended location.

"Soon enough," she said. "We'll be in the Samoan Islands. And there, we will find that treasure. I just hope it's still there by the time we get there."

It was then that the natural light seemed to get darker. Ruby Heart looked up, wondering if a high cloud had rolled by and covered the sun. However, the sun was there, bright and clear at it's highest point, and there were no clouds nearby.

"Strange," Ruby Heart found herself saying. "It's around lunch time. It shouldn't get dark this quickly."

That's when a large wind picked up, forcing the ship to be pushed back.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, running over to the quarter deck. She managed to grab a hold of the steering, trying to control the ship as much as possible. "I just finished crossing the sea. I'm not ready to do that right now!"

"Captain!" one crew member called out. "It seems that the ship is going out of control. What do you want us to do?"

Ruby Heart was already irritated when she replied. "You should already know your duties! Roll up the sails and keep them up until the wind dies down!"

Just as the crew began to follow her orders, Ruby Heart happened to gaze up at the sky. Her eyes widened as she noticed a black swirl just a few feet away from the highest sail.

"What the-" she started to say.

Then, to her and the rest of the crew's surprise, demon-like creatures began jumping from the swirl, realizing it was a portal, and fell towards the ships. Their arms each possessed a long blade that protruded from their forearms.

Grabbing her sword from the scabbard that was strapped next to her waist, Ruby Heart knew that her ship was now under attack. Why they were attacking was the question, but one thing was more important… she must protect her beloved ship at any cost.

~~~

**Asia, Unknown Area**

After debating over his plans, Fujin wasn't able to come up with too much of anything in order to help his friend Raiden. However, the God of Wind knew that something had to be done as soon as possible with Outworld's threat to Earth.

Today, Fujin decided to take the first step in helping his friend. It was the simple talking, hoping to keep some sort of peace with Raiden.

Knowing that Raiden had a temple he would train and meditate, Fujin visited that place first. To his luck, Raiden was there. He stood on top of the temple, sitting in a lotus position, his eyes closed. Although Fujin knew that he was completely focused on his meditation, he knew that the Thunder God would easily know if someone tried to approach him at that moment.

Either way, Fujin knew that he had to speak to him. He just hoped that Raiden didn't attempt to attack him immediately.

Using his powers, Fujin flew from the mountain he had been standing on and made his way over to the top of the temple. He made sure to do so quietly, especially on approach.

Before he could land on the ground, Raiden suddenly spoke. "I was wondering when you would show up, my friend."

Fujin was frozen in his place for a moment. The fact that Raiden knew of his coming didn't bother him so much. It was his voice that bothered him. It was deeper than normal, and it almost seemed menacing.

There was silence for a moment before Raiden spoke again. "Why do you hesitate? I'm not going to attack you if that is what you are worried about. You're the only one of the Elder Gods I could trust."

"I guess that's good," Fujin said. "Unfortunately, I'm not exactly here to have a friendly conversation."

"Oh?"

Fujin sighed. "Raiden, I must know. What is going on?"

Raiden was quiet for a few seconds before answering. "I'm doing what I've always done. To protect Earthrealm from any threats that come up."

"But isn't that what you've always done?"

Raiden stood up from his sitting position. His black tattered cape flapped in the harsh wind to his right. His back was still turned to Fujin, and he didn't turn his head as he spoke.

"Of course, my friend. I've always done so. However, there is one small change that I made. If I am to protect Earthrealm, I must punish those who threaten it. Those who are punished will pay with their lives."

Fujin found himself shaking his head. "Surely you don't mean that! You always reason with the mortals-"

"My patience for mortals have worn thin! No longer will I be asking for their assistance! Nothing ever gets done right whenever they are involved!"

The God of Wind clenched his hands into fists. He was normally a patient person, but he was started to feel frustrated over the situation. It was as though, with the goodness in Raiden's heart gone after he sacrificed himself to defeat Ogre, his rationality went with it.

"Think of what you're doing! There's a much bigger threat than just mortals making mistakes! Shao Kahn is well and alive, and his army is stronger than ever! He's taking over the realms more rapidly than ever before."

Raiden turned around to face Fujin, his glowing red eyes nearly catching his friend off guard. "I'm aware of his coming."

"You're not even trying to prevent it?"

"Such hypocrisy! You and the other Elder Gods are in much high positions! You all are just as capable as stopping the invasion as I am, but for whatever reason, you choose not to intervene! Oh, I almost forgot, it's the flow of life, it must not be disrupted even at the cost of mankind!"

Fujin sighed a little. "I cannot help what's written by nature's law. But if it helps a little, I've abandoned my status."

Raiden raised an eyebrow. "What for? To help these mortals in defending Earthrealm like I once did?"

"Yes, but that's not the only reason. Even that wasn't my motivation in my coming. What brought me here was you." Fujin's pale eyes narrowed. "I've come to you with a warning."

The moment Fujin finished that statement, the are around them suddenly got dark. The both of them sensed an unusual energy in the air, and the two immediately looked up towards the sky.

"Heh," Raiden said. "Looks like Shao Kahn and his Outworld Forces have finally welcomed themselves."

Fujin turned his attention to the Thunder God. "You will fight them, will you?" He then took a deep sigh, not liking what he was about to say next. "If not for the mortals, at least for Earth."

"Of course," Raiden nodded. "There's no other reason to fight." He looked at Fujin. "You may fight for the mortals if you wish."

Fujin exhaled. "Very well then."

The two Gods stood in their place, waiting for the first of the Outworld Forces to come after them.

~~~

**Outworld, Shao Kahn's Palace**

In the main throne room, two Shadow Priests stood in front of the thrones. In the thrones sat the Emperor Shao Kahn and the Empress Ivy Valentine.

With their magic, the Shadow Priests created a hologram that served to view events from other realms. It was Shao Kahn's way to witnessing the chaos unfold as his forces slaughtered those who tried to stop them and enslaving those capable of becoming their slaves.

Ever since the very first invasion, it became tradition for Shao Kahn and Ivy to view the onslaught through the hologram, making sure that everything was going according to plan. Both were usually quiet throughout the whole viewing.

Today, however, it was going to be different. The Emperor had that feeling, and he was delight over it. After taking over countless realms and merging many of them with Outworld, today was the day he was waiting for… the day when he would finally begin conquering Earthrealm.

Years ago, this was the realm that managed to prevent him from seeing his plans of universal domination to come into fruition. Now with all this new power, including the essence of Soul Edge, under his control and coursing through his veins, it had become much easier than ever for him to dominate the realms.

He had long waited for the day when Earth would be next. Now that day has finally come. And this time, he was going to make sure that the realm would finally merge with his. With that, the other realms still not under his control would easily fall to their knees.

A grin came over his face, his eyes glowing. "It has begun…"


	12. Chapter Eleven

_For months, rumors of an Earth invasion spread like wildfire across the globe. Some, learning from what happened in a previous attempted take-over by Outworld years ago, prepared themselves in any way they could. Many, however, chose to believe that the news was nothing more than a hoax._

_The people of Earth went on with life as normal no matter what they chose to believe. Then, out of nowhere, the sky above, even during a bright, sunny afternoon, darkened as though the sun's rays dimmed down. The wind picked up, blowing away everything loose in it's path. Electronic devices shut down due to the disturbance in the air from an unknown source, making contact with others almost impossible._

_If these hints weren't enough, the civil defense sirens that went off in major city areas should._

_From there, other sounds joined in. The yelling and screaming of people, the screeching of vehicles attempting to escape, blasting guns from those trying to defend themselves, the sneers of the enemies, the shattering of broken glass, the crashing sounds of buildings being destroyed, and the crunching sounds of broken bones from those who fell victim to the onslaught._

_Indeed, the invasion has finally begun, and those who originally called it a hoax find themselves regretting it. There would be many who will die or become enslaved, but there would be those who would make their escape… for now._

_~~~_

**Special Forces Base,** **Los Angeles, California**

It was an explosion that caught the attention of the soldiers on the base. Cyrax had been at a meeting concerning a drug gang when the loud blast was heard. Immediately, he and the others grabbed their guns and made their way outside.

By the time the cyborg stepped out of the building he was in, the civil defense siren went off. He knew immediately from that moment that the invasion, something talked about for months, had begun.

He barely had time to comprehend it when he noticed a swirling black hole in the sky. Cyrax immediately used his nano-technology to determine exactly what it was.

A soldier yelled next to him, "What the hell is that?"

Cyrax was almost shocked once his tests gave him the results. "Everyone get ready! It's a portal!"

As soon as he finished that statement, Outworld guards, Tarkatans, Shokans, Centaurians, and other creatures alike appeared out of the portal. They fell towards the base, their weapons out and ready to attack.

The Special Forces soldiers did not hesitate as they all began shooting at the enemies. Some died before they landed on the ground, but others managed to survive and began attacking as soon as they landed.

Cyrax decided to go after the forces and began heading towards them. Once he got a clear shot, he got on one foot before spinning himself around, his other leg extended out. He managed to hit a few guards before straightening himself back up. He then noticed a Shokan coming after him with a loud roar. Cyrax immediately opened up his chest and shot out a green net, which was large enough to cover the large beast and entangle it inside. This gave the other soldiers the chance to shoot it until it was dead.

For a while afterwards, the yellow cyborg continued to fight. That was until a Centaurian's tail swung around and managed to hit his torso. The force of it sent him flying over the battleground and back towards a parked truck with stack of wooden boxes on the street already. He then landed with a loud thud behind the boxes, out of view of the enemies for now.

"Owe…" Cyrax grumbled. Even as a cyborg, he still felt any pain inflicted upon him, though he imagined if would have been much worse if he was still fully human.

At least until he looked down at his right leg. One of his mechanical shin guards broke, exposing his leg, which now contained a deep gash that was bleeding. He had no idea how he managed to obtain that injury, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it.

"Nice to see you, buddy," a familiar voice said a few feet away. Cyrax looked up and noticed Jax positioned behind one of the boxes. One of his metal arms was extended forward, offering to help the cyborg up.

Cyrax grabbed his hand and pulled himself forward, managing to get himself in a sitting position, a machine gun still in his hand. "Good to see you too, Major," he said.

The two of them managed to gaze over the boxes and noted a Tarkatan coming after them. Immediately, they shot their guns until it fell a few feet in front of them, now dead.

Cyrax turned back to Jax and noted some minor burns on his chest and back. "What happened to you?" he asked.

Jax coughed a little from some debris that suddenly fell over them. "You know that explosion that was heard before the siren went off?"

Cyrax fired a few rounds at more enemies before answering. "Yeah?"

"Well," Jax proceeded. He shot more rounds as well before speaking again. "It was that bastard, Hsu Hao! I wasn't able to get any details, but my hunch is that he's got a part in this invasion!"

"You know… I'm not surprised. But the thing is, why didn't we see it coming?"

"He was good at betraying us, that's for sure," Jax mentioned. "He knew what he was doing. And when I find him, I'm going rip that motherfucker's heart out."

"I thought he didn't have one," Cyrax mentioned.

Jax stared at him. "You know what I mean!" He then looked around the area a little, keeping an eye out for more enemies. That was when he let out an ' _oomph!_ ' as someone hit him from behind. Cyrax could only watch as Jax and the other person stumbled to the ground.

The person soon turned on their back and Cyrax recognized them. "Alex! I was just wondering where you were."

"Ugh," Alex moaned as she and Jax sat up. "Don't worry about me, I'm just having fun being tossed around."

"Just keep your focus," Jax suggested. "Then, when-"

He was quickly cut off as another Shokan appeared behind them with a loud roar, making the three soldiers scream out in surprise. It was already close enough that Cyrax knew that they would barely have time to raise their guns at them. Using quick thinking, he opened up his chest compartment and a large saw emerged out of it. It stabbed into the Shokan's chest, cutting it up from the inside as it's screamed in agony. Blood and pieces of skin, muscles, and entrails splattered like rain on the three of them until Cyrax pulled the saw out of it. It stumbled back a few feet before collapsing on the ground, it's life draining from them.

"Nice one," Jax said as he wiped some blood off his face. "Messy, but nice."

"My pleasure," Cyrax replied. He then let out a small wince as he grabbed a hold of his injured leg, feeling a little more pain from it. Jax noted this and realized that Cyrax had to get out of here if he was going to survive.

"I need you two to get out of here!" he called out.

Alex looked at her superior with wide eyes. "Forgive the brief insubordination, Major, but... now?! At a time like this?!"

"There's two reasons for it; one, a couple of us need to get to the Rockies to meet up with the others, and there's a guarantee that won't happen if we all stick around. Two, Cyrax needs medical attention and it's not going to happen around here. That's an order!"

"And what about you?" Cyrax questioned.

"I'll meet up with you two as soon as it's over!" Jax fired more rounds before proceeding.

Alex got up and began helping Cyrax up, who helped himself as well knowing that she would struggle due to his heavy weight from his mechanics. Cyrax gazed at their surroundings, noting that some of the buildings were already destroyed.

Indeed, they had to be quick.

"My car's not too far," Alex mentioned. "Thank goodness I already had the keys on me when the whole thing started."

"Just stay in front of me while we try to get to your vehicle," Cyrax suggested.

"I have one more order for the both of you," Jax suddenly said. The two stared at him for a moment before he spoke. "If either of you happen to run into Hsu Hao at any time before I get to him… kill him on sight."

"With elation," Cyrax said almost proudly.

"What did he do?" Alex asked with confusion.

"I'll explain when we get in the car."

With that, Jax jumped up and fired his gun with a loud battle cry. This served as a distraction so that their enemies didn't notice Cyrax and Alex taking off towards the parking lot to make their escape.

~~~

**Tokyo, Japan**

It had started out as a normal day. Baek Doo San got his two students, Hwoarang and Seong Mi-na, up out of bed bright and early. In the hotel's gym, they trained in the Tae Kwan Do style for a couple of hours before enjoying a light breakfast.

The reason they were visiting Japan was because an old friend of Baek's invited him here. However, he didn't reveal what it was all about to his two young students. The friend would contact him once he was ready to meet him.

The call came some time after lunch. Baek invited Hwoarang and Mi-na along, but they were going to have to wait outside the room during the meeting.

At one point, Mi-na had the feeling that she should take her kwan do with her. When Baek asked her why, she replied, "Just in case… I just have this weird feeling…"

Then again, ever since she ran into Jin upon their arrival, she found herself more on her guard than usual. Mi-na felt that the Earth invasion could happen anytime.

"If you feel comfortable doing so, then by all means," Baek said. "But do be cautious when authorities are around. Here on Earth, they don't take too kindly to citizen carrying weapons unless they have authorization."

"I'll be careful," she nodded.

They were driven by taxi to the destination. However, after noting the darker skies, they only got as far as the middle of Eitai Bridge that crossed over the Sumida River.

That's when all hell broke loose.

While stuck in traffic, a Tarkatan managed to land on top of the hood of the taxi, the loud thud scaring everyone out of their wits. Then, it punched it's way through the windshield, it's blade extended out of it's forearm. The driver quickly put the car in park and attempted to get away, but the creature stabbed him though the upper chest. The tip of the blade went through the driver's seat and came just inches away from Mi-na's chest.

"Holy shit!" Hwoarang yelled out, shocked by what he just witnessed.

As the Tarkatan tried to pull away, Mi-na lifted up her kwan do. With lack of room for her to try to stab it, she gave it a good smack on it's head, leaving a gash near it's temple. It was stunned for a moment, giving Hwoarang the chance to jump forward and tackle it.

"Careful!" his master yelled out.

With Hworang on top, this placed the monster into a laying position, giving Mi-na the opportunity to sit up, get her weapon in position, and stab it right in the heart. It shivered for a moment before succumbing to death.

"What the hell is that thing?" Hwoarang asked disgustingly.

"It's a Tarkatan," Mi-na mentioned.

"A what?"

"They're a species from Outworld. They-"

That's when the three noted the commotion outside. The civil defense siren went off and people around them were attempting to make their escape as Tarkatans and other unknown species killed whoever crossed their path.

"Damn," Hwoarang found himself saying. "Looks like Kazama wasn't so loony after all."

"There's no time to dwell on that," Baek mentioned. "Right now, we need to find a way to get out of here."

"Where do you suggest we go?" Mi-na asked.

"I don't know, but-"

That's when the door to Mi-na's side of the car was literally ripped off and thrown to the side. She attempted to get her kwan do in position so that she could get rid of the next enemy, but the Shokan that managed to rip the door off quickly grabbed her by one of her ankles. The surprise forced her to lose her grip on her weapon as she let out a blood-curdling scream in terror.

Baek slid himself out of the car as Hwoarang struggled to straightened himself up so that he could get out too. Once Baek reached the Shokan, he performed a double punch to it's mid-section before lifting one leg to kick, then turned his body for a back-kick. The last attack focused the large Shokan to let go of Mi-na, who landed on the road with a thud. Baek then gave it another punch, performed the same kicks again, forcing it back.

Baek noted that his attacks had little effect on the Shokan and knew that it was going to take a lot more to defeat it. The Shokan let out a loud roar before charging itself at Baek again. Just before it reached him, Hwoarang jumped in and managed to kick it in the face, only forcing it to stumble back a little. Now with two in it's attention, the Shokan took on both master and student as they fought together against it.

Meanwhile, Mi-na managed to get herself up and grab her weapon just as a guard went after her, sword in hand. Their weapons collided and they fought sword to kwan do for a moment before Mi-na managed to knock the sword out of the guard's hand. As he was distracted, she kicked her leg up, hitting the guard under his chin. Before he had the chance to recover, she kicked back down, her heel landing on top of his head, the force sending him face flat on the pavement. The blow to his head rendered him unconscious.

"I won't be beaten so easily, you know," she said confidently.

Mi-na turned her head and noted the fight that went on with Baek, Hwoarang, and the Shokan. She began running towards them so that she could assist them. However, she only ran a few feet before she noted a much larger Shokan coming after them, one with skin patterns like a tiger.

"Leave them be," he ordered the other Shokan. The three looked on with confusion as the smaller Shokan glared at his commander.

"Kintaro, you said-"

"That's an order!" he demanded. "Move on and take care of the others!"

The Shokan seemed to be disappointed. "Yes, commander." He then ran off, leaving the four of them behind.

Once the subordinate was gone, Kintaro turned his attention to the three fighters and grinned. "Only a few minutes into the invasion, and already, I've found worthy fighters."

"What do you want from us?" Baek demanded. "And why do you come here?"

Kintaro sneered. "We've come simply to invade Earth, under the orders of the Outworld Emperor, Shao Kahn. As for you… the Emperor wishes for fighters like you to serve him under his rule. I've watched you three fight, you are indeed worthy to join the Outworld Forces."

"Over my dead body!" Hwoarang yelled out.

The Shokan let out another sneer before replying. "I'm afraid even death won't save you. Do you sense the energy in the air? That's part of the Emperor's powers. The moment of your death, your own soul will belong to him for eternity."

"In that case," the young man began. "Then there's only one other choice!" With that, Hwoarang ran over to Kintaro, prepared to fight him.

"Hwoarang, NO!" Baek yelled out. However, his words never reached his student. Hwoarang attempted a jump kick, but Kintaro used his two right arms to swat him away as though he was nothing more than a fly. The hit sent him flying a few feet away before crashing to the ground, leaving some cuts on him.

In anger, Baek jumped in and attacked Kintaro. He only managed a few punches and kicks before the Shokan managed to grab him by both hands. Using all of his strength, Baek attempted to overpower him, and he noted that Kintaro was trying to do the same.

Baek turned to Hwoarang as Mi-na ran over to help him up. "You two!" he called out. "Get out of here while you can!"

"I'm not leaving without you, Master!" Hwoarang yelled out in frustration.

"GO!" Baek demanded. "I'll catch up as soon as I'm done here!"

His two students were hesitant at first. Then, Baek yelled at them again. This time, it was with such command that the two eventually found themselves running without thinking about it.

Hwoarang ran ahead of Mi-na, and he did so for a few yards. Then, realizing what he was doing, the red-head stopped in his tracks and turned around. As soon as he saw the scene in front of him, he wish he hadn't done so…

Kintaro managed to overpower Baek. He then quickly lifted him up by the neck. Hwoarang wondered whether or not the Shokan would attempt to break his neck. Before he could determine that, Kintaro quickly tossed him away. The toss sent Baek over the edge of the bridge and he began falling towards the river, his screams reaching his students' ears. Realizing how far he went, Kintaro jumped off the bridge to go after Baek.

"MASTER!" Hwoarang screamed out. He attempted to run towards the area he fell over, but Mi-na grabbed him after he barely took a few steps forward.

"Let go of me!" he yelled out as he frantically struggled under the young woman's grip. He turned himself around and attempted to push her away. "I said let-"

Quickly, Mi-na slapped Hwoarang across the face, forcing the Korean to calm himself down. He looked down at her in anger, and she was doing the same as she gazed up at him.

"You need to stay focus!" she demanded. "Master Baek would have wanted us to!"

Hwoarang was about to say something, pissed that she would say that. That's when he noted the tears threatening to escape her brown eyes, and he realized that she was just as upset as he was over what just happened to Baek.

After all, Baek was the one who took in two lost people when they both had nowhere else to go…

Hwoarang took a deep breath before scanning around the area. He soon noted the familiar sounds of a running motorcycle and he eventually spotted on about fifty feet away. It was on it's side, still running, with it's driver dead a few yards away…

"Get your weapon," Hwoarang suggested. "I have an escape plan."

Without saying a word, Mi-na grabbed a hold of her kwan do before following Hwoarang to the motorcycle. Once they reached it, he carefully turned it right side up before swinging a leg over to sit down.

"Hop on behind me," he said.

Mi-na, being from the realm of Keisei, was confused by this vehicle. She had seen them on the roads in South Korea, but never actually rode one. However, she knew she didn't have time to dwell on it, so she got herself on. She kept her kwan do in one hand while her other arm wrapped around Hwoarang's waist.

"Where are we going?" Mi-na asked.

"I'm going to try to get us out of Tokyo," Hwoarang answered. "After that, I'm not sure. If anyone goes near us, kill them."

Once he finished, he geared up the motorcycle before speeding away.

~~~

**London, England**

The sun had only been up for a couple of hours when Nina woke up to a loud commotion outside. There were a lot of yelling, screaming, and crashing sounds and, at first, Nina thought that some sort of riot broke out on the streets.

Her eyes suddenly went wide as a thought came to her. _Maybe someone else managed to get to Steve before I did._

Wearing only a white t-shirt and black panties as her pajamas, Nina got herself out of bed before walking over to the window. She slightly pushed the curtain aside, taking a peak at a sight she didn't expect to see.

Various demons and other beasts ran around the street below, the citizens screaming and running in terror in hopes of getting away from them. A few cars were already smashed in, windows from other buildings were broken, and people laid dead on the pavement, their bodies in a pool of their own blood.

Nina's blue eyes widened at the sight, though she remained her composure. She had heard rumors of an invasion, but she never took it seriously. Then again, in her point of view, she didn't really hear much about it since she was too focused on her job.

One thing was for sure… the assassin knew that she had to get the hell out of here if she wanted to live.

Getting to her suitcase after shedding her shirt, she quickly slipped into a dark purple, one-piece leather suit that contained a circled silver zipper on the torso and a collar at the neck. She then slipped on a pair of white boots and black gloves before placing purple sunglasses over her eyes.

Just as she grabbed her gun, both of the windows in her room smashed in, sending shards of glass flying in different directions. Nina shielded her face from the glass with her arms.

Upon looking up, she noticed two Tarkatans inside. They ran towards her, ready to fight. Nina quickly shot one in the forehead, but the other kicked the weapon out of her hands right after that.

It attempted to punch her in the face, but Nina managed to duck in time before kicking her leg upward, her foot land under it's chin. The force of the kick sent it flying up the air, giving Nina the time to straighten herself up. Before the Tarkatan was able to land back on the ground, she gave it another forward kick with enough strength to send it flying back out the window, it's screams being heard before crashing on the street below.

Nina picked up her gun, knowing that she had to be careful when using it since there were now only five bullets left. Quickly, she jumped through one of the broken windows, landing on a platform that served as a fire escape. She then climbed down the ladders until she reached the last platform, jumping off it before landing on the sidewalk.

She barely took a step before a voice behind her spoke. "We finally meet again!"

Nina didn't even have to turn around to see who it was. A small smirk appeared on her face. "It didn't take you very long to find me. How did you manage that?"

"For one thing, you have a bad habit of using the same alias whenever you are on one of your assassination missions. Secondly, whenever we plan an invasion, we always send scouts out to determine where it's best to strike first. I personally sent a couple of people to watch and follow you wherever you went. This way, when the time came, I knew exactly where you were."

Nina raised an eyebrow as she turned around to face the one person she hated more than anything. Just a few feet away, wearing a long red dress, was her sister Anna.

"You're getting good, I must admit," Nina replied. "However, it won't be enough to save you. Invasion or no invasion, I intend to kill you."

Anna grinned sadistically. "I seem to recall you hesitating in our last encounter. That nearly cost you, didn't it? Perhaps-"

Done with talking, Nina quickly raised her gun. Anna noted this in time and managed to duck out of the way as Nina shot a couple of bullets at her.

"Why don't you put your little toy away?" Anna suggested. "Let's fight hand to hand, the good old fashion way."

"Hmph," Nina huffed as she put her gun away in a holster around her right leg. "If that's what you want, fine then."

Anna straightened herself up. "That's what I was hoping for."

Quickly, the younger sister jumped on the hood of car before leaping towards Nina, her leg extended out. Nina waited until she was close enough to grab hold of her ankle, spinning halfway before letting go. Anna screamed as she found herself flying backwards until she smashed into a brick wall, then fell on her side on the pavement.

Nina didn't hesitate as she ran towards Anna, ready for more attacks. Anna managed to shake off the pain in her body, kicking Nina in the shins with both her feet once the blonde reached her. Nina let out a surprised gasp as she fell forward from the impact. Before Anna could land a kick to her face, Nina managed to roll away in time.

Both sisters got themselves on their feet at the same time before charging towards each other. Nina managed to throw the first punch, which Anna immediately blocked with her forearm.

For a few seconds, the sisters exchanged hand to hand moves, both of them hoping to overcome the other. At one point, Nina managed to duck under a punch, giving her the chance to perform a sweep kick, sending Anna crashing to the ground once again.

Before Anna had the chance to get up, Nina quickly grabbed her by her right leg before standing up. Once back on her feet, Nina twisted Anna's leg, sending a sharp pain through her limb.

As Nina focused on breaking her leg, Anna reached for the slit of her dress, grabbing on to a small knife concealed in a belt that wrapped around her thigh. Before Nina had the chance to realize what she was doing, Anna threw the knife, which embedded itself into her right arm.

Nina winced in pain as she was forced to let go of her grip on Anna. The brunette rolled back to give herself room before getting back on her feet. As Nina pulled the knife out of her arm, Anna quickly tackled her to the ground, her hands around her throat.

Nina grabbed a hold of Anna's wrists, trying to pry her hands away from her neck. As she did, the blond happened to look at her sister's face. She was still the same as ever, but upon peering into her eyes, Nina realized, in the back of her mind, that there was something a little different about Anna. It wasn't determination, that she knew, but it was something else she couldn't pinpoint… something dark…

Had Anna's time in Outworld affected her in any sort of way?

Nina found herself smirking. "You're too good for this Outworld business," she said. "Wouldn't you rather go solo again, as you always had?"

Anna gritted her teeth in anger. "You never cared before! Why should you now? Besides, it no longer matters. I'll soon have the satisfaction of killing you! And then, I'll take great pleasure in knowing that your soul will be forced to serve Shao Kahn for the rest of eternity!"

Nina's eyes slightly widened as Shao Kahn's name. Last she heard, the Emperor of Outworld was dead. How was he alive? Or were the rumors false after all?

Before Nina could comprehend what she just heard, she suddenly noted a foot connecting to Anna's face, the force of it making her leg go of Nina as she flew a few feet away before stopping.

Nina hadn't noticed before, but at some point of the fight, her gun fell out of it's holster and onto the ground. She realized this too late as Anna reached for the weapon.

The brunette managed to grab hold of the weapon, but she was suddenly forced to roll away as another gun shot bullets at her. Anna scowled at her new predicament, not liking the new odds.

"Let me know the next time you don't have any allies nearby!" she yelled out. "When you're ready, I'll be waiting!" With that, Anna ran off and disappeared into the sea of the war.

"You all right, mate?" a voice said above Nina. The blonde gazed up. Upon recognizing another chosen one she knew, Cammy White, Nina could've sworn she felt her blood boil in her veins.

Cammy had her hand extended out to help Nina up on her feet. However, Nina ended up smacking her hand away, getting herself up as she spoke. "I don't need you or anyone else to help me!"

Cammy was taken aback by her outburst. "I'm sorry, I was only trying to help."

Nina folded her arms. "Well, don't. I take care of my own business."

Nearby, Lita Luwanda listened to what Nina said. "You know, I don't think-" She suddenly noticed a guard coming after her, and when it was close enough, she used the butt of her machine gun to smash the guard in the face, knocking him onto the ground unconscious. "-I don't think you should be 'taking care of your own business' at a time like this!"

Also with them was Juni, who happened to have a spare gun with her, walked up to Nina and gave it to her. "I think you'll need this."

Nina stared at the gun for a moment before taking it into her hand. "Thanks…" she mumbled.

"Let's get going," Lita suggested as she ran forward.

Throughout the conversation, Nina didn't noticed a fourth person with them. Once Cammy, Lita, and Juni ran ahead, Nina got a glimpse of someone she didn't expect to see. Standing a few feet away was her intended target, Steve Fox!

Steve noted the strange woman staring at him and the two looked at each other for a moment in silence. Soon, a small smile appeared on Steve's face. "Well, let's get going. I don't think we'll survive just standing around."

Nina found herself nodding. "Yeah…"

As Steve ran off, Nina briefly thought of shooting him right then and there, but quickly changed her mind. She realized how lucky Steve just got. Even if she did go through with it, there was a chance that she wouldn't get the rest of her money from her client any time soon.

Whether or not she would assassinate him later on was the question.

As she ran into the battle nearby, Nina hoped to find Anna along the way…

~~~

**Russia - Unknown Area**

The gang that occupied the lone facility had expected intruders to come in at any time. They were always prepared to face them, no matter who they were and what skills they possessed.

However, no one ever expected it when their facility was suddenly invaded by various demons and creatures, unaware than an invasion had begun.

From his cell, Raven heard the screams of the men guarding the chamber he was held in. He raised an eyebrow, wondering what the commotion was about.

Suddenly, the heavy door to his cell was ripped off it's hinges. Raven looked up in time to see a Tarkatan tossing the door away before making it's way in.

Not wasting any more time, Raven ran towards the Tarkatan before jumping up and delivering a double kick to it's face. The impact sent the demon flying out of the cell before landing on the ground.

The Tarkatan quickly got up, extending it's blades out of it's forearms. It then ran towards Raven, who jumped over it before landing behind him. Before the Tarkatan could face him again, Raven quickly grabbed it's head and twisted it in a certain direction. A loud _snap!_ was heard as it's neck broke, killing it instantly. He then let go, letting it's limp body fall like a rag doll.

A loud crash was heard within another cell. Raven noted that the nearby cell's door was also broken, and he ran over to it see what was going on.

Inside, Sergei Dragunov already took care of business. He held another dead Tarkatan by it's neck, blood seeping out in between it's razor-sharp teeth and one of it's blades broken in half. Dragunov stared at the mutant for a moment without any emotion before unraveling his hand, dropping the corpse to the floor.

Dragunov noticed Raven right after that, and the two stared at each other for a moment. That's when they heard more commotions. Raven turned his head and noticed some men dressed in gray robes, each with fox-like masks over their faces.

Raven immediately recognized them as Outworld guards that were around during The Blood Tournament. The agent realized, from that moment, that the rumored invasion was now actually happening.

Both Raven and Dragunov ran towards the guards, fighting each one of them with ease. They never showed mercy to any of them, leaving them either dead or knocked out once they were done with them.

The two fought their way through the various guards and demons, mainly in hopes of getting themselves out of the building. At one point, Raven noted that a fire broken out in one section and knew that they had to get out as soon as possible. Halfway through, they were starting to get somewhat tired, consumed by the smoke the fire emitted, but neither one of them were ready to give in.

After what seemed like an eternity, Raven and Dragunov finally made it out of the facility, running passed the red blood that stained the snow and the dead bodies that were nearby.

Raven was just about to reach for a button on a small control device that would summon his jet to him. Just as he got a grip on the device, the building was suddenly engulfed in flames as an explosion occurred. A shock wave from the blast sent the two of them flying forward as debris rained around them.

Once they crashed into the snow, Raven and Dragunov were rendered unconscious…

~~~

**Tokyo, Japan**

It was a few minutes after Ryu sent his email to Ken when the screens on the computers started to go fuzzy. Then, moments later, they all went black. The other people inside were pissed over losing their internet access.

"What's that about?" Ryu asked Jin, who sat next to him.

Jin shrugged. "I guess they're having power issues."

Ryu looked up at the ceiling before turning his attention back to Jin. "One problem… if there's a power issue, why are the lights still on?"

Jin noted this as well. Before he could say anything, he suddenly felt a dark energy in the air. He straightened himself up, trying to get a feel of what it was.

"You sense that?" Ryu asked him.

Jin nodded. "Yeah."

Suddenly, one of the windows shattered as a person crashed through it. Everyone immediately jumped up in panic, wondering what the heck just happened.

Ryu and Jin ran to the person who crashed in. Once they reached him, Jin turned him over to his back, his eyes widened as he noted that his throat was cut so deep it nearly decapitated him.

"Oh my God!" someone nearby shrieked as they noted the dead person.

Ryu gazed over at the broken window just as two Tarkatans jumped inside. Naturally, the other people around them began running away, screaming in fear for their lives. Jin straightened himself up as he noted the Tarkatans making themselves welcomed.

Ryu quickly gathered some energy into his hands and waited until one Tarkatan was close enough…

" _Hadouken!_ " he yelled as he shot his arms out forward. A large, blue projectile shaped like a ball emerged from his hands and hitting the Tarkatan square in the chest. The demon flew back a few feet before crashing into a table full of computers, breaking everything in it's path.

Jin raised his arms in front of them, each hand glowing red as he waited for the other Tarkatan to reach him. Once it did, it swung it's blade at Jin, who ducked under immediately before delivering a blow to the mutant's stomach. The force of it sent it flying backwards, crashing into the other Tarkatan who just finished getting up. Jin watched as the two tumbled out another window, shattering it along the way.

Jin and Ryu quickly ran out of the café just as the civil defense siren went off. They only took a few steps before stopping at the sight before them.

Citizens ran around in panic, trying to get away from the various demons and guards of Outworld as they wreaked havoc in their path. The sky was noticeably darker for an afternoon, and the blowing wind was strong.

Ryu found himself frowning. "It looks like we're too late…"

Jin sighed. "We can't dwell on that right now. The best we can do is fight as much as possible until it's over."

"If it does end," Ryu said. A thought came to him right after he said that. "I seem to recall, from Ken right after we got back from Outworld, that the guys over in the US were going to make a fort to hide out in so that it gave them time to retaliate." He suddenly felt foolish. "Heh, why didn't we get together on that one?"

A thought came to Jin at that moment. He turned to Ryu. "I know a place we can go. It's a long drive, but the area makes it hard for our enemies to find us easily."

Ryu nodded. "I just hope we can find some of our allies along the way."

"I hope so too," Jin agreed. He turned back to the battles on the streets. "But right now…"

He trailed off his sentence as more Tarkatans ran towards them. Their blades were extended out, their battle cries heard as they got closer to them.

Ryu and Jin immediately got into their fighting stances, ready to do battle.

~~~

**Los Angeles, California**

It was easy for Guile to drive the van out of his home in Pasadena. However, the closer he got to Los Angeles, the more difficult it was for him get in to the city while trying to avoid cars rushing to get out.

"Wagner just _had_ to live in the Montecito Heights neighborhood," Guile mumbled.

"Like he knew the invasion would happen right away," his wife Jane said, almost rolling her eyes. "Besides, you offered to pick him and Juli up."

"I know I know," Guile replied with a sigh. "I just want to get you all safely to the Rockies."

Sitting in the back clutching her teddy bear, their daughter Amy sensed how anxious her parents were. For a while before all of this, they talked to her about going to the Rockies. She had asked why, but they never answered her, only telling her that things would be all right.

Now that they were actually going, Amy realized that, whatever the reason, it was definitely not good. The siren that went off scared her into tears, but she did her best to control them. She was still in her nightgown since they rushed out the door, but her mother had packed her regular clothes in a small backpack for her.

"Mommy," she began to say. "How far are the Rockies?"

Jane turned to her daughter and smiled. "It's a little bit of a drive, but we'll be there before you know it."

"Here we go!" Guile called out as he finally reached the freeway exit that would take him straight to Wagner's apartment. "Finally got off. Just hope it's that easy when we leave."

Jane looked at the opposite traffic and saw that it was crowded. Sure, Los Angeles was practically famous for their heavy traffic, but this was way beyond exaggeration.

"I think we should try to take streets after we pick them up," Jane suggested. "I have a hunch that it's going to get us out of here faster."

Guile nodded. "I'll give it a try and see what happens."

It wasn't too long before the van finally reached the apartment building Wagner lived in. He expected the younger man and Juli to be outside and ready, but to Guile's dismay, he wasn't.

"Damn," he grumbled.

Guile began to reach for his cell phone, but before he was even able to touch it, the side van window right behind him was suddenly smashed in. Hearing Amy's screams, Guile turned his head and gasped in horror as a demon with rotting gray skin managed to reach in and grab his daughter by her wrist.

"AMY!" Jane screamed out as she grabbed her daughter's ankles, trying to pull her back in.

Guile immediately opened his door and jumped out before landing a powerful punch to the demon's face. The move forced the demon to let go of Amy, stumbling back. This gave Guile the opportunity to grab it's head before twisting it at a certain angle, breaking it's neck.

Just as he finished, another smash was heard and his heart jumped to his throat as he heard Jane's screams. He whirled around and noted a Tarkatan with it's arms around her trying to pull her out of the car.

"JANE!" Guile yelled. He began to run to her, but before he could reach her…

" _Ultra Disc_ _!_ " he heard someone yell out before a yellow disc-like projectile hit the Tarkatan's back. It let go of Jane before turning around to face Wagner.

It began to go after Wagner, but while it was distracted, it gave Juli the chance to jump up and get herself on a hand stand above the mutant, her hands on it's shoulders. Grabbing on to it's shirt, she twisted herself around, breaking it's neck along the way before moving back down on her feet. She then threw the now-dead Tarkatan over her head, tossing it a few yards away on the street.

This gave Guile the chance to get to Jane, who was struggling to get back in the car after being pulled halfway out. He grabbed her arms and managed to help her out, feeling her shaking after her near encounter with death.

"Are you okay?" he asked concerned. He frowned more as he heard Amy crying in the back seat.

"I'm all right," Jane said. "I'm going to move to the back to be with Amy."

Guile nodded as Jane opened the car door and stepped out before opening the sliding back door to sit with Amy. Once she was in Jane, gripped her daughter close to her as Amy cried in her arms.

"You got here right on time," Wagner said as he and Juli met with Guile. "Those were the first guys we noticed."

Guile wiped some sweat from his own forehead. "It's a bit too quiet around here other than that."

"Everyone on the block got themselves out of here once the siren went off," Juli mentioned. "Scott and I are the only ones left here."

"Let's get out of here," Guile suggested as he returned to the driver's seat. Juli sat in the back with Jane and Amy while Wagner sat in the front passenger seat. Once the doors were closed, Guile put the car on drive and began heading out.

"We're going to take streets for a little bit," Guile announced. "The traffic on the freeways going out of LA were not good."

"That's a good idea," Juli said.

Guile turned his attention to Wagner. "Were you able to get in contact with Cammy and Lisa?"

Wagner shook his head. "I tried, but it looks like every electronic device went out. The computers and TV's went black, the phones stopped working, and none of us can get a signal on our cells. I lost the signal right after I got off the phone with you."

"Did you want to try to get to Lisa before we head out?" Guile asked.

Wagner was quiet for a moment. Lisa's apartment was in the Hollywood Hills area, which was a bit of a drive away. And knowing that getting out of LA was going to be hard…

In his heart, Wagner knew that he wanted to try to find his sister. However, he remembered a previous conversation they shared, and he found himself sighing.

"We made a promise to each other not too long ago," he replied. "If we weren't with each other when the invasion begins, neither one of us were going to try to find each other. Rather, we would meet at the Rockies when we got the chance." He lowered his head. "I hate to do it… but she'd hate me if I broke my promise…"

"Are you sure?"

Wagner reluctantly nodded. "I'm sure…"

"She's a strong girl," Guile said. "I'm confident that she'll be okay, no matter what happens. Speaking of promises…" He took a deep breath. "I need you to do me a favor."

Wagner lifted his head up, gazing at his mentor. "And that is…?"

"… If anything… happens… I want you to get the girls out of here. No matter what happens, don't stop for anything, just focus on getting them to the Rockies. That's an order."

Wagner found himself looking out the window, noting a fireball in the distance. He suddenly felt a sick feeling in his stomach, not liking what Guile asked him to do. He began to have a bad feeling about this whole thing…

Only one word came out of his lips. "Understood."

~~~

**Another Part of Los Angeles, California**

After failing to find Julia Chang for the evening, Sagat decided to take a walk around the area, perhaps maybe stop at a local bar for a drink. Wearing his black eye patch over his right eye, he also wore black sweatpants with a green strip running down each leg and around his waist, a black windbreaker jacket, and his feet and hands were covered with white tape, more or so just in case he found himself in a brawl.

Little did he realize that his own instincts were correct…

It was an explosion about a little over a mile away that caught Sagat's attention. For a moment, he wondered what caused the blast. That's when the siren went off.

Sagat looked up into the sky. "Sounds like something big is going on."

It didn't occur to him that the invasion was beginning until he suddenly saw a black swirl form in the sky. He couldn't figure out exactly what it was… until the familiar demons and guards emerged from them, falling to the ground ready to attack.

Immediately, the other pedestrians began screaming and running in different directions, trying to get away from their attackers. Instead, Sagat stood where he was, wondering in the back of his mind if any of them were aware of his presence. If so, were they also assigned to assassinate him for his decision to leave the Outworld Forces?

Either way, Sagat was ready to fight.

However, before any of them reached him, Sagat noticed a red Porsche convertible trying to drive around the running pedestrians and other cars that got in the way. He raised an eyebrow as he realized that something about the two people in the car seemed… familiar.

Meanwhile, Ken Masters' earlier attempt at getting himself back on the freeway failed as a crowd of drivers ended up having the same idea he did. He realized that getting to Eliza and Mel now would be faster if he took streets. In the back of his mind, Ken prayed as hard as he could, hoping that nothing happened to his family.

Then, at one point, Ken was forced to stop his car as a group of people ran in front of him. As he honked his horn, Julia turned her head before calling out a name he never expected to hear.

"Sagat!"

Ken's eyes widened at the name, and he turned in time to see the familiar tall figure approaching the car.

Sagat had been confused by the name calling him, so he walked over to the vehicle. Upon closer inspection, his one eye widened in surprise, not believing who he was seeing. Sitting there was Julia Chang, the person he was looking for. And there at the driver seat was Ken Masters himself.

 _She_ was _here to visit him_ _,_ he thought to himself.

Julia pointed to the empty back seat. "Get in!" she offered.

Ken, on the other hand, had another idea in mind. "Wait a minute." He eyed Sagat. "You used to work for Shadaloo. How-"

"If you think I'm working with these goons, you got it all wrong." Sagat said this as he got into the car. He was grateful that it was a convertible as it accommodated his large height, even though the space between the two front seats and the back would prove to be uncomfortable for his long legs. "I'll explain on the way out of here. If you still don't believe me, you are more than welcome to throw me out of your car."

Ken was only silent as he waited until Sagat was seated. Once he got an opening, he sped his way through the street, not waiting for anyone else to jump in front of him.

Julia turned her head to the Muay Thai fighter. "What brings you all the way to the States?"

"Business," Sagat answered. "Ever since I got back from Outworld, I've been working with the military in helping them resolving mysteries that Shadaloo caused in the past. This is in exchange for prison time for my own crimes."

"I'm guessing you have something to tie up around here," Julia guessed.

Sagat found himself gazing up at the dark sky. "Yeah… you could say that."

"I'm curious," Ken suddenly spoke. "Where are Vega and Balrog?"

Sagat sighed, not expecting the question. "As far as I know, Vega's still in Outworld. As for Balrog, I haven't seen him since Shadaloo fell to it's knees. I can only guess that he's in hiding to avoid punishment for his crimes… if he wasn't kill beforehand."

"I see."

Another explosion was seen and Sagat found himself gazing at the fireball. "So, assuming you two are trying to get out of LA, where are you going?"

"We're going to the Rocky Mountains east from here," Julia replied. "Some of us from the tournament are meeting up there in hopes to hatch a plan against Outworld while keeping ourselves safe."

Sagat raised an eyebrow. In a way, he felt as though fate had brought him here. After all, he was the one who worked under Shao Kahn for a short time. He would be the one to know what could go on behind the scenes. Meeting up with Julia and Ken suddenly seemed like more than a coincidence.

Either way, he was willing to help in their cause.

"First thing's first," Ken began. "We're not leaving until I have my wife and son safely in the car. Once that's done, we'll head east. You willing to go?"

Sagat nodded without hesitating. "Just lead the way."

~~~

**Hong Kong, China**

It all seemed to happen so quickly. One minute, Chun Li and Lei were sitting outside at the park having a late lunch together. Both had a long day at the office and had decided to go on their lunch break at the same time. They had found themselves trying to figure out their wedding date.

That's when the skies grew darker and the wind picked up. Moments later, Chun Li happened to look up and notice a large, black swirl about twenty feet up in the sky not too far from them.

Then, the various demons she and Lei remembered from their time in Outworld fell out of the black swirl and began their descent to Earth. Those who witnessed it immediately panicked and ran off in order to save themselves.

Chun Li and Lei stood up from the bench, their eyes widened by the sight. All along, the two believed that the invasion would happen, and they tried all they could to convince Interpol. However, their words fell on death ears, and they could only imagine how much their superiors were regretting it right now.

"I was wondering when it was going to start," Lei said out loud.

Chun Li took a deep breath. By then, two guards managed to reach them. The couple lifted their own leg up and landed a kick on the guards' faces, sending them flying a few feet back.

More guards came after them, and the two of them lept forward, ready to attack. They were both able to take each one on with ease almost as though they were nothing. Lei was a little surprised by this, wondering if they were only the expendable ones to the Emperor… and perhaps the real fighter laid further ahead.

They continued to fight until they managed to get out of the park. This gave them the chance to see more of the chaos, and Chun Li gasped in horror at the bloody sight before her…

"This is worse than I thought…" Lei found himself saying.

A thought came to Chun Li. "Lei… is there's anyway we can try to get to Master Gen's old restaurant? I need to get to Yun and Yang… I promised at Gen's grave that I would look out for them."

Lei nodded, knowing how important this was to her. "We'll give it a shot."

Lei reached into his pocket and grabbed a small set of keys. Chun Li noted this. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to try to get to my car, it's not too far from here," Lei said. "You going to be all right?"

Chun Li nodded. "I think I can take care of myself okay."

"I know you will." Lei quickly kissed her forehead before turning around and ran off.

That's when Chun Li heard running footsteps from behind her. Realizing that someone was ready to fight, she quickly side-stepped, forcing her attacker to stumble pass her. She noticed the figure had red hair, holding a pair of knives in their hands.

"Knives, huh?" Chun Li muttered as she got into a fight stance. "This ought to be-"

She suddenly found herself gasping as her attacker turned to her. Chun Li instantly recognized Kira!

"Good move," Kira said with a small smirk. "But that was only luck. Next time I come near you, you won't be so lucky."

"You!" Chun Li called out, pointing a finger at her. "You're Kira. You're wanted by the FBI."

Kira shrugged at the information as though it was nothing. "What about it?"

Chun Li was almost shocked by how much the woman didn't care. Obviously, she had enough fair share of crimes and killing that she turned out this way.

The Interpol agent got back in her fighting stance. "What about it? Not only are you wanted for smuggling, illegal sales of weapons, and murder… you also happened to kill my comrade six months ago!"

Kira briefly thought back on what happened six months ago. Her smirk widened upon realizing who Chun Li was talking about. "You mean to tell me that you knew Sonya Blade? Hmph, I'll admit, she was tough. What a shame… she fell right into my trap and she paid with her life. I imagine her soul is now under Shao Kahn's enslavement. Or maybe-"

"Enough talk!" Chun Li yelled out. "It's time that you paid for your crimes, and I'm going to make sure of that!"

Kira raised her knives. "I'd like to see you try!"

From there, the two woman charged towards each other, prepared for their own battle…

~~~

**Kerala, India**

Dhalsim knew that the invasion had begun long before the Outworld Forces showed up. His main priority, before their arrival, was to get his family and the villagers in a safe place.

Long ago, his ancestors built an underground cellar with their own hands, which served to protect the villagers in any emergency. It was already stocked with canned food and there was running water going in the cellar so that they wouldn't go hungry for however long they would be in there.

As he help the villagers into the cellar, Dhalsim made a difficult decision, one that he didn't reveal until only he, his wife, and his son were left standing outside. Dhalsim gazed at his family, a frown appearing on his face.

"Is something wrong, dear?" Sally asked him, feeling worried.

Dhalsim sighed. "I cannot promise that all will be well. Mankind can only do what they can. But please, try to be brave." He took another deep breath. "I also came to a decision. Someone needs to lock the cellar from the outside… and I'm the only one who knows how to fight-"

"NO!" Sally cried out as she embraced her husband. "Don't put yourself in danger!"

"Who else is going to protect the rest of you?" Dhalsim wrapped his arms around his wife.

"Promise me you'll live through this attack?" By then, Sally was fighting the tears that stung her eyes.

"I promise, dear. I'll be all right."

By then, their son Datta joined in on the embrace. The three of them were like this for a little bit before Dhalsim pulled away.

"I'll come for you as soon as it's safe," Dhalsim promised.

Sally forced herself to pull away, taking Datta by his hand. Datta looked up at his father for a moment, a worried look on his face, before he was led by his mother into the cellar. Once they were inside, Dhalsim closed the door to the cellar, locking it before covering it with loose grass.

That's when he heard footsteps nearby. Dhalsim shifted his eyes and noticed five Outworld guards approaching the village. They walked in casually since all was quiet around them.

"Why did the Emperor send us to this village?" one guard said. "I thought we were focusing on major cities right now."

"You forgot already?" one replied, seemingly annoyed. "Apparently, some psychic lives here who's aware of what's going on. And Shao Kahn wants him dead."

Dhalsim raised an eyebrow after hearing this. _Looks like Shao Kahn knows of my existence…_

Dhalsim stood where he was until the guards noticed him. They stopped in their tracks, suddenly unsure of what to do.

"Is that the psychic?" one asked.

"Doesn't look like it to me," another answered. "Looks more like your ordinary villager."

A third lifted his weapon. "I don't think he'll pose a problem. Let's kill him!"

The guards charged after him. Dhalsim only stood there, waiting for the right moment.

When the guards were only thirty feet away, Dhalsim extended his arms out, his fists clenched as the two limbs stretched out rapidly. His fists managed to connect at two of the guards' faces, knocking them onto the grass.

The other three looked down at their comrades, their eyes widened in shock. "What the hell?" one yelled out. He gazed back up at Dhalsim. "How the hell did he do that?"

"Who cares!" another exclaimed. "He'll be dead before he knows it!"

He charged after Dhalsim, who took a moment to summon his fire breathing skills and, when the guard was close enough, he took in a deep inhale before exhaling a large fire out of his mouth, seeing the guard on fire.

The other two, though now intimidated, charged towards Dhalsim. When they were close enough, Dhalsim gave them both a few punches and kicks with ease, rendering them both unconscious.

Just as he finished, Dhalsim noticed ten more guards coming his way! It was expected, but either way, Dhalsim was willing to take them on in order to protect his village.

Each one came after him and, for a while, Dhalsim took them down easily. However, as he fought, he began to realize that the guards began to grow in higher numbers…

Dhalsim fought with all he could, but the more he did, the more he came to realize how overwhelmed he was. At one point, he wondered if he was going to live through this.

Suddenly, he felt a hard blow to the back of his head. The yoga master fell forward, landing face first into the grass. He tried with all his might to get himself back up, but it was as though a huge weight was on top of him and he couldn't get himself up again…

The last thing he saw before his whole world went black was seeing the guards running around the village, and seeing them beginning to ignite the homes in flames…


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Metro City, USA**

It was supposed be an evening of fights. Of course, Cody and Kyle Travers thought it would be the usual underground fights, their one way of trying to make a living. Instead, the evening of fights they would be faced with was not what they had expected... not even close.

Cody always believed that the invasion would happen. As a matter of fact, he thought he would welcome the opportunity some time ago. It would be a chance for him to reunite with Guy in hopes of freeing him from the brainwash that was inflicted on him.

Although the older Travers expected the onslaught, it still caught him by surprise the moment it all began.

He and Kyle were on their way to attend the fights when, while near Metro City Park, the two of them and a bunch of other civilians around them witnessed a black swirl that developed some twenty feet above them. No one was sure what it was at first… until hordes of demons and creatures somewhat familiar to Cody (since he's been in Outworld) fell through the hole and towards the now-panicked people.

"Holy crap!" Kyle exclaimed, his eyes widened in surprise. "What kind of shit is this?"

Cody cracked his knuckles. "I get the feeling Outworld is finally making themselves at home."

The brothers weren't too far from where the portal formed, so it didn't take too long for the Outworld Forces to reach them. A guard who reached Cody attempted to stab him with a kwan do, but he managed to sidestep. He let the blade go passed him before grabbed the staff portion of the weapon, breaking off the blade like a twig.

The guard was caught by surprise, not expecting anyone to fight back so easily just yet. While he was distracted, Cody landed a kick on the side of the guard's head, sending him flying a few feet away. Just then, Cody noticed another guard coming after him, wielding a pair of sais. When he was about ten feet away, Cody swiftly threw the blade he had broken off a moment ago, the weapon embedding itself into the guard's chest, killing him.

Meanwhile, another guard reached Kyle, who managed to kick away the sword the guard was holding. The younger Travers landed a couple of punches on the guard's face before delivering an uppercut that sent up rising a few feet up. When he started to go back down, Kyle gave him a roundhouse kick in the midsection. The force sent the guard airborne a few yards before crashing into a group of garbage cans.

For a while, Cody and Kyle fought whoever came their way, granting none of them any mercy. However, the longer they fought, the more they were coming to realize that they were fighting a losing battle. They were owning their enemies now, but what about later when they lose their momentum?

After taking down another guard, Kyle got the chance to look at their surroundings. His eyes widened at the carnage that was going on around them… people were screaming and trying to get away, broken glass laid everywhere from shattered windows and smashed cars, and dead bodies laid in their own pool of blood.

"Cody!" he called out. "I'm not liking how this is going!"

Cody punched out another guard before replying. "We can only do what we can! We'll try to get out of Metro City the first chance we get!"

Kyle nodded, remembering how Cody explain to him about a hideaway that was planned in the Rocky Mountains. However, he wondered if getting there was going to be any easier than getting out of Metro City.

"And don't worry!" Cody continued. "We won't leave without Vanessa!"

Kyle's eyes widened again upon hearing his girlfriend's name. Knowing that he had to find her, he suddenly found more of a reason to fight back.

As the battle continued, Cody managed to knock out another guard. At one point, he turned his head to his right. Briefly, in the crowd, he saw someone wearing an orange-red outfit. Cody tried to get a better look, but the color quickly disappeared in the crowd.

 _No_ _,_ he thought. _It can't be…_

Another guard attempted to battle him, but Cody swiftly took care of him like he was nothing. At this point, his knuckles were covered in blood from the continuing onslaught, and he felt them throbbing from within.

Once again, he saw the figure near a tree in the park. Cody tried running towards it, but it swiftly vanished seemingly into thin air. Cody gritted his teeth, frustrated by what was going on.

That's when felt a kick to the back of his head that sent him falling forward before crashing into the floor. Cody, believing that another guard attacked him, and he turned himself onto his back and began to sit up, ready to take on his attacker.

Upon looking up at the person who attacked him, Cody suddenly felt frozen in his place. His mouth gaped open in shock and his eyes widened.

Standing in front of him was his old friend; Guy Hinato!

He looked just the same as he did six months ago when they were both in Outworld. That was with the exception of his colorless eyes, the sign of his brainwash. Guy looked down at Cody, his fists clenched, and a serious expression on his face.

"Guy!" Cody called out as he quickly got himself back on his feet. "What are you-"

"Silence!" Guy ordered. "You shall be eliminated by the orders of the Emperor of Outworld."

Cody found himself clenching his teeth in anger, realizing that Guy was directed to kill him by Shao Kahn. Indeed this was a sick game the Emperor was playing… pitting one of his brainwashed soldiers against his long-time friend, more than likely to test his loyalty to him.

Although Cody had no doubt that he would defend himself, he refused to go as far as his brainwashed friend planned to go. He was going to free him, but not by death!

Having no choice but to defend himself now, Cody raised his fists up, encouraging Guy to make his move. "Bring it!" he called out.

Without any more hesitation, Guy sprinted towards Cody, intending on killing him.

~~~

**Tokyo, Japan**

**Convention Center Parking Lot**

Earlier in the day, Craig Marduk was advised over the phone by his agent not to attend the Wrestling Convention. Marduk knew it all had to do with when he killed Armor King two years ago in a drunken bar fight. The Vale Tudo fighter was jailed for the crime, but was released some time ago by King… who happened to be seeking revenge against him for killing his master.

Even now, there were still fans who would not hesitate to gun him down for killing one of the most popular wrestlers in the wrestling industry. So, for his safety (even though Marduk was sure he could take any one of them on), he was told to keep away.

However, even with the event going on, Marduk found himself driving to the Convention Center. Even he didn't know what compelled him to show up at the center. Perhaps it was the thrill of showing up uninvited, to give the fans a run for their money, especially the ones who hated him.

Then there was King. He wanted a real challenge outside the ring, knowing that King still sought revenge. Perhaps now would be a good time to do so.

When he got to the parking lot, Marduk had parked in the far end. It was a long walk from this point, but he didn't care. As he approached the center, he noticed the sky getting darker. Thinking the sun was setting, Marduk checked his watched… and it was surprised to see that it was just barely three in the afternoon.

"That's weird," he muttered.

He just reached the center's doors when all hell broke loose.

Marduk hadn't noticed the portal that formed over the lot. It wasn't until people began screaming when he whirled around and noticed a small group of Outworld guards running towards him.

When the first guard reached him, Marduk swatted him away like a fly, sending him airborne. Another guard approached, taller than the last, and Marduk gave him a head butt that knocked the guard's front teeth out and rendered him out cold. More guards attacked, and Marduk found himself fighting back more and more.

For a long time, Marduk took on whoever came to him. Many of them were just the usual guards, who he beaten easily with just one or two moves. In the beginning, he got a thrill out of it, and almost wish there was a camera nearby filming his every moment of glory.

After a while however, the battle was just becoming too redundant to him, and he was almost getting bored. Deciding to take his leave, Marduk started his way towards his truck.

That's when he truly noticed the seriousness of the situation. Bodies flew around, cars burst into flames, people attacked and killed one another, citizens ran screaming and panicked, and there was blood flying. Marduk had heard about an invasion, but had taken it as a hoax.

"Well, shit," he muttered.

As he ran through the lot, more and more guards and, now, Shokans went after him. The Shokans posed as more of a challenge for him, but after he went through the fifth one, he realized that they weren't as tough as they looked…

Unless he was only fighting the weaker kinds…

As much as he wanted to fight, Marduk was starting to get annoyed with their constant persistence to kill him. Now he was only fighting for one thing; to get to his truck in the parking lot and get the hell out of here.

After what seemed like forever, Marduk caught sight of his black truck, much to his relief. Kicking away a guard who attempted to attack him, he began running towards the vehicle, hoping to finally get out of this situation.

That's when a Shokan appeared nearby. It had just finished killing a couple of people before jumping up and, to Marduk's dismay, landing right on top of his truck. It's heavy weight was enough to crush it like a pancake, the glass shards flying everywhere.

Marduk gritted his teeth, realizing that he was now more screwed. He noticed the Shokan eying him. Marduk lifted up his fists just as it began sprinting towards him with a loud growl.

"That was my truck you just crushed!" Marduk yelled out. "And I didn't even finish paying it off yet!"

He waited until the Shokan was close enough for him to grab. He wrapped a hand around it's neck, catching it off guard. While raising the Shokan over his head, Marduk spun himself around before smashing the Shokan head first into the street as hard as he could, the forcing rendering the Shokan out cold.

Just as he straightened himself up, Marduk heard someone honking the horn of their car multiple times. He turned around and noticed a blue Honda Insight car coming towards him. Eventually, it stopped about ten feet away, and he realized that someone was kind enough to help him get away from the onslaught. Although he knew the ride would be uncomfortable due to his large height and body mass, it was better than sticking around here!

Inside the car, Mika had noticed Marduk nearby and, at the very last second, decided to help him out. Cassandra, who sat in the front passenger seat, told her she was crazy, but Mika ignored her as she drove up to Marduk.

Mika rolled down her window. "Get in!" she called out.

Taking the opportunity, Marduk approached the car, noting that the two young women were sitting in the front. There was someone else sitting in the back as well…

But it wasn't until Marduk opened the door and began to bend over to go in when he became face to face with his very own enemy; King!

Earlier, King ran into Mika and Cassandra during the onslaught just as the two reached for Mika's car. Mika offered King a ride, which he took since he didn't have his own car in Japan. Little did he realize, much to his own dismay, that his sworn enemy, Marduk, would end up being picked up as well.

King let out a low, angry growl as Marduk pointed at him. "You!" Marduk yelled. "Of all the-"

"JUST GET IN THE CAR!" Cassandra screamed out, sounding both annoyed and panicked.

Marduk raised an eyebrow, not expecting that kind of outburst from a seemingly innocent female. "…Yes, ma'am."

The Vale Tudo fighter got himself in the car before closing the door. He and King found himself glaring at each other angrily as Mika sped her way out of the parking lot.

~~~

**San Francisco, California**

Paul Phoenix and Marshall Law were out at a local bar late in the night. It was mostly to catch up on what's been going on with one another since Paul left the city less than six months ago.

Both of them barely had time to sip their beers when the invasion suddenly began. Even though Paul was fully prepared for the Outworld scums to show up at any given minute, he was still caught by surprise when a Tarkatan made it's way inside the bar before randomly stabbing a nearby patron through the back. The patron's screams was what caught everyone's attention. The moment Paul saw who did the killing, he realized what was going down.

Marshall jumped out of his chair in surprise as well, but other than that, he remained his composure. Getting a better look at the nomad that came in the bar, he grabbed his bottle of beer and began chugging it down.

"Law, now's not a good time to get yourself wasted," Paul advised.

Marshall swallowed, realizing that his friend was right. "Yeah…"

The other patrons, shocked over what just happened, either starting running out of the bar or went after the Tarkatan, most likely in a drunken rage. Those who attempted to attacked the nomad were simply either knocked away or killed.

Paul simply waited until the mutant drew closer. Soon, it noticed him and it began running towards the Judo fighter. With that, Paul grabbed a hold of one of the wooden bar stools and hurled it at him. The stool shattered on impact, sending the Tarkatan stumbling back, though it managed to regain it's balance. It quickly composed itself before leaping forward, it's blades ready to kill.

The jump left the Tarkatan open for another attack. When it was close enough, Marshall leaped up and delivered a somersault kick, sending the nomad further up into the air. He landed back on his feet and waited until the mutant was falling forward before landing a kick to it's stomach, sending it flying across the room before crashing into a table. The impact left it unconscious.

By then, only Paul and Marshall remained in the bar. Paul looked around a moment before he began running towards the exit. Marshall following not too far behind him.

Before they even reached the doors, they could already hear the panicked screams and the sounds of shattering glass filling their ears. To Marshall, it was almost like a Godzilla movie, only this was real…

Upon opening the door, they eyes widened upon seeing the sight before them. It was worse than either of them could imagine…

For Marshall, there was a heavy weight over his heart. Currently, his wife was away in Seattle visiting her relatives. Just last night, he talked to her over the phone about Paul's hideaway plan in case the invasion did happen. She had agreed to it, even though she believed it to be a hoax. He could only hope that she was all right and, hopefully, was heading to the Rockies right this minute…

Then there was his son, Forest. Marshall knew that he was at the apartment hanging out with some friends, and he hoped that he was still there… well and alive.

"So," Paul started to say. "Do you want to stick around and kick some ass?"

Marshall already knew what he wanted to do. "I want to try to find my son. I don't want to leave here until we can get to him."

Paul nodded. "All right."

They headed over to Paul's motorcycle, which was thankfully still intact. As he got the bike started, a guard attempted to attack Marshall, but the Jeet Kune Do fight managed to knock him away after two powerful punches to the chest. Once the guard was out of the way, Marshall hopped on to the bike behind Paul.

"I'm pretty sure we'll be fighting along the way," Marshall believed.

"I'm sure of that too." Paul turned his head, giving his friend a serious look. "I hate to suggest this, but… if he's nowhere near the apartment… we have to go. I'm confident that no matter what happens, he'll met us there."

"… I hope you're right…"

With that, Paul got the bike on the road and sped away, hoping to get to Forrest in time.

~~~

**Osaka, Japan**

Moments ago, Asuka Kazama, Karin Kanzuki, and Maki Genryusai were sitting together outside of Karin's favorite café. That's when the sky got dark, the wind picked up, and those using electronic devices became frustrated when they all went out.

Before the three girls could comprehend what was going on, they suddenly found themselves in the middle of the street fighting for their lives…

Maki was grateful to be carrying her batons at a time like this since she can't even imagine herself without them. Two guards approached her at one point. She jumped forward and delivered a flying kick to one's abdomen, sending him away. Another attempted to attack her, but she managed to dodge his moves before finding an opening. She managed to grab him before performing a German supplex, smashing him to the ground.

Meanwhile, Karin found herself face to face with another guard. She aimed a few palm strikes into his face, the last one hitting his nose hard enough to cause bleeding. As he was distracted due to the pain in his face, Karin quickly lowered herself before performing a sweep kick to his legs, sending him crashing down.

Nearby, Asuka landed a few punches on a guard's face before performing a backwards somersault, kicking him under the chin. He managed to recover and attempted to fight again, but Asuka quickly performed a sweep kick, knocking him off his feet. Before he landed, Asuka followed with an upward kick, sending him airborne before crashing on top of a car they fought next to.

For a while, the three women fought with all they can. At one point in her mind, Asuka wondered if she was going to make it through the chaos alive.

The three of them were fighting not too far from Dan Hibiki's shack-like building that served as his dojo. He had been on the corner doing his usual advertising on the corner when the invasion began. At this point, he was able to take down two guards who went after him, delivering his uppercut he liked to call the Dan _ryuken_.

After beating the second guard, Dan noticed his friend Asuka fighting nearby. An idea came to him. _Not only would I prove my worth, but I would become a hero in the eyes of others as well!_

Once she took down another enemy, Asuka saw the man in pink waving at her to get her attention. As she started to call out to him, another guard came out of nowhere and tackled Dan to the ground.

The attack caught Dan by surprise and he attempted to kick the guard off of him. However, the guard managed to pin him down. He raised the knife that was in his hand, ready to kill off Dan.

Just before the guard had the chance, Asuka ran over to the two and manage to tackle the guard, knocking him away from Dan. Now on top of him, Asuka sat up before rapidly hitting him with her fists until he was knocked out cold.

"You're all show," Asuka grumbled to the guard as she got herself up.

Asuka turned her head and saw Dan getting himself up. His pride was bruised (again), but he kept upbeat. "It's a good thing I distracted him!" he said.

"Huh?" uttered a confused Asuka.

Dan quickly changed the subject as he suddenly became serious. "Get in the dojo! There's a cellar below that can be locked from the inside. I'll take care of things from here!"

Just a few feet away, both Karin and Maki heard what Dan said to them. Asuka stared at him, her fists clenched. "No way! We're going to fight as long as possible!"

"Think of your family!" Dan mentioned. "Do you want the chance to know if your family is okay after this is over?"

The three women fell silent after he said that. For Asuka, she thought of her father, her only relative left in her life. She hated to think what he was going through right now, especially with the two of them separated. For Karin, her parents were currently on their way to a business meeting on their yacht, and her butler, Ishizaki, was somewhere in the city. Tears brimmed her eyes, wondering if they were okay…

For Maki… there was no family to think of. Her mother died when she was a child, and both her father and sister died from sickness not too long ago.

But there was Yang. Somewhere in Hong Kong, he was most likely going through the same thing she was, and she hated to think what could happen…

_Yang, please be okay…_

"Go!" Dan cried out. "Before it's too late!"

Snapping out of their dazes, Asuka, Maki, and Karin headed into the cellar as directed. Briefly, Asuka turned back to Dan, who nodded to her.

"Don't get yourself killed," she advised before following her friends to the dojo.

~~~

**Somewhere In Rural Japan**

A small village located at the bottom of a mountain was being attacked by the Outworld Forces. Most of the people in the village knew how to fight, but even they were overpowered by the strength of their adversaries.

Nearby, the Manji Clan, including Yoshimitsu, heard the commotion. Noting the fire that developed in the village, the group quickly made their way over. Upon seeing the various guards and creatures attacking, everyone in the clan realized that Outworld had finally invaded Earth.

The clan had been prepared for their coming. Now, they would truly find out exactly how prepared they really are…

With his trusty katana in hand, Yoshimitsu lead his clan into battle, increasing the villagers' chances of survival. The clan's strength proved to be overwhelming for the guards involved. They were given more of a challenge with the other races that fought against them.

The ratio of the Outworld Forces were higher than the present members of the Manji Clan alone, and for a long while, they fought to take them down. Yoshimitsu ended up losing count at some point, but it didn't matter… as long as he could protect the villagers, or what's left of them…

After taking down a Tarkatan, Yoshimitsu turned his head and spotted a shirtless figure going into one of the large huts a few yards away. Believing the person to be another Tarkatan, the clan leader quickly made his way towards the entrance of the hut.

Upon entering, Yoshimitsu focused his inner energy to put himself in invisible mode, not wanting to be detected right away. His blood-stained katana in hand, he scanned his surroundings, hoping to find the Tarkatan's tracks.

Suddenly, Yoshimitsu noticed movement nearby. He turned to that general direction, just in time to see a pistol aimed right at his face!

He barely dodged the first bullet as he ducked under. As the other five bullets were shot, Yoshimitsu performed a few backward somersaults to avoid the assault, each bullet barely missing him. After the last bullet missed, Yoshimitsu got out of his invisible mode, knowing that whoever shot at him knew of his presence.

Yoshimitsu gazed at the person standing about twenty feet away. There, he saw the one person he didn't expect to see at a time like this… Bryan Fury!

Anger fueled the clan leader as his grip on his sword tightened. "Scoundrel! We finally come face to face!"

Bryan grinned as he let out a maniacal laugh. "You're gonna wish you never found me!"

His sword in front of him, Yoshimitsu used the palm of his hand to stroke the side of the blade facing him. "Prepare for your death!" He got himself in a fighting stance, ready to fight.

Deciding to have his own fun, Bryan leaped towards Yoshimitsu, with the same intention he had… to kill.

~~~

**Arctika, China**

It was no surprise to Sub-Zero when the Outworld Forces invaded the Lin Kuei temple. He knew that his existence in that realm was well known, especially after participating in defeating Shao Kahn years ago when he attempted to conquer Earth the first time. The Grandmaster had been a vital part in stopping the first madness, mostly thanks to Raiden's leadership at the time.

Now, once again, Earth was being invaded. And once again, Sub-Zero was forced to defend himself against the Outworld Forces in order to survive.

But this time, there was no Raiden to help. The Thunder God always seemed to have a keen sense in knowing when danger was coming, and he had always went out of his way to warn his warriors of the next impending doom. The thing was, no one has heard from Raiden ever since the end of The Blood Tournament.

Even though Sub-Zero knew of his adversaries' coming, he was still caught by surprise.

He had been leaving his quarters after changing clothes when he noted one of his followers stumbling down the hallway. At first, Sub-Zero watched him, wondering what was making him do that. Then, the moment the ninja fell forward, Sub-Zero noticed the blood on his hands.

"Zhong!" Sub-Zero called out as he ran over to the fallen ninja. Once he reached him, he got down on his knees and turned him over. Because he was wearing all black, the Grandmaster had not noticed that his follower was gravely wounded in the chest, the blood slowly seeping out.

"Gr… Grandmaster…" Zhong uttered.

"What happened?" Sub-Zero asked him.

"Th… they're… here… the… Tar… katans…" Zhong attempted to say something else, but was unable to as death claimed him.

After Zhong drew his last breath, Sub-Zero was able to pick up the noise of battle, most likely coming from the training room. He got himself up before sprinting over to the area.

Upon kicking the door down, the commotion was almost deafening and, for a moment, Sub-Zero noted the chaos in the room. Some of his clan members were already dead as the others fought with all they could to survive. He also noted Smoke, who just kneed a Tarkatan in the face, it's nose quickly bleeding as it's screamed in pain. Nearby, Frost managed to stab a guard a few times with her ice daggers. Not too far from her, Sareena blocked a few moves from another Tarkatan before delivering a somersault kick to it's chin, sending it airborne.

Soon, Sub-Zero noticed a guard sprinting towards him, a kwan do in hand with the blade pointed right at him. Just as the guard reached him, Sub-Zero quickly stepped sideways, letting the blade pass him. He managed to grab it away from him before spinning around and bashing the guard in the back of the neck, causing him to keel over.

This gave Sub-Zero the opportunity, using all of his strength, to stab his own hand into the guard's back until he got a hold of his spine. The guard screamed in pain before Sub-Zero pulled part of the spine out, taking his skull with him. Sub-Zero raised the skull and spine above it head, both bones and his own hand covered in blood.

Just then, a Tarkatan attempted to go after him. Sub-Zero noted this and, when the nomad was close enough, he took the skull and spine and smashed it into the Tarkatan's face, the bones shattering on impact. The nomad was hit with enough force to sending him flying back a few yards before hitting the floor. From there, the Grandmaster sprinted into the room to join in the rest of the fray.

Meanwhile, Frost finds herself fighting against another guard, armed with her ice daggers. She was mostly on defense until she found an opening, taking the opportunity to lift up a leg to kick the guard's face. As he stumbled back, she aimed the palm of her hands towards the floor, sending an ice cold energy downward before it traveled to her opponent's feet, freezing him in one spot.

Quite sure that the guard wasn't going to go anywhere, Frost jumped forward before delivering a kick to his stomach, sending him away from her.

However, before she had the chance to straighten herself up, another guard approached her from behind and kicked her forward. Frost lost her balance and ended up falling to the ground. She quickly turned on to her back, only to find herself face to face with the guard. His sword was raised above his head, ready to strike down.

Just before she could react, a foot surrounded by flames managed to kick the guard in the face. Frost noted Sareena behind the leg as she rapidly kicked the guard before a final blow knocked him down.

Sareena turned her attention to Frost, only to be met with narrowed eyes. Frost found herself raging inside from Sareena's assistance.

"I could've taken care of that myself!" Frost exclaimed. Sareena chose to ignore her as another Tarkatan approached her and she began fighting again. Frost got her up and joined the fray once more.

Suddenly, there was a small shake in the building. Even through everyone in the room felt it, they continued with their battles as though nothing had happened.

Seconds later, a big chunk of the ceiling broke off and began making it's way to the fight below. Sub-Zero, Smoke, Frost, and Sareena all found themselves in the rubble's path and they tried to get out of the way. Sub-Zero managed to make it out, but the ceiling managed to collapse on top of the other three, the force rendering them unconscious…

~~~

**China, Unknown Area**

It was just becoming dawn when Feng Wei found himself in his morning meditation, a way for him to begin his day. For the past few days, he had been doing nothing but training and traveling, hoping to eventually locate a new temple in order to find the Dragon Scroll.

On this particular morning, Feng Wei found disturbance surrounding him for the first time in a long while. His eyes were closed and his mind was deep in thought when he realized that someone was approaching him. Those approaching him, though obviously careful, made more noise than they realized.

Feng Wei opened his eyes as the wind picked up. In front of him diagonally on either side stood two men, each holding a sword in their hand. They wore a plain shirt and pants, light brown in color, with black sandals on their feet and fox-like silver masks over their faces.

Slowly, the Kenpo fighter stood himself up, his face seemly showing how calm he was. The two men, who reminded Feng Wei of guards of sorts, took their time in their approach, now knowing that he knew of their presence.

That's when running footsteps were heard, and Feng Wei realized that there were more behind him. He didn't bother to turn around, simply waiting until the right moment. Once it did, he quickly raised his arm, the back of his fist hitting the guard squarely in the face, his mask shattering. The guard crashed down on to the dirt back first, long knocked out from the impact to his face.

Feng Wei turned his head, realizing that there was a fourth man nearby. With one out cold, he had three men to tend to.

The one that was behind him approached first, a pair of daggers in hand. Feng Wei waited until he approached. The guard attempted to stab him, but he quickly crouched down before delivering a double upward kick, sending himself and the attacker of them flying in the air. Feng Wei managed to get himself back on the ground safely before the guard and, once aligned right, he delivered a side kick that sent him a few yards away, the impact to the ground knocking him out.

A third guard decided to take his chance. Feng Wei took a moment to charge some energy within himself, his body surrounded by a group of blue circles, almost like bubbles. Just as the guard reached him, Feng Wei delivered a power palm strike. It had enough force to send the guard rearing back before crashing into a tree. He hit the tree so hard that it left a dent on the trunk. The guard cried out on impact before his limp body slid down towards the dirt.

Feng Wei turned his attention to the last guard, waiting for him to approach. Instead, the guard was shaking with the fear. Once he saw that Feng Wei was staring at him, he dropped his weapon and began running for his life, his screaming echoing

In a way, the Kenpo fighter was glad he ran off… it was a sign that he wasn't worth fighting, just like his allies.

 _Imbeciles_ _,_ Feng Wei thought. _If they truly thought they could defeat me, they were sorely mistaken._ _'_

As the sun's rays became brighter, Feng Wei noted something in the distance he hadn't seen during the night. There were a few buildings gathered alone amongst the many trees. The more he stared at it, the more he wondered if it was a temple. Whatever the case, he was willing to get a closer look.

The young man figured that the journey would take at least a day, but he was willing and ready. As the sun peaked above the mountains, he began his approach….

How very little Feng Wei knew what was going on with the rest of the world…

~~~

**Wu Shi Academy, China**

The sun was already lighting the sky when the Wu Shi Academy was suddenly attacked by the Outworld Forces. Although the students living there had expected the invasion to happen, all of them realized, as they fought for survival, that none of them were prepared enough for what they were about to face.

Bo' Rai Cho had been observing a sparring match between Kung Lao and Li Mei after breakfast when they heard a commotion by the entrance. The three of them sprinted over to the area to see what was happening, only to see what they had feared most… the invasion had begun.

The three of them wasted no time in joining the fray. Taking out his jo staff, Bo' Rai Cho was able to defending himself from the blades of the Tarkatans. For the first few seconds in his fight, Bo' Rai Cho found himself defending himself from the attacks that came his way. At one point, he got pushed back, giving him quick room to stomp his foot down with enough power to shake the group, making his enemy lose balance. As the nomad attempted to regain it's balance, Bo' Rai Cho quickly flew forward slamming belly-first into his adversary with enough force to knock him away.

Li Mei fought against one Tarkatan with her Kunlun Dao sword. The both of them found themselves on offense and defense, hoping to overcome the other. Eventually, the nomad managed to knock the sword off Li Mei's hand. She was caught by surprise for a moment, but managed to compose herself as the Tarkatan swiped his blade towards her. She managed to duck under the attack before delivering an uppercut to it's chin. It flew up in the air and, as it came back down, she pushed a hand forward, a sparkling purple ball emerging from her palm. The energy hit the Tarkatan in the face, sending it flying back.

Kung Lao was able to hold well on his own against another Tarkatan. The nomad had been blocking for a bit, but Kung Lao was able to break through that, delivering blow after blow until a kick to the chest sent him stumbling back.

As the mutant was distracted, Kung Lao quickly took his bladed hat off his head before throwing it forward. Like a frisbee, it flew back before spinning back around, gaining speed as it returned back to Kung Lao, chopping off the Tarkatan's head on the way. Kung Lao managed to catch his hat in his hand before raising it above his head. With one quick motion, he sliced the nomad through the middle, splitting it in half and spewing blood.

For a long while, the battle continued. Plenty from both sides were killed as the other survivors continued to spill blood.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, the members of the Wu Shi Academy were able to clear house, taking care of all of their enemies. For a minute, they kept themselves in their fighting stances, ready for more attacks. As time passed, they slowly eased themselves.

Li Mei took a deep breath. "It's over."

"For now," Kung Lao replied. "Something tells me this is only the beginning of our fight. I believe more will come.

"And we will fight back," Bo' Rai Cho said. "And when it is over, we'll use the academy to provide shelter for outsiders who survived the onslaught."

Kung Lao nodded in agreement, despite one question in his mind… how long would this last before the Outworld Forces finally do overwhelm them?

~~~

**Metro City, USA**

An elbow strike to the face caused Cody to rear back, though he managed to keep himself upright. He barely had time to comprehend the pain when Guy launched himself again, delivering a fury of punches and kicks. Cody was forced to block them before a kick to the mid-section sent him flying back before landing on the pavement back first.

"Damn it," Cody uttered with gritted teeth. The fight between him and Guy was only going on for a few minutes, but it almost felt as though they've been going at it for hours. The coppery taste of his own blood was there, and Cody knew that, when this was over, his face was going to be completely black and blue…

… If he survived.

Cody managed to get himself back on his feet just as Guy launched himself forward again. He attempted to deliver another punch, but Cody managed to dodge out of the way before he threw his own punch. His fist manage to land on Guy's face, causing his head to snap sideways.

This gave Cody the opportunity to get himself on offense. He executed a few furies of punches and kicks for a moment. He then performed an uppercut just in front of Guy's face, unleashing a tornado in between them. The force from the attack knocked Guy off his feet.

Cody tackled him before the Bushin master had the chance to get himself back up. Pinning his arms behind him, it gave Cody the chance to talk.

"I don't know how much the brainwash has effected you these past few months," Cody said. "But whatever the case, try to snap out of it! Fight if you have to, but don't let this affect you any longer! You're better than this!"

Guy was not phased by Cody's words. In his own mind, he was assignment to eliminate him, not to chat about meaningless things. Quickly, he managed to get one arm free and grabbed the collar of Cody's shirt before flipping him over.

"Your words are meaningless," Guy said with no emotion as he got himself up.

By then, Cody was feeling the pain coursing through his body. He was beginning to wonder how much longer he could last in their fight.

No! He had to fight! He had to survive if he was going to keep his promise!

Quickly, Cody rolled himself forward before getting back on his feet. He turned to face Guy, fists clenched in front of him.

"Sooner or later, you'll have to realize what you're doing," Cody said. "I know there's still a shred of goodness in you, just like you believed with me."

Guy also got into a fighting stance. "Anything said or learned in the past… it means nothing anymore."

Cody's eyes widened, realizing how much the brainwash affected his friend. _It seems like no matter what I say, nothing can be done…_

Suddenly, Guy jumped forward, and Cody found that he was once again defending himself. This continued for a while until Guy broke Cody's defenses, landing a few blows to his face. Cody stumbled back, giving Guy some room to perform his next move. He jumped up, spinning himself with one leg out.

" _Bushin Senpuukyaku!_ " Guy called out. The move managed to connect multiple times to Cody's head. One final kick afterwards sent the blond spinning in the air before making impact to the cement ground.

Cody tried to shake the new pain that hit him, but found that he couldn't. He could hear Guy's footsteps casually going towards him and, before he said his next words, Cody knew his intentions.

"Now… you will die."

Cody blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision. He noted Guy approaching him and tried to get himself back up, but suddenly felt too weak to do so.

For a moment, Cody's vision cleared… clear enough to see his brother Kyle tackle Guy to the ground right before his world turned black…

~~~

**Somewhere Above India**

It didn't feel so long ago when a portal opened up above the flying ship that was commanded by Ruby Heart. The darkening sky and the wind that suddenly picked up out of where should have been a warning, but it was not heeded.

Now the ship was under attack…

Knowing that her ship would control where it was going, Ruby Heart joined the fray, her sword in hand. The humans that fought against her and her crew were the easiest to take down, but she found that the mutants with the blades coming out of their arms were much more of a challenge.

At one point, after taking down a few more guards, Ruby Heart, her face covered in sweat from her long battle against her new enemies, defended herself against another mutant. Their weapons clashed as they both attempted to outsmart the other.

Eventually, the nomad managed to push her back. As it attempted to cover the distance between them, Ruby Heart quickly raised a hand, and a large blue beam emerged from the ground, striking her attacker. With a loud shriek, it was sent up high into the air. It eventually fell back down, but ended up missing the ship and began falling to it's death to Earth.

The smell of smoke suddenly hit her. She happened to gaze up and her eyes widened as she noted that one of the sails of the ship has caught fire.

"NO!" she cried out, realizing what was about to happen to her ship.

Ruby Heart also noted that the ship was suddenly tilted to one side. She looked over and noted that it felt as though it was falling. She frowned herself, realizing that she was also losing mental control of the ship.

 _Come on!_ she called out in her mind, trying to refocus. _Don't fail me now!_

Suddenly, a nomad managed to tackle her. Because the ship was tilted to the side, the two stumbled sideways until ramming into the edge. She found herself pinned against the edge and the mutant.

"I'm not going to die just yet!" she growled as she attempted to fight back.

Ruby Heart struggled against the nomad as it pinned her against the edge of the ship. After a moment, it quickly raised up it's blade, ready to strike. However, the captain managed to get one of her legs loose and used it to kick the nomad's shin. In pain, it loosened it's grip, giving her the opportunity to take her sword and stab it right through the heart, it's screams reaching her ear before going limp.

Just as she took her sword out of the nomad's body, Ruby Heart turned herself around. There, just over the edge of the ship, she noted how close they were to land.

"No…"

She never even had the time to react further before the ship crashed, sending her flying over the edge. The captain flew for what seemed like forever before landing with force onto the grass.

Ruby Heart fought with all she could to get up afterwards, but she quickly realized how weak she was. The last thing she remembered before she lost consciousness was hearing the terrified screams of her crew…


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Asia, Unknown Area**

A lightning bolt was shot out, hitting a guard square in the face and sending him away. Raiden watched as two more guards approached him. He simply waited until they were close enough before he jumped up and performed a double kick, his feet landing on their heads, knocking them back.

Nearby, Fujin delivered a few punches to another guard before kicking him away. He then noted three more guards coming his way. The God of Wind quickly summoned his powers, creating a tornado that sucked in the three guards, sending them screaming as they were spun rapidly. Fujin kept them liked this for a moment before pushing the tornado forward and sending the guards shrieking for their lives as they are sent over the temple roof's edge.

Afterwards, Fujin happened to turn his head in time to see Raiden kick another opponent in the stomach, causing him to keel over. He then used both hands to grab the guard by both the collar of his shirt and his belt before lift him up above his head.

Fujin watched as electric shocks were sent through the guard, his cries of agony reaching his ears. As the electricity continued to be sent through his body, the guard's arms and legs continued to rapidly flap around like a fish out of water, even long after he stopped screaming and his body became charred from the burning heat. Then, after what seemed like forever, the body burst, his blood and entrails flying all over the surrounding area.

Fujin was horrified by what his friend had just executed. No, it wasn't the first time Raiden killed anyone, even when his mind was still rational. However, Fujin knew that, whenever Raiden killed anyone, he was usually quick about it, his one way of granting any sort of mercy. Now, it would seem as though he was taking his time, making the mortal suffer for as long as possible. There was no mercy involved.

 _He's not what he used to be…_ Fujin thought to himself.

Soon, Raiden placed his arms down back to his sides. "Pathetic. You'd think Shao Kahn would have sent stronger fighters if he 'wanted to take down a couple of Gods."

Fujin decided to ignore his statement and try to convince him one last time. "I know you have lost hope in humanity, but the people of Earth need you right now. Now that Shao Kahn has invaded, it won't be long before the entire universe fall to their knees. You and the mortals were able to stop him last time."

"And look where it got us!" Raiden exclaimed, his deep voice booming. "They were to make sure that he was dead. Instead, he survived and recovered long enough to do it all over again. What makes you think this could be done again? It will only end with the same results. I will protect Earth. However, I will NOT involve the mortals, for only they will screw things up, just as they've done in the past. The Blood Tournament six months ago was our last chance to an end to it. Instead, my 'chosen ones' failed."

Fujin knew all about what transpired in Outworld over six months ago. Feeling angry now, he protested. "You can't squarely blame anyone. Your chosen ones did all they could to retrieve _Chishio No Me_. Shao Kahn was one step ahead of everyone. What happened has happened. Now we must put an end to it before it gets worse, despite past failures. THIS! … _This_ is humanity's last chance to make it right! Because after this, there are no longer any more chances!"

Raiden turned his back towards his friend. "I no longer trust the mortals. Nothing you could say will change my mind."

A sigh escaped Fujin's lips. "Very well then. I must say, I'm rather disappointed in you. I've come to realize that I'm only wasting my time now. If I must finish what you've started, then so be it."

Fujin turned around and began heading to the edge of the temple roof. Before he took flight, he spoke one last time. "By the way, I'd _suggest_ you watch your back. The other Elder Gods have sent their hellspawn Champion to assassinate you. You are no longer useful to them."

Raiden heard Fujin fly away. He smirked once only the wind was heard. "So… they've finally got in contact with the spectre. At least he'll prove to be a worthy opponent."

~~~

**Somewhere In Rural Japan**

Despite the chaos that surrounded them outside the hut they were in, Yoshimitsu and Bryan Fury, sworn enemies, engaged in their own combat as though they were the only ones around. For a while, Yoshimitsu had kept an eye on Bryan, swearing revenge for the senseless killing of his clan members.

Now, this was his chance to do just that.

He kept his sword in his right hand, but Yoshimitsu didn't use his weapon just yet. He wanted to savior this fight and make it worthwhile. He jumped forward in attempt to knee Bryan in the chest, but the cyborg managed to sidestep out of the way. Bryan began to deliver a punch to the head, but Yoshimitsu managed to turn around and block the move with his forearm just in time.

For a while, the two threw punches at each other, each of them switching between offense and defense. At one point, Yoshimitsu was able to feel that the temperature in the air rise a bit, and the smell of smoke was becoming more prominent. He realized that the village he and his clan were trying to protect was now on fire. However, with the current battle he was in, there was no way he could help any of the survivors, at least not just yet.

 _I must find a way to get rid of this scoundrel and quickly!_ Yoshimitsu thought to himself.

At one point, Bryan was able to break through his nemesis's defense and was able to land a few punches to his face. Yoshimitsu ended up stumbling back and, while that happened, Bryan jumped up, ready to execute a kick to his face. However, the Manji Clan leader managed to shake off the pain and saw the incoming kick in time. Once the cyborg was close enough, Yoshimitsu quickly flipped backwards, his foot managing to hit Bryan in the chest. Bryan found himself flying back, but he eventually caught himself and somersaulted backwards to regain himself. Soon, he was back on his feet.

Neither one of them wasted any time as they both sprinted towards each other. Once they were close enough, Bryan attempted to aim another punch to Yoshimitsu's face. However, Yoshimitsu managed to duck under the attack and was able to land a hard blow to Bryan's gut with his shoulder. The force was powerful enough to send Bryan flying backwards through the hut. Then, he crashed through the hut's wall, tumbling into the outside world.

Yoshimitsu straightened himself up. With his sword in hand, he sprinted quickly towards his enemy as he started to get himself up.

Just as he managed to get outside, a small group of Tarkatans suddenly showed up in the area, both spotting Yoshimitsu and Bryan in the middle of their fray. With none of the nomads hesitating, they hurled themselves forward, intending on killing the two.

Yoshimitsu was able to clothesline the first one that came to him. However, the next one had come from behind him and was able to kick him square in the back. Yoshimitsu found himself flying forward, suddenly losing grip of his sword in the process.

After giving himself a moment to recover, he quickly rolled over to his back just as the Tarkatan that kicked him stomped it's foot down, only hitting the ground instead of him as it had intended.

Yoshimitsu got on his feet and kicked the Tarkatan away. He then turned around, his attention on the other Tarkatan. With it's blades out, it ran towards him. However, it never got close to him before it's head was suddenly cut off by someone with a weapon. Yoshimitsu only had to wonder for a moment who was behind the attack, thinking one of his Manji Clan members had come to assist him.

Once the Tarkatan collapsed, Yoshimitsu was shocked to see that it was Bryan who was behind the attack. However, his shock quickly turned into dismay and anger once he saw in the cyborg's hand exactly what he used to kill the Tarkatan. In Bryan's right hand, glowing in it's green color and mostly covered in blood, was his own katana!

Bryan let out a low, maniacal laugh once he noted what Yoshimitsu was staring at. "Don't think I killed the Tarkatan just to help you. I only did it because **_I_** want to be the one to finish you off." He raised the sword at eye level, the smirk on his face becoming wider. "Imagine… your life draining from you by your very own sword. How amusing that will be!"

"Enough talk!" Yoshimitsu yelled out. "If you wish to kill me so badly, then do it!"

The smirk disappeared from Bryan's face. Then swiftly, he jumped forward, doing a forward somersault before coming back down, lashing the sword right ad his adversary. Yoshimitsu saw this coming and managed to dodge backwards to avoid the attack. Bryan landed on his feet before he proceeded to swing the sword rapidly at Yoshimitsu, who was forced to duck, dodge, and jump back in order to avoid the razor-sharp blade.

Unknown to either of them at that moment, the first swing Bryan performed caused an energy to form. It's silver color eventually formed into an oval-shaped circle, representing a portal.

Yoshimitsu continued to move away from the swinging sword that was held in Bryan's hand. Eventually, the clan leader crouched down and attacked with a sweep kick. He managed to catch Bryan by his ankles tripping him. This gave Yoshimitsu time to get up and to a couple of back flips, leaving space between them.

The attack didn't phase Bryan as he got himself up. By then, Yoshimitsu noted the portal that was now directly behind his adversary. Both heard the humming noise that the portal made, but Bryan didn't bother to look to see what it was. It didn't matter to him right now. What mattered was killing Yoshimitsu as soon as possible.

Another maniacal laugh escaped Bryan's throat after a moment of silence. "Like I said before," he began to say. "You're going to wish you never found me!"

As Bryan began his approach, Yoshimitsu briefly looked at his surroundings. Many of the huts were still on fire and the villagers were still screaming for their lives as the Outworld Forces continued their terror upon them.

 _Fool!_ Yoshimitsu yelled in his mind. _You let yourself fight Fury while the invasion is taking place! Now things are getting worse and you are only caring for revenge!_

He knew he had to end this fight now. Revenge would have to wait a little while longer.

Yoshimitsu waited until Bryan was close enough, the sword raised above his head. When the right moment came, Yoshimitsu lifted his leg and, using all of his strength, kicked Bryan square in the chest. He watched as Bryan flew backwards in high speed, eventually reaching the portal… and going right through it as Yoshimitsu had hoped.

However, just as Bryan began to disappear through the portal's energy, Yoshimitsu gasped in horror… the cyborg still had a good grip on his katana!

"NO!" Yoshimitsu yelled out as he attempted to sprint forward. However, it only proved to be in vain once Bryan completely went through the portal, which closed immediately afterwards.

Yoshimitsu stopped in his tracks, his left hand clenching into a fist. " _Chikusho_ _…_ "

That's when suddenly heard a battle cry from behind him. Quickly, Yoshimitsu turned his attention to the Outworld guard who was approaching him fast, his own sword raised above his head. The Manji Clan leader simply waited for the right moment before maneuvering himself sideways, avoiding the sharp weapon. Before the guard had a chance to recover, Yoshimitsu got himself behind him, grabbing him by his head and twisting it until he head a loud  _pop!_  He let go after that as the guard fell forward.

Once that was done, Yoshimitsu noted the weapon the guard had held, realizing that it was a broadsword. Needing a sword now, he bend over to pick it up, taking it in his prosthetic hand.

"Don't mind if I take this," Yoshimitsu said out loud. "I'll need it until I can find a way to get my katana back."

Judging by the portal's silver color moments ago, Yoshimitsu knew exactly what realm Bryan had ended up in. He hoped that somehow, some way, one of his clan members in that realm would find him and try to get the sword back.

In the meantime, he would have to do all he can to help his fellow Earthrealm natives to survive the invasion…

~~~

**Los Angeles, California**

The heavy traffic on the freeways forced Alex Walker to drive her blue Toyota Corolla into the neighborhoods. Although other drivers had the same idea she did, trying to go East was more easier this way.

Meanwhile, Cyrax sat at the front passenger seat, a machine gun in his hand and his head peering out the rolled-down window. A towel was wrapped around his injured leg, a temporary solution until he received proper medical attention.

Ever since they drove into the neighborhoods, Cyrax hadn't done a lot of shooting at any enemies. He guessed that they were mainly going to focus on military bases and larger populated areas. Not too far from them was LA's downtown skyline, and Cyrax could see how much it was in chaos judging by the fires and the heavy smoke that surrounded it.

"I'm going to try to head North for a little bit," Alex suddenly suggested after some silence between them.

Cyrax slightly turned his head to her. "North? Don't we want to head East?"

Alex was silent for a moment before replying. "That's the thing… naturally, everyone is going to head East… or at least take boats off to the islands nearby."

Cyrax found her idea a little off. "I think they would go anywhere just to get out of LA. There's nothing but desert north of the valleys… hell, if we go south, Tijuana suddenly seems like a good place to go."

"I'm still going to head North," Alex said. "Once we get a clearing from all the traffic, probably after we pass the valleys, I'll head East." She sighed a little. "Might be a while…"

"A while? The valleys aren't _that_ far, even in traffic. We'll probably be there before-"

Cyrax suddenly stopped mid-sentence as a thought suddenly came to him. He stared at Alex, now knowing what was on her mind.

"Alex, this is LA. Finding _him_ is going to be like trying to find a needle in a haystack."

She bit her lower lip, realizing that Cyrax figured out what she was thinking. She exhaled. "I know…"

"I'm confident Kenshi will find his way to the Rockies when he gets the chance. Heck, maybe he and Jax will meet up and they'll both head over there. Besides… I get the feeling he would want you to head off and not try to find him."

Alex's grip on the steering wheel tightened, knowing that Cyrax was right. Still, she hated the idea of leaving Kenshi behind.

"Either way, I'm still going North." She turned into the next street in the direction she intended.

Cyrax shook his head a little before turning his attention back outside. "All right… but if we're not out of the city in one hour, I'm going to throw you in the trunk and do the driving myself, injured leg or not."

"For all you know, he could try to find us before we do," Alex mentioned. "You know how his senses are."

Cyrax suddenly noted a Tarkatan jumping towards the car. Immediately, he shot it down, the bullets going through it's body and killing it before it landed on the pavement.

"Maybe," Cyrax said. "But don't get your hopes up."

Alex sighed a little. "I won't…"

~~~

**Japan, Somewhere Near Mt. Fuji**

The alarm was ear-piercing, but that didn't bother Kazuya Mishima as he stormed through the Mishima Zaibatsu Headquarters. Wearing his purple fatigue pants, black military boots, a black vest over a purple fatigue shirt, and a pair of red fighting gloves, he had originally waltzed into the building as though he owned the place.

That's when Heihachi's guards went after them. The alarm had already went off even before Kazuya entered. At first, however, he thought it was all because of his trespassing.

For a while, he was able to get rid of the henchmen, taking them down with only one or two powerful moves. He would clear house for a while, making his way down a narrow hallway before more would go after him.

 _You'd think the old fool would be better prepared if his lackeys were going to face up to someone like me,_ he thought, almost amused.

Soon, Kazuya heard someone coming up from behind. He stood where he was for a moment before turning around and smashing their face with the back of his fist. The attacker crashing into the wall, leaving a large dent on it, before falling on it's side with a loud thud.

Immediately, Kazuya noticed that his latest attacker was dressed differently from the others. It wore green pants and was shirtless, part of it's upper torso contained some spikes on it, especially around the forearms and bald head. Using his foot, Kazuya turned it on it's back, soon noticing the long teeth that served as it's mouth.

Kazuya was more curious than anything. For a moment, he wasn't sure what this mutant was. Then he remembered… he had seen them during his time in Outworld, the realm where he followed Heihachi months ago.

"Hrm… don't tell me he made some new friends," he wondered out loud.

He looked up as he heard more footsteps coming his way. Immediately, he noticed more of these creatures coming towards him, now seeing that they all had long blades coming out of their forearms.

Getting into a fighting stance, Kazuya waited until they were close enough. The first swiped it's blades at him, but Kazuya managed to duck underneath them before delivering a punch to it's stomach. The force of his attack sent the mutant flying backwards, knocking down a couple of it's allies in the process.

Another approached with a forward kick, but Kazuya managed to grab it by it's leg swinging it into the wall and leaving yet another dent. Then, the last one standing approached. Kazuya managed to grab the nomad by the back of the head and knee in the stomach, causing it to keel over. While it still bent, Kazuya delivered a hand chop to the back of it's neck, breaking it and kill the mutant instantly.

Now that all was clear, Kazuya ran forward, eventually reaching a pair of closed doors. Unsure of what was inside, he kicked it down. He only managed to run in a couple of feet before he was forced to move out of the way. Whizzing by him was another nomad, who was defeated by whoever just threw him out the door.

Kazuya whirled around in time to see Heihachi deliver a head butt to another of the same mutant, the force of it sending it back through a window, the glass shattering into small pieces. It's screams were heard as it fell to it's death below in the cold night outside.

Kazuya raised an eyebrow as a realization came to him. He heard rumors of an invasion from Outworld, but he had believed it to be nothing more than a hoax. Now that he was seeing a bunch of them here, let alone fighting against the old man, he realized that this invasion was now actually happening.

It explained why the alarm was set off before he even entered the facility.

Heihachi noted another person in the room and turned his attention to them. His eyebrows immediately furrowed in annoyance upon seeing his son standing there, his arms folded in front of them.

"You!" Heihachi called out. "I assume you had something to do with these mutants attacking headquarters."

"You're a deluded fool!" Kazuya exclaimed. "I had nothing to do with this! It just so happens that I came in right after they did."

Before Heihachi could answer him, more of the nomads came into the room. All had their blades extended out, reading to fight the Mishimas. Wanting to get rid of these 'pests,' Heihachi and Kazuya positioned themselves in their fighting stances, ready to be rid of them.

And, just like in Honmaru months ago, they were both forced to join forces to fight a common enemy once again…

~~~

**Hong Kong, China**

The fight between Chun Li and Kira didn't last as long as most witnesses would think, if they had stopped to see the battle. The two women had left visible cuts and bruises on each other, and parts of their clothes were torn. Chun Li's dark brown hair was loosened from her white silk brocades that adorned her ox horn hairstyle. One of the bands that held up Kira's red pigtails slipped off, leaving half it flowing freely just over her shoulder.

Chun Li stood in a fighting position, her arms posed diagonally, and her palms opened and raised up by her wrists. Kira had lost her knives during the battle, forcing her to change into her Xing Yi fighting style.

After a moment of silence, Kira smirked a little. "I rarely admit this, but… you're tough. You're one of my better opponents. Still… it doesn't mean that I'm going to easily let you walk out of this alive."

Chun Li narrowed her eyes at her. "I didn't expect you to think otherwise."

The smirk on Kira's face faded. "Hmph."

Quickly, she shot her left arm out, letting loose a pink projectile that hurled itself towards her opponent. Chun Li managed to get herself out of the way, giving Kira the chance to jump forward while the Interpol agent was distracted. Despite this, Chun Li was able to see her in time and quickly blocked an incoming punch with her arm.

For what seemed like a while, Chun Li found herself on defense while Kira kept her offense, throwing various punches and kicks at her in hopes to breaking her resistance.

However, at one point, Chun Li managed to duck under a punch, giving her a chance to deliver a powerful hand chop to her abdomen, causing Kira to start gasping for air. Now finding herself on offense, Chun Li quickly delivered a few punches before knocking Kira back with a side kick, sending her stumbling back.

Kira was able to hold on to her balance, shaking away the new pain that was felt on her body. Before she would execute her next move, Chun-Li had managed to jump above her before wrapping her thighs around Kira's neck. Kira tried to get out of her grip, but the two soon fell onto the pavement. Chun Li twisted her body to make it harder for Kira to free herself.

"Now," Chun Li began to say. "Are you going to cooperate, or shall I make things worse for you?"

The fact was, however, that Chun Li was wearing silk stockings at this moment, giving Kira the advantage to slip her head out of her grip. She then rolled back to give herself room, and Chun Li did the same. They both got back into their fighting stances, their eyes glaring at each other as they waited on their adversary's next move.

Before either woman could move, a car nearby suddenly exploded from within the rest of the chaos. The shock wave from the blast caused Chun Li and Kira to separate from one another as they were both pushed back from their places. Eventually, Chun Li landed hard on her side and skidded a little before stopping.

The Interpol agent found herself coughing from the sudden debris that she felt enter her lungs. Rubbing her eyes from dust, she scanned her surroundings, hoping to find Kira. However, the red-haired criminal was nowhere to be seen, most likely taking the advantage of the blast to make her escape.

"Damn it…" she uttered.

Suddenly, a white car appeared nearby, coming to a screeching halt. Chun Li looked up at the vehicle, wondering who just parked next to her.

"Chun Li!" Lei's voice called out to her from inside.

The young woman's eyes widened. She almost forgot that Lei had run off earlier to pick up his car. Her fight with Kira definitely kept her busy.

Getting herself on her feet, Chun Li approached the front passenger side of the car. Once she was in and with her seat belt on, Lei pressed on the gas pedal, the car screeching as it gained speed.

"What happened to you?" Lei asked her, noting the cuts and bruises on her.

Chun Li shook her head. "Long story short, but let's just say I encountered Kira." She sighed to herself. "I tried to arrest her, but as you can see, it didn't work out too well."

"That's a shame," Lei replied. "But even if you did managed to put her in cuffs, where would you hold her? I get this funny feeling that the jails around here aren't exactly useful right now."

Chun Li chuckled a little, realizing that her fiancé was right. "I get the feeling Kira and I will meet up again later. Right now…" The look of determination came over her face. "We need to get to Yang and Yun before anything happens to them."

Lei nodded. "Right."

From there, Lei did all he could to get to the neighborhood the Lee brothers lived in as soon as possible…

~~~

**Tokyo, Japan**

For a while after leaving Eitai Bridge, Hwoarang and Mi-na rode on the motorcycle, trying to do all they could to get out of Tokyo. However, with the chaos around them, the idea was easier said than done.

Even on a motorcycle, Hwoarang found himself constantly maneuvering around speeding cars and running pedestrians. And many times they were stopped, they were also attacked by the Outworld Forces, who Mi-na killed off in self defense. By the time they reached Yoyagi Park after heading west for a while, the blade of Mi-na's kwan do was covered in blood.

Mi-na waited until Hwoarang stopped at an intersection before she spoke. "Where the heck are you trying to go?"

Hwoarang became more frustrated, already feeling so from all the moving around he was doing. "I said it before! I'm trying to get us out of here!"

Her eyebrows furrowed, not the liking the way he answered her. "Well, you're not exactly doing a good job!"

"Then why don't you drive?!"

"I would if I knew how!"

Before Hwoarang could reply, the two were suddenly kicked off the motorcycle, sending them flying a few feet before landing on the street. They ignored the sudden pain their bodies as they forced themselves to get up. Once they were on their feet, they found themselves face to face with another Tarkatan, it's blades out and read.

"I'm getting really sick of these guys!" Hwoarang called out.

The Tarkatan let out a loud roar before leaping towards them. With Hwoarang in his fighting stance and Mi-na with her kwan do out, they were both ready to take down the mutant.

Suddenly, they noticed a blue projectile coming from behind the Tarkatan. The two of them were barely able to comprehend what was about to happen when the projectile smashed into the mutant's back, forcing it to fly forward towards them. Once it was close enough, Hwoarang delivered a high kick, sending it upwards. It soon started to fall back towards the Earth, but it's head ended up being chopped off by Mi-na's kwan-do before it had the chance to land.

Once that was over, Hwoarang and Mi-na turned their attention to the person who helped them out. Hwoarang didn't know him, but Mi-na instantly recognized the man in the white gi and red headband.

"Ryu!" Mi-na called out.

Ryu heard his name being called and he turned his attention to the young woman a few yards away. Although the two didn't really interact during their time in Outworld, they knew who the other was.

Before he could reply to her call, a knocked-out guard was tossed between them, grabbing the three's attention. They turned their heads to the person who did the tossing. Mi-na let out a sigh of relief upon recognizing Jin.

Of course, Hwoarang wasn't too happy to see his rival. He wanted more than anything to take him down here and now. However, with the situation they were in, the red-headed Korean knew that it was going to have to wait.

"Kazama," Hwoarang said. "I figured I'd run into you sooner or later."

Mi-na stared at him. "Hwoarang, survival is more important right now."

Hwoarang clenched his teeth. "I know that."

By then, Jin and Ryu had approached the two. Once they were a couple of feet from them, Jin spoke. "If you two want to survive and fight back later, come with us."

"Where are we going?" Mi-na asked.

"Jin knows a place we can stay until we can find a way to end all this," Ryu replied.

Hwoarang folded his arms. "And how are we going to do that?"

The sounds of tires screeching suddenly caught their ears. The four of them turned around, only to be faced to face with a blue Honda Insight barreling towards them. Jin, Ryu, Mi-na, and Hwoarang managed to jump out of the way just as the car managed to slow down.

"Watch it!" Mi-na yelled out.

The driver in the car quickly rolled down their window before peaking their head out. "Sorry!"

Ryu recognized the driver. "Mika!"

Mika sighed of relief, at least knowing that someone she knew was okay. "Ryu!"

Cassandra poked her head out the window as well. "Finally! Some faces we know!"

In the back, King and Marduk sat quietly, both of them still wanting to pound each other right then and there. Marduk noticed Mika had stopped the car and talking to someone. He leaned over towards her.

"Hey! I don't think we have room to pick anybody up," Marduk mentioned.

Mika ignored him as Ryu spoke. "We're going to try to get us all out of the city. Jin knows a place we can go to."

"Where would that be?" Cassandra asked.

Ryu shook his head. "He hasn't said yet."

As this went on, Hwoarang took a moment to recover his bike, which contained scratches, but was still drivable. Meanwhile, Jin looked around for his own transportation. His eyes soon laid on a black motorcycle laying on the sidewalk on it's side with the keys still in the ignition. Jin ran over to the bike and pulled it up. Once it was right-side up, he started up the bike, it's engine catching Hwoarang's attention.

Hwoarang was almost amused at the idea of Jin riding a motorcycle as he never imagined his rival would. "I didn't think you could ride one of those."

Jin barely raised an eyebrow. "I didn't expect you to." He gazed at the others. "Everyone follow me. We're going to be heading south for a while."

Mi-na got herself on the bike Hwoarang was controlling. Jin looked over at Ryu and tilted his head sideways, letting him know to get on the bike.

As he approached the bike, Ryu was suddenly getting flashbacks of his first (and last) time on a motorcycle several years ago. It was his first time in America and Ken had taken him around town. It was already bad enough that Ryu felt like he was going to fall off the bike every time Ken went faster. Ken also insisted on doing a wheelie every second, which he did more of once he realized Ryu didn't like it.

"You're sadistic!" Ryu remembered calling out at the time. Ken had only replied with a maniacal laugh.

Now he was about to get on a bike again. Ryu still didn't like the idea, but at least he could trust Jin in not doing a wheelie on their way to wherever they were going.

Once everyone was ready to go, Jin drove forward, trying to avoid the running pedestrians on the way. Hwoarang followed soon after, with Mika not too far behind.

~~~

**San Francisco, California**

It seemed like forever before Paul and Marshall finally reached the neighborhood where Marshall's apartment was. There, he hoped to reunite with his son, Forrest. From there, all three of them would head off to the Rockies to meet with the other fighters Paul met during his time in Outworld.

Riding Paul's motorcycle, it was easier to maneuver around other cars and pedestrians. Still, they couldn't avoid Shao Kahn's henchmen who attempted to kill the two as they tried to ride pass them. Paul would sometimes use his own bike as a weapon, running over whoever got in his way. They would also use some punches to knock them away as well.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take," Paul said at one point. "My fists are starting to blow up, and I can hardly get my hands to wrap around the handles."

"Try to hang on," Marshall encouraged him. "We're almost at my place. I just hope my son is okay."

"He's a good fighter," Paul replied. "I'm sure he is."

"You better be right…"

Finally, they turned on the block which would lead to the apartment building. Just down the road, the two of them noticed a small group nearby. Paul pressed his foot further into the accelerator in order to get to the scene faster.

"Hang on!" he called out as the bike gained speed.

They soon got a better view of a few Outworld guards surrounding a small group of people. They seemed to fight well, but at the same time, it looked as through they were being overwhelmed.

The motorcycle's engine caught some of the guards' attention, and they turned around to see what was coming. When they were close enough, Paul extended his left arm out and managed to clothesline a guard, sending it somersaulting backwards in the air before landing hard on the ground face first.

The distraction gave the small group the chance to take down some of the other guards. Two other guards chased after Paul and Marshall just as the motorcycle came to a screeching halt. Quickly, Marshall jumped up towards one guard before landing a diagonal kick to his face. The other guard went after Paul, who managed to land a few punches on him, stunning him. While not on defense, it gave Paul the chance to grab the guard by the back of his hand, bending him over before kneeing him hard in the face. Some teeth and blood spewed from the guard's mouth before he fell forward unconscious.

"Dad!" a voice familiar to Marshall cried out. Marshall turned his head and saw his only son Forrest standing a few feet away. His face was covered in a bead of sweat and some blood from the enemies he fought had managed to splatter onto his clothes. Next to him were three male friends, who Forest had known since high school.

"Forest!" Marshall called out as he can over to him. Once he reached him, he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you all right?"

Forest nodded. "For now, we are." He frowned a little. "I guess I was wrong about this whole invasion thing being a hoax."

"Don't dwell on it right now, son," Marshall suggested.

A grim look appeared on the young man's face. "Do you think Mom's okay?"

Marshall frowned. "I hope so. I told her to meet us at the Rockies if this happened."

Meanwhile, Paul stood a few feet from the Laws. Nearby, one of Forest's friends happened to see the older man, his eyes widened as he recognized him.

"Hey," he called out. He waited until Paul turned his head to him. "Aren't you Paul Phoenix, the one who got his ass kicked by a bear in the King of Iron Fist Tournament last year?"

Paul narrowed his blue eyes at him. "Now's not a good time to bring that up, kid."

That's when everyone heard a sudden commotion nearby. They all turned their attention to the noise, only to see a group of more guards heading their way.

Paul cracked his knuckles upon seeing him. "Looks like another party is coming our way."

Forest suddenly turned his head to his father. "I need you to get out of here. My friends and I will take care of this!"

Marshall looked at his son in shock. "I'm not leaving with you!"

"Besides," Paul cut in. "Even at our age, I'm sure we can take care of these goons."

"That's not what I meant," Forest replied. "I mean, you two already have your own transportation. We don't. My car got crushed during the chaos."

At this point, Forest's three friends began making their way towards the guards, all ready to fight. This bought Forest a little more time to talk to Marshall and Paul.

"Besides," the young man continued. "It's better for a couple of us to get to the Rockies than for all of us to be dead." He smiled a little. "And don't worry… I remember where to go from here."

Marshall shook his head. "I'm still not leaving without you."

Paul placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, getting his attention. "He's right, Marshall. Besides, we both know that he can take care of himself, no matter what. You taught him well."

Marshall sighed. In his mind, he didn't want to leave his only son behind at a time like this. At the same time, he knew that Forrest and Paul were both right in their statements. Even though he was still reluctant, Marshall knew that this was the better option right now.

"Promise me that you'll make it to the Rockies okay," Marshall asked him.

Forest nodded as he placed a hand on his father's arm. "You know I will."

Paul patted Marshall's shoulder. "Let's go." He looked at Forest. "Be careful."

"I will."

For a moment, as Paul headed back towards his motorcycle, Marshall stood where he was, staring at Forest. Then, before he could give himself the chance to change his mind, he quickly turned around and ran over to the bike before sitting himself down. Marshall then gazed over at his son one last time, watching him join his friends in their own battle before Paul geared up the bike and sped away, intending on heading East…

~~~

**Asia, Unknown Area**

Standing on a hillside, Quan Chi looked down at the large village below. Not long ago, he was instructed by Shao Kahn to lead a group of Tarkatans and Outworld guards to destroy this place and kill or enslave everyone on sight.

Quan Chi smirked sadistically, knowing that the villagers were not expecting the incoming attack. ' _What a surprise they will soon be faced with,_ ' he thought to himself.

The sorcerer soon turned his head to the small army behind him. "Go! Leave no one alive unless they are worthy!"

The Outworld Forces did not hesitate at his command. Quickly, they all ran past Quan Chi, who stood in his place with his arms folded in front of him. For now, he would stay where he was, feeling that he was not need to take care of such a 'simple' task.

For a while, Quan Chi watched the beginning of the carnage. A sadistic smirk appeared on his face even more than before as the screams from the villagers reached his ears. Some clashing of weapons were heard, and a few buildings in the village were soon set ablaze.

"It'll be over for them before they know it," he said to himself. "At least mortally. Too bad their souls will continue to suffer."

Just as he finished saying that, the sound of a twig snapping was suddenly heard. Quickly, Quan Chi whirled around, expecting someone to be nearby. However, upon scanning the area with his red eyes, no one was nearby.

Not taking any chances, Quan Chi reached for the hilt of his broadsword, hidden in a scabbard connected to a black belt wrapped around his waist. He pulled it out only a few inches before stopping, deciding to wait for just a moment.

Then, the sound of rustling leaves were heard and Quan Chi turned his head again. This time, he managed to capture a shadowed figure before it quickly disappeared into a ball of flames.

The moment those flames dispersed, Quan Chi realized exactly who was here. "Shit…"

Rapidly, the flames reappeared again, this time just above him. Quan Chi attempted to back away, but was soon met with a foot to his face, the force of it sending him rearing backwards before landing on his back into the grass.

The sorcerer shook away the pain that suddenly developed. After clearing away the blur in his vision, he gazed upon his biggest enemy; the ninja spectre Scorpion.

Originally, Scorpion was on his mission to assassinate Dark Raiden, as ordered by the Elder Gods. He was scanning the surrounding areas when he noticed Quan Chi here. It was his chance to take care of the sorcerer.

"You…" Quan Chi growled.

Scorpion pulled out his mugai ryu sword, which was behind him in it's own scabbard. "We meet again, Quan Chi. This time, I will make you suffer!"

Quan Chi fully pulled out his sword from the scabbard. "I don't have time for your foolishness!"

Scorpion pointed to the area behind the sorcerer, where the village was being destroyed. "Is _this_ how you killed my family and clan? By standing here and letting your henchmen do your dirty work?"

"Enough of this!" Quan Chi yelled out, raising his weapon. "If you want to fight so much, then do it! But remember, we're not in the Netherrealm any more! I'm not as weak here as I am there."

Not hesitating any longer, Scorpion jumped forward and launched himself towards his long-time enemy. Quan Chi stood where he was, ready for their latest battle.

~~~

**Los Angeles, California**

It was a long and grueling ride, but Ken was able to finally let out a sigh of relief the moment he made a turn onto the block that would lead him straight towards the gated community where his home was located. Soon, he would have his family in the car with him. Soon, they will all head towards the Rockies.

Already in the car with him was Julia, who sat next to him, and in the back was Sagat, who they picked up on their way over here. All was quiet between the three of them since Ken had explained to Sagat what they were doing involving the hideaway they would soon be heading off to.

Julia happened to look further towards the community they were driving to. She was beginning to get a sinking feeling the closer they got. She rested her chin on her clasped hands, not liking what they might run into.

Ken had noted this too. Upon seeing the broken gate, he realized that either his neighbors managed to escape, or… no, he couldn't think that!

 _I'm coming Eliza!_ Ken called out in his mind. _You and Mel will be safe real soon!_

He drove through the broken gate, pressing his foot further into the gas pedal in order to get to his home faster. He also took off his seat belt, just so he could get out of the car more quickly.

Julia happened to turn her head and gasped as she noted that some of the homes were already either damaged or destroyed. Some laid in a rubble, and some were engulfed in flames. There was no doubt in her mind that the Outworld Forces had already made their way through the neighborhood.

She turned to face Ken, who had a look of both seriousness and determination on his face. Julia wanted to say something, hoping to try to give him any comfort, but she quickly realized that it was best to stay quiet.

One minute after passing through the gate, Ken made a quick, sharp turn to the driveway that lead to his property. The actual house was surrounded by lush trees and a long, tall hedge.

The moment they passed that hedge, Julia gasped in horror. What was once a beautiful, two-floored mansion was now reduced to a rubble, just like the other houses.

" **NO!** " Ken called out. He got himself closer to the house before quickly pressing on the brake and got his Porsche in park. He jumped out of the car and began running towards the rubble, hoping to find his wife and son still alive.

" **ELIZA! MEL!** " Ken screamed out as he reached the pile of stones and bricks. He got down on his knees and began to dig through with his hands, proceeding to call out their names in hopes that they would hear him.

Julia soon got out of the car and ran towards the rubble, hoping to help out in Ken's search. Sagat got out as well, but more slowly. Already, he knew that the search would be in vain. There was too much to look through, and with how heavy the stones were, he knew that barely anyone would survive that, let alone a woman and her child…

Ken continued to search, pushing everything out of his way with everything he had. The back of his mind was telling him that this was all useless, but in his heart, he didn't want to stop. He felt his heart beating rapidly against his ribcage, the adrenaline continuing to rush through his veins.

Soon, however, he lifted one particular stone before stopping. There before him laid someone's right hand, the palm facing up, partially covered in blood, and unmoving. Whether it was Eliza's or one of his maids', Ken wasn't sure… by then, the tears in his eyes were blurring his vision. He also realized that he couldn't go further than this. If this was Eliza, would he even want to see what remained of her?

Nearby, Julia looked up and saw that Ken had stopped digging. She noted that he was staring at something, and she soon realized that there was no use in continuing the search. Slowly, she got herself back on her feet before walking over towards Ken. Looking at him, she saw that he was barely fighting back the tears that were threatening to escape, the despair written on his face. It was as though he wanted to mourn, but at the same time, it was as though he couldn't. Tears stung Julia's eyes as well, heartbroken that a woman and a young child were most likely lost within the rubble. She wanted to reach out and give comfort to her friend, but quickly realized that it was no use.

"Ken…" she whispered. "I'm so sorry…"

Ken bowed his head more, the strands of his shoulder-length blonde hair falling forward and covering most of his face. His hands gripped tightly on the piece of stone he had lifted only a moment ago, nearly threatening to break it in pieces with his strength.

A few feet away, Sagat stood behind him. The three of them were in silence for what seemed like an eternity. In the distance, the sirens continued to blare and the sounds of crumbling buildings reached their ears. The crackling sounds of fire were heard nearby as the wind in the air picked up, making their surroundings more chilly.

It was Sagat who finally broke the silence. "I know what I'm about to say won't bring comfort, but… with what's going on now, you have to go on. I know now that it seems like you can't, and you would rather be with them on the other side. You're one of the strongest fighters on Earth, and the world needs you right now. Your family would have wanted you to fight back. Don't let their deaths be in vain."

Ken only heard half of what Sagat said. However, what he did hear, he knew that, yes, he had to go on… for his wife, Eliza… for his son, Mel… for what was left of humanity. It would be the hardest thing he would have to do; to go on living without them… but if it meant not letting what happened to them be in vain, he would do it.

Slowly, he got himself back on his feet. A tear escaped his eye, but he quickly wiped it away. Although his heart was hurting from his loss, Ken knew that mourning would have to wait, at least for now.

"Let's go," he quietly said.

Julia nodded. "I'll drive if you want me to…"

Ken nodded in agreement. "Yeah… I think that's best for now…"

Ken, Julia, and Sagat returned to the Porsche, now with the intention of getting to the Rockies and meeting with the others from the tournament. For a long time after leaving, all was quiet between them…


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Los Angeles, California**

At one point of the drive, Guile decided to head North, realizing that it was the better option than heading East. However, he found himself more frustrated than before as it seemed like other drivers had the same idea he had.

"Well," said Wagner after some silence. "This is no different than your typical rush hour traffic."

He didn't even have to look at anyone in the van to know that they were all glaring at him. The young man sighed a little. "Sorry… I was trying to lighten the mood."

"Even if you told the best joke in the world," said Juli. "I don't think it'll help right now."

A sigh escaped Guile's lips. "You'd think with all the roads we have, it would make things easier for drivers."

"Something always said in rush hour," Wagner muttered under his breath.

Suddenly, Guile pressed on the brakes hard enough to scare everyone else in the van out of their wits. The van's tires screeched as they continued to fly forward before coming to a stop. By then, everyone was able to get a good view of a Centaurian standing right in front of them. Juli, Jane, and Amy screamed with terror upon seeing the creature.

"What the hell is THAT?" Wagner exclaimed.

Quickly, Guile scanned his surroundings. To his dismay, with the Centaurian in front of him and with other cars blocking him, he realized that there was no other escape… at least not while behind the wheel.

"Everyone, GET OUT!" he ordered.

No one in the van hesitated as the doors flew open and everyone jumped right out. They all got out just in time before the Centaurian jumped on top of the car, his heavy weight crushing the vehicle like a tin can.

"Oh my God!" Jane cried out, realizing that they had just lost their transportation. She held her daughter, who was crying once again out of fear, close to her.

The Centaurian turned his head to the group, glaring at them for a moment before making his approach. Guile and Wagner stood protectively in front of Juli, Jane, and Amy in their fighting stances, waiting to see what the creature planned to do.

"What do you want from us?" Wagner ended up asking.

The Centaurian folded his arms. "That all depends. My name is Motaro, I'm a General for Shao Kahn. He requested that either you join us or die. Either way, your souls will belong to us."

Wagner narrowed his eyes at him. "Let's see you try!" Swiftly, he began making his way foward.

Guile's eyes widened as he realized what the young man was about to do. "Wagner! Get away from him!"

His words didn't reach Wagner as he approached. Once close enough, the Sergeant jumped up and attempted a somersault.

" _Rising Kick!_ " he called. It was a move that contained two quick somersault. However, he was barely performing the first spin when Motaro grabbed him by an ankle, and Wagner eventually found himself hanging upside side.

"Shit!" he yelled out.

Motaro held on to the young man's leg for a moment before lifting him up. With a loud roar, he hurled Wagner forward. The Sergeant's screams were heard until he smashed into a wall of a building, the force leaving some cracks behind, before falling back onto the sidewalk.

"Scott!" Juli cried out in panic. She along with Jane and Amy ran over to him to see if he was okay.

Meanwhile, rage fueled Guile after witnessing that. He narrowed his eyes at Motaro. "You're going to pay for that!" His hands were soon surrounded by a yellow energy, and he pulled his muscular arms back.

" _Sonic Boom!_ " he yelled out as he threw his arms forward. A boomerang-like projectile propelled it's way towards his opponent in rapid speed. Despite this however, once it was closer to him, Motaro simply swiped it away, sending it into a building instead, the impact smashing the windows.

Guile's eyes widened in shock after witnessing that. Barely anyone has anyone evaded his projectile like that. Knowing now what he was up against, he gazed over to where his family was. Juli had helped Wagner back on his feet, who looked noticeably dizzy from being thrown. He also noted that there was a small amount of blood dripping from the side of his head.

"Damn it," he uttered, wondering how they were going to get out of this mess.

Just as that thought left his mind, the Colonel suddenly head the loud sound of tires screeching nearby. At first, he thought that the car had nearly hit something and was just trying to stop…

"Guile!" he heard a female voice call out.

Guile noted a blue car nearby with it's headlights still on. Still, he couldn't make out who the driver was. "Who's there?!" he asked out loud.

"It's Agent Walker!"

He barely had time to comprehend the fact that an ally from Special Forces showed up when Motaro quickly raised a fist at him. Using both of his hands, he managed to block the powerful punch. Guile clenched his hands around the large fist, hoping that it would give him time to yell out what he needed to say.

Now that Alex had showed up, it had given his family another chance to get themselves away from here.

Without turning to face them, Guile screamed out. "Wagner! Get them out of here NOW!"

Despite feeling dizzy, Wagner knew what was going on. He saw Alex's car nearby, currently surrounded by Tarkatans who were being shot down by someone wearing yellow. Guile was struggling against Motaro as the both of them attempted to use their strength to overcome the other.

Once the Tarkatans were killed, Wagner turned to Juli, who stood just in front of Jane and Amy. "Let's go."

He ran forward as the three girls followed him until they reached the Corolla. Wagner opened the back door on the driver's side with Jane going in first. Amy followed after, who immediately sat on her mother's lap. Juli went in right after her.

Wagner looked up at Guile, who was still struggling against Motaro. He wanted to call out to him, to tell him to come along with them. However, Wagner had kept a promise that he would get his family safely to the Rockies in case Guile couldn't do it himself.

 _Damn it Guile,_ Wagner thought. _You're the one who knows the area we'll be in. You better get your ass there soon!_

Soon, Wagner jumped into the car, closing the door afterwards.

Alex poked her head out. "Guile! Get in!"

"GO!" he demanded, getting himself down on one knee as Motaro's strength began to overtake him. "Get my family to safety!"

Jane gasped in horror as she heard this. "WILL! **NO!** "

Wagner, leaning forward to the driver seat, knew it had to be done. "Alex, step on it," he quietly said grimly.

Her hands gripping tightly on the steering wheel, Alex pressed her foot onto the gas pedal, speeding her way around the sidewalk and out of the way of the other cars that had surrounded them.

For the first couple of minutes, all was quiet with the exception of the car's running engine and Amy's soft weeping as she tried to calm herself down now that they were safe once more. At one point, Juli turned her head to Jane, who clutched her daughter in her arms, her cheek resting against the top of her head. Uncontrollable tears stained her face even though she was quiet about it.

"I'm sorry, Jane," Juli whispered.

Jane's eyebrows immediately furrowed, suddenly feeling angry. "We could've stayed a little longer! He could've had a chance! That man was always stubborn to begin with!"

"If we had stayed," Wagner began. "We would all be dead."

"Besides," Juli tried to assure her. "I'm confident he'll meet us there."

Jane tried to control her sobs as she felt her body jolting. "That monster is going to kill him! Scott, you never even got to hit him!"

"Guile's a lot stronger than I am!" Wagner replied. "He's got more of a chance to win than I do!"

The blonde woman took a deep breath before speaking again. "You knew how strong that monster was! Why did you encourage the driver to leave?!"

"Because I promised him I would get you and Amy to the Rockies!" Wagner then buried his face into his hands, suddenly not feeling well emotionally. "I promised him…"

"Mommy," Amy uttered. "Will Daddy be okay?"

Jane hugged her closely. "Everything will be okay, sweetie. We'll be safe soon…"

"We'll be heading North for a little bit and try to get passed the valleys," a robotic tone suddenly said. "Once we get there, we'll start to head East. We figured it was the best way to avoid the heavy traffic."

Wagner looked up and noted the yellow cyborg sitting in the front passenger seat. "You must be Cyrax. I was told a lot about you. I'm Sergeant Wagner of the Air Force."

"I was told about you, too," Cyrax replied. "Sorry our first meeting wasn't under better circumstances."

"Likewise."

In the driver's seat, Alex was barely listening to the conversation in the car. Not even ten minutes ago, she was still feeling determined to look for Kenshi, even in a big city such as Los Angeles. However, the more time passed, the more she had to come to terms that she was most likely not going to find him.

Now, with a child in the vehicle, she knew that it was time to go. With heavy heart, she knew that it meant leaving Kenshi behind…

~~~

**Near Mt. Fuji, Japan**

A litter of Tarkatans laid at the feet of Heihachi and Kazuya, and they were either knocked out cold or killed by their own hands. They both stood a few yards away from each other, both focused on their own fights.

One Tarkatan quickly approached Kazuya, swinging it's blades at him, but he managed to dodge out of the way from them a couple of times. Soon, he found an opening and executed an uppercut, his hands surrounded by red electric shock waves. He managed to send the nomad in the air, barely giving it a chance to fall back down again before jumping up and delivering another uppercut, sending it further up. Landing back down on his feet, he waited until it fell towards his level before spinning around and struck it with a back kick with enough force to send it flying a few yards before it crashed into a wall.

Another approached Kazuya, coming at him with a jump kick, letting out a battle cry in the process. He waited until it was close enough for him to quickly lift his leg up, executing a rising kick that once again sent another nomad airborne. Once it fell back down, he delivered a roundhouse that forced the mutant through air and smashing into some of the electric devices that were in the room. The nomad screamed as electricity coursed through it, frying it until it was dead.

Meanwhile, Heihachi performed a scissor kick at another Tarkatan, sending it away from him. Another approached from his left side and he immediately elbowed it in the face. Some of it's teeth flew out of it's mouth as he was sent airborne away from him. The next one attempted to kick him, but Heihachi managed to grab it by it's ankle before twisting it. A loud snap was heard as the bone inside broke, causing the nomad to cry out in pain. Once that was done, Heihachi simple it spun around, tossing it away.

Heihachi turned his attention to his right, noting that most of the other Tarkatans in the room were now focusing on Kazuya as he fought his way through them. It nearly reminded the older man of how he was ambushed by the robots that invaded Honmaru all those months ago.

He turned his head again, noting the Mishima portal that lead him to any realm he pleased. A sadistic smirk came upon his face as an idea came to him.

 _I might as well take the opportunity to… repay a debt to that wench,_ he thought to himself, nearly laughing.

While Kazuya was still distracted, Heihachi ran over to the machine that controlled the portal. It would only be the second time in a year that he would use the portal. The only reason he hardly used it was because he still hadn't developed a way for him to return to Earth from whatever realm he had chosen to go to.

Now, however, he had a good reason to use it.

Heihachi pressed a couple of buttons on the machine. A humming noise began to develop as a silver energy began to form within the circled structure that served as the portal entrance. Heihachi wasn't sure what realm he chose since he had pressed that particular button at random. What mattered was that he had managed to find a way to leave Kazuya to fend himself, just as the younger Mishima did to him in Honmaru.

The older man smirked one last time, seeing his son struggle against the Tarkatans. With that, he jumped through the portal.

Kazuya just managed to release an invisible energy from around his body. It had enough force to push off all the nomads away from him. He then noted a humming noise nearby. He turned to see what it was, only to notice Heihachi jumping right through the portal.

"Damn you," Kazuya growled, realizing he was getting back at him for Honmaru.

Quickly, he ran towards the portal. When he was a few feet away, Kazuya jumped forward, just able to make it through the portal's energy right before it closed up.

~~~

**Asia, Unknown Area**

A green skull-shaped projectile was shot at Scorpion, but he swiftly parried it, sending it in another direction. He then attempted to flip backwards, his feet covered in flames, but his nemesis, Quan Chi, managed to back away, feeling the heat of the flames that didn't get the chance to touch him.

As soon as he landed on his feet, Scorpion shot an arm out as a rope connected to a spear shot out towards his enemy. Knowing this would come eventually, Quan Chi sidestepped away from the spear before grabbing a hold of the rope. Before Scorpion could react, the sorcerer quickly pulled the ninja towards him, delivering an uppercut to his chin once he was close enough.

Scorpion landed hard on his back. He then saw Quan Chi lift a foot above his gut, and he managed to roll away just before he was hit. Quan Chi instead slammed his foot into the ground. Scorpion somersaulted on the ground backwards before getting himself back on his feet.

Quickly, Quan Chi covered the distance between them before delivering a fury of punches of kicks at Scorpion, who blocked them with his arms and hands. For a minute, the sorcerer found himself on offense with the ninja keeping himself on defense.

Soon, Scorpion managed to parry a punch away, leaving Quan Chi open. The hellspawn spectre landed a few punches to Quan Chi's face before raising his leg to land a kick under the sorcerer's chin. Quan Chi found himself somersault back, but he managed to catch himself and was able to safely land back on the ground with ease.

Scorpion ran back towards him, but Quan Chi managed to duck down and slide himself towards him. Once close enough, he raised a leg and kicked him in the gut, the force sending Scorpion airborne. He landed hard on his back and, just as Quan Chi was standing again, the ninja raised a hand, the palm facing towards the sky. Quan Chi saw this in time and flipped back as a burst of flames ignited where he had just stood.

Scorpion flipped himself back on his feet. Once he was ready, he grabbed for his mask and pulled off, revealing nothing but a skull. He opened his mouth and a long line of flames shot out of his mouth. Seeing this coming, Quan Chi quickly raised his hands up, both surrounded by green auras, forming a wall made of green skulls to protect himself from the attack.

Frustrated, Scorpion began to blow even more fire as Quan Chi attempted to keep the wall in place. Eventually, Scorpion managed to break the skulls, the force sending Quan Chi a few feet back before landing hard in the dirt on his back.

Quan Chi quickly sat up, sending another green projectile out. It managed to hit Scorpion and sent him back as well, also eventually landing on the ground back first. Quickly recovering, they both got themselves back on their feet, immediately getting into fighting stances.

The two stared at each other for what seemed like a long time. Only the sound of the blowing wind was heard as they waited for the other to make the next strike.

" ** _Quan Chi_** **,** " a voice from within the sorcerer suddenly called out. Quan Chi's eyebrows twitched a little upon hearing a deep, booming voice from within his head. He knew who he was, and found himself a bit annoyed as his fight with the spectre was disrupted.

" ** _Quan Chi, I_** **know** ** _you can hear me._** "

The sorcerer sigh before returning the message within his mind. ' _Yes, Emperor?_ '

" ** _It's time to end it. Gather the forces and return to Outworld immediately. I believe we have made our point to Earthrealm for now. We'll return to finish them off later. For now, we will give them time to build the fear within them._** "

' _I'll be there soon._ '

Quan Chi opened his eyes just as Scorpion delivered a roundhouse kick to his face. Quan Chi managed to block the move with his hand before jumping back, leaving space between the two.

He began to gather up some energy in his hands. "As much as I'd like to finish you off here and now," he said to the ninja. "I'm afraid that it will have to wait."

This angered Scorpion. "You coward!" With a loud roar, he began sprinting towards his long-time nemesis.

With barely any more time to gather up more energy, Quan Chi quickly shot out his arms just as Scorpion began to execute a flying kick. The energy hurled itself towards Scorpion, soon engulfing him in a white light. A flash was seen, which soon dispersed, taking Scorpion with.

Now alone, Quan Chi straightened himself up, soon turning his attention back to the now-destroyed village. He saw the Outworld Forces he lead to there earlier, realizing that their job was done.

A smirk came over Quan Chi's face. "I'm not sure where I just sent you, spectre," he said out loud. "But it's no matter… because next to meet, I'll see to it personally that you are out of the way… for good."

~~~

**Hong Kong, China**

Dundas Street was nearly in shambles in what seemed like a blink of an eye. A majority of the people who were here earlier were only complaining about the heavy rush hour traffic. Now, however, the people there wished that was their only complaint. Cars were left abandoned on the streets, people laid scattered in their own pool of blood, and the Outworld Forces who were still there scurried away, looking for more victims to either capture or slay.

Yun and Yang Lee were some of the few still standing, having fought their way for survival ever since the whole thing began. Earlier, the brothers were on their way to meet up with some friends since they both had the day off from their jobs. Instead, they found themselves fighting against the Outworld Forces, unleashing many of the moves that were taught to them by their Grandfather all their lives.

After fighting for so long, the brothers were finally able to get a break. Though out of breath, the two still kept themselves in their fighting stances, just in case. Both were battered with bruises and cuts on their bodies with parts of their clothes torn.

"Hey," Yun spoke after catching his breath. "I don't think I've seen anything this bad since our time in Outworld."

"Yeah," Yang agreed. "But last time, there was a way out. I don't think we can get out of this situation so easily this time…"

Yun sighed. "We could try to get out of the city. I don't know where we'd go, but anything's better than being in a crowded city."

"Something tells me we'll eventually be found. After all, we were one of Rose and Raiden's chosen ones."

Yun lowered his head. "Yeah."

Yang suddenly clenched his fists. "If there was only a way I can get to Japan…"

"Japan? Why do you want to-" Yun began, but he suddenly stopped as he realized what his twin was talking about. "Oh yeah." He turned to Yang. "Maki's a strong fighter. I'm sure she'll be okay."

"If I can only be sure," Yang replied. "If only I can somehow let her know that I'm okay, too. Damn it…"

Unknown to Yun and Yang, a Shokan was slowly walking up to them. Despite it's heavy weight, it was still able to quietly approached the two from behind.

"Maybe if we try to take a boat out?" Yun suggested.

Yang shook his head. "Something tells me it's not going to be that easy."

Suddenly, they heard the sound of breaking glass as though someone had just stepped on it. The twins whirled around, and their eyes widened in surprise as they noted the Shokan, a female, just a few feet away.

"WHOA!" Yun yelled out. "I don't remember seeing these kind of things in Outworld!"

Yang got himself back in his fighting stance. Yun did the same, even though he had the feeling that they might get beat this time.

The Shokan grinned at them. "My name is Sheeva. You two are most worthy if you were able to survive this long. If you join Shao Kahn, he will spare your lives."

"That's not going to happen!" Yun yelled out before launching himself towards him.

Sheeva grinned. "Then may your souls serve him for eternity, even in death!"

When he was close enough, Yun jumped up and attempted a flying kick, but the large monster used the back of her hand to swat him away in the face. Yun let out a small cry as he flew sideways before smashing into the side of a car.

Yang decided to take his turn and began his approach. However, he was only able to run a couple of feet before Sheeva spun herself around. Yang was unaware of what she was doing… until her large foot smacked Yang with enough force to send him flying away from the scene. Yang was able to hear Yun yell out his name right afterwards.

Yang wasn't sure how long he was flying for until his left side hit something. Shattering glass was heard as he now found himself spinning rapidly in the air, going a few more feet until he landed hard on the sidewalk on his stomach, quickly feel the wind knocked out of him.

He immediately tried to take deep breaths, hoping to be able to get back on his feet as soon as possible. He didn't want to leave Yun to fend for himself.

Then, just as he rolled over onto his back and began to get up, Yang noted a white car coming up towards him as it drove through the sidewalk. It stopped in front of him, and Yang wondered for a moment if he was blocking the driver's one way out.

That's when the passenger side of the car flew opened, and a woman with a messy ox horn hairstyle stepped out. "Yang!" she called out just as she began to run over towards him.

Yang smiled a little, recognizing Chun Li. "Good to see you," he said. By then, Lei Wulong got out of the car as well and went to join the two of them.

"Oh my God!" Chun Li suddenly cried out. "Yang, your arm!"

Yang noted that the Interpol agent was looking down at his left arm. He gazed down at it and noted that his bicep was covered in his blood, more than likely from whatever he crashed into a moment ago while he was airborne. He was a little surprised as he hadn't felt any pain in that arm right away, though it was starting to hurt now that he was looking at it.

"We'll have to get you to a safe place and get that cleaned up," Lei suggested. "We want to make sure there's no glass or anything else under the skin."

Yang's eyes widened suddenly as he thought of his brother fighting alone somewhere amongst the crowd of abandoned cars that surrounded them.

"Yun!" he cried out as he quickly got himself on his feet. "He… we were fighting some big… thing… she managed to get rid of me. Yun's alone with her right now!"

Before Chun Li or Lei could say anything, Yang began running forward back towards the area he was last in. Knowing that the parked cars would only get in his way, he lept onto the top of one car, then began jumped off of others in order the get there faster. At one point, he saw some soft glowing green light near where Yun was. It made Yang grow more worried.

 _Hold on, Yun!_ Yang cried out in his mind.

Soon, he saw the familiar area he was standing in moments ago. He jumped back down onto the pavement, letting himself catch his breath. The young man scanned his surroundings in almost a panic, noting that both Yun and Sheeva were now gone.

"Yun!" Yang screamed out, now short-breathed. "YUN!"

That's when Yang noticed something on the ground. He turned his full attention to it, and suddenly felt frozen in his place. On the ground, surrounded by a few drops of fresh blood, was the blue and yellow cap Yun always wore…

Yang clenched his teeth, not believing what he was seeing. Just as Chun Li and Lei finally caught up to him, Yang walked over to the baseball cap, soon stopping just in front of it. For a moment, he found himself staring at his cap until he forced himself to bend down to pick it up. Upon straightening himself up, Yang stared at the cap as though he was in a trance.

Behind Yang, Chun Li had seen Yun's hat on the ground before he had approached it. Whatever happened to Yun, she knew that the results were grim. Tears began to sting her eyes, feeling that she had failed to help rescue both of the Lee brothers. However, she managed to blink them away, knowing that now wasn't the best time to let her emotions take over her.

Lei eventually approached Yang before placing a hand on the young man's right shoulder. He wanted to say something to him, but suddenly found that he couldn't.

However, Yang ended up speaking for him. "They took him. That thing said we were worthy enough to join Shao Kahn. She said she would spare our lives if we cooperated." He suddenly clenched a fist, his eyes closed tightly and his eyebrows furrowed in anger. "They're going to do what they did to Guy at the tournament! That's if that thing didn't kill him!" His breath shortened once more. His voice became louder. "I swear, if-"

"Don't think like that!" Chun Li exclaimed. "Try not to think like that."

Lei lightly squeezed Yang's shoulder. "There's nothing we can do right now, not here at least. Listen, I know a place where we can recover and prepare ourselves for more of these guys. I think most of the adversaries we fought today were nothing more than amateurs. I think they're trying to save their best fighters for those who were strong enough to survive this today. I have no doubt they'll be back to take care of the rest of us. Maybe, just maybe, when that happens, we'll get the chance to find your brother. Don't lose hope."

After a moment, Lei quietly sighed with a little relief as he felt Yang relax under his hand. Yang soon took a deep breath before quietly nodding.

Lei nodded as well. "Let's get going. It's a long drive, so the sooner we get there, the better."

As the only three left on Dundas Street, Lei, Chun Li, and Yang began making their way back to Lei's car. None of them spoke throughout the walk, and none of them spoke once they got in the car. Lei got the car started before carefully moving the car around the area.

Soon, Chun Li broke the silence. "Getting out of Hong Kong is not going to be easy."

Lei shook his head. "Definitely not. I think once we get to Tsing Long Highway and go north, we'll be okay. That will at least take us out of the city."

"That's a half hour without traffic. I'd say give it an hour or two."

"Yeah…"

Sitting in the back seat behind Chun Li, Yang didn't pay any attention to what they were saying. Instead, he found himself almost in a trance while staring at Yun's hat which was now sitting on his lap, a hand placed over the yellow rim. He felt the guilt weighing in on his shoulders over surviving this far without Yun.

 _I'm so sorry, brother…_ he thought sadly. Not only did Yang just lose his only sibling, whether he was captured or killed, but there was also the big worry over whether or not his girlfriend, Maki, was holding up okay in Japan.

To him, it was almost too much to bare…

~~~

**Los Angeles, California**

It almost seemed like forever before Alex could finally get a clearing from the traffic that had surrounded her car, eventually going north on the Hollywood Freeway. Aside from the sounds of the Corolla's engine, all was quiet between her, Cyrax, Wagner, Juli, Jane, and Amy. They were still in LA, but now it was going to be faster to get out.

Cyrax still had the machine gun in his hand, and the window was still rolled down just in case. He stared outside for a while, waiting for more Outworld Forces to show up to take them down. However, nothing had been seen ever since they were forced to leave Guile behind.

"You think the worst of it is over?" Juli suddenly said after some silence.

"Not sure," Cyrax replied. "But there's that chance that some of them could be lingering nearby."

A whimper from Amy was heard after that was said. In reply, her mother Jane tightened her hold around her, still fighting her own tears from witnessing the horrors from tonight, especially after Guile ordered them all to go…

Hearing the small cry, Wagner sighed a little. "Everything will be all right from this point on. I'm sure of it. There are plenty of supplies at the Rockies, and the sooner we get there, the better."

"How long would the supplies last?" asked Alex.

"About a year," Wagner replied. "But that's if we had three-hundred people on base, which is the max we can hold."

"Not a lot considering…" Cyrax mentioned.

"It's very secluded anyway," Wagner said. "I don't even think we'll have more than twenty people there for at least a few weeks."

"Weeks?" Juli questioned. "Do you think that's how long we'll be there?"

"I don't know. Even with whatever we plan, who knows how long we'll be there." Wagner sighed a little. "I just wish we could meet up with the others from the tournament somehow."

"What about that Raiden guy that was mentioned?" Juli asked.

"No one's heard from him since we escaped from Outworld," Alex answered.

"You'd think he would have warned us of all of this beforehand," Cyrax said. "Do you think something happened to him during the chaos in Outworld?"

"I saw him when I escaped through the portal to Earth," Wagner mentioned. His eyes widened suddenly as he remembered something. "Now that I think about it… Guile mentioned that he was missing when he, Chun Li, Lei, and Li Mei reached the portals. Lei even tried to ask Rose where he was, but she screamed at them to go." He sighed. "It's a shame she didn't make it. Poor Cammy had to witness her death…"

"A lot of us witnessed death that day," Alex said.

The memory of holding Sonya's lifeless body in his arms quickly flashed through Wagner's mind. He exhaled a little, shaking the vision out of his head. "Yeah…"

"Hang on!" Cyrax yelled out suddenly as he raised his gun. His call just managed to catch the attention of those sitting in the back right before Alex quickly pressed on the brakes, the tires of her car screeching. Screams from Amy and Jane were heard until the car fully stopped.

"What's out there?!" Juli called out.

Before Cyrax could answer her, the roof of the car was suddenly ripped off, taking half the windshield with it and causing everyone in the vehicle to shriek with terror. The Shokan who did the deed tossed the piece away, looking down at the five humans and the cyborg who were now exposed.

Quickly, Cyrax raised his machine gun and pulled the trigger, letting out a spray of bullets that embedded themselves into the creature. The Shokan let out a howl as it backed away, it's blood spraying on those in the car. Realizing that it wasn't dying right away, Cyrax raised the gun a little higher, now aiming at it's head. It took a few more shots before finally succumbing to death, it's body falling back onto the street.

The only sound that was heard afterwards was the car's engines and Amy's cries as Jane tried to comfort her. Cyrax turned around to look at his allies.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked.

The three women managed to nod as Wagner shook his head a little. "That was too close."

Suddenly, Juli felt herself being grabbed from behind. Before she could grasp what was happening, she was quickly pulled out of the car backwards, her screams of terror filling everyone's ears.

"JULI!" Wagner yelled out. He attempted to jump out of the car to go after her, but he too found himself starting to get pulled out of the car. He managed to land a blow with his elbow onto the guard's mouth.

Although he managed to get the guard to free him, Wagner found himself falling back onto the street before landing head first. It wasn't enough to knock him out, but it was enough to make him suddenly dizzy, his vision now blurry. He heard the guard coming towards him, but it was soon shot in the head by Alex's own gun.

Cyrax attempted to raise his machine gun, noting the Tarkatan that managed to grab Juli, but then another nomad was already close to him. He managed to shoot that one down, but then another one jumped in and kicked the weapon out of his hand. He then extended a saw from his arm, ready to defend himself.

In the car, Jane lowered her head down, clutching her daughter close to her, who did the same with her own smaller arms, crying into her mother's shoulder. The older woman was hearing the battles, but her eyes were closed shut, not wanting to see any more blood shed.

Behind the vehicle, Juli found herself on her back on the street pavement. She managed to look up to see the Tarkatan standing above it. It raised it's blade at her, ready to strike down.

However, before it could move, a slicing sound was heard, and Juli noted the shock look on the nomad's face. For a moment, she wondered what just happened… until he started to bleed right from it's head all the way down to it's lower region… then, it fell back, it's body now split in half, it's entrails hanging out. Juli managed to back away, but she found herself in shock over what just happened, unable to get back on her feet.

Nearby, Cyrax managed to cut the neck off the Tarkatan he was fighting. He managed to turn his head just in time to witness someone cutting down the nomad that managed to grab Juli. He then saw the figure run over to where Wagner was, protecting him from another guard who was approaching by cutting his head off with a sword.

There was no doubt in Cyrax's mind over who this was.

"About time you showed up!" he called out.

Meanwhile, Alex managed to deliver a fast roundhouse kick to the head of the last guard on the scene. Once it was knocked out, she managed to hear Cyrax call out, turning her attention to the person he was talking to.

"Are you all right?" a very familiar voice said to her a few feet away.

A heavy weight seemed to suddenly life off her shoulders as Alex recognized Kenshi. His sword was drenched in blood and he had some visible cuts on his body, his face covered in sweat. It was obvious that he had been fighting ever since this whole thing started, and she could only imagine what he had to run into on foot.

Despite her relief, Alex managed to nod. "We're a little battered, but we're okay."

By then, Wagner managed to get himself back on his feet. Still feeling a little dizzy, he placed his hand on the car door to keep his balance. "Nice to see you again, Kenshi," he managed to say.

"Too bad I can't say the same," Kenshi replied, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face.

Wagner's eyes widened with surprise. "Since when do _you_ have a sense of humor?"

"I hate to disrupt the reunion," said Cyrax. "But I highly suggest it's time to get our asses out of here."

"He's right," Alex said as she got herself back into the driver's seat of her car… or what's left of it.

A soft moan was heard nearby, and Wagner suddenly remembered why he was pulled out of the car to begin with. Quickly, he ran over to where Juli was, who managed to get herself on her feet away. He placed both his hands on either arm, helping her keep her balance after her near-death encounter.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

Juli briefly hugged him before pulling away. "Just get me out of LA and I'll be okay."

"Let's go then."

The two returned to their seats, now helping to comfort Jane and Amy after what just happened. Meanwhile, now having a new passenger in the car, Cyrax managed to move himself into the middle, trying not to sit on the gear shift, giving Kenshi room to sit in the front passenger seat.

Cyrax helped to put the car on drive after Alex pressed the brake. "At least the car's still working, right?" he asked.

Alex sighed a little as she gazed up to where the roof of her car used to be. "Don't remind me…"

She then quickly pressed on the gas pedal, intending on heading north for a little bit before making their way east towards the Rockies. There, they would meet with their other allies in hopes to finding a way to put a stop to Shao Kahn and the Outworld Forces.

Whatever was to happen afterwards, no one was sure. For now, it felt as though they were driving towards an uncertain future…

~~~

**Outworld**

For what felt like hours, the Emperor Shao Kahn and the Empress Ivy Valentine waited in the throne room as the invasion of Earthrealm took place. The more time went on, the more Shao Kahn could feel the newly collected souls of those who were killed by the hands of the Outworld Forces. He was also aware that there were new people who were captured alive, only to become enslaved or brainwashed to his will. He was delighted over how well his plan was going, but he kept that to himself, only showing an emotionless look, his red eyes glowing.

However, even he knew when it was time to end it. Being as sadistic as he was, the Emperor wanted there to be a point where the chaos would temporarily stop, giving the survivors time to linger in fear for what could come next. He knew that those who would survive today would most likely be strong warriors worthy to join him.

Eventually, they too will have no choice but to give in.

Deciding to end it for now, Shao Kahn sent a mental message to those leading the other army members to return to Outworld. He assured them that they would return later.

Once that was done, he leaned back against his throne. "Soon, we'll invade Keisei. Then after that, the remainder of the invasion will go much more smoothly."

Ivy turned her eyes away from him, but forced herself to keep her smirk. "Once Earthrealm is fully merged with us… we'll invade Keisei."

"I was hoping you would say that."

A grin came over Shao Kahn's face. Indeed, his new plan was going well. At this point, nothing could stop him.


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Seong Dojang, Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

On a quiet night, Hwang found himself slowly approaching the training room of his master's dojang. It was the place where Han-myeong trained many of his students during the years, Hwang included. A grim look appeared on Hwang's face as he bared grim news to his master.

Hwang found Han-myeong looking upon a wall containing various collections of weapons. Many of these weapons were once wielded by strong warriors who fought bravely in past wars. These weapons have since retired after long uses. Collecting these had become one of Han-myeong's hobbies.

After walking a little further into the room, Hwang found himself stopping a few yards away, finding that he couldn't go any further. He began to open his mouth, ready to call for his master.

"Hello, Hwang," Han-myeong said out loud, knowing that his pupil had arrived only a moment ago. "Why did you stop walking? Come stand by me."

Hwang straightened himself up, shedding away the grim look so that he didn't end up worrying the older man. He then slowly walked over before stopping next to him. The young man found himself looking up at the wall of weapons as well. Seeing this since he was an adolescent, if he closed his eyes, he would know exactly where each weapon was placed.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Han-myeong said almost cheerfully. "So many weapons I've collected over the years, and yet, there are so many more out there worthy to be amongst them…. and so little time to do so. Of course, when one who's never handle a weapon such as these see them, they think of them as deadly, violent. But it is not the blade that kills… it's the person who wields it."

The older man shifted his eyes towards Hwang. "So, my student, what brings you here?"

Hwang was quiet for a moment as he continued to gaze at the collection. He was almost sick to stomach over the news that he knew his master must know. Taking a deep breath, he turned his head Han-myeong.

"You don't bring good news, I assume," Han-myeong said, noting his student's frown.

Hwang slowly shook his head before replying. "I'm afraid not. One of the Manji Clan members in the area approached the Coast Guard Headquarters this morning. His name is Akio and he has been leading the clan in Keisei since their leader left for Earthrealm a few months ago."

The fact that Earthrealm was mentioned caused Han-myeong to raise an eyebrow with interest. He wondered once more if his daughter Mi-na was okay. "Earthrealm?"

Hwang nodded. "It seems as though they had spread themselves amongst the universe to stop Outworld's take-over. They lost many of their clan members in this attempt. Akio came to Admiral Lee and I a few hours ago."

The young man found himself quiet again, and Han-myeong was feeling a little impatient. "Go on, son."

Hwang took another deep breath. "Master… he informed us that Outworld has invaded Earthrealm yesterday."

Han-meyong let out a small, quick gasp as his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes closed tightly. "Mi-na…" He began to pace a little, and Hwang immediately grabbed on to his master's shoulder in hopes of somehow calming him a little.

Hwang knew he had to continue. "Before the fight began, their leader had a few of the clan members escape through his personal portal so that they can deliver this news to our realm. Akio wants the Manji Clan to form an alliance with the Coast Guard. They fear that Keisei is next."

Han-myeong opened his eyes. "Then let them come…"

The young man's eyes widened in horror upon hearing this. "Master, don't think like that!"

The older man shook his head. "If… only there was a way to know if Mi-na was okay… I…" He placed a hand over his forehead. "It nearly killed me when my wife and son died of the plague so many years ago. To lose my daughter would be the end of me."

"I wish there was something we can do to help Earth," Hwang said. "But I'm afraid, unless the Manji clan's leader returns here, there's nothing we can do. All we can do is protect Keisei as much as we can." He tightened his grip on his master's shoulder. "Besides… Mi-na is a strong woman. You taught her well in defending herself. I bet right now, she's trying to find any means possible to make her way over here."

Han-myeong nodded as he placed his hand down. "I hope you are right… I really hope you are right…"

~~~

**Imperial Guards Headquarters, Ming Dynasty, Keisei**

"Xianghua! Xianghua!" a young man dressed in a dark blue military uniform called out as he ran forward.

Training on the platform surrounded by lush green trees, Xianghua placed her weapon into her scabbard upon hearing her name. "What is it?" she asked once the soldier caught up to her.

He took a moment to catch his breath before replying. "You have some visitors who want to see you."

Xianghua grinned, realizing that Kilik finally made it. However, the smile quickly faded as she realized something. "Visitors? I was only expecting one person to show up."

The soldier shrug. "Well, there's two of them. One being Kilik, the one you were expecting. The other I assume is a companion. Kind of all high-and-mighty in my opinion, and he had really bizarre hair."

"Bizarre hair?" Xianghua asked confused. She was wondering who could that be. She turned back to the soldier. "Lead the way."

"Yes, Xianghua."

For a few minutes, the two walked through the military grounds. Xianghua was feeling excited the more she walked. _It's going to be so good to see you again, Kilik! But I'm kind of wondering who your new friend is._

Soon, they reached the entrance of headquarters. Xianghua suddenly felt butterflies in her stomach upon seeing Kilik standing a few yards away. He wore a mostly blue attire with black boots and gold trims around the sleeves and boots with two gold bands on each arm. A brownish-gold belt with three green gems hanging off it adorned his waist and he had a matching sash around his shoulder and torso. A sash designed in red and gold hung behind him, splitting into four pieces, and a piece of Dvapara-Yuga hung around his neck, the small green piece shimmering in the sunlight. In his hand was his red Kali-Yuga staff, a weapon he was almost never seen without.

"Kilik!" Xianghua called out as she began running towards him. "You finally made-"

She suddenly stopped herself as she instantly recognized the man described with 'bizarre hair.' He wore mostly white which contained a vest with a large collar, and a black and silver chain connected just below his neck, leaving most of his front torso exposed. A black belt wrapped around his hips and he worse white chaps with gold designs on the bottom over black pants and black boots. He had what looked like a long belt wrapped around his left forearm and his right arm contained only a single black finger-cut glove on his hand.

He was the one person Xianghua thought she'd never see again. Smiling more now, she began sprinting towards the two.

"Maxi!" she cried out happily.

Once she reached them, she grabbed both of them and pulled them into an embrace. "It's so good to see the two of you again!"

Both men chuckled, also happy to see the young woman again. Each placed a hand on her back, returning the hug.

"It's good to see you again too, Xianghua," Kilik replied.

"Same here," Maxi said.

Xianghua pulled back after a moment. She then turned her head to Maxi before raising a hand and slapped him on his arm. "Where in the world have you been?!"

"Owe," Maxi mumbled, rubbing the area where the young woman slapped him. "That's not a nice way to welcome me back."

Kilik laughed a little. "I warned you she might do that before we got here."

"Heh, I guess you were right. Anyway." Maxi looked at Xianghua. "It's a long story, but I was here in Keisei the whole time. I was just too injured to travel for a while."

Xianghua frowned, now feeling bad for hitting him. She reached a hand up and rubbed the spot on the arm she slapped. "At least you're okay. By the way, sorry about that."

"It's not a problem. I've had worse." He noted that with a wink, which made Xianghua giggle.

"So how is everything here?" Kilik asked, deciding to change the subject.

Xianghua's smile suddenly faded, and a sad look in her eyes seemed to replace it. "Well… unfortunately, I have some bad news. Let's take a walk and I'll tell you everything."

Kilik and Maxi nodded and soon the three of them began walking through the grounds. Eventually, they reached a garden area, one of Xianghua's favorite spots. She remembered helping with building this garden as a little girl with all the other women who were here, including her late mother.

"What's the bad news?" Maxi asked after some silence.

Xianghua found herself shaking her head a little. "Just an hour ago, before you two showed up, we just received word… it looks as though the word is spreading like wildfire in our world, but…"

"But what?" Kilik encouraged.

Xianghua shook her head a little. "Outworld finally invaded Earthrealm."

Kilik and Maxi looked at her in shock. During The Blood Tournament in Outworld, they had met many of the chosen ones who were from that realm. They could only imagine what they were going through right now…

"Sooner or later," Kilik began to say. "They're going to invade Keisei too…"

Xianghua placed a hand over her heart, feeling a bit saddened by the thought. "This is just all horrible. Why is this all happening?"

"Greed and power," Maxi guessed. "I figured this Shao Kahn guy Raiden and Rose were talking about was big trouble. Kilik tells me he has an Empress now… and apparently, she hails from here."

"To think that this Empress is willing to see her world destroyed," Xianghua said.

"That's if she has a choice in the matter," Kilik mentioned. He then let out a small sigh. "If there was a way for us to help our friends on Earth, we could. But all we can do right now is try to prevent the invasion here."

"You said in your letter that you wanted to gather some of our friends together," Xianghua reminded him.

Kilik nodded. "Yes. I was thinking we'd travel to Lee Dynasty next to pay a visit to Hwang. I seem to recall him mentioning that he was a member of the Coast Guard there. Hopefully, Mi-na managed to find her way back here by now. Then the only other person to find is Cassandra… except I'm not sure where she lives."

"Maybe once we get to the Coast Guards, we can try to find a way to search for Cassandra from there," Maxi suggested.

"Maybe," Kilik answered. "And once we're all together, I had hoped it would easily prepare ourselves once the invasion happens. And maybe, just maybe, we can devise a plan to stop it all."

"There might be a chance that our friends on Earth might be making their own plans too."

"I hope so," Xianghua said. "Now there's one thing I need to do. The problem is that my superior had wanted all of us guards to stay and help with everything here."

Maxi scratched the top of his head. "Gee, I didn't think about that."

"Don't worry, I had an idea," Xianghua began to say. "I could tell him that I had the idea to head over there and talk with the Coast Guard General, perhaps find a way to ally ourselves with them. The more power we have the better. I could work that out while I'm over there anyway."

"That's a good idea," Kilik said. "Once we get that settled, I'd suggest we begin traveling first thing in the morning."

Maxi sighed a little. "More traveling… like I need more of it."

"At least for now you'll get a break for a little bit," Xianghua mentioned. "Well, I better get talking with my superior if we want everything to go according to plan. After that, I think we could all have a little sparring session. I'd like to see what you two have learned in the past few months."

"Sounds good," Kilik said, now looking forward to a sparring match.

"Oh, silly me, I should show you to your rooms first. They're not big, but it's comfortable."

"Great, I could use a nap," Maxi said.

From there, the three friends began heading over to the sleeping quarters.

~~~

**Unknown Area, Keisei**

In the middle of a forest area, a glowing light suddenly appeared in the darkness. It eventually formed into what looked like an oval-shaped portal. Aside from a humming noise, nothing else happened for a few more seconds.

Suddenly, a figure came flying right out of the portal, a sword clutched in his hand. He came out backwards, flying a few more feet before crashing into the ground. He then rolled a few more feet back before coming to a complete stop.

Bryan Fury shook his head, a little disoriented from what just happened in the last few seconds. He knew that an energy formed, created with the slashing of Yoshimitsu's sword as he fought the leader of the Manji Clan. Upon being kicked right through it, he realized that it was a portal, leading him to wherever it was destined. A bright light had hit his eyes until now, and he was only blinded for just a few more seconds.

Getting himself back on his feet after recovering, Bryan looked at his surroundings, noting that he was in a forest. He figured that the portal sent him to another part of Earth.

Bryan clenched his teeth in annoyance as he thought about what Yoshimitsu just did. "Imbecile, you truly thought you got rid of me? We'll see about that!"

Taking the katana, Bryan began rapidly swinging the blade in the air, aiming at different directions. He did this for some time, believing that the portal would reactivate soon enough.

After a few minutes, however, Bryan began to realizing that nothing was happening. He stared at the sword as it glowed a green color.

"It worked before," he mumbled. "Useless piece of shit…" The sword glowed even more as though it was replying to his words.

Bryan looked at up at his surroundings. There seemed to be nothing but trees for miles on end. However, he knew that he would have to start walking, especially if he wanted to know exactly where he was… and especially if he wanted to try to find Yoshimitsu and kill him.

It was the only option he had at this point.

With the sword still in his hand, Bryan began his walk, unsure of when exactly he will reach civilization…

~~~

**Mikros Village, Ottoman Empire, Keisei**

Sophitia had been baking some pastries and bread after spending the morning preparing them in the bakery shop she worked at. Despite the weather being cold outside, it was very warm inside the small building she worked in, but she didn't mind it. It was something she was used to ever since she began working here as an adolescent.

Just as the sun reached the highest point of the day, her father, the owner of the bakery, recommended that she take a one hour break as he believed she was working too hard today. Sophitia decided to do just that, taking the opportunity to go to the market to pick out ingredients for tonight's supper.

She had just began to arrive at the market when she heard screaming from behind her. The young woman turned around and saw a few people running around almost frantically. She watched for a moment, wondering what was going on.

Then, someone yelled out, "The world is coming to an end! It's all over!"

Sophitia drew a breath, suddenly feeling a little nervous. She quickly tried to calm herself after, wondering if these few people were starting to lose their minds. She knew that there was a bit of hostility among the villagers ever since the invasion rumors began to heavily spread.

Before she had the chance to do anything else, one of them, a woman, suddenly approached her and grabbed her by the arm. "It's horrible! The news is spreading like fire!"

Sophitia wasn't fond of the fact that the woman was grabbing her, but knowing how panicked she seemed, the blond remained her composure. "What's going on?"

"You haven't heard?! Outworld has invaded Earth! We're next! _We're next_! AHHH!"

Sophitia's eyes widened as the woman let her go and began to scream more as she ran off. Placing her opposite hand over the arm that was grabbed, Sophitia began to feel a small lump form in the pit of her stomach.

She remembered the words that spread throughout Keisei months ago after those who lived through The Blood Tournament came home. Each told their tale, one of them being that the final face-off in the last round was between a native of Keisei and a native of Earthrealm with the former emerging the victor. By this alone, it was predicted that if one of these two realms was invaded, the other would closely follow afterwards.

Realizing this, Sophitia knew that she had to get home to tell her husband the news.

Quickly, she sprinted forward, knowing that the run would take about ten minutes. Not that she thought anything happened to her family, but in her mind, she could only imagine her children's reaction if word reached their small ears.

Soon, she reached the small cottage, the front door already opened. Sophitia slowed herself down, giving herself a moment to catch her breath before walking inside.

She saw Rothion in the living room, tying his boot with his foot resting on the coffee table. It was a habit Sophitia always scolded him for, but she never even thought to do so once she saw him.

"Roth!" the young woman called out.

"I know," Rothion replied, taking his foot off the table and onto the floor. He turned to face his wife. "I came here as soon as I heard."

"Where are the children?"

"They went with my mother to go shopping. She left a note on the table when I got here."

Sophitia shook her head. "Oh no… the people are going insane right now. I was hoping they wouldn't witness that."

Rothion walked over to her. "I know you don't. Unfortunately, no matter how much we want to shield them away from all of this madness, we can't. Even if they don't see it, they'll hear about it." He placed a hand on her face. "You look flushed. Are you all right?"

Sophitia smiled a little. "I'm all right. I actually came running here after I heard what was going on."

Rothion chuckled a bit. "That explains it."

The smile on her face faded as a thought came to her. "Roth… I just know it in my heart that our realm is the next to go… I know that we've been doing the best we could to prepare, but are we prepared enough?"

"We have some of the best armies in the world uniting to stop this. The Manji Clan have been a big help in helping and informing us of any news outside the realm. At this point, it's all we can do… whatever happens, we'll be all right."

Sophitia sighed a little. "I just hate to see our world fall like that. The couple of people who've settled here after their realm was taken from them… just seeing the look on their faces, you just know they've been through so much. It just breaks my heart."

Rothion moved his hands and rested them on her shoulders. "Remember too, we live in one of the most secluded areas in Keisei. I imagine it would be difficult for those scum to find us." He pulled her into an embrace. "Everything is going to be all right, I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Sophitia whispered as she returned the hug. For a moment as the two held each other, all was quiet with the exception of their soft, rhythmic breathing.

After what seemed like forever, but was only a few minutes, Sophitia broke the silence. "Aren't most of the activity with the Manji Clan somewhere on the coast of Lee Dynasty?"

Rothion raised an eyebrow. "Yes… why do you ask?"

Sophitia tightened her arms around him. "Because that's where I'm heading."

Rothion pulled away a little to look down at his wife, keeping his arms around her. "You can't be serious?"

"Oh, but I am," the young woman replied. She lifted a hand up and placed it on her husband's face. "Roth, with everything that's happening, especially now, I just can't stand by and let all this go by without me helping. As you said, this village is very well secluded and it would be hard for them to find us." She gave him a soft smile. "Besides, I haven't traveled in many months."

"And you spent weeks recovering from your last journey," Rothion reminded her. "Something tells me this is going to do more damage… or worse…"

Sophitia leaned her forehead on his chin. "It's like you said… everything will be okay."

Rothion sighed a little, suddenly getting a sinking feeling about all of this. For years, ever since he met Sophitia, he was used to her going away to take care of any evil that threatened Keisei, especially when it involved the infamous sword, Soul Edge, and under the guidance of the God, Hephaestus.

Now with this new threaten becoming worse than ever, he realized that Sophitia felt that her name was being called upon to help in stopping Outworld from taking over Keisei.

The young man held his wife closer to him. "You will be careful, right?"

"Of course, my dear," the blonde-haired woman replied. "I think I'll meet with the Manji Clan in Lee Dynasty if I can. It would be great to offer my assistance in helping them stop this threat."

 _And perhaps_ _,_ Sophitia began to think. _I can try to find a way to discover what happened to Cassandra…_

"Don't forget to send a letter once you get there," Rothion suggested.

Sophitia leaned forward and left a small kiss on Rothion's lips. "Of course. And don't forget… you and the children pray… pray for me, pray for our people, and pray for our realm."

Early the next morning, Sophitia bid farewell to her family. As the sun began to rise above the mountains, she took her leave, unsure of when she would next return…

~~~

**Unknown Area, Keisei**

A bright light appeared from out of nowhere in a middle of a big field. A small girl saw a light a few feet away from her, curious as to know what this was all about.

Suddenly, a man dressed in black and purple dropped onto the ground face first after emerging through the light's depths. He let out a small ' _oomph!_ ' upon landing face first into the ground.

For a minute, the girl watched the black-haired man as he slowly tried to recover from the crash. He moaned a little as he rubbed a sore pain in his neck before slightly turning it, a small crack being heard. Soon, he sat up a little, and upon seeing his brown and red eyes, the little girl quickly turned around and began running off.

Kazuya Mishima had noticed the girl, but didn't care even when she ran off. He took a moment to stretch his arms out after the hard landing he just took. Once he was ready, he slowly got himself back on his feet.

He scanned his surroundings, not recognizing the area he was in. As a matter of fact, he had expected Heihachi to be close by. It was a big field and he knew that the old man couldn't have got himself that far. The closest tree he saw had to be at least a half mile. Even a not-so-ordinary man like Heihachi couldn't make a trek _that_ quickly.

The more he thought about it, the more Kazuya realized that, somehow, the Mishima Portal had managed to separate the two, sending them to different parts of the world.

Speaking of, Kazuya found himself wondering where he was. He figured he was still on Earth, but something about this place seemed… nicer than usual. Just a five minute walk away, Kazuya noticed a small village, and he figured that's where the small girl had run off to.

Having no other place to go, Kazuya began making his way over to the village. At least through them, he could figure out exactly where he was.

Five minutes later, Kazuya reached the entrance of the village. Almost immediately, he noted that the villagers were dressed differently, almost as though he found himself a couple of hundred years back in old China, he guessed. So it came as no surprise when the villagers stopped to stare at him as they noted his unusual clothing (at least unusual to them).

Kazuya barely had the chance to think of what to do from here when a middle-aged man began to approach him. "You are definitely not from around here. Where do you come from?" Then man was polite, almost cheerful, as he asked this.

Kazuya folded his arms. "Normally, I'd say Japan, but I've abandoned my nationality some time ago."

"Japan?" the middle-aged man questioned. "I assume you are from another realm."

Kazuya raised an eyebrow, but answered anyway. "It's in Earth, but-"

"Ah, that explains it! In case you don't know, this is the realm of Keisei… Ming Dynasty to be exact."

_Keisei… so that's where the old fool sent me…_

"Wait," Kazuya suddenly said. "Ming Dynasty? I thought that used to be the name of-"

"Let's not worry about that right now," the stranger quickly cut in. "What matters is that you must be exhausted after what you've been through. We heard rumors of Earth being invaded by Outworld. You presence here confirms that the rumors were true, am I correct?"

Kazuya nodded. "Yes, it's true."

The man frowned. "I see. No doubt Keisei will soon be invaded." He took a deep breath before becoming a little more upbeat again. "My name is Aiguo. You may remain here for as long as you need to."

At first, Kazuya was going to decline the offer. However, he suddenly realized how dry his throat was and how tired he was beginning to feel. He normally wasn't one to get tired so easily, but for some reason, this was different, blaming it on the air in Keisei.

Kazuya sighed a little. "I'll just stay for a couple of days, then I'll be… on my way."

"Splendid! Follow me, I'll have some tea made for you."

Aiguo began to walk away with Kazuya following soon after. During the conversation, he knew what he wanted to do from this point on… he was going to leave here in a couple of days and try to find a way back to Earth. He had some unfinished business to take care of there…

~~~

**Another Unknown Area, Keisei**

Next to a stream, two elderly men sat quietly on the soft green grass, their fishing rods placed in front of them. The two had hoped to catch a great, big fish for tonight's dinner.

Both were so relaxed that neither one of them noticed a bright light a few feet away from them shining about six feet high. It wasn't until they heard a loud crash occupied by an 'oomph!' that they realized something was going on. They turned their heads in time to see a man who looked slightly younger than they were. The man wore a black karate gi and his grayish-white hair was styled bizarrely. It almost reminded them of the devil.

"Ugh," Heihachi Mishima growled as he shook his head from the impact. "I really need to get that portal fixed…"

The two elder men stared at him with curiosity as he slowly got himself back up. Once on his feet, he stretched his arms out, letting out a few popping noise in the process. As he turned his neck to stretch that out, he soon noticed the two men sitting a few feet away by the stream.

"Um… hello," one stuttered.

Heihachi straightened himself and faced the two. "What part of Earth did I end up in?"

"Earth?" the other questioned. "I'm sorry, I don't know

“Hrm,” Heihachi grumbled. It sounded like he was sent to another realm. “If I'm not on Earth, then where am I?”

“You're in Lee Dynasty in the realm of Keisei.”

"Keisei?" Heihachi called out as he scanned his surroundings. "Looks like Earth to me."

Heihachi then turned his back to them and began thinking out loud in annoyance;

"Damn it! At this point, my plans for world domination is now spoiled! Since I'm in this wretched realm, who knows what will happen to Earth during my absence! And how long is it going to take me to get back? Either way, that wretched 'son' of mine better not beat me to it… if he survived that mishap I ended up in!"

Suddenly, a big grin came over his face as a small idea came to him. "Forget Earth! I'm here in Keisei, aren't I? While I'm here, I might as well rule this world. Hahaha! Won't that Kazuya be surprised!"

Heihachi began to turn around to face the two elderly men, a finger pointed at them. "And you two shall me my first-"

He suddenly stopped mid-sentence as he realized that the two men were no longer sitting in their spots, leaving their fishing rods behind. Off in the distance, he saw the two of them running off so fast that Heihachi didn't realize men their age were capable of doing so.

Heihachi shrugged. "Oh well."

Deciding to at least relax until tomorrow, Heihachi walked over to one of the fishing rods, deciding to take the opportunity to go fishing for the time being, something he hadn't done since before he was CEO of the Mishima Zaibatsu.

~~~

**Another Unknown Area, Keisei**

For a long while, Bryan Fury slowly walked through the forest area, still unsure of exactly when he would reach any sort of civilization. The sun was slowly beginning to set for the evening, leaving very little light left. Using his cyborg technology, Bryan switched over to his night vision in order to see his surroundings better.

All was quiet around him with the exception of the soft-blowing wind and the leaves on the ground crunching underneath his black boots. Still, he took no chances, especially just in case he ran into another member of the Manji clan. He kept Yoshimitsu's katana in his right hand and a silver handgun in his left hand.

Then, Bryan suddenly stopped in his tracks as he heard a rustling noise within one of the trees nearby. The noise was too much to shrug it off as just an animal. Using more of his technology, Bryan scanned his surroundings, using an indicator that would detect someone's life force, aiming in the area where he heard the noise.

 _I'm sure that imbecile sent his minions to hunt me down after taking his sword,_ the cyborg thought to himself. _How predictable._

Just as he finished that thought, his technology detected a life force from within a tall oak tree just behind the vast amount of leaves. A sadistic smirk came over Bryan's face as he raised his gun, aiming at the figure.

_Bingo._

Without hesitating, Bryan pulled the trigger and a loud _BAM!_ echoed around him. However, before the bullet reached it's target, the figure jumped up, evading death. The bullet instead whizzed under them and slammed itself into another tree.

Before Bryan had the chance to shoot again, the person he targeted landed just a few yards away from him. He found himself a bit surprised that the person he almost killed was a girl, no older than twenty, he guessed. Her brown hair was done in uneven pigtails and her purple eyes narrowed as she stared at him. In both of her hands was a large, round object that reminded Bryan of a hula hoop.

"You could've at _least_ warned me if you planned to shoot me!" the girl called out bitterly.

Bryan snorted, not feeling amused. He placed his gun away back in it's holster. "I don't need to warn anyone of my actions, especially not to a little brat like you."

Now pissed, the girl leapt forward towards him before swinging down the 'hula hoop' object at his direction. Bryan quickly blocked her attack with the katana, a loud _clang!_ being heard once they clashed. Upon closer inspection, Bryan realized that her 'hula hoop' was an actual weapon with a sharp blade going all around the outer edge.

For a while, the two of them exchanged moves with their weapons, the sound of steel clashing against steel echoing through their surroundings. Each of them noted how fast the other was.

Eventually, Bryan found an opening and managed to land a knee into Tira's abdomen. She let out a small yelp as she quickly backed away. Taking a moment to recover, Tira glared at her opponent in anger.

"You'll be dead before you know it," she promised.

Bryan snorted. "Wishful thinking is only for the weak-minded."

Tira growled before leaping towards him again. Bryan quickly blocked her ring blade with the katana and the two once again fought. It didn't take long before Bryan once again found an opening and managed to backhand her with a clenched fist in the face, knocking her to the floor. He then went over to stomp her, but Tira managed to roll back out of the way.

As Bryan attempted to walk over to her, Tira managed to quickly plant her blade into the dirt before getting on her knees behind it. Once Bryan was close enough, she grabbed a hold of the inner edge and slid through it feet first. She managed to catch Bryan's ankles, but he barely reacted to the hit, only taking a couple of feet back. Surprised by this, Tira flipped herself back quickly in order to leave room in between them.

"That move should've knocked you down!" she yelled.

Bryan almost grinned, amused by how naïve she was. "I see you have a habit of underestimating your opponent."

Now more angry, Tira threw her blade down diagonally and, for a split second, Bryan thought she was about to let out a tamper tantrum. However, to his slight surprise, she jumped right on top of the blade and was soon quickly gliding towards him, the sharp blade aimed at him. Once Tira was near, he quickly jumped up and somersaulted above her. Once she realized what happened, Tira leaped off her blade, grabbing it back into her hands before coming to a stop. Once Bryan was back on the ground and face her, the two once again closed the distance between them and their weapons once again collided.

Their weapons clashed more, and Bryan soon noted that Tira's anger was taking over her more and more, making her careless. The moment she let herself open again, Bryan pulled his fist back, his arm surrounded by a blue aura. Before Tira could have a chance to get herself away from him, Bryan shot his fist forward, hitting her just below her neck.

With a loud cry, Tira flew back. Eventually, she hit the ground a few times, her body somersaulting a bit until a tree managed to stop her. The force was not enough to knock her out, but she immediately felt dizzy.

As she tried to recover, Tira could hear Bryan walking up to her, obviously not in a hurry to go after her. Although she was elated over the fact that she was fighting a worthy opponent for once in her life, she was beyond pissed… after all, her opponent was able to take her down, which she never liked.

Soon, her dizzy spell seemed to diminish. Tira was able to look up and saw that Bryan was now just standing there a few feet away.

For a moment, the two of them stared at each other, their eyes narrowed. Both of them waited to see what the other would do next. In Bryan's mind, he was just thinking about taking his gun out and get rid of the brat for good…

"What do you plan to do next?" a calm voice suddenly said nearby.

Bryan quickly whirled around, the katana aimed at the new intruder. Now standing a few yards away were two figures. The one who spoke only caught him by surprise very slightly as he noted that the lower half of his face was rotted off, leaving the bone structure of his jaw, mouth, and nose area exposed. Behind him was another man with long black hair and a full oxygen mask covering his face with the exception of his deformed cheeks.

Bryan looked over at the defeated girl before turning his attention back to the new strangers. "If you want to know so badly… perhaps kill her since she planned to do the same to me… that is, unless you plan to do something about it."

The one who spoke earlier seemed to grin. "Actually, I do not." He gazed over at the girl, who was slowly getting herself back on her feet. "Tira may be a very good fighter, but you… I don't know what it is about you, but after seeing you fight, I must admit, I'm intrigued."

Bryan normally wasn't one to chit chat, but considering he was curious as to know where he was located after being pushed through a portal, he decided to stick around… for a moment at least.

"The fact that I'm a cyborg might explains things."

"Indeed it does," the figure continued. "My name is Havik, and this is Kabal."

Kabal spoke next. "The sword… where did you get it?"

Bryan stared at the katana that he held in his hand. "It's from the leader of the Manji Clan. His name is-"

"Yoshimitsu," Havik cut in. He chuckled a little before proceeding. "If I hadn't known better, I'd say fate brought you here so that we can form an understanding. We, too, are against the Manji Clan. We are only here to spread our beliefs to the people here. The Manji Clan believe we are only doing harm and are trying to stop us."

"Where am I anyway?" Bryan asked.

"You're in the country of Lee Dynasty," Kabal replied. "It's in a realm called Keisei. I assume you're from Earth… that's where I come from."

"Perhaps while you are here," Havik began to suggest. "You can join us if you wish… be amongst the ranks of the Black Dragon clan." He stared at the weapon in Bryan's hand. "Imagine… using that sword to kill the members of the Manji Clan… what an idea! The idea of those imbeciles murdered by the very sword used by their own leader."

Normally, Bryan would have declined the invitation to join the Black Dragon. However, Havik placed an idea in his head that even he couldn't refuse. The idea of Yoshimitsu's clan meeting their demise by his own sword intrigued him. And he was sure that those actions would lead Yoshimitsu to him in rage.

It would give Bryan the chance to eliminate the fly once and for all.

Bryan let out a maniacal laugh before answering. "Well… if you put it that way… I guess I could accept your offer."

"We'll show you to our hideout then," Kabal said. "It isn't much, but in this realm, it's better than most other places."

"And might I say," Havik cut in. "You have the most magnificent laugh I have ever heard!"

As the three began to walk away, Tira still found herself fuming from the battle she and Bryan just had. She kept her ring blade held up with one hand, but the other was clenched tightly in a fist.

"I could've killed you if given the chance!" she growled.

Now the fact that Bryan was part of the Black Dragon left her even more displeased, even more so than the fact that she didn't get the chance to kill him. However, it would seem as though Havik liked him and, with how loyal she was to the Cleric of Chaos and the Black Dragon, she would do anything to please him.

With that, she decided to just head off for now in hopes of searching for yet another victim finding themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Edenia**

The night sky was filled with shining stars, each one glowing in their own beat. Sitting on a large boulder, Jade found herself staring up at the sky, her mind cleared from any thoughts. The evening was quiet, a rare thing since the chaos in her realm began all those weeks ago.

It was quiet all around her… perhaps _too_ quiet, she believed. Most other nights since she formed the Edenian Freedom Fighters were filled with planning and, sometimes, fighting against the Outworld Forces that tried to destroy them. The young woman lost quite a few comrades during those fight, some she had known for years, but it was something she couldn't dwell on now… not while the fight was still going strong.

Tonight, her fellow soldiers insisted that she rested for the night. She had been mostly working everyday without hardly any sleep and they knew it wasn't a good thing. Jade took their advice, but even so, she still found herself restless. She kept herself within the camp, but placed herself in a spot where she could be alone with her thoughts.

Jade had plenty of reasons to fight the Outworld Forces. Just like the other soldiers on her side, it was to protect what was left of their realm. It had taken them many years to take Edenia back from the clutches of Outworld, and they weren't about to let that happen again. Although they weren't as prepared as they hoped they would be, it was at least still enough to hold off the invading armies from merging Edenia again at this point of their fight.

Then there was the fact that her best friend, Princess Kitana, and Kitana's mother, Queen Sindel, were kidnapped the day Outworld invaded Edenia. Since that day, Jade was unsure of their fate. Even her enemies were not giving her any clues, but either way, she knew that whatever happened to them, it was definitely not good.

On a more personal level, Jade felt as though that by fighting against the Outworld Forces, she was also atoning herself for any sins she committed while serving under Shao Kahn. So long ago, Edenia was merged with Outworld once Shao Kahn took over. He killed their king, Jerrod, and took Sindel as his bride and Kitana as his daughter. Jade's own parents were killed during that invasion and she too was taken in by Shao Kahn.

Jade and Kitana, along with Kitana's clone, Mileena, became Shao Kahn's three assassins, and all three were loyal to him for so long. At the same time, he hid the truth of their origins from them, which Kitana herself figured out just before Edenia was freed from Outworld.

Jade never forgot what happened during the time Shao Kahn attempted to merge Earth with Outworld. It was right after Kitana escaped from prison and headed to Earth after being tried for treason after murdering Mileena (who, needless to say, was resurrected by Shang Tsung). Jade, along with Reptile, were told to meet the Emperor in his throne room as he had an important assignment for them;

_Shao Kahn glared at both Jade and Reptile as the two green-clad warriors stood before him, standing up from his throne. It was not long ago when Kitana escaped from her prison, Jade knew that, but at this point, she was unaware of where she went. Either way, she knew that whatever Shao Kahn had to say, it definitely had something to do with the Princess._

_"_ _As you know," the Emperor began to say, his deep, menacing voice booming. "The traitor Kitana has escaped from our grasps. It is highly rumored that she has fled to Earth, more than likely to unite with the Thunder God Raiden and his so-called warriors of that realm."_

_"_ _You want ussss to capture her, massster?" Reptile asked after a moment of pause._

_"_ _Precisely," Shao Kahn replied. "Tomorrow evening, I will be sending the two of you to Earth. There, you will find the whereabouts of Kitana and bring her back here at any cost."_

_"_ _Will do, massster," Reptile reply._

_Jade swore that she felt her heart leap to her throat after hearing that. Knowing Shao Kahn for years, she knew that when he said 'at any cost' for any mission, it only meant that whoever they were assigned to go after, they would most likely meet their deaths._

_Almost right away, the thought bothered her. Jade had a few friends here, but it was Kitana she was closest to. They had stuck together practically their whole lives. The green-clad woman couldn't bare the thought of being forced to kill her best friend._

_"_ _Jade," Shao Kahn suddenly said, breaking through her thoughts. He had noted the worry in her green eyes. Knowing of her friendship with Kitana, the Emperor knew that the assignment was bothering her. He almost grinned sadistically at the realization that this new mission will be the ultimate test for her… she would either have to betray him or betray her friend._

_He continued. "I assume that your friendship with Kitana weighs in on your thoughts at this very moment. Do not be concerned of that. You have an assignment and unless you want to join her in the dungeons, I suggest you follow orders."_

_Jade knew that she had to think fast on what to say next, knowing that even a few seconds of hesitation would lead the Emperor to question her. Thankfully, an idea came to her mind and she spoke before she could think further._

_"_ _Forgive me, my Emperor. I was only thinking that perhaps we shouldn't be so hasty on killing her just yet."_

_"_ _And what is your reason?" he asked feeling slightly annoyed._

_"_ _For one thing… if it's true that she will align herself with Raiden and the other Earth warriors, it's highly possible that she will have information for us that will benefit our side. Anything they plan, she'll know about. We'll do what was done in the past by the Tarkatans… torture the information out of her until she speaks."_

_Jade nearly clenched her fists, knowing that she was going to regret her next words. "… and when she proves to no longer be useful, then we can go on with her execution."_

_"_ _I ssstill sssay we should kill her on sssight," Reptile protested._

_"_ _She has a point, Reptile," Shao Kahn said. "Maybe it was good that she escaped. After all, it is an opportunity to find out just what Raiden and his warriors are planning against us. In that case…" He eyed Jade. "Bring her back here alive. You and Reptile will leave for Earth tomorrow evening. You are dismissed."_

_The two of them bowed to their Emperor before they began to take their leave. Just as they reached the doors, Shao Kahn spoke once more. "Reptile… since you were successful in your last mission, I wish for you to join me for dinner tonight. I have a reward for you that will prove most intriguing."_

_Reptile nodded. "I'd be honored massster."_

_Jade tried not to react to their exchange. It wasn't unusual for Shao Kahn to invite his best warriors to join him in his dining quarters, but for whatever reason, Jade had a funny feeling about it. After a moment, she shook the idea out of her head, deciding that it was only nothing. With that, she departed…._

Jade sighed to herself after the memory left her. Long after that meeting, she was able to find Kitana on her own. It was during that moment when Kitana revealed the truth about them… how Kitana's family was destroyed and was forced to serve as Shao Kahn's 'daughter' … how her 'sister' Mileena was actually a clone created by Shang Tsung, using her to succeed where Kitana failed… how Jade's parents, who were loyal to the Emperor even as their world crumbled, gave her away to him as their 'tribute' when she was a young child...

… How their minds were manipulated to believe otherwise.

It was a shock to Jade, but nevertheless, she knew where her alliance laid. Upon meeting with Reptile, she found out his real plans. It turned out that Shao Kahn's 'reward' at the dinner was to be the one to kill Kitana. If he wanted to torture out information about Raiden, he would just simply capture any of his warriors.

Jade's fate was set in stone the moment she threw her first punch at Reptile. With Kitana's help, the two fought against him for some time, but eventually, the saurian managed to escape them. From there, they joined Raiden and helped in freeing Sindel from the corruption brought upon her after her resurrection.

Shao Kahn was soon defeated, but unfortunately not killed as they had hoped.

Afterwards, Edenia was freed and became it's own world once more. Sindel and Kitana returned to their thrones and Jade herself became General of the Edenian Army. It was relatively peaceful for a while until Tanya nearly destroyed their realm with the presence of the fallen Elder God, Shinnok. When Shao Kahn was at his weakest, Shinnok took the opportunity to rule the realms, even going as far as capturing Kitana and Sindel, but thanks to Raiden and his warriors, specifically the now-deceased Mortal Kombat champion Liu Kang, Shinnok was destroyed and his soul was sealed away into the deepest depths of the Netherrealm by Raiden.

Jade had been away on other assignments at the time, but the fact that Tanya, one of their own, was responsible for Shinnok invading Edenia, earned her wrath. Even after all this time, Jade was still determined to see Tanya dead once and for all.

It was no surprise to Jade when she learned that Tanya was leading the Outworld Forces to secure Edenia and help merge the realm once more. She knew that Shao Kahn was aware that Tanya knew this world like the back of her hand. To see both Reptile and Rain at her side didn't quite catch Jade by surprise, but it was a little close to that. She knew, since her last encounter with Reptile when he revealed that he was to kill Kitana, that he wished to see the young woman dead for her betrayal.

Then there was Rain, the adopted son of an Edenian General who, for some reason, betrayed the Edenian rebels and joined Shao Kahn's side. Jade did wonder why Rain had decided to stay loyal to Shao Kahn, even after what he's done to Edenia in the past. She knew of his desire to reign as Prince of Edenia and had the idea that, maybe, he was using him to gain that status. Either way, his intentions were far from noble, mainly due to the way he was trying to obtain his goal.

Her thoughts were suddenly cut off the moment she heard someone stepping on a leaf, making a crunch sound. Not hesitating, Jade jumped off the rock and took her bo staff out, soon aiming it at the person who arrived.

"Whoa!" her second in command called out as he raised his hands to his face. "If I had known better, I'd say you're in a jumpy mood."

Jade took a deep breath before releasing her guard. "Zarek… I told you not to sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry," Zarek replied. "I thought you knew of my presence… I guess you were daydreaming."

Jade slightly chuckled at that. "I guess I was."

"Mind telling me what it was about?" he asked curiously.

Jade found herself raising an eyebrow. "I didn't think you'd care."

Zarek shrugged a little. "Well, it's almost dawn. Some of us are still on guard, but we get the feeling that those Outworld scum won't show up tonight."

The young woman gazed up at the sky, realizing that the glowing stars that were there moments ago were starting to dim. She sighed a little, not realizing how much time has passed.

"I've just been doing some thinking," Jade said. She looked down at the green grass. "Mostly over Kitana and Sindel. Three months since they were captured… that's a long time. Who knows what has happened to them…"

Zarek frowned a little, noting the slight distress in his General's voice. "Try not to worry yourself. No matter what happens, it'll be all right. If we can free ourselves before, we can do it again."

"I know that… but still, I can't help but worry for them. You are… aware of our history with the Emperor, right?"

Zarek nodded. "Princess Kitana told me some things, but she didn't elaborate."

"Even now, it pains her to talk about it," Jade answered. "We've been trying to atone ourselves for our time as assassins. At the Blood Tournament, we thought maybe we could do that, perhaps eliminate him once and for all. Instead, he caught us by surprise. Well… he was always good at that… catching us by surprise."

Jade found herself shaking her head. "Honestly… at this point it wouldn't surprise me if he brainwashed them and are using them for his own gain. He's sick like that… one of his favorite games was to put friends against friends, loved ones against loved ones. He got a sick pleasure out of that. I knew that the moment he sent me to kill Kitana and when he tried to put Sindel against her."

Zarek placed a comforting hand on Jade's shoulder. "I know it's painful to think about, but you can't let it get to you. Something tells me that's one way he'll get to you. I know that's the last thing you want."

Jade nodded, knowing that her comrade was right. "We just have to find a way to get to Outworld. I'll figure out something, but we'll find a way."

"With that," Zarek began. "Now might be a good time to get some rest. You look beyond exhausted. I don't think you can rescue your friends in this state."

Jade had to chuckle at that. "You're right. In the meantime, watch over things and if anything happens, wake me up. Have Livana take over for you once your shift is over."

Zarek nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

With that, Jade turned around and began heading to her tent to rest.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

A large group of Shao Kahn's Outworld Forces gathered in his throne room. He, along with Empress Ivy, stood before them in front of their thrones. Shao Kahn's red eyes glowed and, with his skin a dark gray and his clothes a raven black, a change he experienced after obtaining the essence of Soul Edge, the red in his eyes was more noticeable than ever before.

Included in the group were his main Generals… Shang Tsung, Kintaro, Motaro, Baraka, Mileena, Sheeva, Vega, Anna, Kira, and the brainwashed Guy. All stood in front of the rest of the group, awaiting to hear what the Emperor had to say after their return from Earth.

"I am pleased… very pleased," his booming voice echoed. It nearly sent chills down the spines of most of those in the room, especially those who had just joined the forces willingly. "We have captured many today, dead or alive, but either way, their services will prove worthy as we continue our destiny to rule the realms with an iron fist. Because of our presence, Earthrealm is now in chaos. Soon, they will be merged with us."

"We couldn't be more honored to be a part of it," said Motaro.

"Still," Shao Kahn proceeded. "There are other realms that need attention… specifically those we've invaded weeks ago that have yet to merge with us. And there's a certain city in our own realm that needs attention as well."

Baraka stepped forward. "We are still working on the city of Lei Chen, your Emperor. Their forces were stronger than expected."

"That's no excuse," Ivy called out. "No matter what the cost, Lei Chen must be captured."

"And do not let that traitor, Ermac, stand in your way," Shao Kahn reminded him. "Nor that Keisei native who joined up with him."

"In my opinion," Mileena spoke up. "We need a stronger force. Baraka and I are able to take care of ourselves well, but some of his Tarkatans aren't exactly… up to par with the rest of us."

There were some hisses heard within the room coming from the other Tarkatans after that comment. Baraka quickly raised an arm up, signaling them to stand down, which they did begrudgingly.

"Most of the weaker ones died in the Earthrealm chaos anyway," Ivy reminded her.

"Yes, but now my fleet is smaller," Baraka mentioned. He then glared at Mileena. "Even with how weak they were, we still held off well considering how large my militia was."

An idea came to Shao Kahn. "Perhaps I have another one of my Generals join with you." He turned his head to one person in the room. "Shang Tsung… from this point on, you are to join with Baraka and Mileena in taking care of Lei Chen until it is destroyed. Make sure you also bring Ermac here alive."

Shang Tsung nearly twitched at the name in anger. It was Ermac who helped the Earth warrior Kenshi in eliminating him after the Blood Tournament. "Will do," he said.

"You three will leave for your assignments in the morning," Ivy continued. “In the meantime, Tanya, Rain, and Reptile will continue with their assignment to merge Edenia with Outworld. Some of you will also return to Earth to monitor it's current status."

Shao Kahn proceeded for her. "Motaro, Kintaro, and Sheeva… that will be your assignment. Eliminate any potential threats in the meantime.”

Both Kintaro and Sheeva turned their heads to Motaro, who stared at them as well. They glared at each other silent for a moment before Sheeva turned back to the Emperor. "It shall be done."

"The rest of you will remain here until further notice." Shao Kahn seemed to search around for a bit before speaking. "Where is Quan Chi?"

"He's taking care of some business with that new clan who joined us," mentioned Kira.

"I see," Shao Kahn muttered. He then spoke louder. "You are all dismissed."

With that, everyone in the room began their departure, all of them talking amongst themselves. It was a while before the last person left, closing the door behind them. All was now quiet with only Shao Kahn and Ivy left in the room.

Ivy continued to stand as Shao Kahn returned to his throne, sitting himself down upon reaching it. He leaned himself slightly to the righting, propping his elbow up and resting his head on his hand.

Ivy found herself smirking a little. "I must admit… I'm pleased with the way things are going."

Shao Kahn stared up at her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, most importantly, you're pleased. You've wanted to invade Earth for the longest time and now you've finally done that."

"Yes, but it's not quite finished yet. Only when it's finally merged and I get rid of my enemies there will I be completely satisfied. For example, there's the case of the Thunder God, Raiden. I heard of his apparent 'demise' when he fought Ogre. Ogre's soul was sent to the Netherrealm, but Raiden's was sent to Earth, formed into something else, something that's not him. Either way, I'll see to it that he's eliminated."

"What of that psychic you mentioned?" Ivy asked. "The one the shadow priest mentioned to you."

"You mean Dhalsim? The guards I sent there set his village on fire, that I know. They said he died, but I get the feeling that he survived . I doubt a mere blow to the head would kill him."

Ivy shook her head. "They're not exactly thorough in their work, aren't they?"

"Let's just say they're serving their time in the dungeon just for that. As for Dhalsim, if he lived… I think the destruction of his village will leave him… vulnerable for a while."

Ivy nodded. "I see. Do you want me to investigate?"

"No. I doubt he'll be of help to anyone at this point. Even a psychic like him can become weak-minded."

As he spoke, Ivy began to slowly walk closer to where he sat. Once she was in reach, she sat herself down on the armrest of his throne, taking a moment to cross one leg over the other, her bare knee resting on top of the other.

"If you change your mind, just give the word and it shall be done," Ivy said.

As she spoke that sentence, she noticed the stare Shao Kahn was giving her. She knew this particular stare well. It was one he gave her ever since she knew him during the Blood Tournament, back when she was just another minion. Most others, especially in his current form, would have been fearful, intimidated, but not her. She knew that he was admiring her beauty, a notion the woman knew would shock everyone who had been at the meeting moments ago.

"Tell me," Shao Kahn said. It was still menacing, but it's volume lowered. "Do you enjoy being an Empress?"

Ivy smiled a little. "That's a question I didn't expect from you. But yes, I am. You've given me so much, and I'm not sure what else I would want."

"The Empress before you was not as... grateful as you are," Shao Kahn replied as he lifted up a hand and slightly brushed the side of her face with the tip of his fingers. Ivy almost shuddered at the touch, which was rough from so many years of fighting.

The smile on her face faded. "You mean that Edenian Queen who's now down in the dungeons?"

Some time ago, after they invaded Edenia, he told her about the short time Sindel was his Empress. Ivy was aware of her capture then and the fact that she committed suicide to escape from him, leaving behind a young daughter.

Shao Kahn nodded. "Yes. She was beautiful… still is. However, she doesn't compare to the likes of you. Not even close."

Ivy found herself smiling again. "That's flattering."

"Your win in the tournament proved your superiority amongst them all," the Emperor mentioned. "With you at my side and my new found powers, we have proven our dominance across the universe. Once we are through, all will bow to me… as well as to you."

Ivy reached for his hand, taking it into her own. She slightly pulled it away from her face before placing a soft kiss on the tip of his index finger. After that, the Keisei native stared back up at him with her blue eyes.

"Come, my dear," she said almost seductively. "Let's head in the sleeping quarters for the night."

A small smirk appeared on his face, and to Ivy, his red eyes seemed to glow in reply. At the same time, the two stood up from the throne. From there, Shao Kahn placed a hand on the small of her back as he lead her to his sleeping quarters.

~~~

**In another part of Shao Kahn's Fortress**

A door to a small room opened, catching the attention of Mavado and Donna. For a while since their arrival in Outworld, the two waited in this room, mostly consisting of two large dark green settees with a black cherry coffee table in between them over a large red rug. Various books were placed neatly on the shelves and various paintings hung around the wall. The single fireplace was lit, brightening the room and making it's short, crackling sound with each passing second.

Mavado and Donna were mostly quiet during their wait, mainly due to the fact that nothing important had to be discussed. The two, along with the rest of the Red Dragon clan, had already met Shao Kahn not long after he declared the end of the Earth invasion, for now of course. Since then, their messenger, Quan Chi, had asked them to wait here as he had to take care of something.

That was about a half hour ago, and only now was the door opening. Mavado and Donna stood up from the settees, noting Quan Chi coming into the room. Behind him was Mavado's subordinate, Hsu Hao.

Upon seeing Hsu Hao, Donna felt her heart skip a couple of beats. It's been so long since she last saw him and all she wanted to do was leap into his arms and hold him close to her. However, being under the current watchful eye of two superiors at the moment, she was forced to hold herself back for the time being.

Either way, Hsu Hao noted her in the room as well. Even as Quan Chi spoke, the two kept their gaze on one another.

"Everything is going according to plan at this point," Quan Chi mentioned to them. "For now, we'll be serving under Shao Kahn until further notice."

"Is that all?" Mavado asked.

"For the time being," Quan Chi replied. "I'll have one of the servants show you to your rooms momentarily."

Mavado nodded. "In the meantime, I wish to speak to you. Since it's the clan's first time in Outworld and our own superior is not present as of now, I wish to learn more about this realm… mainly the layout."

The sorcerer nodded. "In that case, follow me. We have a room filled with maps and plenty of information I believe will suit your needs."

The two then left the room with Mavado slowly closing the door behind him. The moment the door clicked, Donna reached over to Hsu Hao and embraced him. He did the same, placing his hands on the small of her back. Donna felt the bulky cybernetic implant, which served as his artificial heart, against her slender body, something that always comforted her. It's red light would shine for just a moment with every beat.

"I missed you terribly," Donna whispered after some silence. "Mavado and the Red Dragon took good care of me during your absence."

"Good," Hsu Hao said before moving his head to face her. Donna lifted up a hand, brushing the tip of her finger over the small mustache that adorned above his lips.

Her desire taking over her, Donna leaned up towards him before slowly planting her lips into his. He returned the kiss gently and the two were like this for a moment before Donna pulled away to hold him once more.

"I don't think we'll be given any other assignments tonight," Hsu Hao mentioned with seriousness in his voice.

Donna pulled herself away from him, a seductive smile appearing on her face. "I was hoping so." She walked over to the door, taking the key that was into the knob before turning the item, locking the door. She then turned her attention back to her lover.

"I was hoping we would… catch up on the time we lost while you were away."

Hsu Hao was quiet as Donna began approaching him. Once she reached him, she placed her gloved hands over both sides of his face. "I know you like to focus on one objective at a time." She grinned. "I'm sure with me, you won't have any trouble with that."

In reply, Hsu Hao took Donna into his arms and they once again shared a kiss. For a while afterwards, the only sound in the room aside from the crackling fire were the sounds of their lovemaking.

~~~

**Lei Chen, Outworld**

"This is an outrage!" General Olek yelled out as he smashed a fist into a table.

Lei Chen's Overlord, Zeffeero, raised a hand up. "Calm yourself, General. There's no need to get upset-"

"I have every right to!" Olek screamed. "Nothing is being done to further protect our city from the Outworld Forces. For crying out loud, we're the only city left standing in this God-forsaken realm!"

In the room with them sitting in their own seats, both Ermac and Siegfried found themselves a bit bewildered over the General's behavior at this moment. The three of them had entered the king's den in hopes of discussing further action. All Zeffeero had said that all that can be done was to continue with the protection of the city and nothing more. This obviously upset the General, who was already worn and tired from his long battle with the Emperor.

"We're trying all we can," Zeffeero said. "Olek, you know that!"

Olek pointed a finger at him. "Once, years ago, you were offered to save our people if you offered your head to them. You refused then and we nearly lost our Empire over that! If they want to bargain like that again, will you be that selfish again?"

"I didn't expect the Seidan Guards to overtake our city!"

"Wait!" Ermac's voiced boomed, catching the two's attention. He stood himself up before speaking again. "Why are we bringing up the past? We should be thinking of our current situation."

"Don't ask me!" yelled Zeffeero. "Olek was the one who brought up the last time the Tarkatans tried to overrule us!"

"I refuse to fall for what we fell for last time and I know you're willing to have it happen again!" Olek screamed. "All because you were too much of a coward to sacrifice yourself to save our people then!"

"ENOUGH!" Ermac yelled before raising a glowing hand. With his telekinesis, he was able to immobilize both the General and the King, forcing them to be silent for just a moment.

Siegfried stood up from his chair. "There's no use in acting like children at a time like this. I understand you two have your disagreements, but if we're going to beat this, we have to stand together, no matter what happened in the past."

After another few seconds, Ermac released his hold on them, both taking a deep breath now that they were as calm as they could be. Eventually, the two sat down in their seats with Ermac and Siegfried following afterwards.

"Before you two got into your fight," Siegfried continued. "I came up with an idea… in case Overlord Zeffeero had no other options. It's far fetch, I'm afraid to say, but it may be better than nothing."

"Anything would be good at this point," Olek said.

Siegfried took a deep breath before continuing. "Well… I'm aware that it's a well-known fact that many of the portals here have malfunctioned. I'd be back in Keisei right now if that wasn't the case. But tell me… how big is Outworld exactly?"

"It's not as big as one would think, though it will slightly grow a few extra miles with every new realm that merges with Outworld depending on it's original size," Ermac replied. "But for the most part, we know this realm like the back of our hand. It's… something one learns when working for the Emperor."

"Say that you combed through every inch of this realm, maybe not including those extra miles. How long do you think it would take to comb through it?"

"If you mean on foot around the equator, at least a year in a half, maybe two years depending on how many times you stop. But of course, there are other means of traveling… taking the ships around the waters of course. However, the best option, unless you know sorcery, would be to travel by Dragonfly."

Siegfried raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Dragonfly?"

"It's a transporter that flies across the realm," said the General. "There are many of them around, each one assigned to their own destination. If you want to get somewhere fast without sorcery, this is the best option."

"The question is, are they still operational?" asked Zeffeero.

"We think they would be," Ermac replied. "We highly doubt they would have any effect on the Emperor's plan. It's not as though any of them travel outside this realm." He turned his attention back to Siegfried. "It is obvious you wish to travel somewhere."

"Well," Siegfried began. "Again, it's very far fetched, but I think because of where we are at this point in our fight, I think it's worth a try. I think there could be a chance that they may be at least one portal still operational. Maybe one that's hidden somewhere in this realm."

"Impossible!" cried out Zeffeero. "You're right about one thing… it's a well-known _fact_ that every portal here has been deactivated."

"But we HAVE to try," Olek try to reason. He placed a hand over his face, almost in shame. "We have fought so much since this all began… I should've thought of this before! To take the citizens to a safer realm is the best option. With the other cities gone, there's no way we can hold off for very long."

"And how long would it be before THAT realm becomes ruled by the Emperor?"

"At least those citizens, wherever we end up, have a better chance of survival than here," Siegfried said. "And perhaps it would give us the chance to warn wherever realm we go of what's coming. It would make our forces stronger."

The Keisei native gazed over at the enigma. "By Dragonfly, how long would it take for use to comb Outworld."

Ermac almost grinned underneath his black mask. "Considering I know every portal located in this realm… about three to four weeks."

Siegfried almost laughed at that. "That's definitely a better option."

"I still say it will be a wasted effort," Zeffeero stated. "But if you believe it must be done, I suggest you two take your leave immediately. The sooner you find your open portal, the sooner we can get our civilians to safety. Just do me a favor… make sure that whatever this realm the portal leads to, make sure that it's safe enough."

"We'll be sure of that," Ermac replied.

About a half hour later after food and other supplies were packed, General Olek found himself escorting Ermac and Siegfried to the entrance of Lei Chen. Up until they were a few yards away from the entrance, all was silent between the three.

"I apologize for my behavior in there," Olek replied. "I've just been stressed over this whole situation."

"It's understandable," Ermac said. "But do us a favor after we leave… get yourself some sleep. The last thing you need is to be exhausted when the Tarkatans show up again."

Olek chuckled. "You're right about that. I'll do so once you two leave."

"I'm curious about something," Siegfried cut in. "What exactly happened the last time the Tarkata tried to take over? Something about the Seidan Guards?"

Olek sighed before replying. "It's quite a story, but I'll try to make it short. I was just a Private at the time. Even then, Shao Kahn ruled with an iron fist, ruling every city here… except ours. For so long, we refused to give in to his demands, and he would have his Tarkata militia posted right in front of the entrance here. One day, we found out through a young lad from another realm that the Tarkata were willing to pull out… in exchange for Zeffeero's head. As you know, Zeffeero refused, even if it did mean saving his people. He then had another idea… he sent this young lad to a realm called Seido. That particular realm is nicknamed Orderrealm. That's no accident either."

"Orderrealm?" Siegfried asked. "Not a very creative name."

"No, but to call it that to these people is considered a great insult since the nickname deprived from the people of Chaosrealm, a realm the Seidans consider inferior and unworthy of existence. I sure as hell would rather go crazy than to live in Seido, that's for sure…

"Any way, the young lad managed to get the Seidan Guards to help us. Little did we know, they made an exchange… they would help us, in exchange for becoming new rulers of the town mainly to spread their orderly beliefs. The little bastard went as far as saying Zeffeero would be all right with all this. Because some of us tried to fight them, we were placed in their prisons, some for the entire duration of their rule… nearly twenty years… with no trial.

"They believed they meant well and although they were quite good at protecting us, they proved to be a difficult bunch to deal with. They would jail our civilians for something as petty as a curfew. My own brother was jailed for five years all because he was late in curfew by two minutes. Because they never scheduled a trial, my brother was left to rot in their cells. He went insane and eventually killed himself."

Siegfried nodded a little, realizing why Olek was bitter over the mention of what happened to them in the past. "How did you get rid of those guards?"

"It was about two years ago. A young woman was late for curfew and they tried to arrested her, but she resisted… one guard snapped and he killed her. Needless to say, that guard was executed immediately for that. But that was the last straw for all of us. We fought against them, overtook them. Some fled, including their leader, but most didn't live to see outside these walls again. Those who were arrested, including Zeffeero were freed. I must admit, for Zeffeero to become ruler again was unsettling for me… but I suppose the people here were desperate enough to go back to the way things were before the Seidan came.

"I'll warn you about one thing… if you ever run into a Seidan named Hotaru, get yourself out of his way. If you open up a dictionary and look up the word zealot, Hotaru's picture would be right next to it."

"In a time like this," said Siegfried. "I don't think he's someone to worry about."

"We should take our leave," Ermac suggested. "We'll return as soon as we find an open portal."

"I hope it all works out," Olek said. He sighed a little before proceeding. "I must admit… our city survived so long because of your assistance. I just hope that with your absence, we'll still be able to hold them off until you return."

"It's like Ermac said," Siegfried began to mention. "We'll return as soon as we can."

"I hope so."

From there, Ermac and Siegfried began their departure, venturing off from a walled city they had occupied for months.

~~~

**Edenia, Camp of Outworld Forces**

The sun had not risen from above the tall mountains just yet, but it's rays illuminated a bit of light in distance, the sign of dawn. From her camp, Tanya found herself watching the beginning of this sunrise. She almost forgot how beautiful this moment was as she mostly found herself either asleep or too busy to notice. In a way she almost missed this.

However, with her dark nature now, it didn't feel the same anymore… not since she was a child… not since before Outworld had taken over Edenia the first time all those years ago.

" ** _Tanya_** **,** " a voice within her mind spoke out. She was almost startled by the sudden call in her head, but despite that, she knew who was speaking to her.

" _Yes, my Emperor?_ "

" ** _I'm here to inform you that Earthrealm has been invaded,_** _"_ Shao Kahn reported.

Tanya grinned happily at this news. She always hated that realm ever since Shinnok fell from power prior to the Blood Tournament. " _Were you able to merge them with Outworld?_ "

" ** _Not yet. Which reminds me… I_** **suggest** ** _you work on capturing the members of the Edenian Freedom Fighters as soon as possible. Once that is done, we will easily merge Edenia with us. I especially would like the traitor Jade brought to me. Do not take too long, and do not fail me. Relay this message to Reptile and Rain._** "

" _Understood._ "

Once she knew that he was no longer speaking, Tanya turned herself around and began heading further into the camp. By then, the sun was beginning to peak above the distant mountains.

Upon reaching the largest tent, Tanya entered, seeing that both Reptile and Rain were speaking to each other. Whatever it was, unless it had anything to do with their mission, it was no concern to her.

They both turned to her upon her entrance. She reached the table they sat at before placing her hands on her hips. "Shao Kahn just sent me a mental message."

"What doessss he have to sssay?" Reptile asked.

"Well, I'll get to the usual first. He wants to finish up with our quest… take care of Edenian Freedom Fighters and bring Jade alive to him."

"I ssstill ssssay we should kill her. After ssshe betrayed the Emperor all thosssse yearssss ago, it hassss been my dream to ssssee her pretty ssskin burn off her bonessss."

"We're all aware of that, Reptile," Tanya said. She grinned this time. "Aside from that, I bring even more exciting news… it seems Earthrealm has finally been invaded."

"We'll see how long that will last," Rain spoke. "Last time, he failed in merging that realm and it was they who ultimately stopped his plans."

"I have a good feeling it will work out this time," Tanya said confidently.

Reptile stood himself up. "If you don't mind, I've been up for mosssst of the night. We've been discusssssing posssibly tacticssss for the future. If anything happenssss, you wake me." With that, he turned on his heel and headed out of the tent.

Once out of ear sight, Tanya found herself shivering a little. "Reptile's a good warrior, but I cringe every time he has to say a word with an 's' in it."

Rain stood himself up and walked over to Tanya. "You get used to it after a while. After all, this is your first time working with us side by side."

Tanya shrugged. "Perhaps you're right."

"So… when do you want to attack?"

Tanya shrugged once more. "I assume the Emperor would want this all done within the next couple of days. If you want my honest opinion, I'd say give it another week or two. I want to savor this moment for as long as possible. Like Reptile, I wish to see Jade suffer. Not because she's a traitor, but she's a thorn in my side… I wasn't around when she betrayed Outworld, but I want to see her suffer none the less."

As she spoke, Tanya noted that Rain kept his gaze at her, almost too intently in her own opinion. Because his lower face was covered by his purple mask, she mostly noted his deep brown eyes. Like most days, his shoulder-length black hair was done in a high ponytail, though some of it would find themselves loosened from it's constraint. That alone almost made Tanya want to reach up and brush it back with her fingers.

The young woman always thought her fellow Edenian was handsome, perhaps intriguing and mysterious since she hardly saw him without his mask. Any feelings she has for him in her usually-black heart had to be held back for now. They may both have worked under Shao Kahn for some time, but neither one of them really knew each other before they were assigned to work on his quest together with Reptile. Whether or not Rain himself felt the same for her, she wasn't sure, but for now, it was best not to pursue anything.

After a moment of silence, Tanya spoke, raising and eyebrow which was hardly noticeable under her thick black bangs. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Rain blinked a couple of times before shrugging. "No reason. However, I'll say one thing… if you do plan to savor all of this, try not to take too long. At least hold off until you know the Emperor will get too impatient."

Tanya began to take her leave after that. She grabbed a hold of the tent's open flaps, but soon turned her attention back to her comrade.

"I've survived this long after all this time, haven't I? Causing a little inconvenience for the Emperor would practically be nothing for me. Besides, I'm loyal to him… as long as I stay with him, nothing bad could happen."

"You're playing with death, Tanya," Rain mentioned. "Try not to do that too much."

Tanya had to smile at that. "Thanks for your concern, but I can take care of myself." With that, she stepped out of the tent, closing the flap behind her.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

After the meeting in the throne room, Vega Fabio De Cerna and Anna Williams, two Earth natives who have worked for Shao Kahn since the Blood Tournament, returned themselves to the sleeping quarters they both shared. Although it wasn't like the rooms they stayed at in The Palace during the tournament, it was still quite lavishing with it's gold artifacts, lush green plants, and a large comfortable bed big enough for the two to share.

Anna sat on the edge of the bed, soon finding herself staring at Vega as he paced the room. She knew he was bothered since their return from invading Earth, but he had yet to elaborate on what went on since neither one of them had the time to talk since their return to Outworld.

With his porcelain mask placed down on the nightstand, Anna was able to see every detail of his handsome face… pale, flawless, and his blue eyes were like ice, though even she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Thankfully, his infamous claws were also placed on the nightstand next to the mask.

"Anything the matter?" Anna finally asked after some silence.

Vega stopped pacing, but he kept his back to her. "The Emperor may be happy, but I'm not satisfied at all. I was sent to the US as I heard there was a rumor that Sagat was there."

Once he mentioned Sagat, Anna realized why he was upset. Sagat had been part of the Outworld Forces briefly during the tournament. She was there the day Shang Tsung initiated the three of them to join with the forces. However, some time during the battle after the tournament, Sagat vanished without a reason. This made Shao Kahn displeased, believing that Sagat had become a traitor.

Feeling betrayed as well, Vega volunteered to eliminate Sagat, which the Emperor granted.

"I assume you didn't get the chance to run into him," Anna guessed.

"The hell I didn't!" Vega yelled out. "And I didn't see any of those other bastards who I have a score to settle with as well."

Anna crossed her legs in front of her. "At least you weren't humiliated. I may have found my sister, but then I realized she still had some 'friends' to assist her."

"Why don't you just kill that bitch and get it over with?" Vega asked.

Anna leaned herself back into the bed, propping herself up with both of her elbows. "What fun would that be? Our rivalry shouldn't last this long only for one of us to shoot the other in the back. Even Nina wouldn't sink that low."

Anna sighed a little. "However, if it comforts you in any way, at least we'll get another chance at a later date. When we go and, what I like to call, do the finishing touches."

Vega sighed a little before turning his attention back to her. He found himself gazing at her as he noted her position on her bed… slender legs crossed, her torso leaned back, arms propped, back arched, and her ample breasts in perfect view despite the red dress that covered them. A small smile appeared on his face, remembering why she has been at his side all this time, a rarity if he said so himself.

Anna watched as Vega approached her, keeping herself in position. Soon, his towering form was over her, and he rested his strong hands on the bed, placing them on either side of her.

"As beautiful as ever," he whispered.

In reply, Anna laid herself back on the bed before reached her hands up, placing them on his smooth shoulders. Vega adjusted himself onto the bed before leaning down to share a passionate kiss with her.

~~~

**Another part of the Fortress, Outworld**

In another room, Shang Tsung stood before both Baraka and Mileena. Right after the meeting, he asked them to meet him here so that they could discuss the situation with Lei Chen.

"Mostly, they've been resisting us and nothing more," Baraka said as he paced the room. "As the Emperor mentioned, the traitor Ermac is working with them to stop us. It's no matter, however… we know him well enough to eventually break through him."

"Then there's that Keisei native… Siegfried I think was his name," said Mileena, who sat done in a settee that was in the room. "For a human, he's very strong."

Shang Tsung folded his arms. "Siegfried… does he happen to have long blonde hair?"

"You know him?"

"Not personally, but he had come very close to winning the tournament six months ago… defeated by Ivy's opponent, Jin Kazama. I don't doubt that he's strong, his placement in the tournament proves that. Perhaps he'll be useful for us."

"You mean another to brainwash," Baraka growled. "I think it would be more fun to force them to serve us as themselves rather than mindless puppets."

"That's reserved for the civilians, not worthy warriors," Shang Tsung reminded him. "I'd say once we capture Lei Chen, we capture Siegfried and kill Ermac on sight."

"The Emperor wanted him brought here alive," Baraka mentioned.

"I think we should get rid of him, too," Mileena said, agreeing with the sorcerer. "The Emperor's going to kill him anyway, so we might as well get it over with." She then glared at Shang Tsung. "Besides, we know that Ermac was the one who helped in seeing to your demise after the tournament."

"Ancient history has nothing to do with this," Shang Tsung mentioned. "He's a traitor and nothing more… consuming his souls will be fun if I say so myself."

"I'm curious to know how long it would take you to consume all those souls of his," Mileena wondered.

"It doesn't matter," Baraka barked. "What I want to know now is when do you want to invade?"

A grin came over Shang Tsung's face as his green eyes glowed. "I think I'll do what Shao Kahn is doing… since you two have attacked Lei Chen for a while, I'd say pull back… for now. Let's make them think we've given up. Give it a couple of weeks. Once we've given enough time, we'll be able to attack when they least expect it."

"I don't like it," Baraka growled. "However, you do have a point. I'll have my militia monitor their activities in the meantime."

"That would be best," Shang Tsung nodded.

Little did Baraka and Mileena know was that Shang Tsung had his own plans in his mind. He would see first if Baraka and his Tarkatans would succeed in finally taking over Lei Chen. If they fail, however, Shang Tsung would take the opportunity to make his escape… to Earth specifically. He didn't have the chance to help in the Earth invasion and he felt cheated out. The Tarkata would be too distracted in their fight to notice his departure anyway.

And once he finally reached Earth, Shang Tsung planned to hunt down the person who did him in six months ago - Kenshi.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Somewhere in India**

It was the smell of smoke that Ruby Heart first noticed before she even had the chance to open her eyes. The smell wasn't strong, but it was still noticeable none the less.

Slowly, the blonde-haired woman opened her good eye, finding herself facing up towards the clear blue sky. She felt the brightness of the sun on the left side of her face, nearly blinding that eye and forcing her to turn her head away from it. That's when she noted a tree nearby… it's trunk containing something in red drops grouped together…

Ruby Heart's eye suddenly widen as she realized what the red drops were… blood…

That was when memories of what happened moments before she lost consciousness came back to her. She quickly sat up, but suddenly felt dizzy from that.

"Oh…" she uttered as she rested her face into the palm of her hand. The French woman took a moment to let the dizzy spell wear off before slowly gazing back up, noting her surroundings even more now.

Ruby Heart found herself surrounded by mostly a grassy field with some trees here and there. Just nearby, she saw her ship sitting upright (much to her surprise)… and her crew sprawled all around, unmoving.

Slowly, the captain got herself back on her feet, staggering for just a moment, but she managed to retain her balance. She then made her way over to where the ship and her crew were, almost afraid of what she would discover.

She reached one crew member, one of her newer recruits, she realized. Seeing the stab wound in her chest, the blonde-haired woman realized it was no use checking his vital signs. The wound showed that it went straight through his heart.

Reluctantly, Ruby Heart continued to check on her crew, hoping that at least one of them was alive and just unconscious. In the meantime, she checked on the condition of her ship.

To her dismay, everyone of her crew members were dead. Some, she realized, were missing, more than likely thrown overboard, meeting their deaths from their falls while the ship was still airborne.

The ship's damage wasn't as bad as she realized. There were definitely cracks and broken pieces here and there, though there was more damage on one side, the side she realized took the most impact. With the right materials, she guessed repairs would take about three weeks.

However, upon looking up at the propellers, she realized that one of the blades was bent in a thirty degree angle. Considering how big it was, it was definitely going to take more than one person to put it back in place and mend it. Who knew how long that was going to take.

Soon, Ruby Heart noticed the smell of smoke again. She raised an eyebrow, realizing that nothing in the surrounding area was on fire.

Then, she spotted some smoke rising in the distance. A half hour walk, she guessed. For a moment, she wondered if any of her crew did survive after all.

Deciding to investigate, Ruby Heart began making her way towards the smoke on foot.

~~~

**Somewhere in Nevada, USA**

The morning sun was barely rising as Paul Phoenix and Marshall Law rode through the roads of Nevada. Aside from the motorcycle's engine, all was quiet around them, and they barely saw any other cars during the ride.

As the sun peaked over the distant mountains, Paul looked at the gas gauge and frowned a little. He knew that within the next half hour, he was going to need to stop at a gas station. The older man just hoped that would be any minute.

Luckily, he only had to wait five minutes before a sign saying, 'Gas, 1 Mile Away' came up on the road. Paul pressed on the pedal, making the motorcycle go faster.

 _Now I just have to hope the place is still operating,_ he thought to himself.

Within a minute, Paul reached the station, seeing that the small place was still intact. With the exception of the neon lights advertising beer and cigarettes, the place looked as though it hadn't change since at least the 1950's.

_Good thing I had some cash on me from when we were at the bar last night._

Once he reached the driveway, Paul pulled into the lot before coming to a stop in front of one of the four pumps. He saw that the pumps, though old-looking, had been updated with machines where you paid for gas with your credit card.

"Funny," Paul said out loud as he shut off the engine. "I was just thinking how good it was that I had cash since this place looked old, but then I see that they take credit."

Marshall got off the bike, feeling the bones in his legs pop from sitting in the same position since they got out of San Francisco. "What matters is that they're working. I'm going to walk around for a bit."

"Good idea," Paul said as he got his wallet out.

As Paul pumped gas in his motorcycle, Marshall scanned the area around them, seeing that they were literally miles from anywhere. "How far do you think we are from where we have to go?" he asked.

"Well, if I remember from my road trip," Paul began to reply. "We're a little over two hours away from the Utah border. If that's the case, then from where we are now, we're about four hours away from Salt Lake City… makes me wonder how that place is holding up after last night."

Marshall sighed a little. "...I meant our hideout."

"I was just getting to that, man! Anyway, once we hit Salt Lake City, it's another eight hours before we hit the place we have to turn off to in Colorado. Guile, that's the guy who planned all this, said the turn off to a secret road will be near a town called Gunnison."

"You mentioned Gunnison," Marshall said. "And you mentioned to look out for a black pipe with orange paint going around the top of it."

"That's right. You did remember to tell Forest, right?"

Marshall nodded. "I did. And I told my wife the same thing."

"Good. That pipe is going to lead us straight ahead. He said we had to hide our transportation at that point and walk up the hill that will take us there. The thing is… I didn't get the detail on how long that would take, only to go straight ahead."

"For all we know, that could be days," Marshall sighed.

"Yeah, but at least we'll be away from anyone who may try to find us." As he said this, Paul saw that his motorcycle was completely filled up.

"You know what time of year this is? It's winter… I can imagine the snow is piled up higher than even a tall guy like you in those mountains." A thought suddenly came to Marshall. "Of course, with the way global warming is now a days, we might be lucky if we got, maybe, a inch of snow."

"Your exaggeration is funny, but if anything, I'd say it'll still be tough to walk through, but at least we won't drown in snow." Paul laughed a little. "Of course, I'm sure it'll be a little warmer around here than it was ten years ago. Heck, have you noticed California is getting a little colder every year, even in the summer? I bet Los Angeles will be hit with a few flurries of snow within the next few years."

"If we live to see it, that would be interesting," Marshall said.

Paul patted his long-time friend on the shoulder. "Come on. Let's buy some food and water supplies before we hit the road again."

"Do we even have a place to store them?"

"No, but let's hope they sell backpacks here or something."

"I highly doubt it."

They soon reached the glass door to the food station. However, they both barely walked inside when they suddenly head the sound of a rifle's safety clicking, a warning that the person behind the weapon was ready to shoot. Paul and Marshall immediately stopped in their tracks, raising their hands to show the old man behind the counter that they weren't going to fight.

"It's cool, man," Paul found himself saying. "We're just here to purchase a couple of supplies for the road."

The old man was quiet for a moment before his motioned his rifle sideways. "Make it quick," he ordered.

Paul and Marshall placed their hands down before heading over to the wall where all the drinks were. "Seems like those scum made their way through here, too," said Marshall. "With the way that guy is an all…"

Paul nodded in agreement. "Looks like it."

Without saying anything more, they grabbed a few bottled waters, then grabbed a few bags of chips before proceeding to the register. They were just placing the items down on the counter when they suddenly heard the sound of shattering glass from their left.

The two of them, along with the old man, turned their attention to the noise, only to see a Tarkatan just jumping right now. It immediately saw the two in the room and managed to jump forward in an inhumane speed.

"SHIT!" Paul screamed out.

He and Marshall managed to duck under the flying Tarkatan just as it began to reach them. It ended up leaping over them, but it managed to tackle the old man to the ground and behind the counter. His screams were heard until they were abruptly cut off.

Marshall looked at Paul in shock. "You would think they'd stick to the cities!"

"Well this one must like the country better!" Paul guessed as the two quickly got back on their feet.

By then, the mutant jumped on top of the counter, not caring that it just crushed some bag of chips and knocked down bottled waters with it's feet. It saw the two standing there, ready to fight. Soon, the creature jumped forward, aiming towards Marshall.

Marshall waited until it was close enough before delivering an uppercut under it's chin. The Tarkatan found itself flying back up again, but it quickly managed to catch itself by somersaulting back before landing on it's feet. With a loud growl, it covered the distance between itself and it's opponent before lashing out some punches and kicks rapidly.

Marshall managed to dodge the mutant's moves before finally finding an opening. Taking that opportunity, he delivered a karate chop to it's neck, causing it to rear back. It coughed uncontrollably as it tried to catch some air. Not giving it a chance, Marshall delivered a few more punches to it's face before giving it a forward kick to it's chest, sending it stumbling backwards.

The mutant slammed itself back first into Paul's chest. Before it could recover, however, Paul managed to wrap his arms around the Tarkata's neck before twisting it, it's neck snapping like a twig. Once he was done, Paul immediately let go, the creature falling to the ground like a rag doll.

Once that was over, Marshall went around the counter to check on the old man who had held a rifle to them moments ago. However, one look at him and the blood around him made him realize what had happened to him.

"How is he?" Paul asked as he spotted a black backpack saying ' _All For Our Country - Nevada_ ' in blue script hanging near where the souvenir items were. He grabbed it from it's hangar before proceeding to grab some chips and more bottled water.

Marshall sighed. "He's dead. I think we should bury him before we leave."

Paul looked at him oddly. "Bury him? Why do you want to do that?"

"I don't know… I just don't like the idea of just leaving him like this. What if it's weeks before someone else found him? You know what happens to corpses after all that time-"

"All right, all right!" Paul called out, not wanting to hear any more details. "Just… find a shovel and something to use as a tombstone. And let's be quick about it. I don't like the idea of another one of those things putting us in that same grave."

About forty-five minutes later and without incident, Paul and Marshall had finished with the task of burying the old man about fifty feet from the station's building. Using a piece of plywood they found in the storage room, they planted it into the ground to be used as a tombstone. Then they used a black sharpie marker to write his first name, which they noted on his name tag, and his date of death.

After that, the two quietly headed back to the motorcycle, taking the backpack full of supplies and the rifle with them. Paul only waited a few seconds before speeding away, wanting to get away from the station as fast as possible.

~~~

**Russia**

It seemed like only seconds, but it was actually hours later before Sergei Dragunov woke up. Slowly, he opened his eyes, his vision fuzzy for a few seconds. He managed to blink the fuzz away, clearing his sight.

Only his eyes moved as he scanned his surroundings. The ground he laid on was cool, and he felt something like fabric underneath and around him, a blanket he guessed. It was mostly dark with the exception of a small, flickering orange light nearby which made a few crackling sound every few seconds… a fire, he realized.

Closing his eyes to prevent any dizziness, Dragunov slowly sat himself up, the blanket that covered him slipping off down to his stomach. He slowly opened his eyes afterwards, noting that his black gloves were missing. He looked over an saw that his boots and vest were also taken off. Other than that, he still wore the rest of his combat uniform.

Dragunov gazed further past his boots, noting the campfire lit a few feet away. He didn't have to guess that he was in a cave, but he couldn't remember how he got here in the first place.

Then, just beyond that, he noted his sworn enemy - Raven.

Even in a cave, Raven still wore his sunglasses, and Dragunov, despite the shades, could tell that the agent was staring at him. He narrowed his pale blue eyes as he glared at him.

"No need to thank me," Raven suddenly said.

Dragunov's eyes relaxed, going back into it's emotionless state. That was when he remembered what happened before he lost consciousness. His superiors had sent him to retrieve a data disc from a criminal organization. He managed to find the disc, but ended up running into Raven, who fought him for the disc. However, the two ended up being captured and placed in cells.

That's when creatures he never knew existed broke through the facility, killing anyone they came into contact with. That was, of course, with the exception of himself and Raven, seeing now that they both survived the attack.

Not sure of what the usually-silent soldier was thinking, Raven decided to explain what had happened.

"In case you were curious," he began, his voice void of any emotion. "Those things that fought us are from a realm called Outworld. Have you heard of it?"

Dragunov gave him a single nod. It was not in his own field to work with realms beyond Earth, but never the less, he was aware of other worlds. He only knew of Outworld since they had attempted to capture Earth over a decade ago. He had just been a teenager in military camp at the time, but he still remembered the chaos clearly.

As a matter of fact, Dragunov himself had received an invitation to the Blood Tournament more than six months ago. It came as no surprise since his reputation in Russia was well known. However, SPETSNAZ didn't feel that his participation was necessary as they felt that there was nothing to gain from the competition.

The invitation would later be confirmed to have lead those fighters to Outworld. It was also well known that there was an attack on the participants afterwards. Anything to do with the rumors of an invasion was being handled by the inter-realm branch of SPETSNAZ. Since Dragunov was concerned with other matters, he never bothered to learn more information.

"Seems like they've finally made themselves welcomed," Raven continued. "I'm not sure of what details you know about Outworld, but since I was at the Blood Tournament months ago, I guess now's the time to tell you."

Raven got himself on his feet before he began to slowly pace around the room. "Everyone in the military and any law enforcement know about Outworld's first invasion more than a decade ago. Well… it's happening again. That tournament was used to lure us fighters into a trap. It was a way for Shao Kahn, Outworld's Emperor, to get rid of us so that no one fought against him when he invaded Earth, or any other realm I'm guessing. Some of us managed to escape with our lives, myself included.

"Despite what happened all those years ago, people still chose to believe the rumors to be a hoax, including my own superiors. Still, after all I've seen in Outworld, I knew it would happen someday… and it has.

"I'm not sure how it can be stopped, but I plan to find a way. I usually have a jet that would transport me, but unfortunately, I lost the device I usually use to summon it during the chaos. There's no other choice but to walk to it, but that's going to take days to get to. I have my reasons for it."

Raven stopped his pacing and gazed directly at Dragunov. "Since we're both in it for the long haul, I'd suggest we stick together, at least until we find any sort of civilization. I don't like it no more than you do, but we have no other choice, especially if we want to survive."

Dragunov knew he was right, especially about one thing… he definitely didn't like it. But considering the information he was just given and the situation they now found themselves both in, Dragunov, even though it was one of the last things he wanted, knew that he had no choice but to work with his sworn enemy in order to survive.

Reluctantly, Dragunov gave Raven a single nod.

~~~

**Metro City, USA**

Moments ago, Cody Travers woke up from losing consciousness during his fight with his friend, Guy Hinato. Immediately, the sounds of sirens and panicked people reached his ears. For a split second, he wondered if the invasion was still going strong.

However, upon quickly sitting up (and recovering from a dizzy spell), he able to see that what he just thought wasn't the case. Even though the Outworld Forces were gone, Metro City was still in chaos. People crowded the streets either running around, most likely looking for loved ones, and vehicles tried all they could to get out of the city. Buildings were mostly cracked with window broken, some on fire, parked cars were smashed to the point where they were almost unrecognizable, and some of the trees in Metro Park were damaged or chopped down.

Nearby, a police officer placed a white sheet over a corpse of a young man.

"C… Cody…" a familiar voice called out.

Cody immediately turned to his left and saw his younger brother Kyle sitting up and leaning against the side of a park bench. Kyle was pretty bruised up, and his left forearm looked as though it was broken by the way he was cradling it with his right hand. Some blood trickled down the side of his forehead, but other than that, at least from the outside, the younger man seemed as though he was going to be all right.

Cody managed to crawl over to his brother and sat next to him. "I almost thought you were going to be killed."

"Nah," Kyle replied. "I mean… you were the one who told me what happened to Guy, but… I didn't realize how bad it was. I think the only reason I lived was because some of those guard-looking dudes tackled me… that's how I broke my arm… and some time during that, he disappeared. Then suddenly, the guards who attacked me left as though they were being called away. I've sat here ever since, waiting for you to wake up all night."

Cody looked up at the sky, noticing that the sun was beginning to rise. "I was out for a while, wasn't I?"

"About six, seven hours maybe," Kyle guessed. "If you're ready, I wouldn't mind going to the hospital."

"If there's any available," Cody said.

Kyle chuckled a little. "I figured, but if someone could at least get this arm reset, I'll be fine."

Cody slowly stood himself up. Once he was on his feet, he helped Kyle up before taking his good arm to rest on his shoulders. From there, the brothers began heading out of the park in hopes of finding a hospital available to assist them.

"So Guy disappeared," Cody sighed.

"Yeah," Kyle answered. "I was hoping to try to subdue him or something, but it didn't work out that way."

Cody shook his head. "He said that he was under orders to kill me." He narrowed his blue eyes. "Something tells me he'll be back. When that will be, I don't know."

"I just hope Vanessa's okay," Kyle mentioned. "While I was looking after you, I just kept thinking about her. I had hoped she would show up somehow, but…"

"Do you remember where she was last night?"

"She was working, but she was going to meet up at the fights before the shit hit the fan." Kyle then looked at his older brother seriously. "Cody… just get me to a hospital and then get your ass to the Rockies. I'll be all right."

"I'm not leaving yet," Cody replied. "At least let me help you try to find out where Vanessa is. I at least want to see the two of you reunited before I leave."

Kyle had to smile at that. "You're a good brother, you know… even though you're a big pain in the ass most of the time."

Cody had to smile as well. "I try."

~~~

**Osaka, Japan**

From the moment Asuka, Karin, and Maki hid themselves in the basement of Dan's dojo, all was mostly quiet with the exception of a few noises. The noises were mostly crashing sounds and a few screams. The three girls kept themselves silent, though all of them were prepared to fight once more if any of their enemies managed to find them.

It wasn't until the sun had set and the room was dark that the girls were starting to realize that the carnage may have either ended or moved on to another area. Asuka was the first to move, rummage through a pile of junk until she managed to find a flashlight. She was thankful that it was working once she turned it on. Now seeing the area better, she began to search the room more, looking for necessities.

Karin coughed a little before being the first to speak. "This place is… far from tidy."

Maki coughed as well. "I'll say… but it's better than being in some places right about now I imagine."

A cracking sound was heard as Asuka opened up a wooden box. Using the flashlight, she peered inside to see what was there.

"Well, I got good news and bad news," she began.

"Give us the good news first," Maki said.

"Okay… the good new is that we do have food down here… so if we have to be stuck here for a few days, that should last us until then. The bad news…" Asuka took out a can of asparagus and stared at it. "I'm not sure where to get a can opener."

"There's got to be one somewhere," said Karin. "I mean, if that pink-wearing man sent us down here to hide and use this place for shelter in emergencies, it would make sense for him to store a can opener with the food."

Asuka sighed a little. "Somehow, I get this funny feeling Dan forgot to do that…"

"Say, where is Dan?" Maki asked suddenly. "Last we saw him when he sent us away, he was fighting some of those guard-looking jerks by himself."

A worried look appeared on Asuka's face. "He has been gone a long time…"

"You don't think they killed him, do you?"

"I hope not."

With the flashlight, Asuka scanned the walls before spotting a small window raised as far up as the ceiling. Having an idea, she scanned the room further until she noticed another wooden box. She ran over to it before pulling it back until it was aligned with the window. Using it as leverage, the young woman climbed on top of it to get a better look through the window.

"Do you see anything?" Karin asked.

Asuka was just beginning to see, but suddenly screamed before falling back onto the floor. Her shriek ended up scaring the other two.

"What happened?!" Maki asked almost screaming herself.

"I just saw a body with no head!" Asuka cried out. She then let out a moan. "Owe, I landed on something…" She rolled over before flashing a light at the item she just sat on.

Karin almost laughed after seeing what the object was. "There's your can opener. Looks like he didn't forget it after all."

Asuka almost laughed herself, nearly forgetting what she saw outside moments ago. She bend over to pick up the can opener. "I didn't mean to doubt him, but-"

She was suddenly cut off as the door to the dojo's cellar suddenly started to pull back with force, scaring the three out of their wits. They didn't have to wait another second before the pulling started again, convincing them that someone was down here to get them.

"I wonder if they heard me scream…" Asuka mentioned.

Seeing a broken pipe nearby, Karin grabbed for it just in case. Maki took out her two tonfas, thankful to have them at a time like this. Together, the three girls walked over to the cellar door, stopping just at the first step of the stairs, waiting for the intruder to make themselves known to them.

Eventually, the plywood that was used to bolt the door broke off, and the girls could only watch as both cellar doors swung wide open. Only seeing the person's shadow, the three went screaming up the stairs, their weapons out and ready to bash their face in.

"GAH!" the shadow screamed as it backed up. As it stepped into a small light, the girls stopped in their tracks as they instantly recognized the person.

"Dan!" Maki cried out.

"Don't hurt me!" Dan yelled out, his arms covering his face to protect himself. "I've already done enough fighting to last me the rest of the year!"

Karin placed a hand on her hip. "Scare us like that again and we _will_ hurt you!"

Dan peaked through his arms, seeing Asuka, Karin, and Maki before placing his arms back on his sides. "That wouldn't be very nice."

"I do admit, you sure took a good beating it looks like," Asuka mentioned, noting the bruises on Dan's face and arms.

"Those guards were easy to beat," Dan said. "But those Tarkatans… forget it! I almost got killed more than once! A few _Dankuyakus_ managed to take care of that! Still, it's better than fighting a group of Shokans!"

"Tarkatans? Shokans? What is he talking about?" Karin asked confused.

"They're a couple of species from Outworld," Asuka answered. "That's that realm where the Blood Tournament took place."

Karin placed a finger on her chin thoughtfully. "I see. With all that's happen, you'll have to educate me on what to expect, at least on what you've seen months ago."

"I don't think everything will be covered as some of it is confusing to us, too," Maki mentioned.

"Before we do that," Dan began. "After all this fighting, I'm starving… and tired for that matter. Asuka, if you could do the honors of opening up those cans, I'd be obliged."

Asuka was confused for a moment, at least until she realized that she was still holding the can opener in her hand. Her eyes widened as she realized something…

_Did I just try to use this thing as a weapon?_

A few minutes later, the cellar was locked again, this time by a pipe that went through the inside handles. A few candles were lit, brightening the room, and four cans of food were opened with each person eating out of one. As they ate, all was silent between them, which only opened them to thoughts of what happened today… and the new worries that came with it…

Dan found himself worried about his mother and sister. A few days ago, the two had left on vacation to Italy to tour and were supposed to return in a week. They had wanted him to go, but Dan had declined, wanting to keep the dojo business going until it had enough money flowing in so that he could enjoy such luxuries. In a way, he was now wishing he was there right now to protect them.

Karin mainly thought of her parents and her butler, Ishizaki. Ishizaki was somewhere in the city, that she knew. Her parents, however, were somewhere on their yacht in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. She didn't think that something would happen out there… but what if the invasion had gone that far? And if so, would her parents survive?

Asuka was misty-eyed, but forced herself not to shed her tears. She was deeply worried for her father. Months ago, before the Blood Tournament, the dojo she grew up in was nearly destroyed by a unknown lunatic for unknown reasons. Her father had been hospitalized as a result and, even now, there were still some injuries he was still recovering from. The young woman wondered if he was strong enough to be able to hold his own during the invasion…

As for Maki… the thing was, in a way, she was a bit lucky. For her, there was no immediate family to worry for. Her mother died when she was young, and both her father and sister died two years apart from each other from sickness. With the exception of friends, she was virtually alone for almost five years without family.

However, of everyone Maki knew, Yang Lee was the one person she worried for most of all. Just the other day, she made the decision to go live in Hong Kong with him, even though she didn't inform him of the idea yet. Her future with him seemed to have high hopes.

Suddenly now, that idea seemed so long ago…

Maki bowed her head, trying to fight back the tears that stung her eyes.   _Please be okay, Yang…_

~~~

**London, England**

The headquarters of MI-6 was able to stay mostly intact after the invasion was done and over. Since the building survived, it was decided by the higher-ups of MI-6 that some parts of their facility would be used for both shelter for those who lost their homes, and a medical base since most of the hospitals in London were either damaged or overcrowded.

Since it's development only mere hours ago, Cammy, Lita, and Juni found themselves amongst many volunteers helping those in need. They would switch between the shelter and the hospital area, trying to help as many people as they possibly can.

Eventually, it became mostly calm with families united and those who needed the most medical attention were taken care of. Cammy herself walked around, seeing if anyone needed anything, making sure to write every detail down on a clipboard so that she didn't forget any of the requests.

At one point, she noticed Nina Williams sitting on one of the cots, a sling covering her left forearm. Not long after she found Nina, the two, along with Lita, Juni, and Steve, were fighting their way through the Outworld Forces and, at one point, Nina was grabbed and thrown into a car's windshield. She only sprained her wrist, but as a precaution, a brace and a sling was placed on her.

Nina was sitting up, her upper body leaning against one bended leg, her injured wrist resting on top of her knee. Cammy noted the look on her face. Her lips were slightly pouting and her eyebrows slightly furrowed. It was as though she was annoyed, but her eyes seemed to indicate that her mind was somewhere else.

That didn't stop Cammy from sitting on the foot of the cot and looking straight at her. "How are you doing?" she asked.

Nina slightly shook her head, and Cammy realized she was right in the fact that she was daydreaming. Nina blinked a couple of times before looking at Cammy, her eyebrows still in the same furrowed position.

"Don't you have other people to attend to?" she asked, her voice slightly cold.

"Yes, but it's my job to attend to as many people as possible, including you," Cammy replied, trying to be as calm as possible. "And while I'm here, is there anything that you want? Some water? Something to read?"

Nina found herself thinking for a moment before answering. "I guess some tea will do. With a little milk if possible. If that's not too much to ask I mean."

"It's better than the guy who requested a steak and lobster dinner," Cammy said, chuckling a little. "And since you're in England, I'm sure getting you tea won't be impossible. Which reminds me… if you don't mind me asking… what brought you to London? I seem to recall from the tournament that you were from Ireland and-"

"If you don't mind, I don't wish to chit chat with you," Nina requested bitterly. "I highly prefer to be left alone."

Cammy stood herself up, feeling a bit bothered after trying to be nice to Nina. "Fine then… just be patient while I get you some tea. In the meantime, I'll try to find a book for you to read on how to appreciate the help of others."

Before Nina could reply to that, Cammy turned her back on her before walking away in almost a huff. _And I thought she was cold at the tournament!_ she thought.

An hour after that conversation, Cammy was able to get everything done on her list. Deciding to take a small break, she headed over to where the offices were. Upon reaching the door to her own office, she unlocked the door with her key before going in.

Inside, Steve Fox laid on his back on the cot that was set in a corner, which Cammy herself would use whenever she had to work two shifts that were close to one another by a few hours. She felt bad that Steve had to be in here, but due to his life being at stake, MI-6 was not taking any chances with his presence here and had ordered him to be placed in Cammy's office. Only Cammy, Lita, and their General were allowed in the room.

"How are you holding up?" Cammy asked after closing and locking the door behind her.

Steve sighed a little before sitting himself up. "To be honest, I think I'm developing claustrophobia. At least your apartment had windows."

"I know you don't like this," Cammy replied. "But I'm under orders to keep you here for your own safety as well as the civilians here. Look on the bright side, at least you have your own loo."

"I highly doubt the mafia would be after me now," Steve said. "They would be too busy saving their own bum, getting out of town with their loot so that they didn't get caught by anyone. At least that's the idea I got from watching the telly so much in the past few weeks."

Cammy sat next to him on the bed before placing her hand over his. In reply, Steve turned his hand so that their fingers intertwined.

"I'll try to convince the General to let you leave the room. Maybe he can give you something to do in a place where there aren't too many people."

"I hope so," Steve replied. "I know you and MI-6 are concerned for my safety, but if I stay isolated for any longer, especially now, I may have to blow my own head off."

"Don't think like that," Cammy highly suggested. "Just try to be patient for at least a few more days. Did you start that book I gave you… um… heh, I can't even remember what title I gave you."

" _A Tale of Two Cities_? I'm not much of a book reader, especially old stories like that."

"I know, but at least it will keep you occupied for a little while."

"Maybe."

Cammy smiled a little. "I'd keep you occupied myself, but duty calls, you know."

Steve couldn't help but smile as well. "That's too bad. It would surely make me feel better about all this."

"I'll see if I can… make up some time for later." Cammy briefly gave Steve a kiss on the lips before standing herself up. "Meanwhile, you read that book no matter how boring it is."

Steve quietly exhaled. "Well… most of my life, mainly at school, I keep hearing about this Dickens fellow. I guess now's a good time to see what the fuss is about."

"That's the spirit," Cammy chuckled. "I'll see you later then."

"Don't be too long," Steve said.

Cammy gave him one more smile before leaving the room.

~~~

**Somewhere in India**

For a while after leaving her ship, Ruby Heart found herself walking through the seemingly empty area, heading towards the smoke she noted in the distance, something she had been smelling ever since she woke up after the attack on her ship. Eventually, she found a small river during her walk. She knew that if she followed it, she would eventually hit some sort of civilization.

"Maybe the smoke is coming from a village," Ruby Heart said out loud with hope.

After some time, Ruby Heart realized that the closer she got to the smoke, the more prominent the smell was. She was starting to get an irk feeling about this, like something wasn't right suddenly.

Despite that, she pushed herself forward, knowing that she had to if she was going to survive.

Before she knew it, Ruby Heart passed through a group of trees. Once she reached the next clearing, she noticed a small village just a few yards away…

…Or rather what was left of this village…

Ruby Heart was now able to see where the smoke was coming from. There were a few small fires lingering. A few were long out, but smoke still emerged from the ashes of the buildings that once served as homes.

"Those attacked my ship must've attacked here too," she said aloud.

That's when she noted more smoke towards the back of the village. This one indicated that the fire was bigger, especially since the smoke was more group together in this particular spot.

Wondering if anyone was still alive in this area, Ruby Heart ran into the village, unsure of what she was going to find. Eventually, smoke was starting to become a bit blinding and the smell was more strong, though now she realized there was another smell with it as well, one she couldn't pinpoint right away.

Then, amongst the cloud of smoke, Ruby Heart saw a dark-skinned man standing just a few yards away from the main source of the smoke. She saw that he was bald, his only clothing a pair of yellow trunks with a gold bracelet on each wrist which also had yellow tape around it as well as his ankles.

Upon closer inspection, Ruby Heart realized that the heavy smoke seemed to be coming from a cellar. That's when she realized what the other smell was…

Burning flesh.

Ruby Heart's lips parted in shock, horrified by what was happening. _What happened here…?_

Whatever happened at this tiny village, it would seem as though the lone man standing a few feet away was the only survivor. She noted a bruise on his head and realized that he was injured during the attack.

Suddenly, to her surprise, the lone man turned to face her, something she wasn't expecting. The first thing she noticed was the necklace he was wearing, which contained three small skulls which she realized were real. Seeing his face, she saw that his eyes had no pupils or iris for that matter. His head and cheeks were painted in three red streaks, though some of it had faded in some spots. A grim look, understandably, was on his face, and Ruby Heart realized this man was mourning the loss of his people.

"I… I'm sorry if I bothered you," Ruby Heart stuttered.

She was just beginning to turn to leave when the man spoke. "You're a pirate, are you not? It was said that a pirate would show up in this village some day in a time of crisis."

Ruby Heart turned back to him, confused by what was just said. "I… just happened to see the smoke…"

"I figured that's how you found yourself here," he said. "My name is Dhalsim."

"Ruby Heart."

Dhalsim turned his attention back at the fire. He was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "This all started because of a tournament in a realm called Outworld. I wasn't there myself, but my psychic abilities were able to foresee the results as it happened. Many died, but many escaped with their lives. The tournament had been used to lure the warriors into a trap. It was a way for Shao Kahn to get rid of them so that he didn't have any interferences in his plans."

"Shao Kahn?"

"He's the Emperor of Outworld. For years, he has hungered for domination of the realms, including our own. What you witnessed these past many hours was what other realms have experienced in the past six months."

"Why didn't anyone try to stop it?" Ruby Heart asked.

Dhalsim sighed. "My people and I believed it would happened, but there was nothing that could be done with the exception of relying on my words. Many were fooled as they took the rumors as a hoax. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

"They came here to capture strong warriors… I assume those who were after me perceived me as dead… anyone who was a civilian were immediately killed… the elders… the children… the neighbors… friends I had known since childhood…"

Dhalsim was silent for a moment as he quietly choked back his emotions just before his next words.

"… My wife… my son…"

Ruby Heart frowned upon hearing this. She realized how close knit this village once was. She was close to her crew, but she realized that was nothing compared to possibly how close Dhalsim was to those he lost.

"I'm sorry…" she found herself saying.

Dhalsim was able to compose himself before speaking again. "There's nothing to be sorry about. All we can do is prepare ourselves more in case these Outworld demons return once more."

Ruby Heart suddenly found herself admiring the mourning man, something she hadn't felt since meeting the man who built her ship. Despite losing his family and fellow villagers, Dhalsim was still willing to go on and fight, more than likely see to it that their deaths were not in vain.

"Let me ask you," she began to question. "Do you plan on revenge for your people?"

Dhalsim immediately shook his head. "I imagine most would in my situation. However, and I had taught my people this… vengeance does nothing but bring more misery. My reason to fight against Outworld is to see that no other soul is harmed from their wrath… and to stop them from turning our universe into nothingness."

Ruby Heart nodded, respecting his decision.

"You are welcome to linger here and to take any necessary supplies that you can salvage," Dhalsim said. "I… wish to be alone."

"I understand," she said with a nod. "I'll be around if you need me."

Dhalsim said nothing more after that. Seeing this, Ruby Heart turned around and began heading out of the village. She almost didn't want to leave him alone, but right now, she had to get something to eat and to fulfill a duty.

Finding a shovel nearby, Ruby Heart took it in her hand, knowing what she was going to do with it. She would return to her ship and bury her crew members. It was the least she could do after her crew helped in defending her beloved ship to their deaths.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Somewhere in Utah, USA**

The sun was high in the sky above the distant mountain by the time a blue Toyota Corolla crossed the Utah border. The seven occupants in the small car had just finished passing a sign indicating that they were near a town called Garrison.

Sergeant Scott K. Wagner was one of the occupants in the car, sitting behind the driver's seat and mostly feeling crushed into the door to the point where he thought it would pop open. For most of the night since their escape from Los Angeles, Wagner was able to get a few shut eye, but he would sometimes be abruptly awaken by the car running over a bump or a pothole on the road.

His eyes were slightly watery from the fact that the wind was constantly blowing in his face. This was because the Corolla's roof was torn off and it was almost as though he was in a convertible. Only there was no choice in whether or not the roof stayed up or down.

Juli was awake, but her head was resting on Wagner's shoulder, exhausted from last night's fiasco. He looked over at the other side, seeing that Amy was resting in Jane's arms. He couldn't tell if Amy was asleep since her back was turned to him, but Jane's eyes were opened, looking out into the empty fields, her mind clearly somewhere else.

Wagner then turned his attention to the front seats. Directly in front of him, Alex was still at the driver's seat, and he wondered if she ever stopped at one point of the drive, though he was sure she did, he was just most likely asleep. Next to her, Cyrax looked completely uncomfortable in Wagner's point of view, especially considering his injured leg, but the cyborg seemed to have adjusted to sitting nearly on top of the gear shift. In the passenger seat, Kenshi was leaning back into his seat. The crimson blindfold Wagner was used to seeing him wear was taken off, so it was easier for the young man to notice how exhausted the swordsman looked.

Eventually, Wagner was feeling bothered by the lack of noise. He wanted to hear something other than a car engine and the wind blowing in his ears.

He gently pushed Juli off his shoulder before leaning forward, getting himself in between Alex and Cyrax. Cyrax turned his head slightly to him. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry, this car is WAY too quiet for my taste," Wagner replied.

He reached for the radio and pressed the 'On' button. Immediately, the music blasted loudly into everyone's ears, it's volume catching them by surprise and making them jolt in their seats.

"Um, sorry," Alex said before reaching for the volume knob to lower the sound.

By then, Wagner recognized the song, ' _Two Tickets To Paradise,_ ' by Eddie Money. It wasn't his type of music and he only knew what it was from watching an episode of _The Simpsons_ when Homer was singing the song at his job…. but it was sure as hell better than nothing.

As Wagner sat back down, he noticed the glare coming from both Juli and Jane and it was almost as though they were shooting daggers at him. He looked at them with confusion, wondering why they were giving him that gaze.

It was Jane who said it. "Some _paradise_ we're heading to."

Wagner suddenly felt uncomfortable. "… Sorry…"

"I'll change it," Alex said. She reached over and changed to the actual radio. However, all that was heard in the first station was a buzzing sound. Thinking that there was no service in that particular channel, Alex tried to change the station multiple times, but all that was heard was buzzing sounds. The more this was done, the more she realized what has happened.

"Looks like all the stations are off the air," Juli said.

Alex sighed before turning the radio off completely. "Yeah…"

"Do you always have your music blasting like that?" Cyrax asked.

"Only on a bad day."

"Cyrax, you don't happen to have any CD's in those compartments of yours, do you?" Wagner asked suddenly.

"CD's are dying off," Cyrax replied. "But I managed to download a few songs into my system-"

"Please don't," Alex grumbled. "Some of your songs aren't exactly… great…"

"At least I stay up to date on today's music, unlike your 80's crap," Cyrax said jokingly.

"Cyrax, just last week after you got off your Friday shift for your weekend off, you were running into everyone working that weekend playing ' _Friday, I'm In Love_ ,' an 80's song. I swore, Jax was ready to tear out your music player from your system."

"Too bad because it's great to use as a distraction from people you want to kick, like Hsu Hao," Cyrax mentioned.

"That reminds me," Alex said. "You never told me why Jax wants us to kill him."

"Can we not talk about killing?" Jane asked.

"Sorry," Alex said.

Cyrax went into a whisper. "He was the one who blew up the OIA building."

Alex's eyes widened at that news. "That was him?"

"And it almost killed Jax too, but he barely managed to escape. We think he's working with the Outworld Forces. I always suspected that bastard was up to something, but it was hard to find any sort of evidence… until now at least. So now you know the deal and why Jax ordered his killing."

"I see."

"You think we can stop at the next gas station?" Jane asked. "Nature calls for some of us."

"Good idea," Alex replied. "I'm going to run out of gas soon if we don't stop."

"Good because this leg is killing me," Cyrax mentioned.

"At least you're still in pain," Jane said. "It's better than the leg going numb which is a bad sign."

"Are you a doctor or something?"

"Nurse, actually, at least I used to be."

"What a convenience!" Cyrax then realized how quiet the swordsman next to him was. "Kenshi, are you asleep?"

Kenshi sighed. "I wish I was… my ears are still ringing from that loud music."

"Sorry," Alex grumbled.

"Mommy, are we going to stop?" Amy asked.

"We will soon, honey," Jane answered.

Ten minutes later, they found a gas station that was in the middle of nowhere. Alex quickly pulled the car into the lot, soon parking it in front of a gas pump. Just as the engine was shut off, they noticed a red Porsche just parked next to the pump diagonally in front of them.

"That looks like Ken Masters' Porsche," Juli said.

"… It is!" Wagner called out.

"How do you know?" Jane asked.

Wagner chuckled. "Well, considering the license plate reads, MASTERS…"

"That explains it," Juli said.

Jane opened her side of the door. "Amy and I are going to stop at the rest rooms,"

"Same here," announced Juli.

"When I'm done," Jane began. "Anyone who needs medical attention, come to me. I'll help as best as possible."

"You're going to love working around my mechanical leg," Cyrax said.

Just as everyone began to get out of the car, the door to the food market opened and a familiar young woman stepped outside. She noticed the new car parked nearby, curious to know who just showed up.

"Julia Chang!" Wagner called out.

Julia squinted her eyes for a moment until she recognized Wagner waving at her. She smiled, glad to see someone from the tournament.

"You're sure a sight for sore eyes!" Julia called out. That was when she noticed Kenshi in the car and almost felt embarrassed. "Um… sorry, Kenshi."

"I'm used to it," Kenshi assured her with a small wave of his hand.

That's when the door to the market opened and someone stepped outside. Everyone turned their attention to see who had just come out.

"Uncle Ken!" Amy called out excitedly.

Ken's gloomy eyes seemed to come to life a little upon hearing his niece calling out his name. The young girl ran over to him before giving him a big hug, her arms wrapping around his waist.

Ken placed his hands over Amy's head, which rested on his stomach. Tears brimmed his eyes, but he refused to shed them. "It's good to see you, kiddo," he said almost quietly.

"Ken," Jane said as she approached him. Ken noted her presence and almost lost it as he was reminded of how much Jane resembled Eliza. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to control the tears that threatened to escape. Jane saw this and immediately embraced him, her own tears now dripping down her face.

"Let's go inside," Wagner suggested after witnessing that. He turned to Julia. "Is there anyone else with you."

"Just a friend, Sagat. He's out in the back on watch duty," Julia replied.

Wagner's eyes widened in shock. "Sagat?! Wasn't he with Shadaloo?"

"Don't worry, he's on our side," Julia assured him. "As a matter of fact, he was atoning for his sins when we met up with him. I assure you, he's with us."

"… I hope you're right…"

From there, the group went inside with the exception of Ken, Jane, and Amy. Jane saw this before turning her attention to her daughter. "Amy, why don't you go inside with the others. You don't want to wait on the bathroom line, do you?"

"Nope," Amy agreed. With that, she pulled away and began running inside.

This was Jane's chance to talk to Ken privately. "My little sister's gone, isn't she?" she asked, her voice shaking.

Ken found himself taking a deep breath before replying. "The house was nothing but a rubble when I tried to get to her and Mel… I was looking through the pile, but… I found that I couldn't…"

More tears fell down Jane's face as she pulled Ken to her for another embrace. "I'm so sorry, Ken…"

A few tears slipped down Ken's face, the first time he let that happen since before he left Los Angeles. He quickly wiped them away and managed to calm himself down before speaking again.

"Where's Guile?"

It was Jane's turn to take a deep breath. "He forced us to leave while he was fighting some… horse demon… to protect us. I… I don't know if he lived or not…"

"He's strong… I know that from my matches with him. He'll try to find a way to get to the Rockies when he gets the chance."

"I know, but I wonder…" Jane took another deep breath in an effort to control her emotions. "No… I have to be strong for him… and for Amy. And you…" She pulled away to look at Ken. "I know your heart is breaking, but you have to fight for them. I know Eliza wasn't the biggest fan of fighting, but I get a good feeling she would want you to fight this threat. You're one of the strongest fighters in the world and we're going to need you."

Ken forced a small smile. "That's what I kept telling myself all night."

"Keep doing that even if your emotions get the best of you."

"Jane," Ken began to say. "Throughout this ordeal, I'm going to watch over you and Amy. It's the least I can do for being such a pain in the ass to Guile for all these years."

Jane had to chuckle at that. "I know he'd appreciate that."

She wiped away the tears that stained her face before forcing a smile. "Well… even though I retired from nursing, it seems like duty is still calling. I have a cyborg's leg to attend to."

Ken had to smile at that. "I didn't realize you knew about cyborg technology."

"I don't," Jane replied. "But he still has human parts and that I know about. But I bet it's going to be an interesting procedure either way."

From there, the two of them went inside the market to join up with the others.

~~~

**Arctika, Himalayan Mountains**

"Sareena! Wake up! Sareena!"

As she fluttered her eyes opened, Sareena heard the familiar male voice calling out her name. A hand on her shoulder shook her gently, the person obviously trying to wake her up.

For a moment in her mind, Sareena thought she was sound asleep in her bed. As she opened her eyes, she realized that a headache was coming on to her. She rubbed her eyes for a moment before opening them, seeing the Lin Kuei Grandmaster Sub-Zero kneeling beside her. His blue eyes seemed to look at her with concern and, despite the mask he wore over his face, vapors expelled from his lips with each breath he took.

Sareena suddenly realized that she was laying on a cold, hard surface and she became confused for a moment. She then looked past Sub-Zero, noting that part of the ceiling had broken off leaving them exposed to the outside world. Night had fallen and the stars above were shining.

"It's about time you woke up," said Frost. The young woman stood nearby, her arms folded as she stared at Sareena with hooded eyes, almost as though she was bored.

"It's been a long day, Frost," Sub-Zero said as patiently as possible, though there was still a small hint of annoyance in his voice.

That was when memories of the Outworld Forces' attack came back to Sareena. She had been helping the Lin Kuei fight against them when everything suddenly went black. The darkness seemed like a few seconds, but seeing her surroundings and based on Frost's comment, Sareena realized that she was out for a while.

Sub-Zero helped her sit up, and she felt a small dizzy spell coming on. Quickly regaining herself, Sareena took a moment to see her surroundings, noting the dead bodies of both their allies and their enemies. Rubble from the broken ceiling were spread around the room as were stains of blood.

Frost stood about five feet away. Nearby, Smoke scouted the area, more than likely looking for other survivors of the Lin Kuei.

Eventually, the cyborg turned to the Grandmaster. "We're the only survivors in this room," he announced.

Sub-Zero sighed. "Damn…" He straightened himself up, helping Sareena on her feet along the way. Briefly, he rubbed a certain spot on his head, more than likely a minor injury, Sareena realized, before speaking. "What's the damage on the rest of the temple?"

"Not as bad as this room ended up," Smoke replied. "Though when I briefly scouted the hallway, I found a few others who didn't survive."

"We'll have to search to see if anyone else lived," Sub-Zero suggested. "Some of the younger students will most likely stick to the lower floors." He looked at the two women as he spoke. "We'll split up. Gather whoever lived and we'll meet up by the laboratories."

Frost's eyes seemed to widen a little at that. "Laboratories?"

"Yes. I need to check some things after we get done with what's more important."

Frost nodded, understanding.

Sub-Zero proceeded. "I'll go to the lower floors and check the south portion of the right wing. Sareena, you check the left wing. Smoke, stay on this wing and check things out. Frost, head to the north portion of the right wing."

Once that was settled, the four of them went on their separate ways. However, taking this separation as an opportunity, Frost decided to head over to the laboratory instead…

In her mind, Frost wasn't sure of the laboratory's condition, or whether or not the Outworld Forces managed to make their way there. It took her about five minutes to reach the area and, upon entering the room, she realized that it was left untouched, much to her surprise.

There were a few small experiments that were being worked on, but those were the ones she didn't care about. The only thing there Frost cared about was the green, female cyborg that laid motionless for six months on the table in the middle of the room - Matrik.

Frost clearly remembered the day her sifu, Sub-Zero, returned to the Lin Kuei Headquarters after spending a month at a tournament in Outworld. Months before, he had confided in her about how the Lin Kuei used to run. All was good until the day their old Grandmaster had decided to automate their members into cyborgs. It was how Smoke was turned into one against his will.

One former member, Sektor, was the first to volunteer for the project. Years later, after the old Grandmaster was killed, Sektor and Sub-Zero fought for the right of leadership of the clan. Needless to say, Sub-Zero was the one who emerged the victor and Sektor would eventually flee to Japan and form his own clan, the Tekunin.

Some time between the Tekunin's formation and many days prior to the tournament, Matrik was automated into a cyborg. Whether she had volunteered or was forced into it like Smoke was wasn't clear… according to Sub-Zero, she has no memory of her life before then.

None of it mattered to Frost, however. It almost made her smile at the thought of her sifu's frustrations, wondering why Matrik's system wouldn't work the way he wanted it to. "It's almost as though someone's tampering with her system," she remembered him saying one night a few weeks ago.

Little did Sub-Zero know that, yes, someone was tampering with Matrik's technology. Frost didn't expect anyone to realize that she had plenty of knowledge on nano technology… it was something she never mentioned. No, she wouldn't know how to even automate a human into a cyborg, but she knew how all the parts worked and how each wire has their own control system that can be either activated or deactivated by choice. Some things she would learn by tinkering with the wires to see what would happen, which she would do whenever she had the chance.

Now with the invasion, Frost knew what she had to do.

Opening up Matrik's stomach cavity, Frost slowly flipped a couple of wires, each one making a small, buzzing sound each time they were reconnected. Once the wires were in the right place, Frost closed the cavity before pressing a few buttons, placing Matrik on sleep mode before setting a timer on when to awaken.

Once she was done, Frost smiled mischievously, proud of her work. "Soon, you'll be awake. You will work to do my bidding, following no one but me. I promise, your reward will be most satisfying."

Knowing that the others would eventually arrive, Frost headed over to the laboratory entrance door, leaning her back against the wall, hands clasped behind her. It wasn't long before Sub-Zero turned a corner, soon spotting his pupil near the lab entrance.

"Were you able to find anyone?" he asked her.

Frost immediately shook her head. "The entire wing was empty when I got there with the exception of a couple of bodies."

Sub-Zero nodded. "I had the same results."

"What will we do from here?" Frost asked him curiously.

Before Sub-Zero could answer, both Sareena and Smoke emerged from around another corner, heading over to where the two ice warriors stood. Sub-Zero looked at them seriously. "Anything?"

Both of them shook their heads. "We only saw a few bodies," Smoke mentioned. "I think those who survived may have already began making their way towards the villages. All the vehicles are missing except one… but it's too damaged to use."

Sub-Zero sighed, a long line of vapor escaping from his lips. "It would take about two weeks to trek to the villages. Frost and I would make it fine, of course, and I assume your technology would help you."

"I don't feel heat or cold," Smoke mentioned. "So the walk won't bother me."

Sub-Zero turned his attention to Sareena. "Do you think you could handle the walk? The cold weather can get brutal this time of year."

"In that outfit, I doubt it," Frost quickly said, noting the other woman's attire that most would call 'skimpy.'

Sareena was about to reply, feeling insulted, but Sub-Zero quickly cut in. "There are plenty of caves along the way, so that will provide protection, especially during the night."

Sareena nodded. "Well… I do admit, I will need an extra layer of clothes."

"Your boots will do fine," Sub-Zero mentioned. "I'll provide you with a heavy cloak. It's all we have."

"I'll appreciate what ever's available," Sareena replied.

"What about Matrik?" Smoke asked as he stared in the lab room. "Do you think it's wise to leave her behind?"

Sub-Zero sighed. "Unfortunately, bringing her along will only slow us down. We have no choice but to leave her behind."

"I think she would have understood," Frost said.

The Grandmaster nodded. "You're right. But it's a shame… all these months trying to restore her…"

"You'll come back someday to finish your work," Sareena said. "Even if we're not back here for the next few months, as long as everything goes well, she'll still be here."

Feeling confident again, Sub-Zero straightened himself a little. "We'll need to collect some supplies for the walk. Once we have that done, we'll wait until sunrise. From there, we'll begin our journey." He looked at Sareena. "I'll find that cloak for you in the meantime."

"Hopefully we still have some matches around for campfires," Smoke mentioned.

"I believe we have some in the kitchen," said Sub-Zero.

For the remainder of the night until sunrise, the four of them began gathering the necessary supplies for the long walk to civilization. In Frost's mind, she almost laughed at the fact that Sub-Zero believed it could be months before he returned to help Matrik once more. Little did he know that, eventually, Matrik would awaken and find her way to Frost. There, Frost would use her for her own gain.

_He'll be in for a surprise._

~~~

**Japan, Unknown Area**

Barely twelve hours has passed since the Outworld Forces made their way to Earth. Within a few short hours, they had either damaged or destroyed everything in their path, including the lives of those who had witnessed the horrifying events.

Hearing about the devastation in other realms, Yoshimitsu knew what to expect. However, the stories told to him was nothing compared to what he was seeing with his own two eyes. The people who had survived the attacks were clearly traumatized from their ordeal, and Yoshimitsu and the members of the Manji Clan were doing all they could to help them.

Throughout most of the evening within the village he had fought in hours ago, Yoshimitsu gathered the survivors together, providing them with food and water that his clan had collected. Their temporary shelter were old-fashioned covered wagons that were constructed prior for something like this.

Those who died were gathered as well. Once they felt the villagers were willing to search for a possibly-deceased loved one, they would help in identifying a body. This way, the dead victim would receive a proper burial or cremation depending on the family's choice.

It was about one in the morning when Yoshimitsu knew he had to make a quick journey. He first saw to it that everything in the village was under control. Taking three of his Manji Clan members with him, they headed on horseback to the science facility where Dr. Boskonovitch was located.

At first glace, it seemed as though the facility was untouched, which almost relieved Yoshimitsu. However, upon closer inspection of the main building, they saw the countless broken windows and the guards that stood at their post were dead on the ground. Indeed the Outworld Forces made their way through here.

"Do you think the Doctor is still alive?" one member of his clan asked.

Yoshimitsu got off his horse before taking out the sword he was borrowing. "We'll have to go inside and find out," he replied.

Going into invisible mode just in case, Yoshimitsu made his way into the building. He decided to first try Dr. Boskonovitch's office, believing that the old man may have retreated there during the invasion. Soon, he reached the office, letting him go out of invisible mode before opening the door and letting himself in.

Immediately, a gunshot was heard, the bullet barely missing Yoshimitsu's right shoulder. He stood still for a moment, wondering who shot him for a split second until he realized the source. On the opposite side of the room, hiding between his desk and his chair was the Doctor, a pistol in his hand.

The old man's eyes widened as he realized who he just nearly shot. "Yoshimitsu! I-I'm so sorry, I-"

Yoshimitsu immediately walked over to him, getting down on his knees once he reached him. "Are you hurt?"

Dr. Boskonovitch shook his head. "The guards shoved me in here the moment the alarm went off. I've been sitting here with a gun in my hand ever since. What's going on? No one has informed me of anything since it all started."

"You know the rumored invasion that has been talked about for the past few months?"

The old man's eyes widened at that. "You mean…"

Yoshimitsu nodded. "We need to get you to another location as soon as possible."

Dr. Boskonovitch quickly shook his head. "Not yet! I need to check if… everything is okay."

"We can't linger for long, Doctor," Yoshimitsu suggested as he began to help him on his feet. "The last thing we need is-"

The doctor quickly cut him off. "But I must get to the cold sleep room. If there's any damage to the room, I want to know about it."

Once he mentioned the cold sleep room, Yoshimitsu realized how important it was to him. Years ago, Dr. Boskonovitch had lost his only daughter to a mysterious illness. He had hoped to some day find a way to cure the illness that killed her and, maybe, bring her back.

Her body was currently being preserved in the cold sleep room.

Yoshimitsu slowly nodded. "We'll head over there. Once everything is checked…"

An idea suddenly came to the Manji Clan leader's mind. "Doctor… is there any way we can provide your facility as a shelter and hospital base? Many people will be without homes and hospitals will be overcrowded by those injured from the attack."

The doctor gave it a thought for a moment before replying. "Perhaps I may have room, but there are quite a few wings in the facility that are private. If one was to wander away…"

"I'll have some of my clan members help you," Yoshimitsu suggested. "We'll make sure that everything is under control."

Dr. Boskonovitch nodded. "I'll have some of my employees set everything up as soon as possible. How soon do you think the survivors will arrive here?"

"As of right now, we are helping a small village about two hours from here. We believe we have about fifty survivors, most with minor injuries. A few are seriously wounded and will need help as soon as possible."

"I'll do whatever I can for them along with my staff… if any of them are still alive."

With that in mind, Yoshimitsu and Dr. Boskonovitch slowly made their way out of the office door. As they headed towards the cold sleep room, the old man happened to notice the new sword his friend was carrying.

"What happened to you katana?" the doctor asked.

Yoshimitsu sighed. "It's a long story, but let's just say I'll get it back as soon as possible."

The thought of not having his katana with him made the Manji Clan leader all the more irritated. He had that weapon in his own hand ever since he became leader. It was not just a sign of his leadership, but it also provided him with the confidence and strength to get through even the worst of battles.

He knew he had to take care of things here for now. However, once he received the chance, Yoshimitsu would do all he can to find a way to retrieve his sword back from Bryan Fury. He'd be damned if he let that scoundrel use it for his own evil gains.

~~~

_"As much as I'd like to finish you off here and now," Quan Chi said to the ninja. "I'm afraid that it will have to wait."_

_This angered Scorpion. "You coward!" With a loud roar, he began sprinting towards his long-time nemesis._

_With barely any more time to gather up more energy, Quan Chi quickly shot out his arms just as Scorpion began to execute a flying kick. The energy hurled itself towards Scorpion, soon engulfing him in a white light. A flash was seen, which soon dispersed, taking Scorpion with it._

**Unknown Area**

For a second, Scorpion was blinded by a bright, white light, which represented the sorcery his nemesis Quan Chi had mastered. He had expected himself to be back in the Netherealm once the light dispersed.

Eventually, the light went out, and Scorpion found himself tumbling into a grassy field. The ninja spectre quickly caught himself during the fall, eventually rolling forward before getting himself in position on his knees.

Still ready to fight, Scorpion quickly gazed at his surroundings. He realized that he was still on Earth, but the setting was different from where he was just moments ago. The closest set of trees was about a mile away, and not a single village or person was seen for miles.

 _He must have sent me to another location_ _,_ the spectre thought in anger. _When I see him next-_

His thoughts were suddenly cut off as a voice behind him spoke. "Scorpion!"

Quickly getting on his feet, Scorpion whirled around, his hand on the hilt of his sword behind ready to fight the person who called out his name. However, he relaxed just as suddenly upon seeing Daichi, one of the Elder Gods, standing before him, a white glow surrounding his body.

"Scorpion," he spoke once more. "What just happened?"

Scorpion immediately released his grip on his sword and straightened himself out. "I was keeping an eye out on things surrounding Raiden's temple when I noticed Quan Chi leading a group to destroy a village. During our fight, he somehow sent me here."

Daichi sighed. "I'm disappointed. We had asked you to keep your concerns with eliminating Dark Raiden. Instead, you let yourself lose control the moment you saw Quan-Chi. I need to remind you that you _must_ focus on your task."

Scorpion suddenly felt angry. "But he was the one who-"

Daichi raised a hand at him, silencing the spectre. "If you want to be reunited with your family, you need to finish this task. Now, if Quan Chi was to attack you, that is understandable. But we had seen your fight with him… it was you who approached him. Remember that."

Scorpion took a deep breath, realizing that there was no point in arguing. He didn't want to lose the chance to be reunited with his wife and son.

"You're still in Asia, he didn't send you too far," Daichi mentioned. "However, it'll take you a few days to return to where you were. Just head Southeast from here and it will take you back there. Again, unless Quan Chi attacks you, do not be concerned with him. We'll take care of it."

Before Scorpion could say any more, the white light that surrounded the Elder God's body engulfed him. It quickly faded away along with the light.

The situation only left Scorpion more frustrated. Either way, he knew he had to go on. He would take care of Raiden first. Then, once that was done, he would take care of Quan Chi.

~~~

_As the sun's rays became brighter, Feng Wei noted something in the distance he hadn't seen during the night. There were a few buildings gathered alone amongst the many trees. The more he stared at it, the more he wondered if it was a temple. Whatever the case, he was willing to get a closer look._

_The young man figured that the journey would take at least a day, but he was willing and ready. As the sun peaked above the mountains, he began his approach…._

**Somewhere in China**

It had taken over a day, but by mid-afternoon, Feng Wei finally reached the grounds where the temple was located. He stood a few yards away, staring up at the couple of tall buildings that he knew could be seen for miles. Beyond the two columns nearby, which he realized served as an entrance, he saw a few monks dressed in traditional orange robes.

Indeed he was in the right place. Now it's whether or not the Dragon Scroll he head about was actually here. He would find out soon enough.

He entered the temple grounds, and it didn't take very long for the monks to notice him. Those who were sitting down immediately stood up, and all of them stared at him, unsure of what to think of his presence.

A few yards away, Li Mei had noted Feng Wei's entrance as well. She had been sitting on a hill in a lotus position enjoying a cup of hot tea when the stranger came in. She raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to think of his presence. Once she and the rest of the monks were able to get rid of the Outworld Forces, with the exception of burying those who died during the attack, nothing eventful happened. However, it was decided that they would welcome anyone here who had nowhere else to go.

The young woman wondered if this man was looking for shelter.

Seeing Kung Lao and Bo' Rai Cho starting to approach him not too far from her, Li Mei gently set her cup of tea down on the ground. Getting herself on her feet, she brushed both sides of her legs, getting rid of any dirt or grass that might have stuck on to her. Once that was done, she began heading over to where the group was gathering.

Kung Lao and Bo' Rai Cho had been having a discussion about yesterday when one of the monks approached him about the stranger's presence. They headed over to the entrance immediately, wondering what his story was.

"You look tired," said Bo' Rai Cho once they approached him. "I would imagine after the invasion yesterday."

Feng Wei looked at the large man in confusion. "What invasion?"

Bo' Rai Cho and Kung Lao turned to each other, surprised by his reply. By then, Li Mei had caught up to the group, keeping herself a few feet away from the three of them.

Kung Lao spoke next. "The realm of Outworld invaded Earth yesterday. Plenty of them attacked the temple and we lost some of our men because of it. I imagined you ran into a few of them as well."

Feng Wei still felt perplexed even after that explanation. Sure, he heard of other realms beyond Earth before, but it was never anything he was concerned about, believing that he would never come into contact with anyone outside of Earth.

However, he remembered one thing from yesterday… there were four guards who randomly attacked him in the woods, but he took care of them easily. Their uniforms, now that he thought about it, was something foreign to him in a way he couldn't describe.

"I did run into a few men who looked like guards," Feng Wei mentioned. "I'm not sure if they're from this… Outworld you mentioned." He folded his arms in front of his chest. "I've spent the last few months… traveling… with barely any contact with people."

"That may explain the perplexed look on your face," Bo' Rai Cho pointed out.

From there, Kung Lao explained to Feng Wei about Outworld, their Emperor Shao Kahn, and The Blood Tournament that had took place in that realm over six months ago. Feng Wei listened intently. He kept a straight face on the outside. Instead, he was surprised by everything he was hearing. From the woods, it didn't feel like an invasion had begun. However, he realized that perhaps the attacks would have more of an impact in urban areas, which he avoided unless there was a temple to 'visit.'

"You are welcome to stay with us for as long as you like," Kung Lao said once he finished the story.

Feng Wei was a little surprised by the offer. Unless the owners were elderly, he was hardly ever welcomed into the temples he entered this quickly. The more he thought about it, the more realized it was a good idea to take the offer. Not only would it give him time to find the scroll this time around, but it would also help him to get to know this new 'threat' towards Earth… perhaps it would be a way to test his abilities further.

After a moment, Feng Wei quietly nodded, accepted Kung Lao's offer.

"We'll take you to a room you can stay in," Bo' Rai Cho said. "Dinner is being prepared as I speak and will be ready soon enough."

"By the way," Kung Lao cut in. "What's your name?"

Feng Wei was hesitant for a moment, wondering if word had spread of his existence to this realm. Knowing that Kung Lao was waiting for an answer, Feng Wei thought of the first name that came to him.

"Rong… Yuan."

"Welcome to the Wu Shi Academy, Rong Yuan," Bo' Rai Cho said cheerfully.

Feng Wei gave him a single nod.

~~~

**Somewhere in Utah**

The trunk to the Corolla was opened as Wagner packed in a few supplies he knew they were going to need. Cases of water and food were placed carefully in nearly every inch of the trunk's space.

Meanwhile, Juli exited the market and saw Wagner packing up some stuff. Quietly, she walked over to him and, once she was within reach, she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.

Wagner smiled a little at the gesture. He stopped what he was doing and placed his hands over hers. "What's up?" he asked.

"Nothing much," Juli replied. "Your cyborg friend is all patched up and ready to go. Everyone else is just getting themselves cleaned up."

"That was quick," Wagner replied referring to Cyrax.

"The cut itself wasn't large, but it was deep. Luckily, it didn't hit any major artery," Juli explained. "Jane stitched it up with a sterilized needle and sewing thread she found in a mini sewing kit."

"How did she sterilize it?" Wagner asked curiously.

"She boiled some water in a coffee machine."

"Heh, that explains it. My brain isn't exactly working right now."

"I don't think any of ours are." Juli then noted the stuff Wagner placed in the trunk and raised an eyebrow. "Are you looting?"

"Um… we kind of have to right now."

Juli moved herself so that she was staring at him. "You're bad, you know."

Wagner couldn't help but grin. "Can't help it. I guess the teenaged delinquent within me decided to come out."

"I didn't realize you were a delinquent back in the day."

"That's why I was sent to military school. Guile set me straight once I was under his wing."

At the mention of Guile, Wagner sighed, his smile suddenly disappearing. "I shouldn't have listened to him. He should be here with us right now…"

Juli frowned, taking Wagner's hands into her own. "Don't blame yourself for leaving him behind. He pushed us to go, it was what he wanted. He wanted you to protect his family most importantly."

"I just hope Lisa will make it too…"

"You're sister will, I know it," Juli assured him.

"I hope you're right. Then I'm also worried about Cammy, too. I hope she's holding up okay in England…"

Juli pulled herself closer to Wagner, leaving a small kiss on his lips before embracing him. "No matter what happens, everything will be okay in the end."

"Just stick with me, baby," Wagner suggested, tightening his grip on her.

"You know I will."

Meanwhile inside the market, Kenshi was taking the time to clean up the blood that was left on his sword from last night, using a wet towel he found to do the job. Unless someone spoke to him, he mostly kept to himself ever since he and the rest of the group managed to escape Los Angeles.

He found himself thinking through on what happened last night. It had started with a scream for help that he heard in the distance. However, when he got there, the woman who screamed was already dead, killed by the blades of the Tarkatans. They tried to kill him as well, but Kenshi was able to slice them both in half before they had the chance to do that.

Throughout the time he fought his way through the streets, Kenshi killed many of those who tried to best him and he was faced with more challenges than he cared to deal with. But at least now, he could get a breather from all this.

However, since last night after they got out of LA, he was getting a strange feeling about something… the feeling was mostly felt in the pit of his stomach, but even as he meditated the best he could during the car ride, he couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was. It only left him frustrated.

Kenshi's thoughts were soon interrupted as he heard footsteps behind him. The footsteps alone were recognizable and he realized Alex was approaching him. Slipping his sword back in it's scabbard, he turned so that he was facing her.

The two were quiet for a moment, mostly standing where they were. Alex noted that Kenshi had since placed his blindfold back over his face, a bit tattered in the end, but cleaner. After a moment, she leaned herself forward, placing her hands just below either of his shoulder blades behind him before leaning her head into his chest. In reply, Kenshi returned the embrace, his hands also on her back.

"We almost had to leave you behind back there," Alex mentioned.

"You know I would've understood," Kenshi replied.

Alex sighed. "Still, it would've driven me mad if I did… especially after seeing what Jane had to go through when we left Guile behind." She pulled back a little to look up at him. "I'm just glad you found us when you did."

She felt his hands moving behind her a bit until they rested on each of her upper arms, slightly squeezing them. Alex noted that he seemed to be staring right at her despite being blind and she realized something was up.

"What's the matter?" she asked concerned.

Kenshi sighed a little. "I need you to do me a favor."

"And that is…"

"… Just be careful. I have this feeling I can't explain… about this whole ordeal we're about to face. I'm not liking the feeling I'm getting."

"You think something bad is going to happen?"

"I don't know… I'm sure once we get to the fort, we'll be fine for a little while, but who knows how long that will last."

"We figured as much," Alex said. "You know… your words remind me of our time in Outworld… I don't know why, but it does…"

Kenshi was quiet after that comment and Alex realized she might've reminded him of unpleasant memories from their time in Outworld. Wanting to make it a little better, she leaned up towards him, briefly pressing her lips against his before pulling back a couple of inches. "I'll be careful."

"Hey guys," a voice said near them. Alex turned her head and saw Julia standing a few feet away. "We're going to be hitting the road in a few minutes. Everything we need is packed and ready to go."

"We'll be there in a little bit," Alex said while yawning. Julia nodded before leaving.

"You should let someone else drive," Kenshi suggested. "That's all you did all night."

Alex sighed. "I guess I could get Wagner to take the wheel if he doesn't mind. At this point, we should be fine on gas until we hit Colorado."

A few minutes later, everyone in the group was gathered. With Wagner driving the Corolla and Ken driving the Porsche, the two cars began to depart from the station, hoping that the rest of the drive would go by fast.

~~~

**Osaka, Japan**

Throughout the night, Dan Hibiki, Asuka Kazama, Karin Kanzuki, and Maki Genryusai stayed within the confines of the basement of Dan's Saikyo Dojo. They had plenty of supplies that was enough for the four to survive a few days, but even so, that didn't make the situation any better. It was mostly quiet between them last night, each of them in their own thoughts.

When the sun outside began to slowly rise, Karin was the first to wake up after drifting in an out of sleep during the night. A sleeping bag wrapped around her, and another blanket was scrunched up and used as a makeshift pillow. Being on the floor, it was the most uncomfortable sleep she had ever endured.

Sitting up from where she slept, Karin stretched her arms, the bones inside popping. Her blond hair falling down past her shoulders, she nearly gasped at the sight of them. Her beautiful ringlets, which were worked on every single day since she was eight years old, were now a frizzy mess. Immediately, she grabbed for the blue ribbon she usually wore and tied her hair back into a low ponytail, hoping that would do for not until she got it fixed up.

Suddenly feeling the need to get out of here, she slowly got herself on her feet before putting her boots on. Once that was done, she made her way up the stairs and reached for the wooden plank that locked the cellar door from the inside.

The scrapping sound of the plank being removed woke up everyone else in the room. Believing they were being attacked again, Dan, Asuka, and Maki quickly shot up from where they were sleeping, prepared to fight whoever just entered the room. However, when Asuka looked up at the top of the stairs, she realized what was going on.

"Karin!" she called out.

Karin jumped up from her name suddenly being called out. Take a moment to breath, she turned her head, noting that the three were now awake.

"What are you doing?" Maki asked her.

Karin was not hesitant in her answer. "I need to get out of here!"

"It's too dangerous out there," Dan mentioned.

"We haven't heard a single peep from outside in hours!" Karin exclaimed, her hands placed on her hips. "I don't think those… Outworld people… are interested in finding us any more! If they wanted us so badly, they would've found us by now!"

Karin turned around and immediately pushed on the double doors with enough force to send it flying upwards and crashing down on either side of the entrance with a loud _thud_. She stomped forward, not stopping until she stepped off the stairs, turning back around to face the others once more.

"Besides, I need to find Ishizaki! He's worked for me since I was a child, and I had taken him for granted for years. It's time I paid him back by finding him. Besides, only _I'm_ allowed to give him hell, not these Outworld people!"

Before anyone could say anything, Karin turned her back on them before stomping away. Surprised by her actions, Dan, Asuka, and Maki began to follow her, just in case anything happened.

"Why do I feel like I'm suddenly in a horror movie?" Maki asked out loud to no one in particular.

Despite the dojo's doors being locked, this didn't bother Karin as she lifted a leg and used all of her strength to kick it down, breaking the barrier. She only took a few feet into the outside world when she suddenly stopped at the sidewalk.

The other three joined her, and they quickly realized why she stopped. The devastation of yesterday's attack was prominent. The windows of nearly every building in their sight was broken, many cars were smashed into nothing, and countless bodies laid where they fell, their own blood surrounding them. The smell of smoke and death was in the air.

Karin found herself shaking, not realizing how bad things really were until now. Maki was the same, though she was feeling dizzy and found herself leaning against a telephone pole for balance. Dan was on the verge of throwing up and quickly keeled over just in case. Asuka buried her face into her hands, sobbing quietly. Suddenly, she found that she didn't want to know what remained of her home and her father's dojo… or for father for that matter, if he didn't live.

"I wonder if we're the only ones left in the city…" Maki said, her voice shaking.

Asuka took a deep breath before looking up. "I have a feeling we are… what do we do from here?"

"I don't know…"

"I think we should head to my home first," Karin suggested. "But the thing is… it's a very long walk from here."

"I forgot," Asuka said. "Your mansion is on the outskirts of Osaka. My guess is that it'll take us the rest of the day to get there."

"We should head there," said Maki. "I don't know what else to do."

"What's wrong with my dojo?" Dan suddenly asked.

"Nothing, except I have more supplies to provide for a longer period of time," Karin replied.

Maki nodded. "She has a good point."

Dan sighed. "All right…"

As the four of them discussed their plans, unknown to them, a small group of Tarkatans happened to turn a corner and noted the four of them standing around. None of them had expected to run into any more humans since last night, so it came as a surprise to them when they saw them.

"Stupid Shao Kahn," one complained, not realizing what the others had found. "He just _had_ to have the portal closed before any of us had the chance to make it there. Now we're stuck on Earth until-"

One of them slapped him upside the head before speaking. "Think of it as an opportunity! While we're trapped here, we'll continue to take care of any survivors that we run into. Remember that, whoever dies, their souls are immediately taken to him. We'll take care of the hard work… and we'll be rewarded in the end for our efforts." He pointed at the four humans nearby. "We'll start with them."

The other Tarkatan grinned. "I could go for something to eat right now. Let's take care of them."

With that, the Tarkatans began making their way towards the humans. None of them realized of their presence or the fact that they were heading this way… at least until Dan happened to look to his left. His eyes widened in shock as the Tarkatans leapt towards them, their blades out and ready to kill.

" _YABE_ _!_ " he yelled out. The girls heard this before turning to see what he was looking at. All of them gasped in horror as they noticed the mutants coming towards them.

"Oh my God!" Karin cried out. "I didn't think-"

"We'll don't think now," Maki suggested as she got into a fighting stance. "We'll have to fight them off the best we can."

From there, all was silent between the four as they waited for the Tarkatans to get closer. In the meantime, Dan focused some energy into his right hand, ready to shoot out a Gadouken once their enemies were close enough.

Suddenly, when the Tarkatans were a few yards away, a blue energy ball flew over their heads before landing right in front of the mutants. A small explosion from the energy sent the Tarkatans screaming as they flew back.

Realizing that help came, Dan, Maki, Karin, and Asuka, with renewed confidence, charged towards the Tarkatans, ready to fight. Two motorcycles cruised by them, knocking down a few more of the creatures before coming to a stop, the drivers and passengers jumping off to continue to fight. Behind them, a single car parked in the middle of the street before it's four occupants jumped out to help.

Within a few minutes, the Tarkatans were quickly taken care of, either being knocked out or killed. The fighters took a moment to take a breather afterwards, keeping themselves in their fighting stances just in case.

"Asuka! Maki!" a familiar voice cried out. Asuka and Maki turned to the voice and became completely overjoyed upon recognizing their friends from the tournament.

"Mika! Cassandra!" they cried out. All four of them ran towards each other before coming together for a group hug. All of them were nearly in tears, happy that they were okay, which was practically the best thing to happen since the invasion began.

Dan felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see the person and was surprised to see Ryu standing next to him. Just a few feet away was Jin Kazama.

"Are all of you okay?" Ryu asked.

Immediately, Dan grabbed both Ryu and Jin and brought into a tight hug, tears falling down his face in relief. "I'm so glad to see you two!" he cried out in joy and relief.

Ryu and Jin's eyes widened as the air in their lung seemed to get squeezed out by Dan's sudden hug. Seeing Jin's predicament, Hwoarang was trying all he could not to burst out laughing, but Seong Mi-na noted this and kicked him in the shin.

"Ow!" Hwoarang called out. "What was that for?"

"You'd be hugging Jin too if you were rescued by him from a bad situation," Mi-na mentioned.

"You do know that's _exactly_ what he did for us back in Tokyo." Hwoarang gave her a sly grin at that.

Knowing that he was right, Mi-na folded her arms and turned her back on him. "… Just shut up."

By then, Mika, Asuka, Cassandra, and Maki joined the rest of the group, along with King and Karin. "Thanks for the rescue," said Karin.

Dan, after finally letting go of Ryu and Jin, turned to the group. "How did you find us?"

"Thank Mika's intuition," replied Seong Mi-na. "We thought we'd stop by here to see if we can find you. Then Mika remembered that Dan had a dojo in the middle of town and, well… here we are."

"Good thinking, Mika!" Dan cried out as he gave her a thumb's up.

Mika had to smile. "Thanks."

"Have any of you planned anything?" asked Maki.

Jin nodded. "We'll be heading south to Kagoshima. I won't mention the rest until we get there, but I know the place well enough to know we'll be safe there for a while."

"I hate that you won't give any more details," said Karin. "But I'm so desperate to get out of here that I'll blindly go along with it."

Mika happened to look around a bit before she realized something. "Hey, where's Marduk?"

"Who?" questioned Asuka.

Suddenly, everyone heard the sounds of a vehicle engine turning on. Everyone turned to the sound in time to see Marduk getting out of a large four-door pick-up truck. Marduk noted the stares from everyone, and the low growl from King, as they realized that he just hotwired the truck.

"What?" he asked a little annoyed. "Obviously since we're lugging more people, we're going to need another vehicle."

"He's got a point," Ryu mentioned.

"And it's for the best," King said as he stared at his enemy Marduk.

Marduk knew what he meant. "Whatever," he mumbled, not in the mood to fight with King right now.

"Let's get going," Jin suggested as he got himself back on his motorcycle. "The sooner we get to Kagoshima, the better."

"I couldn't agree more," said Mi-na.

Once everyone was settled and in the vehicles, Jin lead the group out of the city and back onto the highways. For now, in their minds, it was a matter of getting to whatever destination Jin had in mind. What would happen after wards was far from their thoughts for the time being…


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Netherrealm**

A man dressed in nothing but a long, black cloak, which covered his head and face, slowly approached a throne. Within the throne was the leader of the reformed Brotherhood of Shadow.

He bowed to him. "Lord Noob," he said. "I came to inform you that there's been an invasion."

Noob Saibot's glowing white eyes narrowed at the minion. "Elaborate."

The man slowly nodded once. "It's just like when Outworld invaded the realms nearly a decade ago. Only this time, the Emperor is taking over at a much faster rate. The realms barely have any chance to defend themselves."

"How close are they from here?" Noob asked.

The minion suddenly felt nervous. "Actually, my lord… they haven't invaded the Netherrealm yet. However, I received word from a traveler who escaped the carnage that Outworld has invaded Earth."

Noob's eyes suddenly narrowed, now feeling irritated. "You mean to tell me that you came all this way just to tell me _that?_ Anything that has no impact with the Brotherhood is of no concern to us!"

"I'm sorry, my lord… I… I just thought since your brother-"

Noob's eyes quickly widened, and at first, the minion thought he had just sent his leader into a rage. However, the more seconds passed, the more he realized that it wasn't the case.

Within moments, Noob's eyes relaxed and he rubbed a hand over his chin thoughtfully. "Sub-Zero _would_ survive that sort of encounter, I have no doubt of that. That would keep him on guard for a while. Either that or…" His eyes narrowed once more. "Perhaps that would leave him vulnerable to any attacks other than from Outworld."

"Do you have a plan, my lord?"

Noob nodded. "As a matter of fact, I do." He stood up from his throne before taking his new scythe into his right hand. The weapon was seven-foot tall with a four-foot blade with six dark blue gems, three on each side. Aside from the gems, every other inch of the weapon was a jet black color. It was a gift from his followers that represented their loyalty to him.

"Might I say, my lord," the minion said. "Your new weapon is magnificent, it was indeed made for you. Not like that… hammer you had for the last few months."

"I had no choice in the matter at the time," Noob replied. He stared up at the scythe, brushing the side of the blade with his left hand. "I do look forward to putting it to use… which might be much sooner than expected."

"You said you had a plan."

The wraith nodded. "With Earth being invaded, I think the Brotherhood should take advantage of the carnage. We'll travel through the realm and restore the corpses left abandoned. They will be manipulated into following the code of the Brotherhood. The more new recruits, the better. Soon, we'll become a force to be reckoned with. Anyone who tries to stop us will immediately be eradicated."

"Sounds like a good plan, my lord. When do you wish to depart?"

"As soon as we gather worthy members to follow me to Earthrealm." He looked over at the minion. "You've been loyal to the Brotherhood since it's beginning… I'll appoint you leader until my return."

"I am honored."

"Take your leave," Noob suggested. "I will send for you once everything is prepared."

The minion bowed to him before turning around to depart. Once he was far enough, Noob sat back down at his throne, keeping his hand wrapped around the hilt of the scythe. A low chuckle, barely loud enough even if someone was sitting right next to him, escaped his throat as a maniacal thought came to his mind.

_Perhaps we will meet once more, little brother. This time, I'll be sure you'll be taken care of… for good._

~~~

**Ming Dynasty, Keisei**

For two nights, Kazuya Mishima stayed within the village he was welcomed to after going through a portal from Earth. Throughout his stay, he only spoke to Aiguo, the man who welcomed him to stay here until he was ready to depart. Kazuya mostly remained in the guestroom of Aiguo's small house and, aside from his host, he didn't care to get to know any of the other occupants of this small village. That included Aiguo's wife and two daughters, who he hadn't even bothered to see. He only desired a couple of days' worth of rest before beginning his journey to find a way back to Earth.

Once the two nights passed, Kazuya made the decision to begin finding a way out of Keisei. The only problem was that he didn't know where to start since he has never been to this realm.

Meanwhile, with a hot breakfast waiting on the table, Aiguo waited patiently for his guest to arrive. His wife and youngest daughter had left for the day to go shopping in a nearby town. His eldest daughter had gone to visit a friend, but had promised to return as soon as possible.

Throughout Kazuya's stay at his home, Aiguo never bothered to ask him his reason for wanting to go back to Earth. He figured since it was currently invaded by Outworld, it would be insane for anyone to want to try to return there. However, he figured that his guest had his reasons, but he decided not to pry in on his business.

As a matter of fact, Kazuya wasn't exactly talkative about anything since he came to the village. The only subjects mentioned was Kazuya's curiosity on Keisei, specifically the general area he was in, and Aiguo's questioning of what Kazuya had seen concerning the Outworld invaders, which he did share. The latter was asked for, just in case, when Outworld came for Keisei. At least Aiguo and the other villagers would have some sort of knowledge on their attackers when the time came, if it happened. Once again, Aiguo felt that anything else about Kazuya was none of his business.

After sipping some of his coffee Aiguo heard the door from the guest room open before it was closed again. Footsteps were heard before Kazuya appeared from around a corner. During his stay, Aiguo's wife had brought him some clothes for him to wear during his stay and had worn them… until now at least. Seeing him in the same black, purple, and red gear he wore on the day of his arrival, Aiguo realized that Kazuya had chosen this day to make his departure.

"Good morning," Aiguo said cheerfully.

Kazuya nodded to him before sitting down at the table. Aiguo had already accepted his way of greeting, so he simply smiled a little before bringing his attention back to his coffee. Kazuya noted the fried eggs, bacon, and small stack of pancakes on his plate, and a cup of coffee was provided as well. He decided to savior his breakfast since he knew that it was going to be a while before he had a nice meal like this again.

Once the food was half eaten, Aiguo decided to break the silence. "I see by the way you're dressed that you'll be leaving us today."

Kazuya swallowed a piece of egg that was in his mouth before nodding. "I'll be on my way in a couple of hours."

"I hope you don't mind me asking," Aiguo began. "But do you know where to begin? You mentioned wanting go back to Earth, but nothing more."

There was a beat of silence before Kazuya answered. "All I know is that I'll be searching for a portal to Earth."

"In other words, you're not sure."

Before more was said, the front door to the house opened. Aiguo smiled as he realize who came in.

"Father, I'm home," a young woman's voice called out.

"In the kitchen, dear," Aiguo replied. Footsteps were heard until a young woman in her mid-twenties entered the room. She smiled upon seeing her father in the room.

"I just came to get something really quick-" the woman began. That was when she noticed their guest sitting at the table. She was aware that he was in the house, but she found herself caught by surprise since this was the first time she was actually seeing him. Never the less, she composed herself before smiling at him. "Hello."

For a few moments, Kazuya found himself staring at her as well, though he kept himself composed, his face almost emotionless. What immediately caught his attention was her hair… a raven color with it's length ending at the neck with light bangs covering every inch of her forehead. Immediately, he thought of the only woman he had ever been intimate with;

Jun Kazama.

No, Kazuya was never in love with Jun… he called their time together 'fate.' Either way, even he couldn't deny the fact that the two had a special connection during the King of Iron Fist Tournament 2 so long ago. Anytime Jun was around him, he felt a sense of peace he had hardly known throughout his life, and he couldn't explain why that was the case.

Perhaps it had something to do with the Kazama bloodline. He never bothered to look into it.

The only thing that came out of their relationship was their son, Jin. Because he had been 'killed' by his own father, Heihachi, Kazuya was unaware of Jin's existence until his Devil side made him aware of it in the King of Iron Fist Tournament last year. Like Kazuya, Jin also carried the devil gene and Kazuya desired to take that power for himself.

The last time he saw Jin was at The Blood Tournament in Outworld over six months ago. Kazuya had originally been after Heihachi to get back at him for his second 'death.' He had arrived late into the tournament and kept himself hidden until the end when he revealed himself to Jin that night. The two had fought within the dark forest, but some time during that, Jin's anger and hatred led his devil side to awaken and, while Jin's consciousness was still there, he flew away seemingly out of desperation to keep himself sane. Kazuya's own devil side told him to hold off… for now.

In his mind, Kazuya knew Jun would disapprove of their rivalry… however, he didn't care at this point. The woman was dead now, so why should he care what she thought?

Now however, as he stared at the young woman standing in the kitchen, a few memories of his time with Jun all those years ago began to stir within his mind. He shook the thoughts out of his head before nodding to her, replying to her greeting.

Aiguo turned his head to Kazuya. "This is my eldest daughter, Seiko. Seiko, this is our guest, Kazuya. He'll actually be leaving us today."

Seiko seemed to frown at that. "Already?"

"It seems like Earth is calling him back," Aiguo explained. "He'll be trying to find a way back there."

Seiko's olive green eyes seemed to light up. "You know, father… most of the people who have arrived from outside the realm had been showing up in Lee Dynasty, more so in the Chili-san area. Perhaps if Kazuya heads into that area, he would have more of a chance to find his way home."

"That's a splendid idea," Aiguo said. "However, since he's never been in this realm until now-"

"Just point me to the right direction and I'll be on my way," Kazuya quickly suggested.

"Actually, it might be best to have a guide with you," Seiko said. "The travel can get tiring if you don't know where you're going. I've been to Lee Dynasty before, perhaps I can travel with you."

Kazuya was about to decline the idea, but Aiguo spoke before he got the chance. "I think that's the best idea. It'll make your travel much easier, and you'll be able to get back to Earth sooner than you expected."

Kazuya almost grumbled at the idea. The last thing he needed was an annoying woman to tag along with him. However, he also knew that the idea of having someone take him straight to where he had to go was perhaps the best option. Indeed it would help him return to Earth much sooner, where he'll able to finish his business there.

He almost smirked at the idea of Heihachi currently not at the Mishima Zaibatsu headquarters. With his absence, it would make it much easier for G Corporation to send the Zaibatsu to it's knees.

If Heihachi found a way back to Earth, he would receive a welcome home party he would never expect.

Taking a deep breath, Kazuya spoke. "When do you want to leave?"

"I'll need a day to get ready," Seiko replied. "I don't mean to delay you another day, but I need to get all the necessary supplies together in order to survive the journey."

Kazuya was annoyed at the idea of waiting another day, but he quickly realized that a one-day delay was better than going off today by himself, only to find himself looking for a needle in a haystack. As much as he preferred to work alone, this was for the best.

"How long would it take to get to where we have to go?" Kazuya asked as he took another bite of his food.

"About four weeks," Seiko replied.

Kazuya almost choked on the piece of pancake in his mouth, and he found himself coughing for a moment. Once he stopped, Aiguo asked, "Are you okay?"

"Four weeks? Don't you have a faster way of getting there?"

"Unfortunately, our village is very remote," Seiko replied. "With the exception of the little town nearby, there's nothing else to see for many days exception trees and mountains, though there is a river we'll be seeing on the way. We'll be following that river, which will take us to the town we'll need to get to. That's a two in a half week journey alone. Once we get to town, the rest of the journey to Chili-san is by stage coach, which is currently our fastest form of travel… unless you know sorcery of course. It's a shame I don't know a sorcerer personally, it would make thing so much easier and faster."

"Likewise," Kazuya mumbled.

"Well, Seiko, you best better get ready as soon as possible," Aiguo suggested. "This way, it will give you time to figure out what you need and not miss a single detail."

"I will, father," Seiko agreed. She turned her attention to Kazuya. "Don't worry, we'll leave at dawn and not a moment too soon."

"Sure," Kazuya mumbled again.

With that, Seiko briefly gave Aiguo a peck on the cheek before making her way into her room. It was obvious that she was looking forward to her journey, unlike Kazuya. As much as he knew that she would be of help, he found himself more or so looking forward to the end of it.

~~~

**Outworld Wastelands**

"I've always hated this place," a guard said to another, feeling the chills go down his spine. "I don't get why the Emperor sent us out here… there's nothing but dead trees and broken statues for miles around."

The other guard sighed in annoyance. "Don't you remember? He wants us to search for 'survivors' or those who escaped us." The guard placed a hand over his face. "No wonder he considers us 'expendables.'"

"But how many times has he sent us out here and we find nothing?"

"Obviously, he _knows_ there are people out there or else he wouldn't be sending us out here so much!"

Walking through the wastelands, the first guard was right in one thing… there was nothing for miles around except for a few dead trees and broken statues. Despite this, the other guard continued to argue with him. The only sound that was heard was the light wind that blew around them and the footsteps that was heard with every step they took.

The two guards were so involved with their conversation that it caught them by surprise when they noticed a young girl standing a few yards away. She seemed to glare at them, and the guards stared back with curiosity. She was petite with short dark brown hair, pale skin, and glowing red eyes. She wore a white shirt over a red one, a blue skirt, and red and white shoes with socks. A white bandana was worn around her forehead, the long ends flapping in the wind behind her.

The first guard who had spoken snorted a little. "I guess I was wrong about the Emperor's intuition."

The second guard took out a naginata weapon. "Let's not worry about that. Let's try to get her to the Emperor."

The first guard took out a sword before the two charged towards the girl. She only stood there, waiting until the two were close enough to reach her. Just before they were able to catch her, she suddenly disappeared.

The two guards stopped in their tracks, confused by what just happened. Before either of them had to chance to truly comprehend what just happened, the second guard was suddenly grabbed from behind before being tossed away. The other guard could only watch as he heard his comrade's screams until he crashed into a statue, the force rendering him unconscious.

The remaining guard growled. "You'll pay for that!" he promised before running back towards the girl. Once more, she stood in her place until he was close enough. She simply stepped to the side and, as he passed by her, landed a blow to the middle of his back with her elbow. The force knocked him face flat into the ground, letting out a small cry from the pain he just felt.

The guard managed to get himself to roll over and face up, but before he had the chance to do anything else, the girl slammed her foot down into his chest, crushing it with enough force to break some of his ribs. He screamed in agony at the pain, not expecting a small girl to have so much strength.

She barely got her foot off of him before she bent down to grab him by the neck with her two hands. She then got up, taking him with her before lifting him up in the air. He never had the chance to fight back any more before she turned his neck in a certain direction, a loud cracking sound being heard. Silencing the guard forever, she stared at him for a moment before dropping him to the ground, his body moving like a rag doll.

For a while afterwards, the girl continued to stand in her place as though she was waiting for more opponents to come forward. Then, another figured appeared, teleporting from behind one of the statues. A red aura surrounded his muscled body, his wild, white hair barely held up by a single band, his skin a dark tan. His eyes glowed white with a tint of red and he wore a charcoal colored gi, dark brown gloves, and large, brown prayer beads around his neck.

The young girl eventually turned her attention to the person she considered her master; Shin Akuma.

Shin Akuma grinned. "Most impressive, Dark Sakura. You showed no mercy to those imbeciles. However, you still need to perfect the Raging Demon."

Even as he spoke, Dark Sakura stared at him with no indication of emotion in her face. It was just how Shin Akuma liked it. To have no feelings within was the perfect way for her to be able to focus more on her skills.

Shin Akuma grinned more, an idea coming to him. "Perhaps we can test your skills further… perhaps you'll be able to perfect the Raging Demon better if we went on a journey… once we find a way of course.

"When the time comes, we'll make our way to Earth. There, we will search for your friends I witnessed you with during the Blood Tournament. I'm sure you would like to greet your friends after such a long time."

The only reply from Dark Sakura was her red eyes glowing even more…

~~~

**Ming Dynasty, Keisei**

"Kilik… what are you reading?" Xianghua asked curiously while looking over her friend's shoulder. In his hand was a small book with only a few pages to read.

It was a beautiful afternoon with the sun high in the sky without a single cloud to be seen. Everything around them was green, a nice break from the snow that was seen in the mountain areas. Still, there was a chill in the air, forcing people to wear warmer clothing to keep from freezing.

At a station, Kilik, Xianghua, and Maxi were the only ones waiting for their transportation to take them to their destiny… Chili-san, Lee Dynasty to be exact. They were told that the next stage would not arrive for at least another hour.

"I'm reading about these new stagecoaches," Kilik said. "I haven't been on one yet, and I'm curious to know what it's all about."

"When I was on my way to see you," began Maxi. "The guy who controlled the horses told me that they came here a couple of years ago. Some guy from Earth who came to live here introduced it to us since we don't have the resources to make… cars, or whatever they call them back on Earth. They say it's the fastest form of traveling right now."

"Unless you know magic," Xianghua added. Feeling slightly tired, she leaned her head against Kilik's shoulder. "What does it say in the book?"

Kilik noted Xianghua's head on his shoulder, but decided to let it be. "Well here's something interesting… it says that the travel can cover about seven miles within one hour. Every hour, the stages make a stop to change horses in order to quickly continue with the journey. Once night falls, the stage stops at the next station, where travelers would rest for the night before continuing on in the morning."

"There's one thing about these travels that book didn't tell you," Maxi said.

Xianghua lifted her head up to look at Maxi. "And that is…"

"How rough the rides could get. If the coach ends up in rough terrain, expect to hit your head against the roof."

"Sounds great…" mumbled Kilik.

"Did you hit your head on the roof?" Xianghua asked curiously.

Maxi chuckled a little as something that happened came to him. "No, but… when I was on my way to visit Kilik, the coach I was on, well… at that time, it was me and this married couple around my age. At one point, we ended up in an area with a lot of rocks, and I swore that the carriage was going to break off at any moment. Well, we ended up running over something big and the lady ended up flying forward and landed right on my lap."

"Was she okay?" Kilik questioned.

Maxi found himself rubbing the back of his neck with his hand while giving his friends a nervous grin. "Well, physically, yes, but let's just say the rest of the ride was awkward… very awkward…"

Xianghua quickly put a hand over her lips, suppressing her giggles. Kilik closed the book he had in his hand before placing it next to him on the bench they were sitting on. "I don't blame her," Kilik said in an almost deadpan expression.

Maxi quickly turned to Kilik. "Hey! You would be too if the lady's husband was giving you death glares for the rest of the ride!"

Xianghua found herself giggling more, barely able to contain it. "You guys are just too funny."

The three of them continued chatting, which helped to pass the time before they saw the stagecoach arriving, drawn by four strong horses and a single driver. It wasn't long before the stage came to a stop at the station.

The driver greeted the three friends, helping them place their luggage on the roof of the carriage. Once that was done, the driver jumped down, placing a stool in front of the door.

"We'll be changing horses," he mentioned. "Once that's done, we'll be on our way."

Xianghua was the first to enter the enclosed carriage, which contained black leather seats with the wooden walls painted brown. Each side of the carriage had three windows on each side, the two big ones being part of the door. The bench-like seats were small, and she figured at least six people could fit in the entire carriage.

There was already one person inside, a young woman. She noted the new passengers coming in, and when she made eye contact with Xianghua, the both of them smiled at each other. Despite this, Xianghua felt a strange feeling upon looking at her. For some reason, she looked familiar to her, like she knew her from somewhere.

Either way, Xianghua decided to sit next to her, unsure how she would feel about one of her male friends sitting with her. "Hello," she said cheerfully as she settled herself down.

The young woman smiled. "Hi."

Kilik went in right after, sitting across from the new stranger. Maxi followed after, sitting next to Kilik and across from Xianghua. All four were silent for the next twenty minutes while the stage driver got the new horses ready to go. Once that was done, they began to leave the station.

Already, the carriage began to rock back and forth. Two minutes into the ride, Kilik turned to Maxi. "You weren't kidding over how rough the ride is."

Maxi shrugged. "What did I tell you?"

"You get used to it after a while," the young woman next to Xianghua said. "I've been riding for a week now. It can get tiring, but at least we get a full night's rest."

"That long, huh?" Kilik questioned. "Where are you from?"

"Ottoman Empire."

"All that way?" Xianghua asked. "That does sound like a long journey."

The young woman smiled a little. "Well, I must admit, it's definitely better than on foot, or even on a single horse. I've traveled a lot before this, and I can definitely say that, if I was walking now, I wouldn't even reach this point for at least another week in a half. These stagecoaches sure cut down on the time."

"Where are you heading to?" Maxi asked.

"Lee Dynasty."

"So are we!" Xianghua exclaimed. "What a coincidence! I'm sure we'll be running into each other a lot."

The young woman smiled again. "I'm sure we will."

"If that's the case, I think it would help if we all introduced each other. My name's Maxi." He lightly punched his friend's arm. "This is Kilik."

"I'm Xianghua Chai. And you are…?"

"Sophitia Alexandra."

Upon hearing her last name, it clicked in Xianghua's mind. She suddenly realized why this woman seemed so familiar."

"Say… you don't happen to be related to a Cassandra Alexandra, are you?"

Sophitia retained her smile, though a bit of sadness seemed to glaze over her green eyes. "Yes… she's my little sister, actually. You know her?"

"We were all at The Blood Tournament in Outworld," said Kilik. "We saw her quite a bit during our stay there."

Sophitia's smile seem to fade at that point. Her new expression began to worry the other three. She then dared herself to ask. "Do you know what happened to her there? I heard there was chaos after the tournament ended and…" She found herself unable to continue, but at least she made her point clear.

The other three turned to each other, surprised by what they just heard. It was Maxi who chose to speak. "To be honest, we're not sure. What happened that morning was one of the worst things we had ever witnessed in our lives… there was just so much chaos that we lost track of our other friends. As a matter of fact, I got separated from these two until very recently."

"Recently?" Sophitia questioned. "You mean to tell me that you were separated from your friends for this long and only reunited now?"

"Well… last week actually."

"Do you think something similar might've happened to Cassandra?" Kilik wondered.

Sophitia sighed. "I wondered about that sometimes… I still hold on to that very small hope that Cassandra is still alive somewhere. But even our parents and our brother had already accepted the fact that she may never come home. I've accepted it too, but I sometimes dream of reuniting with her. However, I think those dreams are just us meeting to say hello until my time comes."

"She was a sweet girl," Xianghua mentioned.

"Even when she gave me a nice bonk on the back of the head," Maxi sighed rubbing the back of his head.

Xianghua found herself giggle at the memory, making Sophitia curious. "What happened?"

Xianghua contained herself before answering. "Well, Cassandra met a few girls from a realm called Earth. She always hung out with them during our time in Outworld. Well, one afternoon, at least this was the way they told me, they were playing a game where someone either volunteered or was picked to go up to the first guy they saw and try to flirt with them. Cassandra was the first to volunteer and poor Maxi here just happened to be walking by the group."

"I seem to recall that incident now," Kilik said.

"Anyway," Xianghua continued. "She had her shield with her and tried to flirt with him. Maxi didn't have time to talk and turned her down. Well… she didn't take that took well and gave him a nice bonk on the head with her shield… left a nice bump, too."

Sophitia found herself chuckling at that. "That's so like her."

A mischievous grin suddenly appeared on Maxi's face. "I got another funny story for you, Sophitia. Early in the tournament, Kilik and I, along with a few others, were at the hot springs-"

"Don't you DARE tell _that_ story!" Xianghua yelled out, pointing a finger at her friend.

Now Kilik was laughing. "Sorry Xianghua, this must be told."

Maxi began, "Cassandra and the other girls, I guess they were bored, decided to be peeping toms and watched us over the fence while we were bathing."

"I knew we were being watched, but no one listened to me," Kilik added.

"Well, they were leaning against the tall wooden planks that served as a barrier. I guess their combined weight was too much when it suddenly snapped. All the girls fell into the springs and went running for their lives, realizing they were caught! Once they were gone, Xianghua was the only one standing there-"

"…I happened to walk by when it all happened…" Xianghua mentioned.

"Well… the reason for this story is… that's how we all met Cassandra."

Sophitia found herself giggling at the story. Once she contained herself, she replied. "Well.. at least now I know Cassandra had a good time in Outworld, before… you know…"

"I'm sorry she didn't come home," Kilik said sincerely. "But even though it's been months, don't lose hope, even if it's only a strand."

"I try to tell myself that," Sophitia sighed. "It's very hard sometimes. I guess she's part of the reason why I'm heading to Lee Dynasty. After I heard about Earth being invaded, I had this feeling that Keisei is next. I heard the Manji Clan's main operation was at Chili-san, and I wanted to meet up with them to offer my assistance to them."

"Funny you should say that," Maxi said. "We have similar goals ourselves."

"We're meeting up with the Coast Guard in that same area," mentioned Kilik. "We have a friend there, Hwang, who we met at the tournament. I was hoping to reunite us to prepare for Outworld's invasion. Another friend, Seong Mi-na, lives there as well."

"Cassandra was another we hoped to unite with," Xianghua brought up. She frowned a little.

"Perhaps I can help you," Sophitia offered. "Since you aim to join with the Coast Guard and I aim to join with the Manji Clan, if they're not joined together yet, we can combine the forces to prepare."

"Sounds great," Kilik agreed.

"I'm a member of the Imperial Guard myself," Xianghua said. "My superiors had hoped to offer their help as well."

Sophitia nodded. "Even better."

"Once that's all done," Maxi said. "We just wait until those Outworld scum show themselves. If we combine enough power, it'll make it that much harder for them to take over our realm."

Xianghua nodded. "We won't be the first realm to be invaded, of course… but we're going to make sure that Keisei will be the last realm they'll touch."

Sophitia turned her attention to the outside world, viewing the natural beauty of nature Keisei had to offer. "I sure hope so… I sure hope so…"

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

"It just can't get any worse," Baraka growled as he paced the small room uneasily.

Sitting on the single couch that was in the room, Mileena could only watch as the General of the Tarkata Militia continued to walk around the room, obviously very far from being in a good mood. There was one thing she noted in her mind… yesterday, after their meeting with Shang Tsung and their plans to finish off the city of Lei Chen ended, Baraka had not said a word. It was unlike him to hold back any feelings he had, but at first, Mileena thought maybe he really didn't have much of an opinion.

Mileena gave herself some well-deserved rest for the night. Meanwhile, Baraka had left to his Tarkatan camp where most of his soldiers were stationed, more than likely to discuss what was next in their plans as discussed with the sorcerer.

She had expected Baraka to say something after his last sentence, but the nomad proceeded to huff in annoyance as he continued to pace the room. Slightly annoyed herself, she decided to dare herself to reply to that.

"If you're going to whine about something, the least you can do is elaborate," Mileena suggested. "You don't like guessing game as much as I do."

Baraka growled more at that before replying. "It's Shang Tsung. As loyal as I am to our Emperor, I sometimes question his tactics. So he wants us to take care of Lei Chen faster… I get it! But to include that nuisance of a sorcerer into our plans is very dissatisfying! Some of my militia had stated the same thing."

"As do I," Mileena agreed. She almost laughed since she had expected him to be bothered by something else. Instead, it was something that they had the same feelings on. "He may have been responsible in creating me… despite his methods…" She briefly touched the black and pink veil that covered half of her face, which hid the set of Tarkatan fangs that served as her mouth. "But that does not mean I'll be following him."

"And he wants us to hold off on attacking Lei Chen until _he_ feels we're ready!" Baraka let out another animal-like growl. "It'll give the Lei Chen army the chance to plan their own attack against us!"

"You don't know that," Mileena said as she stood up from the couch. "For all we know, if Shang Tsung really is correct on his logic, they will stand down."

"Some logic! I swear if his plan fails-"

"Since Shao Kahn has us partnered with him," Mileena stated as he walked over to him. "We're going to have to deal with it…" Once she was in reach, she slowly brushed a hand over his bare chest, which contained a long scar going down the middle, an injury from years ago.

She whispered her last words seductively. "For now."

Baraka welcomed the tender touch, but didn't react to it. "I never trusted the sorcerer. He's pulled a lot of crap in all the years we've worked with him. With him involved with our plans, I'm sure once the mission ends, he'll be rid of us before we have the chance to taste the blood of our victims."

"If you're worried about that… why don't we make our own plan," Mileena began to suggest. Her hand moved up to his neck before letting the tip of her fingers brush against his upper cheek, avoiding his razor-sharp fangs.

Baraka stared at her with question. "What you have in mind?"

Mileena removed her hand from his face before reaching over to her veil. She slowly removed it before letting it drop to the floor, revealing her Tarkatan fangs. Baraka had been one of the few people in her life who she allowed to see her face in full willingly. And he was one of the only people who didn't wince at the sight of her.

"I'm not sure just yet," Mileena whispered as she got herself closer to him. "But whatever is planned… we'll make sure that _we_ take care of _him_ before he has the chance to take care of _us_."

Once she was close enough to him, she opened her mouth and leaned her head towards him. Knowing what she wanted, Baraka opened his mouth as well before they let their tongues danced together, the only way they could both express a kiss.

However, the 'kiss' only lasted a few seconds before Baraka pulled away. He looked at Mileena seriously before speaking. "Just make sure you have a good plan. And the sooner, the better."

Mileena leaned her face into his, whispering in his ear. "Anything you say, Baraka."

With that, she pulled herself away, heading to the only candle that lit the room. She blew at the flame, now leaving the room dark.

~~~

**Edenia**

It was early in the morning when Jade found herself surrounded by most of the members of the Edenian Freedom Fighters. They all surrounded a single table with a map unfolded in front of them.

Jade pointed at a forest area that was on the map. "It seems that a lot of activity within the Outworld Forces are focused within this area. It's believed that their main camp is within this area."

"Have we tried sending some of the spies there?" one of her followers asked.

Jade shook her head. "It seems like no matter how much we try to get a closer look, the more dangerous it becomes. I'm not willing to sacrifice any of you just to find out if they really are hiding out there, not even as a double agent."

"So how would we find out then?" another questioned.

"It would have to be during one of their attacks on us," Jade answered. "We know from fighting them for all these weeks that their force is getting larger each time. If some of us can fight our way through, we may have a chance to find their main camp. Even if we don't necessarily get into the camp, at least we can report back on the findings."

"Sounds risky."

"But we have no choice in the matter," Jade mentioned. "At this point in our fight, we have little options. If there's a way for us to destroy this fraction of the Outworld Forces that are here, we could make them at least delay their plans to merge Edenia with Outworld… and every single one of you know how much I refuse to see that happen."

"What happens if they succeed?" another asked.

Jade narrowed her green eyes. "They _won't_ succeed. I won't allow it." She looked at her followers seriously. "No matter what happens, you all must promise me that you won't give up, even if you are the last soldier standing."

"But there's one other thing…" another began to say. "What of Princess Kitana and Queen Sindel?"

Jade forced herself to keep her emotions in check at the mention of her comrades' names. "At this point, we, unfortunately, have no leads on their whereabouts. However, I highly believe that they are being held in Outworld. Shao Kahn had used them for his own gains once before… no doubt he would do it again. Trust me… if the portals weren't closed, I'd send some of us, including myself, to the realm in a heartbeat. But until we can find a way to access Outworld, we must remain here to defend Edenia. Princess Kitana and Queen Sindel would have wanted it that way."

The other fighters nodded in agreement on the last statement, knowing that she was right. For another hour, the meeting continued with discussions of other tactics. Once the discussions seemed exhausted, Jade ended the meeting. However, she personally asked her second in command, Zarek, to stay behind. Neither one of them spoke until only they were left in the large tent that served as their meeting room.

"You had something else on your mind, I assume," Zarek guessed.

Jade nodded. "I do have an additional plan… but I don't think it's something the others are ready to listen to. However, it's been kind of eating at me, and I need to share it with someone. Since you're my second-in-command, I feel that it's only right that you would be the first to know."

Zarek smiled a little. "Suddenly, I'm not sure if I like my title any more."

Jade had to smile at that. "Well, you should like it… you've earned it after all."

"So, what was your plan?"

Jade took a deep breath before beginning. "Many of us want to see Edenia protected… but many of us also want to find a way to rescue Kitana and Sindel. It's been on my mind for the last few days… I think it's about time someone found a way to get to Outworld and try to find them."

"You mentioned at the meeting yourself that the portals were closed shut," Zarek brought up. "How do you expect any of us to gain access?"

Jade folded her arms in front of her. "Unless a miracle comes along, there's only one other way. However, the downside of this plan is that it's very risky. But at this point, we have no other choice."

Unfolding her arms, Jade quietly went over to the back opening of the tent, noting the sun rising higher into the sky. Eventually, it would be noon and lunch would be served by the cooks at their camp. Noting how quiet she got, Zarek went over to her, feeling anxious to know what was on her mind.

Before he said anything, Jade spoke once more. "Right now, the only way to gain access to Outworld is through the Outworld Forces themselves. How else would they have invaded Edenia?"

"So we _would_ have to find their camp and figure it out from there," Zarek guessed.

Jade immediately shook her head. "No. I had something else in mind. Because for all we know, they have other means to travel other than some portal that already exist. Some sort of sorcery, I assume." She turned her attention to Zarek, giving him a serious look. "The only way is to let _them_ capture one of us. And like I said, I will not put any of you in danger. With that promise, _I'll_ be the one to volunteer for this."

Zarek's eyes seemed to widen in shock over this idea. Immediately, he grabbed for both of her upper arms and looked straight into her eyes. "That's suicide! You can't just walk in there and let them take you! They'll kill you before you even get the chance to see them!"

"Not if it's me of all people," Jade said. "Sure, his Generals want to see me dead, but I've known for a long time that Shao Kahn wishes to see my death for himself for my 'betrayal.' It's a sure thing that they'll take me to him, and Outworld is the only place he'll stick to. It's the only chance we have to rescue Kitana and Sindel."

"But what if that's not the case? What if his Generals kill you on the spot?"

Jade sighed. "That's a chance I'm going to have to take."

Zarek removed his hands from her arms, placing one of them behind his neck. "So… when are you going to let this happen?"

"When the time comes… could be tomorrow, could be next month. But at least know this… I was once an assassin for him… I know how he works. If anyone can get passed him, it's me. I'm the only one who can do this."

"And you tell me this because…"

"Because you will be the one to lead the Edenian Freedom Fighters during my absence. I need you to keep their hands off of Edenia for as long as possible. I know it won't be right without me there, but if we want to accomplish both goals, this is how it has to be."

Zarek took a deep breath, pacing himself a bit before looking back at Jade. "Just promise me you'll come back. Edenia is going to need you, even after this is over."

Jade had to smile at that. "You know that's a promise." She looked out into the outside world again. "Come on… I'm sure lunch is almost ready, and if you want the best food, it's good to go early."

"Sounds good."

With that, the two of them left the tent and headed over to get their lunch.

~~~

**Metro City, USA**

The waiting room at Metro City Hospital was almost unbearable. Visitors crowded the place like a subway train during rush hour, barely leaving others an inch of space to even breathe in. All the chairs in the room were occupied, leaving others to stand or sit on the floor.

Cody Travers was one of the lucky ones to get a chair for himself, though that didn't help the fact that an obese man's rear end was right in front of his face. He turned his face away and… hoped for the best.

After spending nearly twelve hours in the hospital, his brother Kyle was finally looked at by doctors for his broken arm. It would have been longer had it not been for the fact that Kyle was running a fever, and an infection was feared. Throughout the night, Cody found himself hoping for the best. Once Kyle was admitted, Cody was able to get some sleep, but he mostly found himself dozing on and off every hour.

Now, with the room more crowded with those waiting on word for their own loved ones, Cody managed to look up at the wall clock, surprised to see that it was eight in the morning. His stomach was growling, not eating a thing since Kyle was admitted. Also, nature was calling…

Realizing that he was about to lose his seat, Cody got himself up, warning those near him that he was moving. He barely squeezed his way through as a small group fought for the now-empty chair for a moment (the obese man who's rear was in front of him moments ago won). It took him almost five minutes just to leave the waiting room.

Despite that, the hallway itself was just as crowded, more so with other injured people who managed to survive the onslaught from Outworld. The sight of this alone made Cody angry. It was almost like being in a disaster movie, only somehow, this was much worse.

Eventually, Cody found the bathroom… but saw a long line heading there. _Screw this!_ he thought, deciding to go outside. At least it was a chance for him to get some fresh air.

Ten minutes later, Cody was standing in front of the hospital. Although active, it was less chaotic outside than it was inside, which surprised him. At least now, he had room to stretch. The devastation that was left behind was still there as though it had happened moments ago, except the fires that were there were mostly burned out. But the broken buildings and the crushed cars were still there. Any bodies that still laid outside were covered in sheets or any other material that was available.

 _And I thought it was bad all those months ago in Outworld…_ Cody thought with a frown. _At least back then, we were able to fight back… most of these people here didn't even have a chance!_

"Cody!" a woman's voice suddenly called out. Cody twitched at the sound of his name, a natural reaction, but he ignored it, thinking that she was calling for another Cody. Then he heard it again.

"Cody Travers!"

Now knowing it was for him, Cody turned to the person calling to him. Immediately, he recognized Kyle's girlfriend, Vanessa Sims. Her clothes, a black leather jacket over a pink shirt and gray pants with black and pink Nike sneakers, were a bit tattered, and her chin-length brown hair was messy. Other than that, she looked okay, but worn out.

Cody managed to smile. "Vanessa. Good to see you."

Vanessa closed the distance between them before embracing him in relief. Cody returned the hug, which was brief before she pulled away. Cody opened his mouth first. "Are you okay?"

"Just shaken, but I'm fine," Vanessa replied. "We were very lucky at the bar. My boss happened to be outside on a smoke break when it all began. He ran inside and immediately locked all the doors and windows and shut all the lights off. We were inside up until last night, and all we had for food that didn't have to be cooked was beer and pretzels."

"No wonder you look worn out," Cody mentioned.

A worried look came over Vanessa's face. "I've been looking around for you and Kyle all night, checking every hospital. I… did start looking under the sheets of the bodies… just in case… after a while, I couldn't look any more. This was my last hospital stop, thank God… but where's Kyle?"

"He's inside," Cody replied. "He broke his arm during the chaos, but because there were so many other more serious injuries, he wasn't seen by anyone for almost twelve hours. He was finally admitted last night only because he started to run a fever. They might think it's an infection, but I haven't heard anything since."

Feeling nervous suddenly, Vanessa placed a hand on the side of her face, feeling that hand shaking a little, more from the cold weather than anything else. "If there's any way I can see him…"

Cody looked over at the hospital entrance before looking back at her. "Let's give it a shot. Besides, I'd like to know what's going on with my brother."

With that in mind, the two of them went inside the hospital. Cody approached the first nurse they saw, asking where he can find out about Kyle. The nurse quickly directed him to the main desk, which was crowded with other anxious visitors.

"Just great," he mumbled. A better idea came to his head. "Let's find him ourselves. It'll relieve the stress for these doctors and nurses anyway."

"Are we even allowed to do that?" Vanessa asked.

"Probably not, but I don't give a damn right now."

Before she could say anything, Cody began to march forward into the hallway. Vanessa immediately followed, feeling just as anxious as Cody was at that moment.

Neither one of them ran into any difficulty in the first two floors. They were ignored as doctors and nurses ran around to care for the multiple patients that awaited their help. A couple of times, Vanessa thought she had found Kyle, but it turned out to be other young men with dirty blonde hair like he had.

When they reached the third floor, that's when they ran into trouble. They only entered the floor after taking the stairs a few seconds ago before a doctor noticed them and immediately approached. "What are you doing up here?!" he demanded.

Cody replied. "Listen man, I've been waiting for hours to find out what's going on with my brother-"

"You and everyone else!" the doctor yelled. "You need to wait downstairs!"

"It's too crowded to wait down there!" Cody mentioned. "I wouldn't be surprised if people down there waiting for medical attention are already dead within the crowd!"

"I'm sorry for that, we're trying to do the best we can to help everyone," the doctor mentioned. "We can only do so much to provided assistance, and because of the volume of people here, we might run out of supplies before we know it. I'm surprised we haven't already."

"We understand that," Vanessa said as calmly as possible. "But all we want to do is see his brother and we'll be on our way."

"There won't be any need for that," a familiar voice said from behind them. Cody and Vanessa immediately turned out. Kyle stood a few feet away with a smirk on his face. A sling covered his injured arm, which was placed in a thick cast. None of them noted the doctor immediately leaving once they were distracted.

"Kyle!" Vanessa called out as she ran to him. Cody watched with a small smile on his face as his brother and his girlfriend embraced, relieved to finally see each other. The hug lasted for a few seconds before Vanessa moved her head to plant a kiss on Kyle's cheek. She then moved her head more to press her lips against his. They lingered like this for a moment before she pulled back, then kissed him once more. This went on for a few more seconds before they embraced once more.

Cody chose that time to approach the two. "How's the arm?"

Kyle turned his attention to his older brother. "They think it's just a crack, even without an X-Ray. They also think the fever might have been from the crowded room, but they gave me some penicillin just in case."

"Good to know," Cody said with a nod.

"There's one catch, though," Kyle continued. "I have to stay here for a few days. Because it's so chaotic right now, they'll be a point when it'll finally slow down, but who knows when that will be. Once everything is calm, it would give them the chance to thoroughly examine my arm before they release me. At least they would give me an X-Ray then, just in case."

"I'll stick with you until then," Vanessa promised.

"Same here," Cody agreed.

Kyle shook his head at his brother. "No, Cody. You need to get out of here."

"No, Kyle… I'm staying until you back in good shape."

"You said you'd stick around until Vanessa and I are reunited. Now that we are, there's no need for you to stay. Besides, with most of the traffic gone by now, it should be easier for you to get to the hideout faster."

Cody folded his arms. "I still don't like the idea of leaving you two behind."

"You told me where the location is," Kyle reminded him. "Once I get out of here, Vanessa and I will catch up."

"Here," Vanessa said as she pulled out a set of keys out of her purse. "Take my car. That way, you don't have any trouble looking for a ride."

Cody shook his head again. "I'm not taking those keys."

"Don't be so damn stubborn!" Kyle called out, slightly annoyed. "You get your ass to the Rockies before I ship you over there myself!"

Cody grinned. "I don't think mail deliveries are possible at a time like this."

Kyle sighed. "Joking aside… I know for a fact that your friends from the tournament need you right now… hell… the world needs you right now. If anyone could kick those Outworld scum, it's you. Besides… if you don't go now, you might not get another chance to help Guy…"

The grin on Cody's face faded, realizing that his brother was right. His allies from The Blood Tournament would be waiting for him. And if Kyle was right about this being his only chance to find Guy and free him from the brainwash, then indeed now was the time to go.

Reluctantly, Cody took the keys from Vanessa's hand. He stared at it for a moment, noting the car model's insignia on the main key. "A Volkswagen? I thought you had a Honda."

"I did, but I made a trade-in as a Christmas gift for myself a few weeks ago," Vanessa mentioned. "It was kind of a dream of mine to own one."

As she spoke, Cody happened to look over at Kyle, who looked as though he was trying to suppress a laugh. However, once Kyle noticed Cody staring at him, he managed to regain himself, the odd look on his face disappearing.

"If I'm taking your car," Cody began to ask. "How are you two going to get there?"

"I have a few friends who I know have spare cars for us to borrow," Vanessa mentioned.

"Either that, or we can always commit carjacking," Kyle suggested as a joke.

"You _would_ suggest that," Vanessa replied. She turned to Cody. "The car's in lot C, by the way."

"Thanks," Cody replied. He went over to her and briefly hugged her. "Take care of my stubborn brother for me."

"You know I will," she said before they pulled away.

Cody turned to Kyle. "Take care of yourself. I have a feeling it might be a while before we see each other again."

Kyle went over to him and the two hugged as well, patting each other on the back before pulling away. Kyle replied, "You do the same. At least you won't be in jail this time."

"Likewise."

Cody gave them a brief wave with his hand before turning on his heel and walked away. He forced himself not to look back on the way.

Five minutes later, Cody found himself outside in lot C. Once he reached the parking lot, he realized he forgot to ask what Vanessa's car looked like. So for a few minutes, he pressed on the alarm button, looking to see which car would come to life.

Then finally, he heard a beeping sound from behind him. Cody turned around, pressing the button once more. This time, he noted the flashing lights of Vanessa's car… a pink Volkswagen Beetle.

Seeing the car now, Cody nearly swore out loud but ended up grumbling. Now he understood why Kyle had that funny look on his face, and Cody could've sworn he could heard him laughing his ass off from within the confines of the hospital.

~~~

**Kerala, India**

Throughout most of the day and during the night, using lit lanterns as a source of light, Ruby Heart buried the remains of her crew members. Using some of the broken planks from her ship, she marked their resting places, identifying them by placing some of their personal belongs on top of their graves.

However, throughout the burial, she found it strange that none of their spirits came to her. Her medium abilities should have picked up any messages they would have sent to her, but not a single soul had approached her.

Once the job was completed, Ruby Heart found herself exhausted, mostly in a physical sense. For the remainder of the night, she rested within the safety of her broken ship. The next morning, she found her whole body sore. However, she forced herself to get up mostly due to an empty stomach. The first thing she found was a green apple, which she took a bite of almost as soon as she grabbed it in her hands.

Within a few minutes, she devoured the apple, tossing the core behind her on to the floor. Now thirsty, Ruby Heart began to head outside, intending on fetching some water from the nearby river.

She was just getting out of her ship when she noticed a person walking towards the area. Ruby Heart squinted her eyes, trying to seeing who was coming. She reached down to her belt to grab for her telescope… only to find that it wasn't there.

 _Damn_ , she thought to herself. _I must've lost it during the chaos on the ship…_

Having no other choice, Ruby Heart waited where she stood until the person was close enough for her to make out. Once the figure was closer, she realized that it was Dhalsim who was approaching the ship.

Thankful it was someone she knew, even if she only met him yesterday, Ruby Heart got herself off the ship to meet with him. The closer she got, the more she noticed the items he was carrying. In one hand was a wooden bucket, the other was a large gray bag made of thick cloth.

When they were a few feet away, the two stood in silence for a moment. Despite watching those they were close to die, they managed to stand tall, putting on their best face in order to not show any sadness or even a hint of exhaustion.

It was Dhalsim who eventually broke the silence. "I brought some food and water from the river," he said. "It's not much, but I am sure it will do."

Ruby Heart nodded. "I appreciate the offer. I'm starving."

Sitting themselves on a set of large rocks, Dhalsim set the bucket of water down. There were already two large serving spoons inside, one for each of them to drink out of. Dhalsim opened the bag before taking out a yellow fruit with a slight tint of green, which he handed over to the young woman.

Ruby Heart stared at the piece of fruit, a kind she had never seen before. "What do they call this?" she asked.

"They're called _kamrak_ , or starfruit," Dhalsim answered. "They grow on trees called carambola. They were one of the many trees which grew in my village. If you like orange or grapefruit, you will enjoy this."

Ruby Heart turned the fruit around a bit, the end of it facing towards her. Seeing it's star shape from that angel, the young pirate realized where it's name came from. She took a small bite out of the fruit with some of it's juice starting to run. She moved herself a little, trying not to get some on her clothes.

For a while, the two ate in silence, unsure of what to say. However, Ruby Heart's mind drifted back to their first meeting. She had remembered one of the first things he had said to her;

' _You're a pirate, are you not? It was said that a pirate would show up in this village some day in a time of crisis_ _._ '

She had nearly forgot about it until now.

"You said you expected me to show up yesterday," Ruby Heart began to say. "How were you able to predict that?"

Dhalsim took a sip of water before answering her. "It was known by the village for many years, even before my own birth. It was said that the pirate would appear here in a time of crisis, which is now. However, for many years, my ancestors were not sure as to why you would show. This morning, however, the answer came to me."

Ruby Heart kept her gaze at him, wondering what that answer was.

Noting her silence, the yoga master continued. "Fate has brought you and I together to face this chaos which has fallen upon our world. You had lost your crew… I had lost my family and friends… our losses has united us to work together in order to survive what's to come."

His statement left her confused. "Survive? But we've practically done that already! It's just a matter of trying to get out of here. You make it seem like there's worse to come."

Dhalsim turned his head to her, his white eyes staring. "Do you realize what is happening to our world? Do you know why those creatures have attacked your ship? And do you know that this is happening amongst other realms in this universe?"

Ruby Heart noted the seriousness in his tone and knew that whatever he was going to say, she would have to take his word for it. He already predicted the fact that she would come here during a time of chaos on Earth, so there was no doubt he knew why her ship was attacked and why she was the sole survivor.

"Do you remember a time when our world was nearly taken over by another nearly a decade ago?" Dhalsim asked her.

Ruby Heart stared up into the blue sky. "I seem to recall it… but my world seemed to go black for a while after some greenish-black hole opened up in the sky. I barely have any memories of that day."

"As did many, though some experience much worse. The Emperor of Outworld, Shao Kahn, was responsible for those actions at that time. Now… he aims to do it again once more. However, he seems to have a bit of a different method this time."

"What kind of method?"

Dhalsim took another sip of his water before placing the spoon back into the bucket. "It's like I said yesterday, it all began with a tournament. The tournament was held in Outworld as a way for him to get rid of those who could potentially threaten his plans to dominate the realms. There were those who managed to escape, but that didn't matter. There were many whose lives were still taken, their souls forced to serve him for eternity. He had also gained a new power, one beyond anyone's imagination. He's using that power to gain dominance of these worlds more rapidly. Normally, it would take him years to merge a world with his own… now, however, it would only take a mere few weeks to accomplish that."

Ruby Heart took a deep breath. "So you're basically saying we're completely screwed."

"Not entirely," Dhalsim replied. "But I have seen the results of his dominance… the universe will become nothing once it is all over. I've yet to see what would become of him, but either way, he must be stopped before it's too late."

Ruby Heart swallowed a piece of fruit she had bitten a moment ago. "You said he's taking over these realms at a rapid pace, I'm guessing since the tournament ended. If no one was able to stop him then, how are we supposed to stop him now?"

"There is one hope I can offer to the universe, one I believe will end his reign. It's a legend passed down in my village called _Ano Sentaku Bou_ \- The Chosen Ones. According to the ancient tablet, it is said that in a time of universal war, four individuals have enough power within them to destroy the main source of the conflict. They have the perfect balance of their own inner energies, that of their good hearts and their sins. These energies in them, when they are joined together, can form into a weapon."

Ruby Heart let out a low whistle. "Well… in a way, we are in a universal war… and I assuming the main source of the conflict represents the Emperor of Outworld."

Dhalsim nodded. "Indeed."

"Any idea who these four chosen ones are?"

A sigh escaped Dhalsim's lips. "Unfortunately… despite my psychic abilities, I cannot determine their identities at this time. With the exception of the last few days, I've meditated every single day trying to find that out."

Ruby Heart leaned herself back against the rocks as he said his. Once he was done, she spoke. "That's lovely… all these predictions about eventual doom, but the one thing the world needs the most cannot be foreseen."

"It's left me frustrated as well," Dhalsim said. "But I believe that, if I could peer into the souls of all those I come into contact with, I can be able to find them."

"Sounds like you'll be searching through a needle in a haystack." Ruby Heart suddenly smiled. "I don't happen to be a chosen one, am I?"

"Being in your presence, you confirmed to me that I can determine that quickly, though I'm not sure if it could be that easy later on. I peered into your soul while we were eating. Your own energy does _not_ match the ones I had seen in my vision. No, you are not a chosen one. Your occupation alone shows that your sins outweigh your good heart, even if you don't know it."

Ruby Heart narrowed her good eye. "Thanks a lot."

"Of course, in order to complete that goal, we would have to travel." Dhalsim looked over her shoulder, seeing the battered ship near them. "But I can see that it will be some time before that can be done."

Ruby Heart turned to her ship as well. "Most of the repairs would be a synch," she mentioned. "But it's the bent propeller that's going to take a long time to complete. It's a huge hunk of metal that's going to require perfect details. One little flaw could send everything spiraling out of control."

"Then it's best to get started immediately," Dhalsim said as he stood on his feet. "The sooner we start, the sooner we'll be able to leave."

"Aren't you exhausted?"

Dhalsim shook his head. "Far from it. Besides, the work will do me good. It'll help to clear my mind from… certain things."

Ruby Heart frowned a little, but managed to speak. "I hope you don't mind me chopping down a few trees. It's best to make new planks for these type of repairs."

"I was never fond of the idea, but since we're in a time of crisis, it will have to be necessary. However, cut down no more than five."

"I'm not sure if that'll be enough, but I'll do my best."

For the rest of the day until sunset, Dhalsim and Ruby Heart began the repairs on her ship. No words were exchanged between the two, but despite that, they were both starting to gain a mutual respect for each other.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

"Just look at this little village… peaceful… quiet… the people seem happy. It's as though all is right in the world. How _boring!_ "

Tira found herself chuckling a little as Havik said this. Standing on a tall hill hidden behind a few trees, the two found themselves looking down at a small village which seemed to be bursting with activity. It was the middle of the afternoon and the people there seemed to be going about their business. Some were working their jobs, some talked to others, and the children of the village played different kinds of games to entertain themselves.

"They think life is so perfect," Tira added. "I'd say they're going to be in for a rude surprise."

Havik seemed to grin at that. "You're right about that. I'm sure a little bit of… chaos… will do the trick."

"How do you want to approach?" Tira asked.

"Just like we did with the others… walk right in like it belongs to us. From there, we have our fun like we always have. Once we're done here, hopefully Kabal and the new guy, Bryan, have already found another village for us to spread the chaos."

Tira nodded. "Shall we get the others to add to the fun?"

"We shall."

"And you know what I want."

"Personally, I don't care what you do with those who come near you. Of course, if you decide to have more fun with those I'm playing with, go right ahead."

Tira grinned, already looking forward to killing. "I can't wait!" she cried out excitedly.

"Now, let's get the others," Havik suggested. "Before you know it, we'll be spreading the chaos in this little 'peaceful' village."

With that in mind, the two of them headed back to their hiding place to retrieve the others who would help them.

~~~

**London, England**

Night had fallen with the stars shining above, the half moon creating it's own soft glow. Cammy White was able to see this through a window. In a way, she wanted to enjoy this on the outside, but was hesitant about doing so after what happened a couple of days ago.

Now that the initial chaos had passed, It was mostly quiet in the hospital area of the MI-6 facility. Those with the biggest emergencies were taken care of, though some had died anyway, even under their care. Cammy herself had worked tirelessly to help these people ever since she volunteered for this. Only a few hours ago, her superior had ordered her to take a rest for a couple of days, noting how tired she was.

Cammy returned to her room, where Steve had been staying under protection of those who were out to kill him. She noted that he had already read some pages out of _A Tale of Two Cities_ , though she didn't get the chance to ask how he liked it. Hours ago, she already took a well-needed shower and, at this moment, Steve was taking the same opportunity.

Cammy managed to get a little bit of sleep, but now she found that she couldn't continue with that. It was strange because, usually, she had no problem with sleeping, especially after a hard day's work. This time, that wasn't the care.

In her daydream, she didn't hear the door to her room open and close. Her friend, Lita Luwanda entered, a smile on her face. "Cammy, I… oh, where's Steve?"

Cammy felt a little startled, not expecting Lita to be standing there. She jumped a little as she turned her attention to her comrade. "Lita, don't sneak up on me like that."

Lita laughed a little. "Sorry. I barged in here because I have some good news for Steve."

"Well, he's in the shower at the moment. Maybe I can pass the word to him… unless you want to go in there and tell him yourself."

Cammy noted how Lita's cheeks suddenly turned red, but she chose to ignore this since she knew her friend got flustered over small things pretty easily. "Um… I think it's best I tell you."

Lita went over to the bed Cammy sat on and sat next to her. "Well, some of the survivors inquired about learning some self defense. A lot of them had the feeling of being useless during the invasion. Since there's so much time on their hands right now, they want to be able to learn some self defense in case it all happens again. I suggested to the General that Steve could teach them a few things since he's a boxing pro. One or two of us would have to stay on guard, but the General agreed to let Steve take the job, if he accepts."

"I think if they told him to go rob a bank just to get out of this room, he would do it," Cammy said. "He'll be very pleased to hear this."

Lita noted the bit of excitement in Cammy's voice. However, that didn't even conceal the worried look in her blue eyes. Lita stared at her. "Cammy… I've known you long enough to know that look on your face. Something's bothering you."

Cammy took a deep breath before turning her attention back outside. "Well… I've kept myself busy for all these hours, and only now I'm being hit with all of these worries. I'm worried for my surrogate family… Guile, Jane, Amy, Wagner… I just wish there was a way for me to contact them."

Cammy's eyes widened a bit, turning back to Lita. "I… I'm sorry… I wasn't thinking-"

"Don't be sorry," Lita said. "I guess in a time like this, I should be lucky to have no family to worry about. It's funny how things can turn out sometimes. Your mum dies as a child, then you lose your dad, a former MI-6 agent, right after you turn eighteen. It's definitely one of the hardest things someone could go through. Yet now, I found myself lucky."

Lita gave Cammy a serious look. "But Guile and Wagner also happen to be my allies, too. We've met many at that tournament, and I do wonder if they're holding up okay. Like you, I wish we could get into contact with them. Those Outworld scum did a good job in finding ways to cut contact with the rest of the world."

"That they did," Cammy agreed.

"Well, I'll tell you one thing… it seems like our 'friend,' Nina, doesn't have family to worry about either. I'm guessing her parents are dead, and of course, she despises her sister enough to consider her dead." Lita shook her head. "That woman is cold. But I wonder why she despises her sister. That's definitely one thing I'm curious about."

Cammy shrugged. "Who knows. And I doubt she will answer that right away… if ever."

"You're right about that, mate."

The two friends suddenly fell silent, unsure of what else to say. Cammy turned her head back to the window, falling back into her daydream. Her surrogate family was still on her mind, but now that Lita mentioned the tournament, another person came to her mind for the first time in months. She felt her throat tighten, but she refused to let her emotions surface.

_Wherever you are, Jin… please be okay…_

~~~

**Kagoshima, Japan**

After what seemed like the longest drive of their lives, the group consisting of Ryu, Jin, Hwoarang, Dan, King, Marduk, Asuka, Karin, Mika, Cassandra, Maki, and Mi-na finally reached the town of Kagoshima. With Kagoshima Bay in view, they parked the two cars and two motorcycles into a parking lot that was closest to where a few ferries were docked.

Getting out of the car, Mi-na was the first to speak. "What happens now?"

Stepping off the motorcycle, Jin answered. "We have to take one of these ferries."

Karin folded her arms after hearing this. "And who is going to take us there? I doubt any of you know how to drive a boat."

Asuka stared at her. "Didn't you say your parents own a yacht?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I know how to drive one. We hire people for that task."

"Here's an even better question," Hwoarang cut in, also folding his arms. "Where exactly are we going, Kazama?"

Jin looked over towards the bay. "Yakushima."

"You mean that big island off the coast?" Maki asked.

Jin nodded in reply.

"It's going to be cold, isn't it?" asked Cassandra as a cool breeze hit them. "Like… plenty of snow or something like that?"

"It only snows in the mountains."

"Rather than stand here and question everything," Maduk began to say. "I'd say let's get our asses on the ferry and get going. For all we know, more of those… things could make their way over here at any minute."

The group began to head over to the ferry, following Jin. In the back of the group, Dan wondered if he should let them know a piece of information. Then, without thinking…

"Um, there's something you guys should know before we get on," he piped in.

"What's that?" Ryu asked.

Dan darted his eyes at everyone nervously before answering. "I… um… I don't do too good on boats…"

"You mean… you get sea sick?" questioned Mika.

"Only during the first hour! But then again, I didn't really experience that on our way to the tournament. Must be because it didn't have a motor or something. I don't know…"

Hwoarang sighed. "Just keep it overboard."

"How long will it take us to get to the island?" asked King.

"About four hours," replied Jin.

They soon approached a ferry just in time to see someone just getting off and on to the dock. The man stopped as he noted the group coming towards him. He stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do, at least until he recognized one of them.

"Jin? Jin Kazama?"

Jin looked at the man for a moment, wondering how he knew his name. Then it clicked. He had known this man since childhood. He was a sailor who drove between Yakushima and the mainland everyday and was a good friend to his mother.

"Naoki?"

Naoki smiled. "How long has it been since I've seen you?"

"About six years, I think."

"Feels like only yesterday since I took you off this island. You were just a teen then. I seem to remember your grandfather picking you up then. How is he?"

Jin didn't move for a moment, afraid to see if any of those from the tournament were staring at him. Aside from mentioning past tournaments he attended and his mother being the only family member he mentioned to anyone, he never revealed any other history of his past.

"I've… been on my own for the last two years," Jin replied.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Naoki said. "You've been through so much the past few-"

"Listen, Naoki, I need a favor from you," Jin quickly said, not wanting him to mention anything about his past any more. Mentioning Heihachi alone was more than enough.

"Anything."

"Well, some of us are trying to go into hiding after the invasion, and seeing that your ferry is still operational, I was wondering if you can get all of us to Yakushima. It's very important."

Naoki shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not possible. I'm under strict orders not to let anyone off the mainland. As a matter of fact, we just evacuated the island yesterday. Because it's isolated, it's too dangerous to leave anyone there."

Jin frowned. "But this is important. We have to get to the island as soon as possible."

"Besides," said Karin. "You did say you would do anything for him."

"I know," Naoki replied. "But this is another story. I'm sorry, Jin. You're a good kid, but for your sake and my own, it can't be done."

"I'll handle this," Marduk grumbled. He quickly approached Naoki before grabbing him by the shirt and lifting him up to his eye level. Naoki let out a screamed, now fearing for his life.

"Listen you!" Maduk yelled. "We're only going to say this one more time! You either get us on that island, or I'm going to pound your head in!"

King quickly stepped in, pushing Marduk and sending him stumbling a few feet. He let go of Naoki, who dropped the ground. Jin, Ryu, and Asuka went over to see if Naoki was okay while King and Marduk began to stare down at each other.

"There are other ways to get what you want," King growled.

Marduk clenched his teeth. "Hey, sometimes you have to go to extremes to get what you want, and you know it!"

"Like how you need to prove how much stronger you are by killing?!"

Maduk quickly grabbed King by his shirt. "If you want to fight over that again, then let's do it right here, right now!"

King pushed Marduk's hand off of him. "You have no idea how much I want to accept that offer."

"Come on you guys," Dan said as cheerfully as possible, slowly approaching the two. "I don't think this is a good time to fight, and-"

Dan stopped mid-sentence upon seeing the death glares from both Marduk and King (the teeth in King's mask sure didn't help either). He swallowed nervously before giving them a goofy smile.

"Um, carry on," he said with a wave before backing up away from them.

By then, Naoki was already helped back on his feet. He was unhurt, but he expected to have a nice bruise on his side later on. He adjusted himself, keeping quiet until the confrontation between King and Marduk died down.

"All right," he began to say. "If it means that much to all of you, then I'll do it. I'm risking my job, but I came to realize it won't matter anyway considering this time of crisis."

Naoki gave them a serious look. "But the next thing I'm going to say is very important. You're about to take a big risk. Because of everything that's happening, it might be a long time before you're picked up. It could be days, weeks, maybe even months, it all depends on our future. I notice you have supplies, but there are also plenty of resources on the island that you will be able to survive on."

"Like coconuts?" Mi-na guessed, not feeling great about what was to come.

"It's not that kind of island," Jin mentioned. "It's a dense, natural forest."

"It rains a lot there," Naoki added. "But not as much as in the spring and summer, so you're mostly lucky until then. And it only snows in the mountains."

"Jin mentioned that," said Karin.

"Anyway," Naoki continued. "I need to know if all of you are okay with being left out there for a while. I'll try to return as soon as I can to see if you are ready to get off the island."

Jin nodded. "If there's a way for you to return every few weeks, even if it's just to check on us, that's good enough."

"There's one other condition," said Maki. "You have to tell at least a few people where we are. The last thing we need is for you to die being the only one with the knowledge of our presence on the island."

Naoki nodded. "I won't mention it to my superiors, but my family will be notified. I'll also place it in writing just in case."

"In that case, I'll go for it."

"Me too," said Asuka.

Everyone else nodded, even King and Marduk, despite their blood still boiling from their confrontation a moment ago.

"Then let's not waste any more time," Naoki suggested.

He began to enter the boat with everyone else following him. A few minutes later, the ferry pulled out of Kagoshima and further into the bay. Within four hours, the group would find themselves on Yakushima Island.

~~~

_Six Months Ago, Outworld…_

… _Raiden and Ogre eventually found themselves in the forest area, away from the battle near the main palace…but more importantly, away from the portals._

_The two deities exchanged moves for a moment in rapid speed. Eventually, Ogre managed to fly up above Raiden and shoot multiple projectiles, forcing the Thunder God to dodge out of the way. Afterwards, Ogre flew back down and managed to get himself close enough so that he kicked Raiden in the face, sending him flying back before crashing into a tree._

_Raiden managed to get himself back up before Ogre attacked him with a powerful punch. The Thunder God teleported out of the way and the Fighting God hit the tree with enough force to shatter it. Raiden managed to get himself behind Ogre before kick him back._

_Ogre stumbled a bit before turning his attention back to Raiden. As he quickly approached him, they exchanged more moves once again until Raiden landed a double punch to his chest before jumping up and kicking Ogre in the face, causing the green monster to stagger back two feet._

_After recovering, Ogre was forced to move out of the way from Raiden's lightning projectile. Leaving the God of Thunder open, Ogre executed three palm strikes, knocking Raiden back a few yards._

_Raiden gritted his teeth as he began to feel pain within his body for the first time in what seemed like ages. "Damn him…he can't live…" he uttered._

_Soon, Raiden managed to stand himself up. Then, to his surprise, Ogre shot out a long, red projectile surrounded by lightning. In retaliation, Raiden blocked with his own long, white projectile, also surrounded by lightening._

_For a while, the two of them tried to dominate the other with their powers. Slowly, however, Raiden was feeling Ogre's power slowly taking over._

_"I…cannot…let you…live!" Raiden yelled out._

_He still felt some energy left with him…and used that last bit of power with him, letting out a howling scream in the process._

_Then, a white light surrounded them…_

**Asia, Unknown Area**

The memory of six months ago came back to him as Dark Raiden meditated in the middle of a forest. The area was mostly peaceful with the only sound being a light wind, which made a low whistle in his ears.

Dark Raiden admitted that he wasn't sure exactly what happened in the aftermath of the battle with the Fighting God, Ogre. All he knew was that it took some time for his energies to reform, bringing him back to Earth from Outworld. Something inside of them released, something he couldn't explain. He sometimes wondered if it had anything to do with his anger.

During his reformation, it gave Raiden the time to think back on everything that's happened in the last decade or so. Ever since Outworld's first attempt at taking over Earth, Raiden gave his assistance to the mortals in order to protect it. However, especially now, it seemed as though no matter what he did, the mortals seemed to fail.

The Blood Tournament was the last straw for him.

It all began with the Mortal Kombat Tournament over a decade ago. He assisted strong warriors to help defend Earth even then. The tournament had been created by the Elder Gods after receiving advice that Outworld's invasion was imminent. Outworld would have to win ten consecutive tournaments in order to invade Earth. By this point, they had already won nine.

Thinking about the Mortal Kombat Tournament, an idea suddenly rushed into Raiden's head. _Why didn't I think of this before? … It's perfect!_

The mortals of today seemed to fail at anything he asked them to do when it came to protecting their world. However, he remembered that there was one mortal that stood above others. Only this mortal would stand the chance against anything that was thrown against them.

There was one problem to this plan… this person was dead.

 _No matter_ _,_ Raiden thought. _I am a God after all… I can bring him back with my own powers._

Long ago, the Elder Gods granted him permission to resurrect anyone who passed, but he was very limited on how many times he can do that. Wisely, Raiden chose not to use this gift unless it was absolutely necessary. Now that time has come.

However, there was another issue. Because of the current invasion, and now that Outworld entered Earth, he was sure that this person's soul was taken. With that in mind, Raiden decided on the next best thing… he would reanimate this body and control it under his bidding.

For now, Raiden would wait until he was ready to go on with this plan. When that time came, he would enter the Shaolin Temple to reanimate the body of Mortal Kombat's Champion - Liu Kang.

~~~

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

For two days, Heihachi Mishima wandered the forest, seeing not a soul since running into the two old men at the lake when he first arrived in Keisei from Earth. Most of the time, he was either traveling, training, sleeping, eating, or bathing. Not that it was something he didn't do at home… however, there was one thing missing; action.

As the head of the Mishimas Zaibatsu and a self-claimed martial artist, Heihachi was used to a little action, whether it was fighting an opponent or screwing someone over in the business. He especially enjoyed it when it came to G Corporation, the business where his son, Kazuya, was currently CEO.

At least when he was in Outworld, he got plenty to do including fighting in the tournament. He would have won too… if that yellow ninja hadn't been cheap and pushed him out of the ring.

 _You'll get yours in due time!_ Heihachi remembered promising him. Of course, he highly doubted he would run into him again, but one never knows…

Throughout his travel, Heihachi wasn't sure what to find. A big part of him desired to get back to Earth, even after claiming to want to use Keisei for his plans. He suddenly got a funny feeling that, somehow, Kazuya is trying to take over it once more now that he was absent. He grinned suddenly, realizing that all would be well… so long that Kuma, his pet bear, was looking over things.

The old man kept himself near a river mainly for water source and his food supply consisted of fish and berries. At this point, he was craving a nice, juicy teriyaki steak, but that was going to have to wait for now.

The moment he decided to settle down for lunch, Heihachi suddenly heard screaming within the distance. At first, he thought he was hearing things, but he let himself listen longer. That's when he realized that it was not one, but multiple screams as though there was another invasion going.

It hit him suddenly. _Don't tell me those Outworld people invaded Keisei already…_

Deciding to check it out anyway, Heihachi headed over to where the screams were coming from. The trek took him about ten minutes before a small, secluded village on the bottom of the hill, came into view. People seemed to be running for their lives as others seemed to chase them.

 _It's not my concern_ _,_ Heihachi thought. _However, I've been itching for a fight for the last couple of days, so…_

Making his decision, the old man began heading down the hill and towards the edge of the village. He barely had the chance to enter when two men quickly approached him, ready to fight. Heihachi wasted no time as he side-kicked the first one who got to him in the face, the force sending him flying back. He then lifted his arm and smashed the back of his fist into the second one's face, breaking his nose and knocking him out cold.

Others began to notice Heihachi at that point and began going after him screaming their battle cries. He simply waited for them until they were close enough for him to clobber one by one. He took each of them done with either one or two moves, sending them either flying away or knocking them out cold. For the first minutes, it almost seemed endless, but even once it stopped for a few seconds, he was ready for more.

Not too far from Heihachi, Tira had managed to render a woman out cold after battling with her for a long time. Raising her ring blade, she was about to finish her off when she happened to turn her head. A few yards away, she noticed an old man taking down her comrades easily, seeing how strong he was.

Tira grinned sadistically, now forgetting the woman she almost murdered. "There's a worthy kill," she said out loud.

Heihachi had just knocked out another opponent when he noticed a petite woman with uneven pigtails running towards him. A large 'hula-hoop' was in her hands, causing Heihachi to raise an eyebrow. With a battle cry, Tira jumped forward, ready to kill him.

When she was close enough, Heihachi simply backhanded her in the face, sending her screaming and flying sideways a few yards. It was as though she was nothing more than a fly.

"Stupid girl," he mumbled.

Not too far from him, Havik had just knocked away his opponent when he noticed Heihachi swatting Tira away with one backhand. Havik became curious by the stranger as it didn't seem as though he belonged in the village… and he was very sure that he wasn't part of the Black Dragon.

 _Let's see what this stranger is all about_ _,_ Havik thought to himself.

Without any more hesitation, Havik began walking over to Heihachi, wanting to see if the old man would notice him first. It didn't take very long before Heihachi noticed Havik's approach. Despite Havik's grotesque face, it only caused Heihachi to raise an eyebrow, wondering what he was all about.

He then noticed Havik taking out his spiked mace. Seeing that he wanted to fight him, Heihachi got himself into a fighting stance, ready to take on the challenge.

~~~

**Near Arctika, Asia**

A blizzard was going in the Himalayan Mountains, the snowfall relentless. Anyone who ran into it's path would not have the ability to see for miles ahead.

Within the blizzard, a black portal opened. It stayed like this for a while as a large group dressed in black emerged from the portal. Once everyone was present, the portal closed.

Standing with his scythe in hand, Noob gazed at his surroundings. Despite the blizzard, he knew where he was, having been through this place numerous times back when he was a mortal.

Not long before leaving the Netherrealm, Noob received a tip from a recruit, a recently deceased Lin Kuei member (before the invasion) who the wraith managed to bring on to his side. The recruit revealed the Lin Kuei's current location. However, he didn't even need that information once he was told of the hideout's history.

Though information was a little sketchy, the location was once known as the Temple of Delia. The only thing Noob knew of her was that she was the mortal wife of Argus, the Protector of Edenia. Nothing else was revealed to him, but he didn't care. It had nothing to do with his goals.

What mattered right at this moment was finding his brother, Sub-Zero. He was going to make sure that he would meet his demise once and for all. If he felt sadistic enough, however, he may bring him back and control him to serve him within the Lin Kuei.

 _It would be like the old days_ _,_ Noob thought to himself. _Back when I was the superior and you were the follower._

In the meantime, during his mission, he would reanimate any corpse he and the rest of the Brotherhood of Shadow ran into. They would become his latest recruits, making the brotherhood more powerful and, eventually, the most dominate.

~~~

**Outworld**

For the first time in his entire life, and as far as he knew, Siegfried Schtauffen was flying in the air. The only problem was that he wasn't sure whether he liked it or not.

Since he and Ermac left Lei Chen, Siegfried was curious about this transportation called the Dragonfly. All of his life, transportation consisted of carriages, horses, and ships. And unless you knew magic or sorcery, that was the way it was.

The Dragonfly itself was shaped just like the actual insect, it's two, long wings flapping to keep it in the air. A large platform where it's belly would be was where the travelers would stand during the ride. A metal gated barrier was their only protection from falling off. The transporter flew high above the tall mountains. Although the ride was smooth with some turbulence, the wind was merciless, and Siegfried's long blonde hair was pushed in various directions.

 _They weren't kidding when they said this was the fastest form of transportation in Outworld,_ he thought to himself.

Despite feeling indecisive on the idea of flying, Siegfried admitted to himself that the view from above was quite beautiful. He was able to see a lot of things for miles around from a new perspective. Now he knew what it was like being a bird soaring through the skies.

He had been looking down at Outworld when Ermac came to stand next to him. Unsure of what to say, Siegfried found himself talking about the first thing that came to mind.

"This is different from Keisei. It's also interesting how Outworld is from up here. It offers a unique environment, at least for someone like me who has lived in another world. Everything is purple unless it's nighttime when the sky turns dark blue. But you do have trees, like us, but ours is more lush with brown, green, red, orange, and yellow leaves depending on the season and where you lived. No lava pools unless it was a volcano. Our sky is a light blue in the daytime, and at night, it's the same here, only we have stars."

"We've heard Earth was like that, too," Ermac mentioned, his voice echoing as a result from the countless souls within him.

"The same with Edenia," Siegfried added.

The mention of Edenia made him think of Princess Kitana for the first time in weeks. His mind was so occupied with the fight against the Outworld Forces that he barely had to time to think even for himself. During the Blood Tournament, and while he was fighting within himself against Nightmare and Soul Edge, he and Kitana had fallen to care for each other. However, Siegfried knew it wouldn't last long as his curse prevented him from taking things further.

He was free from the curse now. However, Siegfried wasn't sure if he still had the same feelings he had for Kitana all those months ago since he had not seen her since. If they ever crossed paths again, he may be able to figure that out.

Briefly, he wondered how she was holding up during this chaos.

Siegfried shook the thoughts out his head before continuing. "It's funny… the environment of Outworld is nice, but it carries too much evil."

"You can only blame the Emperor for letting that happen," Ermac said. "As for the other worlds, we've never been beyond this realm, unless you count Shang Tsung's island on Earthrealm, so we can only imagine what it looks like. We were only created a decade ago, our body fused with countless fallen warriors. Shao Kahn created us, but it was Shang Tsung who provided the souls."

"Did they have you under a mind control?" Siegfried asked. He knew of Ermac's history with the Emperor, but beyond what he just mentioned, the Keisei native knew nothing more about it.

"It's interesting to explain. We are able to freely think for ourselves, but this body was unable to depart from Shang Tsung at a certain point. Because he was alive and because he once controlled these souls, we were once bound to him. He even declared it himself… the only way we would be free from him was when a mortal killed him."

Siegfried turned to him. "Suddenly I'm a little confused. Considering the rumor that he has been resurrected, wouldn't him coming back make your bond reunite?"

"We had wondered about that. We believe that the day he was finally killed last time, it broke the bond between us and it became permanent even when he did come back to Outworld."

"You sound like you believe he's returned."

"If you knew Shao Kahn as well as we did, you would believe it too. We doubt even the Emperor would collect millions of souls without some sort of assistance. Shang Tsung is perfect for it because that's what he's about… these souls retain his youth each time he takes one for himself. He is also at Shao Kahn's mercy. Let's just say that those two have a similar bond that the two of us once had."

"Makes sense now that you mentioned it. I also wonder… judging from what you told me, a mortal definitely helped you in your plight."

Ermac nodded. "His name is Kenshi, a native of Earth. He was a vigorous warrior for a mortal, his blindness far from deterring him. Despite his path for vengeance and his ego, he retains his honor. However, we're not sure what became of him after we sent him away."

Siegfried turned his attention back to the realm below them. "You didn't mention where this particular Dragonfly was taking us."

"It's interesting that you mentioned that. It's the very portal we sent the mortal to after he defeated Shang Tsung. It was secluded and we think it was best to start there and work our way back towards Lei Chen. The only catch is… this Dragonfly is going to land at a dock just next to where the Blood Tournament took place…"

Siegfried's eyes widened at the revelation, now suddenly feeling uneasy.

~~~

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

Standing in his spot, Heihachi Mishima kept himself in his fighting stance, waiting for Havik to reach him, his spiked mace in his hands. Seconds passed before the distance between them finally closed.

Havik swung down his weapon, expecting his opponent to either duck away or receiving the blow. To his surprise, however, Heihachi moved back a little before the handle hits the back of his wrist, protected by a steel band, blocking the attack. Havik was about to move back, but Heihachi managed to quickly turn his hand, grabbing the hilt of the mace before pushing it away.

"Weapons are for the weak," Heihachi said. "You don't need one to fight."

Havik raised a fist at him. "Do not direct me on how _I_ should fight! That is an insult where I come from, stranger!"

Without any more delay, Havik threw his closed fist at Heihachi, who immediately ducked right under it. The old man delivered a karate chop to Havik's stomach, who quickly stumbled back before regaining himself.

Heihachi raised an eyebrow, impressed by Havik's stamina. He was the first one to not be knocked away by his attack. Despite that, Havik was able to recover quickly before jumping forward once more. For a while, the two exchanged their own punches and kicks all the while avoiding their opponent's attacks. Both focused on their fight, they barely noticed any of the chaos that was taking place around them.

At one point, Havik pulled back and, before Heihachi could react, the cleric shot out a blue projectile from his hands, all the while bending down with his knees bent _backwards._ Heihachi managed to jump over the projectile, never noticing Havik's knees. The old man extended a leg, which was surrounded by blue electricity, aiming for his opponent's head. Havik saw this time in before rolling back to avoid being hit, forcing Heihachi to land on the ground instead.

Once they both recovered, they engaged in combat once more. Punches and kicks were once more exchanged before Havik found himself on offense with Heihachi on defense. Soon, however, the cleric of Chaos managed to block through Heihachi's defenses, leaving a few punches to his face before kicking him away, causing the Earth native to stumble back a little.

Heihachi shook the small pain he just received, turning his attention back at Havik, who began to approach once more.

 _His fighting is far better than his looks_ _,_ he thought with a bit of amusement.

Then, to Heihachi's surprise, Havik jumped forward before gliding down head first towards his feet. Seeing this in time, this forced Heihachi to jump over him, letting him pass. Realizing he missed, Havik rolled himself into a ball, rolling forward a few more feet before getting himself back up.

Just as he began to turn to face his enemy, Heihachi had already closed the distance between them. He didn't give Havik the chance to defend himself as he landed a few blows to his face, his hands surrounded by blue electricity. More blows landed on his chest before Heihachi crouched down. With one leg out, he spun himself around a couple of times, knocking Havik off his feet. Before Havik landed, however, Heihachi raised himself up, delivering an uppercut to his back, sending him flying in the air.

Straightening himself up, Heihachi watched until Havik landed back in the ground on the side. Havik quickly shook the pain off, slowly getting himself back on his feet. Once he was ready, he ran towards Heihachi once more, sending more flurries of punches and kicks at him, forcing the Earth native to defend himself.

 _He just doesn't give up, does he?_ he thought. _Well… guess I'll be the one to end this._

They continued to fight until Havik threw another punch to his face. Heihachi ducked under it, giving him the chance to maneuver himself.

While Havik was distracted, Heihachi got himself behind him, wrapping his arms around his head. Then, with a loud _snap!_ Heihachi managed to break Havik's neck. Once that was done, he let go of him, letting the Chaosrealm native stumble away. Soon, he would be down on the ground dead, knowing that no one would have survive that.

However, to his surprise, Havik stopped a few feet away, standing still. Heihachi thought this was strange, never seeing anyone do that before.

Then, Havik reached his hands up to his face and began to twist it. With another loud _snap!_ , his head was back in it's normal position!

Heihachi jumped a little at the sound, not believing what he had just witnessed. _What the_ hell _is he?_ he thought.

Havik turned his neck a little as though he was relieving some pain. Turning his attention back to Heihachi, he pointed at him. "Your presence here is a nuisance, stranger! We only want to spread chaos within this village and you are not helping things!"

Heihachi folded his arms. "Hmph, I don't even know what's going on, nor do I care to know. I just happened to wander here."

"Ah, a wanderer," Havik sighed. "Well in that case, you are free to go. It's not in my nature to confine a wandering spirit such as yours."

With that, Havik began making his retreat away from the village, picking up his mace along the way. Heihachi thought it strange that he didn't call for the others to follow, let alone his last comment to him. Eventually, though, the others had noticed Havik's absence and began to scurry away from the village.

Once he was alone, Heihachi shook his head. "Hmph… I wonder if Keisei natives are all like that."

He was just about to leave when he happened to turn his head towards the village entrance. He raised an eyebrow as many of those living there began to approach him slowly.

 _What now?_ he thought in annoyance.

An older woman spoke first. "You saved us from the Black Dragon!" she cried out, almost in tears. "For that, we shall forever worship you!"

With that, all the villagers began getting down on their knees and bowed to him. Heihachi replied with an odd look in his face, a bit baffled by what he was seeing.

"Get up!" Heihachi demanded. The villagers immediately got back on their feet, which baffled him more since he wasn't exactly nice about it. "You're all delusional!" he called out. "I wasn't even here to help you, I-"

Suddenly, a young woman approached him from the side. He quickly turned to her, unsure of what she wanted. Then he noticed the shiny object in her hand - a glass filled with what looked like red wine.

"For you," she said happily.

Heihachi stared at the glass for a moment before turning his attention back to the strangers. He saw that all of them had smiles on their faces as though they were encouraging him to take a drink. He faced the glass again, staring once more before slowly taking it into his hand.

For a while long, he looked down at the drink. He realized that it was indeed wine, but what kind was it in a place like this? The old man briefly took a sniff, the smell seemingly familiar, before finally tipping it to his lips until it's contents entered his mouth.

Getting a taste, Heihachi's eyes quickly lit up. He wasn't sure what it was called here in Keisei, but one thing was for sure… it tasted just like Merlot red wine… his favorite!

The original idea of using Keisei for his plans of domination came back to him. After all, he now has an entire village worshipping him and seemingly willing to do anything for him… all because he somehow managed to 'chase away' the Black Dragon.

With this in mind, Heihachi let out a jolly, maniacal laugh, which echoed through the surrounding land.


	22. Chapter Twenty-One

**Somewhere in China**

For three days, Lei Wulong, Chun Li, and Yang Lee found themselves driving through China trying to make their way to the place Lei said they would be safe. At this point, they had been mostly lucky as they hadn't run into any more danger since leaving Hong Kong.

On their first stop, Lei got the chance to properly look at Yang's arm, which received a few cuts and bruises after crashing into a car's windshield. Luckily, there was no glass left underneath the skin, so there was no need to find a hospital just yet. A shirt found in Lei's car trunk was used as a temporary bandage.

Along the way, they were also able to stop for gas when they needed to without any incident. It also gave them the chance to collect necessary supplies in the meantime.

Two days into the journey, Lei turned off from the main roads into a side trail, bringing them into a mountain area mostly filled with tall trees. It was all they saw until the middle of the afternoon the next day when they finally saw the tip of a few tall buildings reaching out towards the sky from amongst the trees.

"There's the place," Lei said. "That's the temple my former client resides in."

Chun Li leaned forward in the front passenger seat to get a better look at the temple. "Isn't that one of the Shaolin Temples?"

Lei nodded. "As a matter of fact, this is the very temple where the monk Liu Kang resided."

"Isn't he the one who won that big tournament in Outworld all those years ago?" Yang asked in the back, stilling holding Yun's hat in his hands.

"The very one. Unfortunately, from what I have heard, he died last year. I didn't get the chance to get the full story on that."

"That's a shame," Chun Li said with a small frown.

The three were quiet once more until an hour later when they finally reached the entrance of the temple. Chun Li was the first to get out of the car, stretching herself a little once she was on her feet. Placing a hand over her brow to shield her eyes from the sun, she gazed at their surroundings. It was beautiful, yet it possessed an eerie silence even from within.

"I wonder if anyone survived the invasion here," Chun Li wondered.

Already out of the car, Lei shut the car door, placing his keys in the pockets of his leather jacket. "I hope that's not the case and that there are survivors."

"What do we do if there are no survivors?" asked Yang.

Lei sighed. "We'll camp here overnight, at least to get some rest. From there, I'm not sure."

"That'll be something we'll discuss later," Chun Li suggested.

Yang looked up at the temple entrance. "Shall we go in?"

Lei nodded. "Let's go."

Together, the three walked forward towards the temple entrance. A light, cold wind blew, creating a whistling noise, the only sound heard except for their feet lightly hitting the grass.

After passing the entrance, they were able to walk in another few yards before Lei suddenly stopped. Seeing this, Chun Li and Yang stopped as well before turning their attention to Lei.

"What's wrong?" Chun Li asked.

Lei didn't answer her, only staring towards a particular spot. She moved her head to look towards that direction, now noticing a handful of men dressed in orange robes emerging from a building and now coming towards them.

"At least the place isn't abandoned," Yang whispered. "I just hope they don't drive us out."

"I imagine they wouldn't," Chun Li guessed. "Not at a time like this."

They fell quiet once more, waiting for the monks to finish their approach. Soon reaching them, the robed men stopped a few feet away from the trio, keeping their eyes on them.

Lei suddenly felt uncomfortable, unsure of what to do from here. He leaned his head to Chun Li and whispered through his teeth. "I'm not sure what to say."

"Easy, just say hello," Chun Li suggested.

"That sounds _too_ easy."

"Yeah, but it's better than saying nothing at all."

Lei swallowed. "Well, if you say so."

"What are your intentions?" one of the monks suddenly asked. His voice caused the trio to jolt a little, not expecting anyone to speak to them.

Lei found himself swallowing again before finding his voice to reply. "Um, we were, um-"

"It's okay, everyone!" a female voice called out. "I know them!"

Chun Li looked around with confusion, wondering who managed to recognize them. She then noticed a few monks moving a little before she got a good look at the young woman. The Interpol cop's chestnut-colored eyes widened as she recognized her.

"Li Mei!" she called out.

"I had wondered what happened to her after we escaped through the portal," Lei said.

Along with Guile, Lei, Chun Li, and Li Mei had escaped together through the portal back to Earth during the chaos in Outworld. Chun Li had held Lei's hand as they went through the portal's vortex. They ended up back in Hong Kong, but became separated from Guile and Li Mei somewhere in the vortex.

Guile found himself back in the States, as they found out later, but Li Mei was nowhere to be found. They had even placed her on a missing list and passed it around the world, using an artist's drawing as her picture. Even with that, she was never found, at least until now.

A smile on her face, Li Mei approached the three before going over to Chun Li and embraced her. "I'm so glad you guys are okay!"

Chun Li returned the hug, which was brief before the two women pulled themselves back. "I'm glad to see you, too."

By then, Kung Lao and Bo' Rai Cho had approached the newcomers, the first outsiders they have seen since 'Rong Yuan' showed up the other day. Since they wore their own clothes, Lei, Chun Li, and Yang immediately noticed them.

Li Mei turned to Kung Lao and Bo' Rai Cho. "These three attended The Blood Tournament in Outworld. All of us worked with Raiden during that time."

Kung Lao turned his attention to them. "Li Mei has given us as much detail as possible about your time there."

"It was definitely no walk in the park, I'll tell you that," Lei mentioned.

"We can only imagine," Bo' Rai Cho replied. "You three are welcomed to stay here for as long as you need."

Chun Li nodded. "Thank you… um…"

"Bo' Rai Cho," he said. "And this is my pupil, Kung Lao."

"Are you the master of this temple?" Lei asked.

"If you mean I'm leader of the monks, no. The elders here are the ones who guide us and it is they who granted our wish to allow outsiders such as yourselves to stay as long as you need to. I'm simply a teacher passing down my knowledge of various martial arts."

"We'll take you to your quarters to rest," Kung Lao said. "I'm sure the journey was a long one."

"It definitely was a long ride," mentioned Yang.

As the group began to head towards the temple, Kung Lao took a moment to approach Lei. "I've been wondering… how did you find this temple?"

"One of your monks had mentioned this place to me. I'm a detective for Interpol in Hong Kong, and I helped him with a case concerning a relative some years ago. He told me I could come here anytime I pleased if I ever wanted to visit him."

Kung Lao pondered over this for a moment before his eyes lit up. "You mean Duyi?"

Lei nodded. "That's him."

Lei immediately noticed the small frown that appeared on Kung Lao's face after replying. "I'm sorry," Kung Lao began to say. "Duyi was one of the few monks we lost during the invasion. We were attacked twice that day. The first time, we took the Outworld Forces down with ease, but more came a couple of hours later. Seven of our monks, including Duyi, were killed during that time."

Lei shook his head, saddened by the news. "That's a shame. He was a good man and, like many, he didn't deserve that fate."

"That you are right."

As they continued to walk towards the temple, Feng Wei had hidden himself behind one of the statues. Like the others, he had noticed the trio coming into the temple and was curious himself as to who had entered the grounds.

To his surprise, Lei Wulong was one of the three.

Feng Wei knew about him. He was one of the many detectives hunting him down for what he did at the temples in Japan, China, and Mongolia as he searched for the Dragon Scroll. What made Lei stood out was that he wasn't exactly the one to give up easily, let alone the fact that the detective was a master of Five-Form Kung Fu.

At this point, it didn't look like Lei was looking for him, and he was only here to find shelter from the aftermath of the invasion. He thought that posing as a simple man named Rong Yuan was enough to cover his tracks. Now that Lei was in the picture, Feng Wei knew that he was going to have to keep a very low profile around the temple.

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

The ride seemed like forever before Paul Phoenix and Marshall Law finally reached the Rocky Mountains. Even so, there was still a bit of a journey to go since the location of their hideout was deep within the region's large, natural forest.

A few hours went by before Paul finally found the marking he was looking for… a tall pipe with bright orange spray paint around the top edge. It was a thin line that would not be all that noticeable if one wasn't looking for it like they were.

Paul made a turn just a few feet away from the pipe. By then, they had reached a snowy terrain, but it wasn't as bad or as deep as he and Marshall imagined it to be. Still, considering it was the middle of winter, there was no doubt that more snow would eventually be dumped in this area.

Paul drove the motorcycle for another minute before reaching a very steep area. There, he noted two vehicles already parked and covered by pine tree branches and snow.

"Looks like some of your buddies already arrived," Marshall said as he got off the motorcycle.

Paul turned the ignition off before getting off the bike. "Tell me what kind of cars they are, just in case."

As the blonde-haired man began covering his bike with pine tree branches and snow, Marshall walked over to the other two vehicles to inspect it. He checked the first one.

"One is a blue car… looks like a Toyota," Marshall mentioned.

Paul looked up at the sky for a moment as though he was thinking. "Not sure who that belongs to. Check the other one."

Marshall went over to check the back end of the other car. "This one's a Red Porsche."

Paul's blue eyes lit up. "Red Porsche… suddenly, that's familiar."

"If it helps any," Marshall continued. "The license plate says MASTERS."

Paul grinned. "Those are my buddies all right. It shouldn't be a problem getting there."

"It looks like they came not too long ago either," Marshall said as he pointed at the ground. "There's a bunch of footprints going up the hill."

"That's good… now it won't be easy for us to get lost."

Marshall raised an eyebrow. "You'd think they'd want to cover their tracks."

"We'll do it for them," Paul said as he picked up one of the pine tree branches. "Just sweep them over with this on the way up. It'll give you something to do at least."

Marshall's eyes widened. "Me? Why do I have to do it?"

"Because _I_ was the one who drove our sorry asses up here!"

Marshall sighed as he took the branch into his hand. "You made your point."

"Just stick with me and try not to get lost," Paul suggested.

With that, the two friends began their trek up the hill with Paul in the lead and Marshall covering their tracks.

~~~

_Over Six Months Ago…_

_Raiden was getting ready to head down to Earth. It was only a couple of days before the ships from the realms would head to Outworld. Raiden stared at his prized possession, his staff, a weapon he used every time he went down to help defend Earth. But this time, however, Raiden wasn't just defending Earth. This time, he would be defending all of mankind._

_Raiden didn't even notice when Fujin entered the room, at least until he spoke. "I wish you luck my friend."_

_The wielder of Thunder turned around facing the God of Wind. A smile appeared on Raiden's face. "Thank you my friend. I knew that you would have understood the most."_

_"I wish I could go," Fujin replied. "But my duty for now is to stay here. If the other Elder Gods believe that the world will be at high stakes, I will be there."_

_Raiden nodded and placed his staff in his scabbard behind his back. "The realms must stay secure. If no one can do it, who will?"_

_Fujin nodded in agreement. "I have a few suggestions that I discovered after the brief meeting."_

_Raiden looked at him waiting for the information._

_"While all the other realms have one ship leaving a dock, Earth has two due to it's large population. Go to the one in Hong Kong. Another with the same enthusiasm as you will be heading to the one in San Francisco. I recommending joining with her and those helping her and devise a plan to defend the universe. Her name is Rose, a psychic with soul power. Seek her out and you have more of a chance against your adversaries."_

_Raiden nodded. "Once again my friend, thank you. I will take your advice and meet this Rose in Outworld. With this, I believe she will be a worthy ally. Farewell."_

_With that, Raiden opened up a portal to Earth. Fujin watched until he disappeared. Then, he began heading back to the temple, a bothering thought lingering in his mind…_

It's possible…this may be the end of mankind…

 

**Somewhere in Asia**

The memory from all those months ago left Fujin as a sigh escaped his lips. Unknown to him, it would be the last conversation they would have before the chaos of the tournament would follow… before Raiden would sacrifice himself to destroy the Fighting God, Ogre, and become what he is now

As an Elder God, there was nothing Fujin could do to stop the madness from happening. He was forced to witness Raiden taking on Ogre and using every ounce of strength to stop him. As for Rose, the woman he suggested to ally with, she would die at the hands of Mileena after saving the surviving Chosen Ones. Her soul was one of the many who would fall into the hands of Shao Kahn and his Outworld Forces.

And once again, there was nothing he could do to stop it.

At least now, he had abandoned his Elder God status so that he could not only help stop the invasion, but to also do whatever possible to save Raiden from being assassinated by Scorpion. Also, he would try to reason with him, hoping that he would see what he had become.

 _How many times in my head could I try to figure out how to help you, my friend?_ Fujin thought.

One thing seemed to be sure… it was best to take action rather than talking as it seemed to not work the last time he talked to Raiden. Still, Fujin wasn't ready to go that far, least until he absolutely had to. Even now with the invasion going on at the same time, the God of Wind felt that he still had time to figure out what to do.

A voice suddenly startled him. "Have you come to seek me out?" the deep, male voice asked.

Fujin's pale eyes widened, realizing who it was. Standing up from his lotus position, he turned around to come face to face with the ninja spectre, Scorpion…

~~~

**Russia**

The day mostly consisted of light snow as Raven and Dragunov trekked across the Russian terrain. Earlier in the morning, the two had emerged from their hiding place in the cave for the first time since the invasion. Since they were seemingly the only ones for miles around, the two were forced to work together in order to survive. At this point, they were either looking for civilization or Raven's jet… whichever came first.

Raven remembered being in worse weather conditions than this. At least, for now, the snow only went up to his ankles rather than, say, his waist. He looked up into the sky, noting that the sun was going to set behind the distant mountains within the next hour or so. They would need to find a place to stay overnight as soon as possible.

The thought of that possibility was actually the least of his worries. For one thing, Raven lost the device that would bring his jet to him during the invasion. He had tried to find it within the snow, but realized that no matter how much he tried, it was no use.

He still have his communicator attached to his ear when he woke up. Unfortunately, when trying to contact headquarters, the only reply he got was silence. Whether contact was cut or his superiors were killed during the invasion, Raven was pretty much on his own, not counting the Russian militant he was forced to work with.

Raven was always used to working alone. He never minded it, actually, but he would work with others only if it was necessary. However, with Dragunov, it was strange to him. He wasn't necessarily alone, but he might as well be. For one thing, Raven wasn't interested in getting to know him, and he was very sure the militant felt the same way. Besides, the agent could talk all he wants, but Dragunov was not going to reply. Whether he was mute or chose not to speak was the question.

Raven still remembered the day the two ran into each other for the first time. He was assigned on a mission in Japan to investigate a drug lord who lived in that area. Upon arrival, his superiors had suggested to keep an eye on Dragunov because it was believed that his organization was involved with illegal activities in the area. Raven kept that in mind, though he didn't think he would run into him.

Then, one afternoon…

_One Year Ago_

_In a forest area, Raven hid amongst the trees, keeping himself quiet as he noted Dragunov walking through the small trail. Just a few days ago, he had found the militant not too far from here on their own operation base. During those few days, Dragunov lead a small group in directing trucks into the base, the vehicles containing boxed contents large enough to perhaps hold a human body._

_Looking into some computer data one night, Raven discovered that Dragunov's branch of SPETSNAZ specialized in geological research in preparations to develop natural resources. One research lead to the discovery of a frozen body that was rumored to be not human. SPETSNAZ was secretive about the body's transport to their facility and had closed off the area from where it was found._

_Another intelligence agent reported that the body was possibly being used to obtain it's DNA, but in an illegal matter since it was being done without permission from the government. Eventually, it would only be taken as a mere rumor since the agent died not long after from an unrelated cause._

_Raven himself would infiltrate the facility without any problems and discover the grotesque body. However, due to circumstances beyond his control, he wasn't able to look into their data and was forced to take his leave early._

_But it was enough for Raven to realize what was going on._

_Thinking through this, Raven knew that Dragunov had to be stopped._

_Quietly jumping down to the ground, Raven got himself behind him a few feet away._

_"_ _So, you're…" he began to say. It was all he needed to say to get Dragunov's attention. The agent watched as the militant stopped in his tracks before slowly turning his head into Raven's direction._

_"_ _I'm on to you and your organization," Raven warned. Getting his full attention now, Dragunov fully turned himself around, a hand clutched into a fist._

_Raven kept his arms folded as he glared at him through his sunglasses. "Give up and go back to Russia."_

_Dragunov turned his eyes away and it seemed as though he was thinking about what Raven said. But almost just as quickly, he turned his attention back to him, his eyes narrowed as though he was refusing the request, almost challenging him to make him leave._

_"_ _Prepare to die," Raven told him, ready to fight him._

Present…

The fight between them didn't last long as Raven found that he underestimated Dragunov. Before he knew it, he found himself on his back, trying to get back up before Dragunov kicked him back down with his boot. Raven would surely have been killed had he not used his smoke bomb to distract his rival and escape.

It had been one of the few mistakes in Raven's career as an intelligence agent.

It would be later discovered that the facility in Japan immediately shut down and, perhaps, moved to another location. Where that location is was unknown. What happened to the body was also unknown at this point.

Until he returned from Outworld, Raven never saw Dragunov again until his missions constantly pitted the two together. Raven wondered if, somehow, SPETSNAZ had sent Dragunov after him. Obviously, unless he was holding back for now, Dragunov doesn't plan to kill him.

Or perhaps maybe it was a coincidence.

Raven's thoughts were interrupted as he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to Dragunov, who moved his arm to point towards a certain direction. It took a moment for Raven to realize that he was pointing at a cave he just discovered. The agent nodded to him.

The two began making their over to the cave, their place to rest for the night.

~~~

**Edenia**

Night had fallen, the darkness the only thing Tanya noticed as she sat in her private tent. It had been mostly quiet throughout the day, mainly planning out the Outworld Forces' next attack on the Edenian Freedom Fighters.

Now that she was alone, Tanya found herself mostly thinking about the past… at least one not too far away. She was mostly thinking about her hatred for Jade, the Freedom Fighters' leader and General of the Edenian Army. Tanya always knew that Jade wanted to see her dead for her past crimes against their realm.

She wanted the green-clad woman dead as well, mainly for her own amusement. She wanted to see the look on Jade's face upon realizing that she was the one being killed and not her nemesis. Tanya hoped that, upon her return to Outworld, that she could somehow convince the Emperor to personally have the honor to kill her. She wasn't sure how, with the exception of talking with his Empress, Ivy, since she was one of her servants and bodyguards, but no matter what, she will find a way.

Briefly, Tanya thought about their last encounter in Outworld immediately after The Blood Tournament;

_With their weapons, Jade and Tanya continued with exchanging maneuvers. They would normally switch between offense and defense during their fight._

_At one point, Tanya spun her elbow blades rapidly as Jade was forced to jump back. With the distance between them, Jade took out her boomerang and threw it at Tanya's head. However, the yellow-clad woman ducked under it before being attacked and the boomerang smacked into a nearby tree instead._

_Afterwards, Tanya extended her arms out and shot out a fireball. Jade quickly jumped over it and the two fought weapon-to-weapon again. Jade soon got the upper hand and spun her bojitsu around, at one point hitting Tanya in the stomach, forcing her to keel over. Jade then tried to bash her in the head, but Tanya managed to move out the way beforehand._

_Soon, Tanya got back closer to the green-clad woman and delivered a kick to her stomach, causing Jade to stumble back. As Tanya attempted to attack again, Jade lifted up a leg and glided forward, leaving behind green shadows. She managed to land her foot at Tanya's head, the force causing her to spin in the air before landing hard on the ground._

_Jade looked at Tanya for a moment and a smirk came over her face as she realized she didn't move._

_"Seems I knocked you out cold," she said as she approached her. "It's time to finally be rid of you…"_

_Before she was able to do anything, however, three Tarkatans suddenly surrounded her. Jade looked at them for a moment, frustrated that this had to happen now of all times. Nevertheless, she lifted her bojitsu in front of her and began attacking the Tarkatans._

_As Jade was busy fighting the mutants, Tanya, who was actually faking being knocked out, lifted her head. She felt a headache come to her from the kick, but she didn't care right now…what mattered was that she was alive and the Tarkatans practically saved her from death._

_"Sorry my dear," Tanya said. "It's not my time to die just yet."_

_With that, she slowly stood up before making her escape…_

"Tanya," a male voice called out suddenly, disrupting her thoughts. "Are you inside?"

Tanya immediately recognized the voice. "Yes, Rain. You can come in."

The tent's flap was pulled back before Rain entered the room. The only source of light in the tent was a lit candle on the small table, and Tanya saw that Rain still wore his mask over his lower face. She almost frowned, slightly disappointed that he left the mask on.

"What do you want?" she asked him.

"I received a message from Shao Kahn," Rain informed her.

Tanya resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Go on."

Rain continued. "He is getting impatient. He wants us to see to it that we at least take care of the Edenian Freedom Fighters right away."

Tanya suddenly felt annoyed, her nose flaring in anger. She only talked to Shao Kahn about this just last night! She wanted to wait a little longer before seizing that opportunity, but it looked as though the Emperor didn't want it that way.

"It's obvious he wants Edenia to be merged already," Rain mentioned.

"I'm aware of that," Tanya replied, trying to hide her annoyance. "If that's what he wants, then we'll have to do it… as much as I hate it."

"Shall we gather the others?" Rain asked.

Tanya quickly shook her head. "Not yet. He just told me last night that we had a week to do this. Now he's saying we need to get this done now. I'll meet him halfway instead… three sunrises from now, we'll make our move."

"Daring to defy the Emperor is not a wise choice," Rain said. "But in my opinion, I think your suggestion is best. A few more days is enough time to make our plan."

Tanya smiled. "I'm glad you agree with me. In the meantime, we'll keep a low profile from our enemies. That way, they don't suspect a thing."

Rain nodded before heading out of the tent. Before exiting, he spoke once more. "We'll discuss this with Reptile in the morning."

With that, Rain pushed the tent's flap back before stepping out and leaving Tanya alone once more.

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

For about twenty minutes after they arrived, Paul and Marshall trekked up a large hill, walking past countless pine trees as they followed the footprints in the snow. Using a pine tree branch with needles still attached, Marshall covered their tracks to make sure that no unwelcome visitors followed them.

"Should be… there… soon," Paul said in between breaths. With each breath, mist escaped his lips

"You're not… getting out of… shape… are you?" Marshall replied.

Paul shook his head. "No man… just… tired… and hungry…"

"Why… don't we… stop?" Marshall suggested.

"No way! Must… keep… going… no stopping… until we… get there…"

"But how long before… we get there? If could be… days from now…"

"No way… it will be-"

Suddenly, a person popped out from behind one of the trees. Startled, Paul and Marshall stopped in their tracks, their hands out and ready to fight. Instead, they were met with a young woman in her early twenties point a rifle at their faces.

Paul growled, reminded of what happened at the gas station in Nevada. "Damn it!" he yelled out. "Why is it that everyone we run into likes to point guns at us?!"

"Who are you?" the woman asked, her tone of voice demanding.

Marshall was about to answer, but Paul quickly cut him off. "Listen lady, all we're trying to do is survive!"

"And my job is to question everyone who comes near here," the woman mentioned.

"Paul… I think we're in the right place," Marshall said.

"I'm aware of that," Paul growled. He turned back to the young woman. "If you can at least take us to Guile, that would be nice."

The woman's eyes suddenly relaxed. "What's your name?"

"Paul Phoenix, and this is my friend, Marshall Law."

Hearing their names, she pulled the rifle away. "Sorry about that. I was told a guy named Paul would show up. Though I was told you were going to have similar hair like Guile…"

Paul sighed, brushing his blonde hair which was tied back in a ponytail. "I, eh, didn't have any gel on me for the past few days. And since you know our names, who are you? I don't remember you from the tournament."

"My name is Juli. You can say that I'm a family friend."

"Mind if you take us to the fort?" Marshall asked.

Juli nodded. "Follow me."

The three of them were quiet as they trekked further up the hill. Marshall continued to cover their tracks on the way, looking forward to a nice, warm meal after dealing with the cold for the past half hour.

It would be another half hour before they emerged from the forest. There was a small clearing between the forest and the fort that was now in their view. The fort was definitely old-looking, a tall concrete wall used as a barrier and circled barbed wire placed on top and around. The entrance had a wooden gate painted black and the only other thing visible was a tall look-out tower.

"Not very big," Marshall said.

"From what I told, this fort isn't being used anymore," Juli mentioned. "That's why Guile picked this place as our hideout."

"I see."

They soon entered the fort, and they got a better look at their surroundings, which contained only a couple of hundred tents and a small, one-floored white building with a fading red T painted in the front to the far right of the entrance. That building was obviously a small hospital which looked like it hadn't been used in years.

Just next to the look-out tower, the rest of the group stood, having been discussing what supplies were here at the moment. They soon turned their heads to the trio as they approached them. Paul recognized most of them from the tournament., but there were a few others he didn't know.

"Hey Paul," said Wagner as he stepped forward.

"Good to see ya," Paul replied as he and the young man shook hands.

"Did you have any trouble finding the place?"

Paul turned to Juli before turning back to Wagner. "Not really."

Wagner grinned. "I see you already met Juli. Did she give you any trouble?"

"No trouble at all," Marshall quickly said.

"And you are…"

"This is my friend, Marshall Law," Paul said. "Guess it's a good idea for a few introductions."

"Let's see if you remember our names," said Julia as she adjusted her red-rimmed glasses.

"That's Julia," Paul mentioned.

"Hello."

"Juli… Julia… I'm going to mix the two of you up later on," Marshall said.

"Already did that myself," said Alex.

"That's Alex, she's from Special Forces." Paul mentioned.

"Hi."

Paul then pointed over at the next person. "This is Ken Masters."

Ken gave them a small wave. Paul immediately noticed the determined look on his face, but also a hint of sadness in his eyes. He had a feeling that something had happened during the invasion, but planned not to ask about it until the right time came.

He continued. "And that guy with the blindfold is Kenshi."

Kenshi replied with a simple nod.

"And… I don't know who the rest of you are."

"Well," Julia said turning to the group. "This is Guile's family, Jane and Amy. The cyborg here is Cyrax."

"What's up?" Cyrax greeted.

"And this big guy here is Sagat."

Sagat also replied with a single nod.

"Where's Guile?" Paul asked.

"He's still in California," Wagner replied with a small sigh. "But he'll catch up with us when he gets the chance. That reminds me, are either of you expecting anyone else to show up?"

"Not me."

"I am," Marshall chimed in. "My wife and son. It's also possible that my son might bring a couple of friends up with him."

"Anyone else?" Paul asked curiously.

"My Aunt Maggie," Alex mentioned. "And also another Special Forces agent, Jax."

"My sister, Lisa," Wagner said.

"We're also waiting for another friend, Cody," Julia added. "He's coming from the East, so we're not sure when he'll get here."

"I remember Cody," Paul said. "We played cards a lot during the tournament." He turned to Ken. "I'm sure you and I will be doing a lot of that again."

Ken slowly nodded. "Sure…"

Cyrax stepped in. "With Guile not here at the moment, things might be a little difficult for a bit since he knew the area well. The only other person here who's has knowledge of the fort and it's surroundings is Sergeant Wagner. That gives me an idea… you can be like our Captain Kirk of the USS Enterprise."

Wagner sighed a little. "I may know the area, but that doesn't mean I can be a good leader."

"No one is expecting anyone to play leader," said Sagat. "We'll each help each other out whenever necessary."

"Any other plans?" Marshall asked.

"The only one we have so far," began Alex. "Is that each of us takes turns standing guard in front of the fort for a few hours at a time to make sure no one from Outworld approaches us."

"Which was what I was doing," Juli mentioned.

"I'm actually going to set up schedules so that we all know when our watch shift begins," said Wagner.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to volunteer for a night shift," Kenshi suggested. "I work best in the dark."

"Same here," said Cyrax. "I have night vision so that will work to our advantage."

"I'll keep that in mind," Wagner nodded.

"Jane here is trained as a nurse," Ken mentioned. "So if any of us get hurt, she'll be able to help."

"That's assuring," Marshall said. "I didn't even think about that."

"One question," Paul began to ask. "If we're doing this whole watch duty, why isn't the look-out post being used?"

"The ladder's broken," Julia replied. "That's going to be a project of ours to fix."

"We'll need to chop a few trees down for fire wood anyway," Sagat said.

"Mommy, I'm hungry," Amy suddenly said.

Jane patted her daughter on her head. "I am too. I can cook all of us something to eat right now."

"The kitchen's in the hospital," Wagner mentioned. "Choices are ready-to-eat meals, canned baked beans, beef jerky, tuna, eggs-"

"You don't have to list them all," Jane cut in. "I'll figure it out when I get to the kitchen. At least it'll be warm in there."

"Can I come?" Amy asked.

"Sure, sweetie."

"I'll come and help you," Julia suggested. "The idea of a warm kitchen sounds good right about now."

"In the meantime, just pick whatever tent you want to stay in," Wagner suggested. "We'll let you know when the food is ready."

"Good idea!" Paul called out.

"I'll go back on guard duty," Juli said.

Wagner nodded to her. "Be careful."

From there, the group dispersed, planning meeting again for dinner within the next hour.

~~~

**Somewhere in Asia**

"Have you come to seek me out?" Scorpion asked.

Never expecting him to show up, Fujin found himself surprised. Still, he kept himself collected as he got up from his lotus position before turning around to face the ninja spectre. Scorpion stood a few feet away, and Fujin noted the swords he was equipped with. It was as though he was ready for battle.

Fujin shook his head. "This encounter is nothing more than a coincidence," he replied.

"Have you seen Raiden?" Scorpion asked without missing a beat.

Fujin immediately shook his head once more. "To be honest, no. Since I gave up my Elder God status, I'm not able to easily locate others as I once had."

Scorpion raised and eyebrow, unaware that Fujin had abandoned his title, but he chose not to ask about it. It didn't matter to him anyway.

"Daichi came to me the other day," the spectre mentioned. "He came to remind me of my mission."

Fujin frowned at this. He realized that the other Elder Gods were indeed dead set on eliminating Raiden. He knew this because Daichi was the one who preferred keep himself within the Heavens and very rarely traveled beyond it unless it was for a very good cause in his own opinion.

Of course, for Scorpion, Fujin knew that the stakes were high and that he would do everything in his power to see the mission complete. The completion of the mission meant that he would reunited with his family and clan.

 _No matter what I say or what I do, there's no way I can end this_ _,_ Fujin thought.

Suddenly, an idea came to him. Fujin looked up at Scorpion. "You know of the Outworld invasion of Earth?"

Scorpion nodded. "But only from my own point of view. I saw Quan Chi lead a group to destroy a village. From their clothes, I knew they were from Shao Kahn's army."

Fujin almost smiled at the mention of Quan Chi. He knew that Scorpion sought to torture and kill the sorcerer since he was the one responsible for his family's murder. With that in mind, an additional idea came to him.

"You're a demon of the Netherrealm," Fujin began. "But you had something in you when you were originally invited by Raiden to join with the other chosen ones in their quest to obtain the _Chishio No Me_ medallion. I witnessed Raiden inviting you. And you had declined the invitation."

"Because I prefer to work alone," Scorpion reminded him. "And I had no need to work with those other mortals. If you are asking for my help in stopping Shao Kahn and his forces, then you are asking the wrong being. My only mission right now is to kill Raiden."

"I can make it worthwhile for you," Fujin mentioned. "I'll be making some other plans in the meantime, and I hope you can stand by until then. If you help me, I will personally see to it that you, and only you, will have the opportunity to eliminate your nemesis – Quan Chi."

Scorpion folded his arms. "And how do you plan to do that?"

"I'm a God, I can find a way. Even a sorcerer such as Quan Chi has his weakness."

Scorpion nodded. "In that case, only summon me when the time is right. In the meantime, I will continue with my quest the other Elder Gods had given me."

Fujin sighed, realizing that his plan to stall Scorpion was slipping. "I was hoping you would stand by until then."

Scorpion immediately shook his head. "I refuse to waste time while I wait for you. I will continue my quest as I was a few minutes ago."

He turned his back to Fujin and began to walk away. As he did, the spectre spoke once more. "When the time comes to take down Shao Kahn and his minions, you may summon me."

Fujin suddenly felt helpless for the first time since he could remember. He wondered if he had made the offer as a desperation to stall Scorpion's mission. At least he gained an ally in the fight against Outworld, but at the same time, the was the same person out to assassinate his friend.

 _What was I thinking?_ he asked himself, feeling foolish suddenly.

Sitting back in his lotus position, Fujin made the decision to find Raiden once more. Perhaps he could try to reason with him one last time. If not, he wasn't sure what else to do…


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Yakushima Island, Japan**

It took just a little over four hours for a ferry to travel from the mainland of Japan to the nearby island of Yakushima. For the group consisting of Jin, Ryu, King, Maduk, Asuka, Hwoarang, Mi-na, Karin, Maki, Cassandra, Mika, and Dan, the beginning of the trek was a breeze.

Indeed the island was mostly filled with natural forest and a high mountain area that was covered in pure, white snow. The sea-level of the island was windy, but it was nothing the group couldn't handle.

Using memories from his childhood, Jin led the group first through a small little town off the water, walking through a paved road. By the looks of it alone, they knew that they were the only humans on the island. As they were informed before coming here, the island had been evacuated during the invasion only a mere few days ago.

Eventually, Jin lead them off the road and towards a hidden trail only he and his mother had known about. For the rest of the time being, they hiked up a steep hill, watching their footing and making sure they didn't run into anything they didn't want to see.

Then, they found themselves in an area covered in snow.

"I wish you told us we would end up here before we left the mainland," Hwoarang grumbled, walking just a few feet behind Jin. As he talked, he noticed that he could see his own breath every time he exhaled.

"Well he didn't and you have to deal with it," Mi-na cut in.

Jin sighed. "If it makes you happy, the area we'll be staying in is in a warm area. It even has a hot spring."

"That warm, huh?" said Asuka. "That's good to know."

"I could use a bath after all this," mentioned Karin. "I just hope the water is clean. If I see one mosquito nearby-"

"I'm sure it's fine," said Mika. She then looked over at Ryu, noting the usual karate gi he wore. "Aren't you cold just wearing that?"

Ryu shook his head. "I'm used to it." He looked down at the black boots he was wearing. "As long as I have something to keep my feet warm."

"I know what you mean," said Cassandra. "Where I live in Keisei, the weather is like this for most of the year."

"What's this Keisei?" asked King.

"It's the realm we live in," replied Mi-na. "Don't ask me how Cassandra and I got here."

"I just know one thing," Cassandra said as her hands formed into fists. "The next time I see that Paul Phoenix, I'm going to hit him over the head with my shield for sending me through the wrong portal!"

"You don't even have your shield with you," mentioned Maki.

"… I'll find another one!"

"I hate to be this Paul guy right now," said Dan, his teeth slightly chattering from the cold.

Silence followed for only a few moments as the group continued their journey. Not liking the silence, Asuka decided to speak. "You know, this talk about the hot spring earlier… it almost reminds me of our time at the tournament. It'd be a much smaller version of course, and… are we staying in a cave?"

"No," Jin replied.

"Tournament?" chimed Marduk. "Are we talking about that tournament that was in some other realm?"

"The very one," replied Dan. "All of us here stayed together during that time."

"What for?"

"It's a very long story," said Ryu. "But let's just say it was the very beginning of what's going on right now."

"I heard quite a few people didn't make it out after the tournament was over," King said.

"It was believed that we were brought to the tournament so that the Emperor of Outworld could get rid of us," mentioned Mika. "It would make it easier for them to invade so that there are hardly any strong fighters to stop them."

"So much for that…" Maki sighed.

"They caught us by surprise," said Ryu. "Besides, despite what's already happened, we can't give up right now. They're sure to come back sooner or later."

"I hope not, but I have the feeling it will happen anyway," mentioned Karin.

"One thing I've been curious about," began Marduk. "It's something I never had the chance to find out… who won the tournament?"

"Her name's Ivy," Jin replied. "She was definitely a woman who can hold her own in a fight. I would say she deserved her win if she wasn't associated with the Emperor, at least that's a rumor I heard."

"You talk of her almost as if you've-" Hwoarang began to say, but then a thought came to him. "Wait a minute… don't tell me… you actually made it to the final round, Kazama?"

Jin was silent at the question, but that only gave Hwoarang his answer. "Finally! Now I know something who can beat you, and-"

"Don't rub it in, Hwoarang!" Mi-na growled, giving him a serious look.

Hwoarang glared at her. "Must you always butt in?"

"Guys, let's not fight like children," suggested Mika.

Asuka suddenly burst into a fit of giggles. "Speak for yourself, Rainbow Mika! Remember Round 4? Yourself vs. Julia Chang?"

Mika lightly punched Asuka's arm. "Hey, at least I won that fight!"

Ryu swore he felt his cheeks burn, knowing the circumstances of that fight. "Do we have to talk about that?"

Cassandra was giggling now too. "Well, even though Mika won that battle, Julia won the war. Am I right, Ryu?"

Jin quickly changed the subject for his friend's sake. "We should arrive at the location within about forty minutes."

"Oh good!" called out Karin. "I think I'm starting to lose some feeling in my toes!"

"We girls call first dibs on the hot springs!" declared Mi-na. "Ladies first, you know."

"Whatever," grumbled Marduk.

Though their talk about the tournament was more about the darker side of the event, it at least kept the group's mind off the cold they were surrounded by, even if it was only for a few minutes.

~~~

**Unknown Area, Keisei**

Night had fall in the realm of Keisei, and all was quiet around the Black Dragon camp. The quietness alone was highly unusual for a group that wish to spread chaos through the realms.

Bryan Fury sat on the ground, leaning himself against a trunk of a large tree. Leaning forward towards the small campfire, he lit up a tip of a cigarette, which was given to him by another Black Dragon member. He preferred cigars, but this would do for now. Once it was lit, he leaned back into the tree, inhaling as he sucked in the cigarette's contents.

 _I've had better…_ he thought as he exhaled, the smoke emerging from between his lips.

It's been only a few days since Bryan found himself a member of the Black Dragon in Keisei. The only reason he even agreed to join up was to mainly get closer to the Manji Clan members for his own gains. If he could find some members and slay them, it could possible lead Yoshimitsu back to him.

He was a bit surprised that the clan's leader hadn't come for him already. _Perhaps his sword is the only way he can travel from realm to realm,_ he suddenly thought. _But then wouldn't his minions also have the same powers in their weapons?_

The cyborg had continued to attempt to try to activate the portal with the katana, swinging it every which way he could. However, nothing would happen, leaving him only frustrated.

As for the Black Dragon, he found their methods of getting things down unusual to him. Even so, it was something he was willing to deal with for the time being, though they allow him to do whatever he pleased.

As Bryan was deep in thought, he didn't hear someone coming up to him before sitting themselves a few feet away. The person's strange breathing was what caught Bryan's attention and he turned his head to the person. Immediately, he recognized Kabal.

The two men were silent for a few minutes. Kabal had originally arrived to get himself warmed-up by the fire, not knowing that anyone was there until he sat down. Bryan continued to smoke his cigarette until only the butt was left. Dropping it on the ground, he moved his foot to step on it, putting it out.

"What's with the tank?" Bryan suddenly asked.

Kabal looked over at Bryan, not expecting him to say anything. "I was disfigured during the last Earth invasion," he said as he turned back towards the fire.

Bryan raised an eyebrow. "The one that happened about ten years ago?"

Kabal nodded. "When Shao Kahn and the Outworld army invaded Earth, I was one of the survivors who fought back, but they attacked relentlessly and I was mutilated and left to die. I'd be dead if it wasn't for this tank."

Bryan found himself looking up at the sky. "Funny thing… I remember that invasion… yet I blacked out through most of it. I was still human during that time, too."

"Most likely, you were one of the millions of souls taken by Shao Kahn," Kabal mentioned.

Bryan shrugged. "If that's the case, I don't remember a damn thing about it." He turned back to Kabal. "How'd you get mixed up with this group?"

"The Black Dragon wasn't always like this if that's what you're thinking," Kabal mentioned. "We were your common criminal organization, branching ourselves away from the strict codes of our enemies, the Red Dragon. We were soon the target of Special Forces and they helped to completely wipe us out. Before I was disfigured, I left the clan, intending to do things my own way. Perhaps that why, as far as I know, I was the only survivor of the clan for a while. I was a teen when I joined up with them.

"As you know, we've since reformed under my own jurisdiction. It was Havik who'd suggested I reform the clan. He had saved my life when a Red Dragon member, Mavado, attempted to kill me, taking my hookswords in the process. Havik was the one who revived me. The clan has been reformed as an ideological organization, a force of anarchy and decay."

"So… you're the leader, but Havik seems to have control around here," Bryan mentioned.

"Havik only serves as our adviser," Kabal replied. "He does not believe in controlling others. As an adviser, he makes suggestions, but it is our choice whether or not to follow them."

"I see."

Silence fell between the two men once more. As he stared back into the campfire, Bryan wondered, since in his own eyes Havik holds some sort of leadership in a way, if the Cleric of Chaos had any interesting plans up his own sleeve. If he was of a chaotic nature as mentioned, he would definitely find some fun in betraying his clan members.

However, that was just a guess of his own…

~~~

**Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

A stage coach arrived near the water port in the city of Chili-san. The travel had lasted a few days, but Kilik, Maxi, Xianghua, and Sophitia were relieved once the coach driver had announced that they had arrived to their destination.

As the four got off the stage, they weren't surprised to see the citizens of the city seemingly in a hurry. Some had packed their things and were trying to leave any way they could. The nearby shops seemed to be in constant operation trying to get their goods out to the desperate people. Not too far, blacksmiths seem to be working together to make countless numbers of weapons and their customers surrounded them like a flock of birds trying to get the best worm.

"I wonder… is this how it always is, or is this the result of the invasion rumors?" Maxi asked out loud.

"Who knows," replied Kilik.

A man dressed in what looked like a military uniform began to walk by the four. Sophitia decided to take the opportunity to speak to him. "Excuse me. Where is the Coast Guard Headquarters?"

"It's about a ten minute walk North from here at the end of town," the man answered.

"Thank you," Sophitia nodded as the man began to leave.

"Well, let's get going," suggested Xianghua.

The four of them began their travel on foot, which actually helped to stretch their cramped muscles from sitting in the coach for long periods of time. The streets were just as busy as the one near the water port, and they found themselves getting pushed a few times by people rushing to get to where they needed to go.

Soon, they arrived at a gated area, a sign indicating that they were indeed at Coast Guard Headquarters. Three guards stood in front of the entrance, obviously there to keep unwelcome visitors outside.

Xianghua approached one of the guards, taking out a letter that was written by her superior. "I'm sorry to bother you," she began, handing him the letter. "I was personally sent here by General Luo from the Ming Dynasty Imperial Guard. It is in regards of the current preparations for the possible invasion of Keisei."

The guard opened the letter and took the moment to read it, silence hanging over them for a bit. Once he was done, he folded the letter and handed it back to Xianghua. "Yes, we've been expecting you. We received word that a member of the Imperial Guard would arrive." He stared at Kilik, Maxi, and Sophitia. "And may I inquire who these three are?"

"These are my traveling companions."

The guard nodded. "Follow me. I'll take you to Admiral Lee."

"Thank you," Xianghua said. "And, if you can, I'd like to request to have one of your soldiers, Hwang Seong-gyeong, to meet with us as well."

"I'll see what I can do."

They were lead to one of the smaller buildings, which to no surprise was also guarded. The guard opened the door before leading the four inside. Sitting at a table with a cup of tea in hand was a middle-aged man with long gray hair and a small mustache. He was dressed in a formal uniformed covered with medals.

"Admiral," the guard began. "This is the young lady who was sent by the Imperial Guards of Ming Dynasty."

"Ah, yes, come on in," Admiral Lee called out. He nodded to the guard, the signal that he could leave, which he did. He offered the four to sit down, which they obliged.

"Would you care for some tea?" he offered.

The four nodded immediately, realizing how thirsty they were. A nearby servant had heard the request and immediately headed in to the kitchen.

"I received the letter from General Luo just yesterday," Lee informed. "He said you had personally requested to provide assistance to us, helping to prepare for the possible invasion. Is that true?"

"That is true," replied Xianghua. "I felt that in a time like this, especially with the knowledge of other worlds being invaded, that all of us military people could unite together as we all share a common enemy, even if we are of different branches."

"Even before your arrival, I had already made the decision to accept your request. I already have my men seeking out other military branches across Keisei to help unite us all together and to exchange weapons and ideas so that we are better prepared. We are most fortunate in the fact that we are already receive a large amount of help from the Manji Clan."

Sophitia's eyes lit up. "You've allied with the Manji Clan?"

"Indeed," Lee replied. "As a matter of fact, they were the ones who sought us out. However, their leader, Yoshimitsu, is unfortunately caught up in the invasion as he and other clan members are stationed on Earth."

"That's definitely not good," said Maxi. "I'm assuming he doesn't have a way back here?"

"I was told that he did have a way back, but for whatever reason, he is being held up. He has other members spread throughout the universe, many who have died or gone missing. Right now, it's Akio who is leading the clan in Keisei. I don't know if you know our history with the Ryukyu Kingdom, but it's even to my own shock that we united with them as well."

Maxi nodded. "Being from there, I definitely know…"

Lee sighed. "We fought each other for years until a common enemy comes up. Interesting how things can work out."

"That tends to happen a lot," mentioned Xianghua.

At that moment, the door to the room opened, catching everyone's attention. They turned to see who had just entered the room. With the exception of Sophitia, everyone else quickly recognized Hwang.

"I was told that someone was here to see-" Hwang began to say, but quickly stopped mid-sentence. A smile came upon his face as he recognized Kilik, Xianghua, and Maxi.

"Long time, no see," Maxi said with a grin. He, Kilik, and Xianghua stood up and walked over to their ally.

Hwang shook each of their hands. "I was told someone who knew me came to see me, but I didn't expect to see you three!"

"This was the Imperial Guard member who was sent to us," Lee mentioned. "How do you know them?"

"We were all at the Blood Tournament, Admiral," Hwang said. He then noticed the blond-haired woman in the room. "And who is this?"

"I'm Cassandra's sister, Sophitia," she replied as she stood up and walked over to them.

Once she was in reach, Hwang reached over and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you."

From there, the five sat down in front of Lee and he explained to Hwang what he had explained to the four.

"He explained that you were allied with the Manji Clan," said Sophitia. "I had original traveled here to ally with them as well. I never imagined I would meet up with those who knew my sister during the tournament."

A sudden thought came to Hwang and a frown came over his face. "I… I'm assuming Cassandra didn't make it…"

Sophitia slowly shook her head. "We waited for her for a long time, but she never…" She found her eyes suddenly brimmed with tears, but she quickly blinked them away.

Hwang placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Was Seong Mi-na able to make it back here?" asked Xianghua.

Hwang shook his head. "I'm afraid not. We thought Raiden would help with returning her here as soon as possible, but it never happened. We assume she's still back on Earth, but now with this invasion… my master, her father, is worried sick for her more than ever."

"That's strange," said Maxi. "But it makes me wonder if something happened to Raiden."

"But he's a God," Xianghua reminded him. "You would think-"

"Anything could've still happened," Kilik cut in. "But we don't know what."

Hwang decided to get back to their earlier subject. "Right now, all we can do, as far as the possible invasion of Keisei, is to prepare ourselves and stay on alert."

A thought suddenly came to Maxi. "Say… I remember, when we left for Outworld, we left from the port here, and we went through some portal in the middle of the ocean. You think it's possible that those from Outworld could use those portals to sneak over here?"

Hwang smiled a little. "Already ahead of you on that one. We're putting together a team to go out by ship to investigate. We're either going to secure it or try to find a way to destroy it, if possible. We'll probably send the team out a few days from now."

"Sounds good," said Kilik.

"Meanwhile," said Lee. "I think it's a good idea to show our guests their quarters."

Hwang nodded in agreement as he stood up. "In that case, follow me."

With that, they got themselves up on their feet and began heading outside.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

The sorcerer Quan Chi found himself walking through a long, dark hallway of the Emperor's fortress. The only noise that was heard was the echoes of his own footsteps.

Ever since he returned in assisting in the invasion of Earth, nothing noteworthy had occurred, which he noticed was a normal thing after a realm faced their wrath for the first time. Quan Chi had found their take-over to Earth boring. Those he slaughtered were usually taken care of in mere seconds.

The only thing that was worthy talking about was when he faced Scorpion for the first time in over six months. At that time, he had attempted to send the spectre back to the Netherrealm, but the ninja had took him with him before the spell was completed.

Quan Chi would only find himself there for a short time, also uniting with Shang Tsung, who had been killed as well, in the city of Nekros in the meantime. Shao Kahn soon approached the two, needing them for his latest plans. Quan Chi had only taken his request just to get out of the Netherrealm.

The sorcerer would have taken care of Scorpion, but their fight was cut short by Shao Kahn's insistence for him to return to Outworld. Not wanting to risk being sent to the Netherrealm again, Quan Chi only sent Scorpion to another part of Earth.

He had also allied with The Red Dragon clan under the guise of gaining more allies for Shao Kahn. However, Quan Chi had his own plans up his sleeves…

His thoughts were soon disrupted as he heard another pair of footsteps not too far from him. Seeing that he was at a corner, Quan Chi stood where he was, waiting for whoever was now approaching.

It didn't take long before the person revealed themselves… Shang Tsung. The two immediately stared at each other in silence, both realizing that the two hadn't met up like this in a long while, given the fact that their assignments from Shao Kahn had kept them from their true goals. Quan Chi nearly forgot about Shang Tsung's glowing green eyes, the result of being killed and his time in the Netherrealm.

The two looked at their surroundings, making sure that no one was nearby. Soon, they went into the nearest room, locking the door behind them.

"The Red Dragon had officially allied themselves with the Emperor," Quan Chi informed his fellow sorcerer. "… For the time being of course. What Shao Kahn doesn't know is that the clan are actually under _our_ control… only Mavado is aware of our true plans."

"Just make sure that they don't become _too_ allied with him," Shang Tsung suggested. "It won't be easy overthrowing the bastard if that happens."

"I'm sure a secretive clan that has managed to keep themselves hidden from Earth for centuries can make sure of that." Quan Chi folded his arms. "Speaking of alliances, what of Baraka and Mileena?"

"I have no use for them," Shang Tsung replied. "The Tarkatans may be worthy fighters, but they are complete imbeciles. Baraka is the only one with a head on his shoulders, but even he can turn into a savage at the mere smell of human blood. Mileena is just a child in a woman's body, though she likes to think otherwise. I'm only going along with what Shao Kahn has requested. However, I am getting impatient."

"We're just waiting for the right moment," Quan Chi reminded them.

"And when is this _right_ moment going to happen?"

That's when they heard a sudden noise not too far from them, and the two realized that this meeting must end. Shang Tsung chose to leave first, going out the door before closing it behind him.

Their meeting was brief, but it left Quan Chi suspicious of Shang Tsung. He had imagined that Shang Tsung would use the Tarkatans to his advantage, especially if he wanted to use them for their alliance to overthrow Shao Kahn. In a way, he wondered if Shang Tsung had some plan up his own sleeve once Lei Chen was finally taken over…

Meanwhile, on the other side of the fortress, Kira found herself alone in one of the training rooms. Ivy had given her the night off and, finding herself a bit bored, she decided to do a little training.

Surrounded by stuffed dummies, Kira slowly drew out a pair of long knives from the scabbards that were strapped to her black boots. She first got herself into a fighting stance as though she was about to face quite a few enemies.

Once ready, she flipped forward once, getting closer to the first dummy and stabbing it where the neck should be. As she did, she kicked another of the dummies with enough force to send it flying off the string it was held up by, the sand bursting out upon landing.

Kira continued to deliver blow after blow on the dummies, eventually stabbing or slashing the throats of each one, the sands pouring out on to the ground. Then, one was left hanging a few feet away, and Kira took the opportunity to throw one of her knives at it, the blade embedding itself into the face.

Unknown to her, Mavado had entered the room hoping to do his own training. Instead, he noted the red-haired woman practically destroying the dummies in the room with her dual knives. Within the shadows, he decided to watch her for a moment, standing next to the dummy she would eventually take on last, throwing one of the knives into it's face.

That was when she noticed him, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face. Kira kept her guard up for a moment. She was fully aware that Mavado was a member of the Red Dragon. She was aware of his clan, an enemy of the Black Dragon. When she was once a member, Kabal had warned her that they would someday come after them once they had the knowledge of their new existence.

She wondered if he knew that she was once a member of his rival clan.

"You seem to have skill," Mavado said, breaking what seemed like a long silence. He then raised his hands up, getting himself into a fighting stance. "Let me see how you are in real combat."

Without hesitating, Kira placed her remaining knife back in it's scabbard. Straightening herself up, she slowly got herself into a fighting stance.

Mavado decided to make the first move, jumping after her before attempting to deliver a blow just below her neck. Kira quickly dodged the move, leaving Mavado opened as she slightly lowered herself before striking him in the mid-section with a palm. Caught by surprise, Mavado quickly back away to give himself a second to recover.

Before he could execute his next move, Kira spun herself, aiming her leg at him, but Mavado managed to jump back before getting it. She then attempted to execute some palm strikes, all which he managed to dodge, before a forward kick landed on his stomach, causing him to stumble back.

Just as Kira got closer, Mavado lifted his leg to perform his own spinning kick, but Kira managed to duck underneath it. However, once she straightened herself back up, Mavado took the opportunity to use his other leg to deliver a side kick. The foot landed on Kira, causing her to stumble back as well.

Kira managed to quickly recover in time to block another kick from Mavado, blocking him from a low with her own leg. He then moved his leg up, aiming for her head, but Kira managed to block that with her hand. She then jumped back as he delivered a side kick. She started to get closer to aim for another attack, but Mavado had just begin to jump up, spinning himself to kick her once more, but Kira ducked underneath the attack.

As Mavado landed back on the ground, Kira took the opportunity to get herself on offense, aiming her foot at him, which he blocked for a few seconds. At one point, she left herself open, and Mavado attempted to take the opportunity to land a punch. However, Kira ended up blocking the move faster than he anticipated, bending his arm to the side as though she was getting it out of her way.

Now that he was opened, she landed a punch to his face, his head snapping sideways before lifting up a leg to kick him just underneath his chin, sending him flying up.

Despite the blows, Mavado quickly regained himself, somersaulting backwards before landing back on his feet. By then, Kira was already in her fighting stance, ready for more. Mavado got back in his fighting stance as well once he was ready.

For a moment, the two stared at each other, waiting for the other to strike next. Then, deciding to end their spar, Mavado spoke. "Just as I suspected… you do have skill. I don't think I've seen anyone conduct themselves in a calculated fashion as well as you have. You're even good enough to perhaps join the Red Dragon."

Kira immediately shook her head. "I have no interest in joining a clan. My position as one of the bodyguards of the Empress is good enough for me."

"I see," Mavado said. He began to pace around her a bit, speaking again once he was behind her. "You know, it's quite interesting… one such as you would allow yourself to end up in such a clan which was once a part of mine. They were nothing more than a bunch of amateurs who couldn't handle following our strict codes. In my opinion, you were far too superior for them."

At first, Kira wasn't sure what he was talking about. However, towards the end of this particular story, she had to refrain herself from widening her eyes in surprise… realizing that, somehow, he knew that she was once a Black Dragon. She kept her composure, not wanting him to see her reaction.

Mavado noticed how reserved she was, not even blinking an eye even at the mention of his knowledge of her past. He continued. "Oh wait, I almost forgot… I don't think it was a good idea to even think that you can join my clan."

"What suddenly changed your mind?" Kira asked.

Mavado smirked. "You have one true flaw… you're wanted by the FBI back on Earth for the murder of Captain Sonya Blade. If you'd been in my clan at that time, that would have you swiftly executed. The Red Dragon is a secretive clan, remaining so for centuries. You only know of us now because not only of your former association with the Black Dragon, but also because of our association with Quan Chi.

"Besides… my clan would have you killed if they even knew you were even a former Black Dragon."

Kira looked at him. "You plan to kill me?"

Mavado shook his head, his smirk becoming wider. "Since I'm the only one with this knowledge, I don't think you're death is necessary… as long as you stay out of the way. However, I do wonder how the Black Dragon reformed. Quan Chi had made me aware of their new existence. He was the one who also told me that you were once a member as well. We had believed all of them were eliminated."

"All but one," Kira said. "His name is Kabal."

Mavado raised an eyebrow. "Kabal? He's alive?"

"Surprised?"

"… In a way." Mavado took out one of the hookswords, a weapon Kira knew Kabal had used as well. "Over a year ago, I fought him in a battle. I was sure I killed him, but I guess I was wrong."

"He mentioned being nearly killed by a Red Dragon," Kira told him. "He was saved by a cleric named Havik. Havik was the one who suggested to Kabal to reform the Black Dragon. I was the first recruit. There was another, Kobra, but… he didn't quite live long enough to see The Blood Tournament happen. If any others joined, I don't know about it… I left the clan six months ago and I have been serving the Empress since. I don't even know where they are right now, not that I care."

"I'm sure we'll figure that out eventually," Mavado said. "The Black Dragon aren't exactly a secretive clan. What made you decide to leave the clan?"

"False promises," Kira replied. "Even though the clan had changed to promote anarchy, it didn't go the way I imagined it would. Still a bunch of amateurs if you ask me."

Mavado nodded, accepting her reason. He then turned his back to her, deciding to take his leave. As he walked forward, he spoke once more. "As long as you don't get in the way… meaning jeopardizing any goals or missions of the Red Dragon… you have my protection."

Kira folded her arms as Mavado disappeared within the shadows. "Not that I need it," she said under her breath.

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains, China**

Throughout the day, Sub-Zero, Smoke, Frost, and Sareena trekked the mountain area they found themselves in. The cold was brutal, the harsh winds blowing roughly as the rapidly falling snow fell in different directions. It created a white out, and one could only see about thirty feet in front of them. Smoke lead the way as his technology let him see through the white out.

With Sub-Zero and Frost's powers able to withstand the weather along with Smoke's technology, only Sareena was bothered by the cold. Even with the heavy cloak that was provided for her, she still felt the chill right down to the bone and she found herself shivering constantly.

 _I guess this is what happens when I've been in the Netherrealm for so long,_ she thought to herself.

Sareena was highly grateful for Sub-Zero's patience. He understood that this was the type of weather she never really experienced and he tried to help her any way he could, whether it was to help her up a steep hill or even to keep her warm with a single arm around her. She hated the fact that the weather was making her feel weak, but she knew she had no other choice but to deal with it, especially if she wanted to survive their journey. Besides, she had a feeling that the Grandmaster wouldn't listen to her protests if she tried.

Frost had been following Smoke close behind with Sub-Zero and Sareena behind her. At one point, she turned around to see if the two were still behind her. She saw the ice ninja was helping the demon up a steep, rocky hill they were now climbing up.

Frost narrowed her eyes while they weren't looking. _If it wasn't for her, we'd be getting through this trek a lot faster!_ she thought with annoyance.

It soon started to get dark, Smoke noticed. From there, he began searching for the nearest cave to warm up for the night. It didn't take long before finding one just fifty yards away.

"There's a cave up ahead," Smoke announced. He lead the other three towards their resting place for the night. Upon entering, everyone was able to see clearing for the first time all day, and the only sound that was heard now was the blowing wind.

Immediately, they began setting up camp and Smoke started the campfire. The fire immediately lit up the dark cave and quickly warmed everyone up. Sareena sat closest to the fire, though she also tried not to get too close.

"I'll start making supper," Frost offered as she began unpacking the food supply.

"That's a good idea," Sub-Zero agreed.

"I have a question for you," Smoke began. "Why, of all places, did you pick this location for the new Lin Kuei clan?"

Sub-Zero almost laughed at Smoke's question. "Think about it… you'd think anyone is crazy enough to trek through that blizzard just to find us?"

"Unless they were desperate," Frost said as she set up the cooking equipment over the fire.

Smoke gave this a thought. "Well… considering how the last Lin Kuei ended up…" He looked at his own arm, noting his cyborg features. "I'm sure you didn't want the old, grim memories to hang over your head every time you walked through those halls."

"That was one of the smaller reasons to avoid the old hideout. The biggest reason was because of Sektor," Sub-Zero mentioned. "When we fought for leadership of the Lin Kuei, it took place right in that temple. When I won, I realized that it was best to find a new location, especially with him as our enemy."

"What ever happened to Sektor any way?" Frost asked.

"He fled last I saw him," Smoke mentioned. "I fought him during the chaos in Outworld briefly and he disappeared right after that. I'm sure he would have seen to my death had I not mentioned how Noob was going to betray him."

"About Sektor," Sub-Zero continued, not wanting to mention his brother any further. "We're assuming he's in hiding within the Tekunin for the time being. Of course, now with this invasion, who knows what happened to him.

"After the tournament and I became Grandmaster, I went looking for a new temple here in the Himalayans, soon finding this place. I don't know what kind of temple it is, but judging by the wall art in the main room, my guess is that this place was used as a sanctuary to worship a woman from thousands of years ago. I'm not sure who the woman was, and the text written on the wall is in a language I think is from another realm."

"Outworld maybe?" Sareena guessed.

Sub-Zero shrugged. "Maybe. Could be Edenian, too. Unless we find a way to encrypt the message, we'll never know."

A few hours later, their dinner had been eaten and the world outside had gone completely dark. Since Smoke only needed a couple of hours of sleep to recharge, he chose to be the first on guard duty. Frost was the first to fall into a deep sleep. Her light snoring indicated that.

For a while, covered in her sleeping bag, Sareena found herself looking up at the cave's dark ceiling, her mind cleared from any thoughts. She was grateful to be in a warm cave, and she hoped that the weather outside would be a little better tomorrow. They had been traveling for only three days, but it sure felt a lot longer.

Sareena then slowly turned her head to the right, facing Sub-Zero. She saw that he, too, was still awake, looking up at the ceiling with his blue eyes. She stared at him briefly before turning her head, looking up at the ceiling once more.

"I still feel strange," she began to say without thinking. "About this new life of mine."

Sub-Zero turned his attention to her. "What do you mean?"

"I'm… not quite sure," Sareena answered. "I think it's because of the things I've seen in the Netherrealm compared to what I've seen here on Earth. Not quite the opposite, but this place is sure better than being tortured. If I was once human, I don't know anything about that. But I remember, for as long as I could remember, that I wanted to escape. I knew of other realms and I knew I would have a better life than the one I had. But my master had said there was no escape, and for a long time, he was right."

"Until you met my brother," Sub-Zero said.

Sareena nodded. "When I met him, and he spared my life, I knew I found my chance, at least I thought I did. My motives were discovered and I was punished for them for years… until seven months ago when I escaped here thanks to an abandoned portal I found. In a way, I am lucky to be here. My master once said I would be nothing more than a horrific demon without his powers. I found out that I could retain my beauty by absorbing the energy here."

"This master of yours," Sub-Zero began to say. "Just remember this… he's not your master any more. He doesn't have control over you, anymore. Only you can chose your destiny from now on."

Sareena had to smile at that. "You're right. I guess because I served him for so long that I tend to forget that. I do have one fear, though. I fear that my true, demonic form could some day, somehow, emerge."

"I don't think that will happen any time soon," Sub-Zero assured her. "I assume as long as you stay away from the Netherrealm, that won't happen."

"I think you're right… but I still worry about it."

"Try not to."

The two fell silent once more. A few minutes later, they both fell into their own slumber.

~~~

**Yakushima, Japan**

After what felt like the longest journey of their lives, the group consisting of Jin, Ryu, Mika, Cassandra, Asuka, Maki, Karin, Mi-na, Dan, Hwoarang, King, and Marduk finally reached a small, valley-like area that seemed well-hidden amongst the dense cedar trees and large mountains that surrounded them.

There wasn't much of anything in the area with the exception of a pond half-covered by lily pads and the small, log cabin that was a few yards away which looked large enough to house only a small family.

"So what is this place?" Ryu finally. "You sure know this place pretty well."

Jin looked up at the cloudy sky. "This was my childhood home. I grew up here."

"Why so secretive?" asked Dan.

"My mother had chosen this place to raise me. She… had intended to keep me away from the evils of this world." Jin folded his arms as he stared at the pond that was a few feet from them. "That… didn't exactly turn out that way."

"I hope there's a bathroom in that cabin!" Karin called out.

"Um… unfortunately, last time I was here, I wasn't able to figure out the plumbing," Jin replied.

"You mean to tell me that we have to go to the bathroom outside?" Karin cried out, not happy about the news. "And I assume we'd have to take baths in snow?"

Jin looked at her. "I mentioned before that there's a hot springs about fifteen minutes from here, remember?"

Asuka turned to Maki and whispered. "Is it me, or is this déjà vu?" Maki only shrugged in reply.

Karin folded her arms. "So I forgot! Sorry, but when I've been cold and dirty for the past three days, I'm not exactly thrilled about the situation!"

"None of us are," mentioned Mika. "But we have to make the best of it."

"She's right," said King. He turned to Jin, who had just sat down on a large rock. "So what are we to expect during our stay?"

Jin slowly placed his fingers into the waters of the lake, but he quickly pulled it out before rubbing them with his other hand. Cassandra had noticed this. "Cold?"

"Like ice," he replied. "But it's fresh, so it'll do for drinking water or any cooking necessities."

"Do we even have any pans?" asked Mi-na.

"We do, inside the cabin," Jin said. "We'll try to set up where to sleep in the cabin since there are only two beds and one couch inside."

"There's one other important information you should tell us about, Kazama," Hwoarang said. "Just let us know which plants around here are poisonous."

"Why do you want to know?" Jin asked.

Hwoarang folded his arms. "Because the last thing any of us need is something along the lines of poison ivy."

"Plus, he doesn't want any unnecessary embarrassments when nature calls," Mi-na piped in without missing a beat.

The comment made all the other girls giggle in amusement. Hwoarang's face immediately burned red, and his turned to Mi-na, now pissed. "Was that necessary to bring up?"

"Oh calm down!" Mi-na yelled back. "Considering the situation we're in, I think all of us could use some humor around here!"

"And at my expense?"

"Yes!"

"Well that's not exactly fair!"

"No, but it's still funny seeing your face turn into a tomato!"

"I… eh… I ought to slug you!"

"I dare you! You'll be needing plenty of leaves when I'm done with you!"

Their argument only made the girls giggle even more. Dan started to laugh himself, grateful for the humor, even if Mi-na and Hwoarang were arguing.

Mika happened to turn to Jin. He turned his attention away from them, looking out towards the lake, but the small smirk that he was attempting to hide was noticeable as he, too, find the fight humorous.

"Jin! I think that's the first time I've ever seen you smile!" Mika cried out.

Her yell got everyone's attention and they were now looking at Jin. He coughed a little, managing to wipe away the smirk before anyone else noticed. The girls looked disappointed upon seeing this.

"I swear, Kazama!" Hwoarang yelled. "If you're laughing at me, I'm going to force you to have that rematch I've been asking for the past two years! Then we'll see who's smiling once it's over!"

As this whole thing was happening, Ryu, King, and Marduk looked on at the group, bewildered and slightly confused over why their allies found any of this humorous. One minute, Jin was explaining how to survive. The next, everyone's finding humor in two people arguing like an old, married couple, then gushing over someone who apparently never smiled. This only served to baffle the three of them.

Marduk leaned over to Ryu and whispered. "Is this what it was like at the tournament?"

Ryu had to sigh at that. "For the most part… yes…"

Marduk rolled his eyes as he straightened himself up. "Oh boy…"


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

A clap of thunder was barely heard from outside as Emperor Shao Kahn entered the throne room. His black, tattered cape swayed behind him as his red eyes glowed with a kind of intensity that could make almost anyone who saw him nervous.

From her throne, Empress Ivy Valentine watched as Shao Kahn entered the room, noting that the other occupants had already began bowing to him once they realized he was arriving.

Shao Kahn didn't acknowledge anyone around him until he got himself in front of his own throne. "Rise!" he demanded. Even Ivy stood up from her throne as everyone else straightened themselves back up. Shao Kahn looked at six of his Generals in the room; Sheeva, Kintaro, Motaro, Guy, Vega, and Anna. Just a half hour ago, he had requested for them to meet him in his throne room and to not be late. He was at least satisfied to see that they, indeed, were not tardy.

"A brief update," Shao Kahn began. Another clap of thunder was heard in the distance. "We will soon be expecting the realm of Edenia to be ours once again within the next day or so. The city of Lei Chen will soon be our as well once the preparations are made."

"What about Earth?" asked Guy, his colorless eyes staring up at the Emperor.

"All in good time. Which reminds me, there are a few things that need to be taken care of in that realm." He turned his attention to Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro. "That's where you three are concerned. Within a few days, I will be sending you to Earth to begin securing it, just as Tanya, Rain, and Reptile are doing with Edenia."

"We look forward to it, my lord," said Kintaro.

"And we'll make sure that nothing stands in our way," mentioned Sheeva.

Motaro kept quiet, only nodding to the Emperor to let him know that he would do as he asked. This was despite the fact that the Centaurian had to, once again, work with his Shokan enemies.

"Until then," the Emperor proceeded. "You three with continue to stand guard of the throne room." He turned his attention to Guy. "As for you, I want you to stand guard of the dungeon for the night. I will have one of the guards relieve you once his shift begins. Make sure none of the new slaves make their escape. If they do, kill them immediately."

Guy bowed to him. "Yes, my lord."

Shao Kahn nodded. "You four may take your leave."

He waited until Guy, Sheeva, Motaro, and Kintaro left the room until he looked over at Vega and Anna. "You two were personally invited by your Empress, hence your presence at this meeting."

Ivy nodded. "For the past six months, you two have been very loyal to your Emperor and myself, along with the Outworld Forces, especially with your actions during the Earth invasion. Neither one of you let anything get in your way. I think having you two at supper in our dining quarters tonight is long overdue."

Anna had to smile. "I'm delighted."

Vega nodded in agreement. "We will be honored to join your in your feast."

"Very good," Ivy said. "You two may take your leave, but meet me at the door of my quarters at seven o'clock. Do not be late."

"We won't," Anna nodded as she and Vega began leaving the throne.

Once the couple was gone, Shao Kahn turned his head to Ivy. "There's something else I need to see too." He began to leave the throne room. "I will return in a little while."

Ivy watched as Shao Kahn left, soon leaving her alone in the throne room.

A few minutes later, Shao Kahn entered another room. It was small with one window, the walls made of concrete and mostly covered with red, velvet curtains, and a red carpet covered the floor. Only two significant things were in this room. A large table with a glass dome on top of it was set in the middle of the room. It served as a window to the rest of the universe.

In front of the table, sitting in a chair, was a Shadow Priest. With the exception of a pair of hands with long, black fingernails, the rest of this Shadow Priest was concealed by the heavy, dark purple cloak.

Shao Kahn approached the table. "Show me the one named Dhalsim."

The Shadow Priest moved their hands over the glass a couple of times before an image showed up. In the glass, Shao Kahn noticed the yoga master meditating on a grassy field as the sun in the background began to rise.

Just the other night, Shao Kahn found out that Dhalsim had lived through the invasion, the sole survivor of his village. He didn't think the man would have the strength to move on after losing his family and friends, but even now, it looked as though he was trying to move on for their sake, and perhaps, the sake of humanity.

A while back, the psychic in the Shadow Priest robe had told Shao Kahn of Dhalsim and that it was possible that he would be a threat to their plans because of his powers. It was through this glass that he found those words to be true as he Dhalsim was able to figure out the result of the Blood Tournament without even being there.

"When the time comes," Shao Kahn said out loud. "I will have to see to it that Dhalsim is eliminated. His powers are a threat to my plans."

~~~

**Shaolin Temple, China**

The morning sun was beginning to rise above the high mountains as Kung Lao, Bo' Rai Cho, Li Mei, Lei, Chun Li, and Yang met up for breakfast. It was a typical dim sum platter with har gau, chicken and vegetable congee, steamed dumplings, rice noodle rolls, and cha su bao with jasmine tea as the main drink. Portions were carefully rationed as they knew that food would eventually be scarce.

By then, Chun Li, Lei, and Yang had told their stories to Kung Lao and Bo' Rai Cho, from their time at The Blood Tournament to what happened to them at the invasion. The only thing that was withheld was about Yun as Yang felt that he wasn't quite ready to discuss his missing brother just yet.

"You seem like strong warriors yourself," said Lei as he looked over at Kung Lao and Bo' Rai Cho. "Have either of you received an invitation to the tournament?"

"We both have," replied Bo' Rai Cho. "For me, I personally chose not to go and remained here to further train the monks."

"I was going to go," said Kung Lao. "But Raiden had asked me to stay behind."

Chun Li looked at him with interest. "Really?"

"Why were you asked to stay?" asked Lei.

Kung Lao replied. "He needed someone to keep an eye on Earth. I had helped him during the first Earth invasion, and he felt that I was one of his stronger warriors. He also trusted me."

"Sounds like it was an important job," said Yang.

"It was, and I was honored to take the request." Kung Lao began to frown a little. "However, sometimes I can't help but think whether or not he did it for my own good."

"What do you mean?" asked Li Mei.

Kung Lao sighed a little. "Once in a while, I find myself wondering if… perhaps he had me stay for my own good. You know of my friend Liu Kang's death nearly a year go. But I never told you how he died."

"I remember reading a newspaper article about it," Lei mentioned. "But it didn't really detail much, only that he was the Mortal Kombat champion who fought to protect Earth."

"That was because the temple didn't want any publicity over it," Kung Lao mentioned.

"We understand," Chun Li nodded.

"So how did Liu die?" asked Yang.

Kung Lao sighed again, and he found himself looking down at the ground. "He was murdered. Right on the lei tai of the training grounds. He had been training there alone that afternoon. I ended up finding him there myself… his neck was broken. That evening, one of the monks came to me. It turned out he witnessed Liu's death, and he was able to get a good look at his killer's face." He gazed back up at his allies. "It was Shang Tsung."

With the exception of Bo' Rai Cho, the others stared at him, horrified by what they had just learned.

Li Mei found one of her fists clutching just by hearing his name alone. "That bastard was responsible for the death of my people as well, and the death of my friend, Ibuki. He also kidnapped me and my friend Alex the morning after the end of the tournament. He had intended to add us to his harem." She slightly pushed her plate of food away, suddenly losing her appetite.

"He was responsible for many evil deeds," said Bo' Rai Cho. "I never personally had to deal with him myself, but from everything I've heard of him… I'm surprised he's lived as long as he has."

"You no longer have to worry about him," mentioned Lei, realizing that neither Kung Lao, Bo' Rai Cho, or even Li Mei knew of the sorcerer's fate. "He was killed during the battle in Outworld."

Li Mei found herself gasping. When she had been rescued, the last she heard before arriving on Earth was that Kenshi and another, Ermac, were on their way to rescue Alex and see to it that Shang Tsung was eliminated once and for all. Guile had helped her escape in the meantime. Until now, she had not heard what became of their mission.

"So he is dead," Li Mei finally said after she got over her shock. "For months, I've wondered what happened."

"Long story short," Chun Li said, turning to Li Mei. "Kenshi killed Shang Tsung, Alex was rescued unharmed, and they went through another portal back to Earth. Guile told me everything once we were all settled back."

Kung Lao seemed to relax a little. "I wish I had helped to see to Shang Tsung's death… but the fact that he will no longer harm anyone is what matters."

"Back to Raiden," said Chun Li. "I'm assuming he believed that your mind might be consumed with revenge during the tournament. But maybe that's not true. Maybe you were truly asked to stay because you are strong."

"You may be right, Chun Li," Kung Lao replied. "But still, I sometimes wonder."

"Try not to," said Lei. "It was seven months ago. Now we have another threat to worry about."

"He's right," agreed Bo' Rai Cho. "With this new threat, we must band together to put a stop to it."

The older man decided to change the subject, wanting to have a more light-hearted conversation. "Since you three will be with us for a while, I'd like to know what kind of fighting styles you know already."

"I've learned Chinese Kenpo most of my life," Chun Li mentioned. She smiled at Yang. "Trained by the best."

Yang find himself smiling as well, thinking about his grandfather. "He was the best."

"You two had the same teacher?" asked Kung Lao.

Yang nodded. "Master Gen… he's my grandfather."

"He was also a friend of my father's," Chun Li added. "Sadly, he passed away a few months ago… but we keep his memory alive by continuing with our training so that what he taught us will not be in vain."

She returned to the main subject. "I also know Tai Chi. It's something I started to do after I joined Interpol."

"You two will have to show me your techniques one of these days," Bo' Rai Cho suggested. He turned to Lei. "How about you?"

Lei's eyes seemed to gleam. "I'm pretty well known to have mastered the Five Form Kung Fu. I'm also trained in Zui Quan."

Bo' Rai Cho beamed at the last sentence. "So you know Drunken Fist as well?"

Lei noted how intrigued the older man was. "I assume you are also trained in Drunken Fist."

"Certainly! Of all the fight styles I've learned, it's my favorite. Perhaps we can spar in that style some day. I'd like to see how good you are."

"That sounds great. What other styles do you know?" Lei asked.

Bo' Rai Cho replied. "Besides Drunken Fist… I've also mastered Mi Zong, which I am teaching Li Mei. I also know Sumo, and-"

Lei tiled his head at that last one. "Sumo? You know sumo?"

Bo' Rai Cho shrugged. "It's a long story."

Li Mei got herself up from her seat. "I hope you guys don't mind, but I'm going to head to the training room for a little bit. With all this training talk, I suddenly have the desire to try to better perfect the kwan do weapon."

"Sounds like a good plan," said Yang.

The others bid her farewell before leaving the room. It didn't take long for Li Mei to reach the training area, deciding to head into one of the rooms rather than practicing outside as she normally did. All was quiet around her, at least for a moment…

Just as she reached the room she intended to practice in, a loud _boom!_ was heard from another room. The sound made her jump in surprise as she did not expecting to hear that.

 _What was that?_ she cried out in her mind.

That's when one of the doors in the hallway opened. Li Mei watched as Feng Wei stepped out of the room, stretching his arms out a little. He then turned his head to his left, soon spotting the young woman.

The two stared each other in silence for a few seconds before Li Mei managed to smile at him. "Good morning, Rong Yuan," she said cheerfully, saying the name he had told her.

Feng Wei only nodded to her before turning around to leave. Realizing that the loud noise had come from that general area, Li Mei decided to investigate. Upon peering into the room, she found herself coughing as some dust entered her throat.

Getting a look now, she noted the dust started to settle. In the middle of the room, the heavy sandbag that had hung on a chain was knocked down to the ground. It had broken in half, and the sand that was inside had pour out nearly everywhere.

Suddenly annoyed, Li Mei huffed as she placed her hands on her hips. "The least he could do was clean up!"

~~~

**Japan, Unknown Area**

A large room that had served as the main laboratory of Dr. Boskonovitch's facility had been quickly changed into a shelter and hospital area. Many of the members of the Manji Clan assisted those in need.

After attending a man's wounded leg, Yoshimitsu straightened himself up just as one of his clan members approached him. "You should take a break," he suggested. "You've been working for many hours."

As he said this, Yoshimitsu realized how tired he was. Ever since the clan began to care for those in need, he was worked almost endless to make sure that the citizens were taken care of.

"Just for a little while," Yoshimitsu replied. "Besides, I need to speak with the doctor."

The Manji clan leader began to head outside and towards Dr. Boskonovitch's office. He knocked lightly on the closed door once he reached it.

"Come in," the doctor's voice called out. Yoshimitsu entered the office before closing the door behind him.

"How is everything?" Dr. Boskonovitch asked.

"As good as we can try to make it for everyone," Yoshimitsu involved. "The invasion had left quite a devastation amongst everyone we are caring for. Many of them are wounded, but many of them, I fear, will be left with emotional scars for a while. We are trying to tend to their injuries, and we also trying to reunite families and loved ones as many of them ended up separated during the chaos."

Dr. Boskonovitch nodded. "As grim as this situation is, I'm glad the decision was made to use this facility as a shelter and hospital. I feel as though I am contributing to a great cause. But I can't thank you and your clan enough for helping. I don't know what I could've done without you all."

"It's part of what our clan is about," Yoshimitsu reminded him. "Helping those in need."

A frown came over the old man's face. "I do wonder one thing… do you think… the invasion will happen again? I mean, from what you told me about Outworld and everything…"

Yoshimitsu sighed. "I'll be honest with you, doctor. I believe it will happen again. Something tells me that they will return for whoever is left standing. I don't know when it will happen, but when it does, we will do all we can to put a stop to it."

The doctor took a deep breath. It was something he didn't want to hear, but at the same time, it was a possible fact he had to face. He was surprised himself that even he himself survived the first onslaught. Could he possible survive another round?

"I did have something in mind," Yoshimitsu continued. "Unfortunately, this plan may involve my departure from the facility."

Dr. Boskonovitch's eyes widened at the news. "You mean… you and your clan may leave?"

"No no," the clan leader quickly answered. "Just myself and a few selected members. I will have the rest of my clan remain here to help and protect you."

The doctor exhaled. "That's good to know." He smiled. "For a moment there, I thought you were going to abandon us."

"If we abandoned you," Yoshimitsu said. "We might as well turn our backs on the rest of humanity. I've known you for many years, doctor, and you're a good friend. I also trust my clan to protect you when I ask them, and they know how much I value our friendship."

"You're a good friend as well, Yoshimitsu." The doctor leaned back in his chair. "Now… what is this plan of yours?"

Yoshimitsu slowly paced himself around the small office. "Well, as you may have guessed, in this time of crisis, we will need all the help that we can get. In other realms, I have my clan united with as many military units as possible as we all share this common enemy. That's what I'll be planning for my clan to do."

"It sounds like a splendid idea," the doctor agreed. "The more power you have on your side, the better."

Yoshimitsu nodded. "Sometimes, though, I don't even know if it's enough. Many of my clan members have died or gone missing during their missions. Some of the realms I had sent them to have already merged with Outworld. Even so, we have to push on, because it's all we can do to hold them off for as long as possible."

"I have a way to help you then," the doctor began. "I have a friend who is a high ranking soldier in the Japanese military. If I can try to send him a message, I'll let him know that you're coming to form an alliance. This way, he can expect your arrival."

"I appreciate that. Actually, in that case, I'll let you know my leading member and send some of them to him."

Dr. Boskonovitch raised an eyebrow. "You won't be going?"

"I'll be going, but not to meet with a high-ranking soldier," Yoshimitsu answered. "This was the main thing that was on my mind."

He stopped pacing, giving his full attention to the old man. "There's a young man who lives here in Japan. He's a very powerful fighter, and, well… he made it very far in the tournament. If I could find him, I believe he will benefit greatly to our cause."

" _If_ he's willing to help," the doctor added.

"I believe he will. I don't think he's the kind who would stand idly by and watch this crisis take over this planet."

"Who is he?"

"I prefer to leave him anonymous, for his sake. But trust me on this. I've watched him fight… he's able to hold his own very well."

"I'll trust you on this. When will you be leaving?"

"As soon as I get everything arranged with my clan. Possibly in a couple of days."

Yoshimitsu began to turn around to leave the office. He turned back to Dr. Boskonovitch as he placed his left hand over the handle of the door.

"Do not worry… no matter how long it takes, my clan and I will see to it that we win this fight." With that, Yoshimitsu opened the door, stepping outside before gently closing the door behind him.

The only reason he had kept the young man's name anonymous was because Yoshimitsu was aware of Dr. Boskonovitch's history with the Mishimas. He once worked for Heihachi before turning his back on him to aid Yoshimitsu when he received an injury. After that, he was kidnapped by Heihachi's son, Kazuya, and was forced to create projects for him, including making animals as bio weapons. He had almost been executed when Kazuya deemed him 'useless,' but Yoshimitsu had rescued him right on time.

With those events in mind, Yoshimitsu was aware that the doctor did not trust the Mishimas, that was understandable. However, he knew that the old man would try to stop him if he even mentioned the name of the person he desired to seek out.

That man was Heihachi's grandson and Kazuya's son - Jin Kazama.

~~~

**London, England**

"… to get yourself fully in the upright stance position, you need to stand with your legs apart, preferably in the same line as your shoulders. Keep your feet paralleled and keep your heel up with your back foot…"

In the training room, Steve Fox was showing some of the survivors the ways of boxing. It was an assignment given to him by the General of MI-6 thanks to Cammy's insistence. The General had agreed that Steve could help to teach willing civilians how to fight, especially in case the invasion happens once more.

Still, to keep him safe just in case, a couple of MI-6 soldiers were assignment to keep guard in order to protect him from any possible attacks from a mafia member, if they were present in the facility. During this particular training, both Lita and Juni stood on guard, both of them armed and ready.

The session lasted for an hour before Steve decided to call it a day. Once the civilians left the room, Lita and Juni decided to take the opportunity to enter the room. They both walked over to Steve, who had just finished taking off his boxing gloves. He sat down on a bench, wrapping a towel around his bare shoulders before taking a bottled water into his hand.

"How did the training go?" asked Lita.

Steve smiled. "I couldn't ask for anything better. I'm just happy to be doing something for once, rather than being confined to a small room."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," said Juni as she brushed a strand of strawberry blond hair off her brow. "I can't imagine it."

Steve shrugged. "Well, at least I understand why, but a bloke like me has to breathe once in a while."

He took a sip of water before standing up. "You know, Juni, I barely know you. All I know about you is that you're friends with Cammy, you've trained under Lita, and you have a nice German accent."

Juni smiled. "Thank you. But to be honest, if you want to know my life story…" Her smile suddenly faded. "It's… quite complicated."

"Juni, why don't you head over to the hospital area to see to the patients," Lita quickly suggested. "I'm sure Cammy will need some assistance."

The younger woman nodded. "Sure." She smiled again. "Besides, I want to see the progress of some of the patients I've been attending to."

With that in mind, Juni took her leave. After the door closed behind her, Lita immediately turned to Steve. "Sadly, she wasn't pulling your leg when she said her life was complicated to explain."

Steve looked at Lita with interest. "Oh?"

She sighed. "I won't go into details, but the last few years of her life were… pretty rough on her to say the least. She actually came to England from Germany to start new things for herself."

Steve frowned. "I'm sorry. If I had known, I wouldn't have said anything."

Lita patted him on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it, mate. That's the thing, you didn't know, but at least you do now." She briefly looked around the room before an idea came to her. "Say, do you want to spar for a little while? I haven't really been doing any training for the past few days and could use it."

"Normally, I'd say yes," Steve answered. "But right now, I'm a little tired. Perhaps some other time."

Lita found herself a little disappointed by his decline. Even so, she managed to keep herself cheerful. "Well in the case, what do you plan to do after this?"

The young man shrugged. "I'm not quite sure. I am a little hungry, but I can wait a couple of more hours."

"Well… I have some crackers in my sleeping quarters if you feel you can't wait any longer."

Steve had to smile at that. "Thanks for the offer."

"My pleasure. I'll tell you one thing, it sure beats eating nothing but berries and fish for days on end."

"When did you have to do that?"

"During that tournament in Outworld. Of course, they did have a dining quarter, but I didn't care for the food there. I ended up having to choose the lesser of two evils."

Steve suddenly became curious as she mentioned The Blood Tournament. "I know the results of the tournament were grim, but in a way, I wish I was there."

"Why weren't you?" Lita asked.

"My schedule in the boxing world conflicted with the time the tournament took place. I received an invitation, but my manager advised against it as he felt that, if I went, it would be the end of my career."

Steve leaned back against the wall, an exhale escaping him. "In a way, I think I should've, now that I think about it… over the summer, while everyone went to the tournament, I got mixed up with the mafia… they wanted me to throw a fight, but I refused. And when I won, I knew that they put a price on my head even before I left the ring. I think… if I had gone to this tournament, maybe none of it wouldn't have happened."

"Suddenly, it makes me wonder which is worse to do," said Lita.

Steve shrugged. "Well, it happened and now I have to deal with it. But I will say…" He smiled. "I wouldn't have met you and Cammy if it hadn't happened."

"And we're happy to protect one of the best boxers of our country."

The young man chuckled. "I don't think I'm the best, but I'm definitely one of the better ones out there. I don't have an undefeated streak for nothing."

"Hmph… looks like I fed your ego a little bit."

Still with a smile on his face, Steve narrowed his eyes at her. "Thanks a lot. Any who, I was wondering…"

"Yes?"

"Besides the chaos at the end, what else happened at the tournament?"

"Do you mean the serious stuff, or the interesting stuff?" Lita asked.

"Hmm… the interesting stuff."

Lita laughed a little as she walked over to sit down next to him on the bench. "Well… for me, it was hard lines… I lost the tournament in the first round.

"That's a shame."

"Yeah… but Cammy, she went two rounds further. In round three, she ended up losing to some bloke named Kilik."

"Who won the tournament?"

"Some woman from another realm. As a matter of fact, the one who lost to her… well, he was a nice, Japanese bloke, very quiet. Any way, you probably already know this from her, but he and Cammy were… well, for a while there, it seemed very romantic from my point of view."

Steve raised an eyebrow at that. "Really? Cammy never mentioned this."

Lita suddenly blushed. "Um… wow, I honestly thought she would have told you… this is embarrassing…"

"Don't be," Steve said. "If it makes you feel better, I won't say anything until Cammy says something."

"I'd appreciate that," Lita sighed, feeling relieved.

"I want to know one thing though… how did it end?"

Lita frowned a little. "Well, it was about a few days after we came back to England. We think something happened to him during the tournament, but he never talked about it. One night, he just up and left, only telling Cammy in a note that they can't see each other any more. No explanation or anything. With that on top of losing our teammates and witnessing chaos, poor Cammy was a mess. But thankfully, she has a very good support system and she was able to come through okay."

As Lita mentioned this, she noted the blank look on Steve's face. She wasn't sure what he was thinking about this point upon this revelation.

Lita placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Even Cammy doubts she'll ever see him again. And even if they do, I don't think the relationship can be rekindled, not after the way he left her."

Steven nodded to her. "I'm sure you're right."

~~~

_Jade found herself running fast through a thick forest. The trees that surrounded her were tall and wide, indicating that they were centuries old. She found herself jumping over many rocks and fallen branches to avoid tripping over them. The only sound that was heard were her feet hitting the ground with each step and the quick pace of her breath._

_Something in her mind told her to keep running, but the question was, why? But for some reason, it was important to her. What was waiting for her at the end of the trail?_

_Jade swore that some of the trees had faces, staring at her with their hollowed eyes. But she knew that she wasn't in the infamous living forest of Outworld, where she had gone on many assassin missions in the past as a servant of Shao Kahn._

_Then, she suddenly stopped as two figures stood a few yards away. At first, they had their backs turned to her. One wore a blue attire, her long, dark hair falling just to her knees and tied back in a braid. The other wore purple, her equally long hair mostly white with a thick, black streak going down the middle._

_Even before they turned around to look at her, Jade knew who they were. She smiled, and they too smiled back at her._

_"_ _Kitana… Sindel…" she said in between breaths. She started to walk towards them. "At last, I found you."_

_Jade barely took three steps before a pair of branches suddenly wrapped themselves around Kitana and Sindel's waists. Their eyes widened, the only reaction they were able to muster before they were quickly pulled away. Jade could only watch in horror as the mouths of the trees devoured them._

_"_ _NOOO!"_

**Edenia**

With a deep gasp, Jade shot up from her bed, her green eyes widen opened. She quickly looked at her surroundings, soon realizing that she was back in her tent. She felt the beads of sweat on her forehead as she found herself catching her breath.

She took a moment to relax herself before laying back down on the bed. She closed her eyes, rubbing them with the tip of her fingers. "It was just a dream," she whispered to herself. "It was only a dream…"

Jade was relieved by that fact. The dream did feel real to her after all. She had even felt out of breath after her run.

 _Even if it was a dream_ _,_ the Edenian began to think. _I still want to know the truth… what has become of Kitana and Sindel?_

There were quite a few scenarios that she could think of. Perhaps they were enslaved to work under the Outworld Forces. Perhaps they were prisoners in a cell, seeing barely a soul. Perhaps one of them, or both, were brainwashed to serve under Shao Kahn once more…

She couldn't bring herself to think of the worse case scenario…

Jade knew that the sun would rise soon and that she would be called to duty once more to protect what was left of Edenia. _It would only be a matter of time before the Outworld Forces arrive. Whether they will succeed or now, I am not sure…_

Until then, all she could do was prepare herself…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

In her own sleeping quarters, Donna Ridditch sat down in front of a mirror, applying some black lipstick over her lips. She hummed to herself a little, the only sound in the room aside from the rain that was hitting against the window. The rain was just like the one on Earth, which the young woman was glad about since she loved the sound of rain, especially at night.

It's been a few days since she and the rest of the Red Dragon clan arrived at the fortress under the guidance of the sorcerer, Quan Chi. She didn't admit it even to Hsu Hao, but she had been a little nervous about going to Outworld. After all, it was her first time traveling outside of Earth.

Now that she was here, however, Donna was feeling okay.

Just as she put the cap back on the lipstick tube, the door to her room opened. She saw Hsu Hao through the mirror as he entered the room and shut the door behind him.

"Anything new going on?" Donna asked curiously.

"Not at the moment," Hsu Hao replied. "The Red Dragon is still on standby. However, there is talk going around."

Donna stood up from her chair before turning to face him. "What kind of talk?"

Hsu Hao took off his green military hat before hanging it up on the hanger against the wall, placing it next to Donna's matching black hat. He briefly thought of their hats… Hsu Hao had worn his for as long as he could remember. Even though some of the other clan members thought his hat was 'stupid-looking,' despite its military origin, he still continued to wear it, not caring what anyone thought. Even before their relationship, Donna admired him so much that she opted to get a hat like his.

"There's talk about returning to Earth to invade again," Hsu Hao continued. "But it most likely won't happen until other things are taken care of in other realms."

"I see," Donna said. She let out a small sigh. "You know, I have to admit something… I've been a little bored since we got here. All we do for the Emperor is stand guard wherever he asks us. Then again… it's better than being on Earth at this point in time, invasion and all."

"There's something else you should know as well," Hsu Hao continued. He placed a hand on Donna's shoulder, knowing that she wasn't going to like this particular news. "Mavado had an interesting chat with one of Ivy's bodyguards recently. She informed him that the Black Dragon have been revived. Turns out we missed out on a former member during our hunt."

A sudden pain hit Donna, and she brought her hand up to her left temple to massage it. It was a kind of headache she had not felt since the Red Dragon had eliminated all the members of the Black Dragon… or so they thought.

Her head began to hurt more, and soon she found herself embracing Hsu Hao, not minding the cold feel of his cybernetic heart. Hsu Hao replied by placing one arm around her slender waist and the other on her head, specifically placing his fingers over the scar that was hidden under her bangs.

He knew the story well. Over six years ago, Donna had been kidnapped by the lowest ranking members of the clan. They had unknowingly taken the daughter of a high-ranking Red Dragon, intending on enslaving her for their own use. From what Hsu Hao heard, Donna had been beaten, but in desperation, she escaped by jumping through a window, apparently choosing death over a more worse fate.

Her brain had been damaged in the fall, but the Red Dragon used their own technology to not only heal the damage, but to also add a chip, with her permission, to use to collect date during her missions. Her single red eye was the only indication that something was different about her.

Whenever the Black Dragon was mentioned, Donna was plagued with migraines. It was as though her mind was struggling to push back the horrid memory.

Hsu Hao and Donna's embrace lasted a few moments before the Mongolian man looked down at her. "Try not to think of them. Know that, when the time comes, they will be eliminated just as easily as last time."

She tightened her grip on him, but Donna still managed a smile.

~~~

**Arctika, Himalayan Mountains**

After a few days of traveling, the Netherrealm wraith, Noob Saibot, finally laid eyes on what was heavily believed to be the Lin Kuei temple. A tall structure surrounded by an icy lake, Noob was very sure this was the place he was looking for.

He turned his attention to the other demons. "Go. And if you find any corpses… you know what to do."

The demons heeded his orders and began their work. In the meantime, Noob began heading straight towards the main entrance of the temple. He held his scythe in front of him, highly expecting to be attacked at any given moment.

Upon entering the main room, however, the wraith found himself a bit surprised that he got in so easily. Quickly, he realized that, most likely, everyone here was killed, captured, or had left under their own free will.

A sadistic thought came to him. _There's a chance that Sub-Zero didn't survive… perhaps this will be an opportunity to have him… join me._

For a while after that thought, Noob searched almost all of the temple, noticing the significant damage the invasion had left behind. Any corpse he ran into were immediately changed into wraiths, forever to serve under him and the Brotherhood of Shadow.

Soon, he found himself in a room that looked like a laboratory. At first, Noob wasn't sure what kind of room this was for. Then, he spotted a green, female cyborg in the middle of the room.

Noob immediately recognized her. _Matrik._

The Brotherhood leader approached the table she laid on, noting right away that she was in sleep mode. How she came to be like this was none of his concern, though he had a feeling that she may have been like this since the end of The Blood Tournament. That was just a guess.

He only knew two things about Matrik. She once served under his former ally, Sektor, in his Tekunin clan. She somehow had freed herself from his control and escaped. The other thing he knew of her was that she allied with Sub-Zero. The latter alone immediately earned his wrath.

There was a split moment where he wondered if he should have her join him, but he immediately changed his mind. He once had the other cyborg, Smoke, on his mind, but to him, he was a failure. If that was the case, then he shouldn't expect much from Matrik.

Noob began to rise the scythe above his head. "I had hoped that my new weapon would taste my brother's blood first… but I guess it wasn't meant to be."

Before he could do anything, another member of his clan entered the room. "My lord. I'm afraid there's something wrong with the corpses. They're not following our orders."

Noob was annoyed at the interruption, but he realized that this was more important, just in case something went more wrong. He eased his stance. "Take me to them."

The servant lead Noob to the main room. He narrowed his eyes in more annoyance, seeing that the corpses were like zombies. Raising a hand, a surge of power emerged from him, seeping into the corpses. Their eyes all began to glow blue, and they slowly straightened themselves up. They noted Noob's presence and immediately bowed to him.

"Rise!" he demanded. They immediately stood up. "I'll have to see more to this problem later. What of Sub-Zero?"

"He's not here," the same servant who retrieved him replied.

"I should've known," Noob growled. "Well… I guess we will have to search for him. I doubt he's gone very far."

With that, Noob began to leave the temple along with the rest of the Brotherhood. The fact that he had intended to kill Matrik had left his mind.

Long after the Brotherhood's departure, within the laboratory of the Lin Kuei clan, the cyborg named Matrik began to awake for the first time in six months, the eyes on her helmet a blood red color…


	25. Chapter Twenty-Four

**Outworld, Former Tournament Grounds**

After what seemed like a very long flight, the transporter known as the Dragonfly finally landed at a port. Ermac and Siegfried immediately got off, stepping onto solid ground. They found themselves on top of a small hill. Upon peering towards the bottom, Siegfried realized that he was staring down at the place that once served as the host of The Blood Tournament…

The first thing he immediately noticed was the large pile of rubble, remembering the building that was once called The Palace. It was the place where the warriors of the tournament would rest during the night and where they would eat their meals when they weren't participating.

It was the second time since it's destruction that Siegfried had seen this place, and he almost forgot about the amount of devastation left behind. Most disturbing of all was the countless corpses that still laid where they died over six months ago. Many of them have already reached the most advanced stages of decomposition, and Siegfried knew that the environment would eventually cause their remains to disintegrate, leaving nothing behind.

Siegfried could only imagine what had transpired here that faithful morning. He had blacked out the night before, not knowing anything about this for a long while. When he stumbled here, he had thought that _he_ was responsible for what happened, knowing that every time he had blacked out, destruction and death was left behind.

But the blackouts no longer happened, and Siegfried highly believed that he was free from Soul Edge's curse that held on to him for so long.

The Keisei native then happened to turn to his left, noting an interesting structure. He noticed a circled-like structure amongst what looked to be multiple ones, but all of them were mostly destroyed.

"What's this?" he asked Ermac after some silence.

Ermac seemed to study the broken structure before replying. "They're portals. Each one lead to their own realm."

Siegfried particularly stared at the one structure that was still intact. "Is there any way we can activate it?"

The enigma looked around for a moment to find the podium that controlled the portals. It was completely pulverized.

"Even if we could," he replied. "We need an assistance of a God to activate them. These kinds of portals are only controlled by the Gods." He looked up towards the bright purple sky. "It seems as though they were destroyed during the battle."

"What do we do from here?" Siegfried asked.

"If it's still active, there's another portal about over an hour's walk from here," Ermac mentioned. "It's near the palace that belonged to Shang Tsung."

Ermac began to walk forward down the hill with Siegfried following right behind him. "He had his own palace?" Siegfried asked curiously. He couldn't imagine one of Shao Kahn's minions having their own place.

"The sorcerer was the Emperor's most valuable ally," Ermac explained. "Unlike the others, he had been given more privileges, especially with his involvement in the Mortal Kombat tournaments. That's another story we'll explain another day. The palace was nothing more than a place for him to keep his harem as far as we knew."

"What happened to his harem after he was… taken care of?" Siegfried asked.

"We tried to help them the best we could," Ermac replied. "Unfortunately, we weren't able to save all of them. Many of them were captured hundreds of years ago with their youth retained by the gems which controlled their free will. Some had taken their own lives, believing that there was nothing left for them. Since this had happened before Shao Kahn emerged, we were able to send some of them back to their respective realm, where they can start their lives anew. Once we were done, we destroyed the palace. After that task was completed, we found ourselves in Lei Chen and, until now, have been there ever since.

"As you know, we desire to atone for our sins for serving under the Emperor, and helping those women was our first task. We will continue to atone, perhaps for the remainder of our existence."

A thought came to Ermac as they reached the bottom of the hill, walking around the rubble of what was once The Palace. "You mentioned attending this tournament. What was your experience during that time?"

Siegfried let out a quiet sigh. "If you mean the important things… I'm not even sure myself. I managed to make it to the seventh round, the last one before the final, but I lost to someone named Jin."

"We assume that he was the one who faced Ivy in the end," Ermac reminded him. "We were in hiding at the time, but in Lei Chen, we were told the entire story of that afternoon."

"I couldn't tell you what transpired," Siegfried mentioned. "I was… dealing with my curse."

"How did you become cursed?" Ermac asked.

The young man took another sigh before making the decision to tell the enigma his story…

"It all started because I had gone insane," Siegfried began, deciding not to tell Ermac the most painful part of the story that included his father's death by his own hands. "This… event… which I was the cause of… I found myself wanting to blame it on something else, and that ended up being Soul Edge. It's an infamous weapon in Keisei, sought out by many warriors, and I would end up being one of them. I was just an adolescent then.

"I went to a castle in my country called Ostrheinsburg because I heard a rumor that the nobleman who resided there had possession of Soul Edge. I served with his knights, reaching ranks faster than any other who served him. One night, there was a riot, and I seized the opportunity to take the nobleman down, which I did, and took his sword… but it turned out to be false information…. I killed the man for nothing.

"So for many weeks after that, I continued my search for the sword. The more time passed, the more insane I became. I couldn't possibly explain how it made me like this…

"Finally, I found myself near a beach. I found the sword laying next to a corpse of a pirate. I went to reach for it, but the corpse suddenly burst into flames and attacked me, and I soon fought against this demon… from what I gathered later, he was rumored to be called Inferno. It was a long battle, but I managed to defeat it, and my own sword was shattered during the final blow. In the end, only myself and the blade remained.

"The moment I took that sword into my hand, an energy emerged from me, soon shooting into the sky and spreading itself amongst my realm. It's energy had caused death and destruction upon many places, and to this day, The Evil Seed is considered one of the most deadly events in Keisei's history.

"I heard the sword's voice… it wanted to make a deal with me. I would help in restoring it's power in exchange for undoing the… event that I caused. Instead, the power consumed me, and eventually, those who faced me called me The Azure Knight, or… Nightmare.

"There's… much more to the story, but I prefer to stop there. But let's just say, during my deal with Soul Edge, I became aware of it's evil nature, and I've now fully accepted the event which lead me to that path."

"How long ago did that first event take place?" Ermac asked him once he knew that Siegfried finished his story.

Siegfried seemed to give this a thought before answering. "I was sixteen when this all began, naïve and arrogant. I'm twenty-three now. It's hard to believe it's been over seven years since it all began."

He turned to Ermac. "You had mentioned about Shao Kahn facing two demons at the end of the tournament."

Ermac nodded. "We're unsure of what became of them, however."

"I… I think with that curse of mine, one of those demons was me. Ever since I came to Lei Chen, I realized that those blackouts I've had whenever Nightmare awakened… I've yet to have one. It was said that Shao Kahn obtained new found power after facing those two demons. If that's the case… then he has Soul Edge in his possession. Whether it's controlling him or not is the question, but from the way things sound right now, it seems like the Emperor has control. I don't know how he could do it if that's the case."

"He always had hidden a few surprises up his sleeve," Ermac mentioned. "Barely any of his own minions knew of his reason to have the tournament up until the end of the final round.

"Let's move on," Ermac continued. "We must continue our hunt for the portals in order to help the civilians of Lei Chen. That's the most important thing right now."

Siegfried nodded in reply, knowing that he was right. However, he now found himself a bit unsettled, especially with the thought of where the essence of Soul Edge most likely ended up… and there was also the memory of holding the head of his dead father after killing him…

~~~

_Over a year ago…_

_Cammy looked up in anger as the large black military plane disappeared within the fog up in the evening sky. Just moments ago, she found herself thrown off the plane. She thought her life was about to end, but the heavy blanket of snow below had softened the fall._

_Despite her body feeling stunned from the fall, she felt anger more than anything. Cammy had attempted to save her 'sisters,' also know as the twelve dolls who served as Bison's bodyguards… just like she once was…_

_When Cammy was thrown out of the plane, she was pushed out along with the stretcher that held one of the dolls, Juni. The stretcher was on it's side, buried partially in the snow with Juni still barely alive…_

_Still, to know that the other eleven dolls were about to be used as guinea pigs, more than likely to die once they were through with… it made Cammy's blood boil to no end._

_The person who pushed her out… she would never forget her… that maniacal laugh and that glowing left eye…_

_"_ _I'll never forgive you," Cammy whispered. "I swear."_

**London, England**

"Hello? Earth to Cammy!" Lita called out as she waved a hand in front of her comrade's face. Then, seeing that Cammy was still daydreaming, Lita lightly tapped the side of her face.

Cammy blinked a few times upon feeling that, and she immediately turned to Lita. Lita stared at her oddly. "What happened? One minute, we were reviewing our files, then you suddenly went into a trance."

Cammy looked down at the files in front of her on the table, which she knew were records of those sheltered here in the MI-6 headquarters. She had been finished with reading through them a while ago.

Cammy raised an eyebrow at Lita. "I was waiting for you to be finished."

"Juni and I have been finished for the last two minutes," Lita mentioned. "We thought you were still reading, but then we realized you were just staring into space."

Cammy turned to Juni, who chuckled a little at Lita's remark. Cammy had to smile at that, knowing that Juni rarely laughed like that. She had mostly been reserved ever since she was rescued from Shadaloo's clutches.

After the fall, they were both later picked up by Wagner with his air force jet. He had stayed behind during this particular operation, only being called upon by Guile, who had received a minor injury not long before, to pick them up. They returned to the closest air force base, where Juni was taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital. Juni was in the hospital for two months after that event.

"Sadly," Lita began to say, becoming serious. "Mr. Calton passed away from his injuries this morning. I think it was more from a broken heart, knowing that his wife of fifty years died during the invasion."

Juni sighed. "Poor Mr. Calton. He was such a sweet, old man."

Lita nodded. "And once again, we have to move on. The best we can do for him now is to make sure he receives the proper burial he deserves."

"There's something else I should mention too," Cammy said. "I was talking to the General, and they are already making plans in case Outworld invades again."

"It hasn't even been a week yet," said Lita, shaking her head a little.

"I guess it's better to prepare now than later," mentioned Juni.

"She's right," Cammy agreed. "The higher ups of MI-6 want to be more prepared. They felt that preparations weren't enough a few days ago."

"So then-" Lita began, but she was cut off at the sound of the room's door opening.

The three women looked up, and were quickly surprised to see who had just walked in - Nina Williams. The Irish woman had begun getting out of bed more often since yesterday, though her arm was still in a sling, receiving a wrist injury during the invasion.

It was Cammy who decided to speak first. "How's the wrist?"

Nina shrugged. "Don't know… I haven't tried to take the cast off yet."

"What brings you here?" asked Lita.

Nina leaned herself back against the door. "Well, your General told me you were here. I assume he knew of our… association since he was too willing to share that information." She smirked. "Though I would've found out for myself anyway."

"For security reasons, I told him you had attended the Blood Tournament with us," Cammy mentioned. "That way, he knew that we knew you. I also told him, once you recover from your injury, that you could assist us."

Nina's smirk faded. "What makes you think I want to help?"

"Because something tells me you want to survive this chaos just as much as the rest of us. I don't expect you to admit anything, but since Lita and I know that you were one of Raiden and Rose's chosen ones-"

"I'd rather _not_ discuss those times again," Nina warned with a small growl.

Cammy and Lita stared at each other for a moment, a bit baffled by Nina's response. Apparently, for whatever reason, Nina resented the idea that she had been one of the chosen ones during the tournament.

Deciding to move on, Cammy continued. "Well, you don't _have_ to help, but MI-6 has a goal to help out the survivors as best as possible in preparation for another invasion. You and I both know that Outworld will come back for us."

 _In a way, I hope they do_ _,_ Nina found herself thinking. _Then I can finally get my hands on that sister of mine…_

"What do you want me to do?" Nina finally asked.

"Just share whatever combat knowledge you're willing to share to the civilians."

Nina thought about this for a moment. "Well, I'm not willing to share my fighting style… but I guess I can show them how to use different guns. Besides, it'll ease my boredom for a little while."

"That sounds good," Lita said, ignoring Nina's last sentence. "We'll let the General know about it, and we'll have you ready once your wrist recovers."

That's when the door opened again. Since Nina was still leaning against it, she found herself pushed forward a bit, and she quickly caught herself before falling. She whirled around to see who dared push her, only to see Steve Fox coming in.

Steve realized she had hit someone with the door and saw the Irish woman standing there. "Um… sorry about that, I didn't see you there," he said sheepishly. Nina only folded her arms and stared in reply.

"So Cammy," Steve began. "Are you ready to get lunch?"

"I'll be ready in a minute," Cammy replied. "But I must warn you, 'lunch' is probably going to be a ready-to-eat meal. Food is starting to get a little scarce and we're trying to save them for the civilians."

Steve sighed a little. "Hopefully, it tastes okay."

During that conversation, no one had noticed Nina slipping out the door, who decided not to stick around any longer. Thinking of Steve, she had not forgotten about her assignment to assassinate him. Even though she was aware that she wouldn't get her money for his death right away, Nina knew that, when the right time came, she would… take care of him…

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

Sitting around the campfire, the group consisting of Cyrax, Ken, Paul, Marshall, Wagner, Juli, Kenshi, Alex, Julia, Jane, and Amy were eating ready-to-eat meals for lunch. Sagat was stationed outside the fort, keeping guard in case any intruders tried to come closer to their hideout.

"This stuff is disgusting…" Paul grumbled as he forced himself to eat his meal. He turned his attention to Marshall. "Of all the things you did this morning, you just HAD to drop _all_ the eggs on the floor…"

"It wasn't my fault you left a wet rag on the floor for me to slip on!" Marshall cried out.

Paul pointed a tiny plastic spoon at his friend's face. "You make it sound like I did it on purpose!"

"Settle down you two," cut in Julia. "The last thing we want is to argue during lunch, even if it isn't exactly a gourmet meal."

Marshall sighed. "You're right."

Cyrax decided to cut in. "Since we're all together…" He pressed a button on his arm, activating a program within his technology. "Wagner worked out all of our guard duty schedule. I know Sagat is on duty right now, but as soon as 2pm hits…" He turned to Paul. "Phoenix, you're shift begins from 2pm to 4pm."

"For real?" Paul asked. "At least I don't get the graveyard shift. Plus I get to sleep in late."

"Any way," Cyrax continued. "Marshall, your shift is after Paul's from 4pm to 6pm. For everyone, I recommend relieving the person before you from their duty at least a couple of minutes early."

"Sounds good," agreed Juli.

"Alex, your shift is from 6pm to 8pm. Sagat will have his shift from 8pm to 10pm. Kenshi and I have volunteered to cover the entire night shift. I'll be covering from 10pm to 2am. Kenshi will cover from 2am to 6am. Juli will cover from 6am to 8am. Wagner will follow from 8am to 10am. Ken, you cover from 10am to 12pm. And Julia, you guard from 12pm to 2pm."

"Sounds good," said Julia.

"If others show up later on, like Cody for example," began Wagner. "There will be slight changes to the schedule and those affected will be notified."

"Any questions?" asked Cyrax. There was a brief silence before he spoke again. "Good."

Julia began to speak. "While we're all together, I have a suggestion to make."

"What would that be?" asked Alex.

"I think hunting is in order. Since I noticed a couple of you aren't fond of ready-to-eat meals…" She stared at Paul as she said that. "I think it's one of our best options."

"Aren't animals in hibernation around this time?" asked Juli.

"Not all of them," Julia replied. "Tree squirrels don't hibernate, and my previous research tells me they're plenty around here."

"Fun…" Wagner sighed, not looking forward to eating squirrels.

"There's deer too, though during the winter, they'll stay closer to their home. There's also ducks as well."

"That sounds better," said Marshall. "Too bad we don't have the ingredients to make Peking duck. I could go for one right now."

"Suddenly, that sounds good right now," said Paul.

"I could eat a whole Buffalo myself," mentioned Julia.

"Just give me a nice, big, juicy cheeseburger and I'll be happy," said Wagner.

"With French fries!" quipped Amy.

"And a chocolate milkshake," added Jane.

Ken spoke up for the first time since lunch began. "I wouldn't mind some Thai food myself, especially _khao man kai_. Heck, I could eat some umeboshi… and I _hate_ umeboshi!"

"I just want something hot and spicy, or at least something drenched in sriracha," mentioned Alex. "Just anything to help keep the chill off."

Kenshi slightly shook his head after hearing this. "You all act like you haven't eaten that stuff in ages. We haven't even been here a week yet."

"That's because we realized it's going to be a long time before we're going to taste them again," replied Marshall.

"I'm sure there's something you like that you know you won't have for a while," mentioned Paul.

There was a few beats of silence before Kenshi sighed in reply. "Well… I haven't actually had this since I left Japan… we call it _unagi_."

Wagner stared at him with a horrified look, realizing what he meant. "Of all the things to crave for, you want eel?!"

"Oh, it's not _that_ bad," said Julia. "It actually tastes like chicken, only really tender."

"I heard snake tastes like chicken too," mentioned Alex.

"That's true," Julia nodded. She turned her attention back to everyone else. "One other thing about hunting. If you guys are willing, I can teach you how to skin the animals, but if you're not comfortable with it, I can do it."

"Um… I think we'll let that be your job," said Jane.

Almost everyone else nodded in agreement. Julia sighed at this. "All right, if you all insist."

"Hey, I have a story for you all," Paul suddenly said. "It happened to Marshall and I on our way over here…"

As everyone's attention turned to Paul, Julia looked over to Ken, seeing that he was now keeping his focus on his meal. She gave him a little smile.

"How are you holding up?" she asked him.

Ken forced a small smile. "The best I can," he replied. "I've… been trying to keep myself busy with helping out and training. It's not easy…"

Unsure of how to reply, Julia gave him a soft pat on the shoulder. They then focused their attention on whatever Paul was talking about.

~~~

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

Moments ago, the Black Dragon clan had entered a small village, intending on spreading chaos as they usually did. Each villager received a pendant not meant to control them, but to make them realize the ways of chaos. The Black Dragon had succeeded once the last villager received the pendant. This was much to Havik's delight.

The followers stood before Havik, who stood in front of his clan, including Kabal, Tira, and Bryan. "My new followers… you have now embraced the ways of chaos! I am Havik, your cleric. You may wish to seek guidance from me, but do not expect any form of order and control. It is your new nature to spread the chaos through you home as well as the remainder of this realm you call Keisei. There are no codes, there are no contracts, and there will not be a single soul who will control your own free will. You may choose to follow me, you may choose not to, so long that you do not seek to control those who decide on their choices. I am not your master, but I may be considered your guardian or your adviser, nothing more…"

As Havik spoke, Bryan found himself not paying too much attention, not caring about the current situation. To ease his boredom, he searched the surrounding area, using his night vision to scan anyone who may come too close to the secluded village.

He did this for a few minutes before, to his slight surprise, he spotted two figures hiding within the trees. By the way they were squatting on the thick branches, he knew that they were spies.

Taking the opportunity to take care of them, Bryan sneaked away from the group and began to quietly head towards where the possible spies were. He made sure to be careful not to make any noise.

Soon, he was able to get closer to the tree where the spies where, thus getting a better look at them. He saw their outfits… and smirked menacingly.

_Manji Clan._

Slowly, Bryan unsheathed the katana that belonged to Yoshimitsu, realizing that this was his first chance to take down his clan members.

As the two spies continued to stare at the large group in the village, Bryan jumped up towards them from behind. Using the sword, he quickly cuts off the head of one of them, catching the other by surprise. Before Bryan had the chance to kill the second one, he rapidly gets out of the way, jumping back down to the ground. As Bryan landed a few feet away, the second clan member took out his own sword, ready to fight and avenge his fallen comrade.

The moment the clan member saw the sword Bryan held in his hand, he became horrified as he instantly recognized it.

"Master Yoshimitsu's sword…" he uttered. He angrily clutched the hilt of his own sword. "What have you done to Master Yoshimitsu?!" he demanded in rage.

Deciding to add more agony, Bryan laughed maniacally. "Do you really want to know?"

That was enough. In a battle cry, the Manji clan member jumped forward, ready for a fight. He swung down his blade, which Bryan immediately blocked with the katana. From there, the two swords clashed together with each movement, the sound of steel hitting steel being heard around them. Both fighters attempted to outsmart the other, but just as soon, their opponent would note this and would block the attempt.

Neither one of them was sure how long the fight lasted before they found themselves leaning their swords against the other in order to overcome the other. Bryan smirked as he noted his opponent's face was covered in a light bead of sweat.

"What's wrong?" Bryan asked him in a mocking tone. "Getting tired already?"

The Manji Clan fighter glared at him. "Even if I don't survive this fight, the rest of the clan will come after you! I swear it!"

"Save your breath!" Bryan suggested before giving him a powerful knee blow to the abdomen. The hit was hard enough to cause the clan member to keel over in pain, giving Bryan the opportunity to swing down the blade one last time, decapitating the clan member.

Once he was down, Bryan looked down at the sword, immediately noting it's glowing green color that surrounding the blade. It was almost as though it was satisfied with the killing.

 _Now if only it could be useful enough to get me back to Earth_ _,_ Bryan thought to himself. Deciding to return to where the Black Dragon was, he began heading back to the small village.

Unknown to him, however, another Manji clan member had witnessed most of what just transpired. It was bad enough that he had watched two of his comrades die at the hands of a maniac… but knowing that they were killed by their own leader's weapon was what truly horrified him.

He wondered what became of Yoshimitsu and how his comrades' killer obtained it. They had originally arrived here to spy on the Black Dragon clan. Seeing the direction the killer was heading towards, he realized that he, too, was a member.

_With Yoshimitsu's sword in their hands, the Black Dragon are more of a threat than ever…_

As much as he wanted to take care of things, he knew that warning his other clan members was much more important. Yoshimitsu would have wanted that.

Once the killer was out of sight, he jumped through the trees and began the three-hour long journey back to Chili-san.

~~~

**Outworld, Near Shang Tsung's Former Palace**

After over an hour of walking, Ermac realized that, any minute now, he and the Keisei native, Siegfried, would reach the portal that he knew would take them to Earth. Two questions still lingered in his mind at this point; was the portal still activated? And if it was, was it safe enough to enter Earth?

Ever since the two left the grounds that once hosted The Blood Tournament, it had been quiet between the two with Ermac mostly navigating their surroundings. As for Siegfried, ever since they ended their last conversation, he found himself preoccupied with his thoughts.

For the first time since he could remember, Siegfried thought of his father, who was a knight himself. The older man had taught his son everything he needed to know about swordsmanship, hoping that someday, much like himself, the young boy would protect his country.

As a young adolescent, Siegfried's father had bid his wife and son farewell as he was leaving for a crusade for an undetermined period of time. Without a father to guide him in the right path, Siegfried began to socialize with an edgy clan of kids around his age, soon becoming leader of their own clan they called _Schwarzwind_.

In a misguided act of national pride, the teens would kill any knights who broke away from the crusade. They would not only take their valuable possessions, but they felt that, by killing them, they would rid of those they felt were too cowardly for their country to live.

Then, one night, as a large cloud above covered a full, bright moon, they went after a small group of men, weary from a recent battle. They barely had the chance to retaliate as the young boys began attacking them, killing them when their chance came. It was like any other killing… or so Siegfried thought at the time…

_Seven Years Ago, Holy Roman Empire, Keisei…_

_"_ _Hey Siegfried!" one of his friends called out after the killing was finished. "Is that the commander you just decapitated?"_

_Brushing back his short, blonde hair with his fingers, Siegfried looked down at the figure he killed. The insignia on the man's arm indeed marked him as the commander of the crusade._

_"_ _Yeah…" Siegfried replied as he began to bend over to pick up the man's head by his hair. "What do you know…"_

_"_ _Man, for a commander, what a coward!" another friend of his called out as he began stealing some gold from another dead man's pockets. "You'd think he would have been a better role model. Oh well, I'd say good riddance."_

_As he spoke, there was a break in the clouds, and the full moon's light began to shine through. As the light shone on the severed head Siegfried held in his hands, his eyes soon widened at the pair of eyes that stared right back at him…_

_Eyes that belonged to his own father!_

_Immediately, Siegfried dropped the head and let out a loud, blood curdling scream that scared his friends out of their wits. They looked at him with confusion, and all of them dared not to move out of fear._

_Siegfried swore that something in his mind made him snap at that very moment. Seconds after dropping his father's head, he quickly turned his back on his clan and began running towards the nearby forest, his screams echoing into the night. It would be a long time before he would stop running…_

… Siegfried quickly shook the memory out of his head, feeling slightly sick from thinking about that night. Suddenly, he wished that he was back in Lei Chen. At least, when he was there, helping the citizens there kept his mind occupied from ugly memories.

Then, he got himself back to reality as Ermac quickly stopped in his tracks. Siegfried looked over at him. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing's wrong," Ermac replied as he pointed a finger towards a certain area. Siegfried followed where he was pointing, and he felt a bit of relief come over him as he spotted what looked like a portal, glowing a green color, indicating that it lead to Earth, about ten yards away from where they were standing.

"Now the question is whether or not Earth was invaded," Ermac mentioned. "Unfortunately, we can't just walk in and find out. Unless you knew what portals to look for on Earth, or are lucky enough to be a sorcerer or a deity, it's possibly that it would take a long time to get back to Outworld, and at this time of crisis, we can't risk that."

"I see," Siegfried said. "So, I assume we go back to Lei Chen and let them know."

"It's all we can do," Ermac replied. "Also, it's best that we briefly inspect it. We want to know how much energy it has to determine how much longer they will stay open. These are usually powered up by the sorcerers and deities and they usually last for months before they have to be reactivated."

The two began walking towards the structure. "I'm going to guess that this was Shang Tsung's own portal since it was close to his palace," Siegfried guessed.

"It's very likely," Ermac nodded in agreement.

The two allies soon reached the portal. Lifting up a single hand, Ermac used his own powers to determine the strength of the portal. It only took a moment before Ermac brought his hand down.

"There's enough power, but it won't last," Ermac replied. "We believe it will last at least another month."

"That's plenty of time if we get going," Siegfried said.

As they talked, unknown to them, two shadowed figures began to approach, both intending to depart for Earth. The bigger of the two immediately sensed a strong energy within one of them, realizing that they were perhaps powerful enough to stop him if given the chance. Deciding to… take care of it so that they wouldn't have the chance to challenge him, he began approaching the two.

It wasn't long before Ermac immediately sensed a presence from behind him. Siegfried noticed the perplexed look in the enigma's green eyes, and he realized that something wasn't right.

Before the Keisei native could say anything, Ermac quickly spoke, a hint of warning in his voice. "Behind you."

Siegfried rapidly whirled around, only to be quickly met with a glowing red hand to his throat. He stared up at the person, his eyes widened upon looking at a demon-like being. His empty eyes glowed a whitish-red color, and his white hair was down in an high, loose ponytail.

Siegfried clenched his teeth as he tried to pry the demon's hands off his throat. "What the hell… are you?" he growled.

"It doesn't matter boy, only know that I, Shin Akuma, only fight the strong." With that, he tossed Siegfried to the side with enough strength to send him flying a few yards away before hitting head first against a tree, soon tumbling into the ground. The blow didn't knock him out, but it did leave him severely dizzy.

Shin Akuma turned to the small figure who was with him, a young woman. "Dark Sakura, enter the portal and take your leave. This won't take long."

Knowing this, Ermac attempted to immobilize the young girl with his telekinetic powers in order to stop her from leaving, but he barely got his hand up before Shin Akuma attacked him with a fireball that emerged from his hands. The fireball hit Ermac square in the chest, sending him flying back a few feet before crashing into the ground. This gave Dark Sakura the time to jump through the portal to Earth, soon disappearing from sight.

Ermac looked up at the demon, sensing great evil within him. "Why do you attack us?" he asked.

Shin Akuma narrowed his eyes at him. "I sensed a power within one of you, and I soon realized that it was you. I challenge you to a fight. A being with power such as yours is more than worthy to face someone like me. Besides, it's been many weeks since I last fought a potential warrior. Do you accept?"

Ermac got himself back on his feet as the demon spoke. Once Shin Akuma asked his question, Ermac replied by shooting a green energy ball from his hand towards his opponent. Realizing that the enigma's anwser was yes, Shin Akuma began teleporting towards him, ready to take on his first challenge in months.

~~~

**Kerala, India**

For the past few days, Dhalsim had kept himself busy by helping the pirate, Ruby Heart, fix up the flying ship that was damaged during the invasion of the Outworld Forces. His main objective had been to patch up the holes while Ruby Heart worked on the more complicated propeller, which was bent.

The work was hard, but it had kept him occupied. He knew that this was important as it would serve as the fastest way for him to begin his journey to find the four chosen ones, the universe's only hope for survival.

He kept most of his emotions to himself from Ruby Heart, but whenever he wasn't occupied, he thought of his family and friends often. The other night, standing alone at the place which was now their grave, he made a promise to them… a promise _not_ to seek revenge, knowing that it would only bring misery in the end, but rather fight against the Outworld Forces so that no other soul in this universe would suffer as much as they had.

Only then would he find peace for himself…

"Dhalsim!" Ruby Heart called out, breaking him away from his work. Dhalsim looked down from where he stood, seeing the young woman just beginning to sit on one of the boulders that served as a place of rest. A small fire was burning to not only keep them warm, but to also use for cooking their meals. Dhalsim was able to faintly smell the food that she had cook, but it was a scent not familiar to him.

"Lunch is ready!" Ruby Heart called out again.

Placing a hammer down, Dhalsim straightened himself up, briefly wiping a small bead of sweat that had developed on his forehead. Realizing how famished he was, he decided to join Ruby Heart for lunch, walking down the small hill where the ship rested to join with her.

"What did you make?" Dhalsim asked her as he sat down on the boulder next to her.

Ruby Heart passed him a wooden plate which contained his meal. "Nothing special. Just some sliced grapefruit and a rabbit I caught this morning."

Dhalsim frowned a little. "I appreciate you making this, though I'm afraid I won't be eating the rabbit."

Ruby Heart took a bite of her grapefruit before speaking. "You don't like rabbit?"

"It's not just that," Dhalsim began to explain. "I'm a vegetarian."

"Oh, I see," Ruby Heart nodded, now understanding. "If I had known, I wouldn't have made this. However, it does explain why you only served fruits and vegetables for our meals, not that I minded or anything."

"Do not worry about it, and I will not condone you for your choice to eat meat."

"Out of curiosity, why don't you eat meat?"

Dhalsim replied. "It's a part of my religion. However, even if that wasn't the case, I think I would still chose to be a vegetarian. I do eat dairy products on occasion, but they were very scarce in our village, so I rarely have the chance to consume them."

"I see." Deciding to change the subject, Ruby Heart pointed a finger to the propeller which was sitting a few yards away. "Right now, I'm trying to saw that thing in half. With the proper equipment and a good amount of heat, I'll be able to put it back together once I have it straightened out. It's still going to be a long progress. How's the patching?"

"Still in progress," Dhalsim answered. "I may need more wood, but I'll worry about that tomorrow morning."

Ruby Heart had to smirk a little. "I told you you'll need more than five trees."

Dhalsim sighed a little. "I know. I had hoped to keep it to a minimum, but the damage to your ship was worse than I realized."

"With what you have planned in your mind to seek out those chosen ones, I think it'll be worth it later on."

"I hope you're right… which reminds me…" Dhalsim turned his head to her. "I had a dream last night relating to the chosen ones."

Ruby Heart stared at him with interest. "What about?"

"Well…" He slowly placed the wooden plate down next to him before continuing. "I saw them in their own colored lights again… lights that represent their inner energy. But something different happened this time. This time, I found myself sending them away."

"Sending them where?" Ruby Heart asked.

Dhalsim shook his head a little. "I'm not sure. Very briefly, however, before the dream ended, I looked towards the direction I sent them off to… and there in a distance was a tall building, but it was too dark to make out exactly what kind of building it is. The other thing I don't understand… why exactly was I sending them away?"

Ruby Heart gave this a thought for a moment. "Maybe you were guiding them to their destiny. With your knowledge of the legend of _Ano Sentaku Bou_ , perhaps maybe you serve as some sort of guardian for the chosen ones."

"Maybe," Dhalsim said. "But unfortunately, in a time like this, I cannot make assumptions. All I can do is keep my visions in mind for they will reveal their true meaning as time goes on."

"Hopefully not at the last minute."

"… I hope not either."

The two soon fell silent for the remainder of their meal, sinking into their own thoughts.

~~~

**Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

"Sorry I'm late," Hwang announced as he entered a small dining room at the Coast Guard headquarters.

"Not a problem," Maxi replied. "So far, we only ordered some drinks. Hope you don't mind having some water for the time being."

Hwang shrugged as he seated himself in the empty chair at the end of the rectangular table. "Not at all."

In the room, Hwang and Maxi, along with Kilik, Xianghua, and Sophitia, sat in wooden chairs with small feathered pillows for comfort. The wooden table in front of them was set up and ready to receive the meals being served by the workers there. The room was big enough to serve the five of them, the two large windows partially covered by red curtains, and the large brown and beige stripped rug underneath them served as a decorative touch along with a few, fresh green plants that covered each corner of the room.

"Is something bothering you?" asked Xianghua, who noticed the worried look on the guardsman's face.

Hwang sighed a little. "As a matter of fact, a couple of things are. Master Han-myeong suddenly fell ill earlier today."

"That's terrible," said Sophitia with a frown.

"I know… I believe part of it is his worry over Mi-na. Plus, it didn't help over the fact that one of his students ran away during the night last night."

"What's that all about if you don't mind me asking?" asked Maxi.

"Well… his name is Yun-seong. He was brought to the dojang as an orphan. Very good student from what I heard. He's challenged me to a duel before, but with everything that's been going on the last couple of years, I've had to decline his challenge. He's realized that now at least."

"Does anyone know why he ran away?" asked Kilik.

"From what I was told, I guess there was a small group of deities somewhere southeast from here, somewhere out of the country, that he wanted to help protect. He had requested to leave, but was denied, especially since he had done this not long ago, taking one of the dojang's ancient swords along with him. I guess, last night, he found his opportunity. I'm not sure why he wants to protect them, but one of his companions at the dojang believes that it has something to do with a girl he met during his last travels."

"If that's the case," said Maxi. "Then all I have to say is… people tend to do crazy things for love… again, if that's the case."

 _That couldn't be more true_ _,_ Xianghua suddenly thought in her mind. Realizing what she just thought, she quickly shook her head, trying to get the sentence out of my head. _Xianghua, don't be silly at a time like this!_

"Well, some of the guards have been sent out to get him," Hwang continued. "But… that's not the reason why I'm late. I just got out of a meeting. We're planning to send out some of our men out to sea in the morning."

"Are they going to investigate whether or not the portals exist out there?" asked Kilik.

Hwang nodded. "Indeed they are. Also-"

His sentence was suddenly cut off as the door to the room opened. The five of them looked over to see who had entered, suddenly coming face to face with members of the Manji Clan.

The one leading the group spoke up. “I'm sorry to barge in like this, Hwang,” he apologized. “But this is important.”

Hwang immediately stood up, facing the leader of the group. "Akio… is something wrong?"

"Yes… there's something very wrong," Akio replied grimly.

"Don't tell me the invasion's happening in Keisei already!" called out Sophitia, feeling worried already.

"I assure you that it has nothing to do with the Outworld Forces," Akio replied. He turned his attention back to Hwang. "Do you remember our investigation on those group of rebels three hours from here? The Black Dragon?"

Hwang nodded. "You mentioned sending a few spies to keep an eye on them." He turned to his friends to explain. "They're a group who have been causing trouble in the area surrounding us. We considered them a threat to our security."

"I'm afraid the situation with them has become worse." Akio sighed. "One of my spies witnessed two of his comrades die at the hands of a Black Dragon member. And the worst of it… he used the very sword that belongs to our leader, Yoshimitsu."

Hwang's eyes widened at the news. "What?"

Akio nodded, letting him know that what he just heard was right. "We don't understand it ourselves. We don't know how this killer obtained the sword. Worse, we don't know of Yoshimitsu's fate, whether the sword was simply stolen from him, or whether he perished in the Earth invasion.

"This sword… it's been amongst our clan for centuries. It gives great power to it's wielder, and it has served us greatly. To see it at the hands of a lunatic, who uses it to kill our clan members, is a great insult to us. Many of us will proceed to assist you and your military. We will continue to honor Yoshimitsu by continuing our mission to stop the tyranny of Outworld. In other words, we will not abandon you. At the same time, I will be sending some of my warriors to retrieve the sword and kill the thief who stole it. It's the only way to restore honor to our clan."

"You do what you think is best," Hwang said. "Just make sure they keep the Black Dragon away from Chili-san. The last thing we need for them to do is jeopardize our plans against the incoming invasion."

"I couldn't agree with you more," Akio replied.

As they continued to talk, Xianghua found herself turning to Kilik. "It seems like Hwang is facing one bad thing after another. I wonder if it's a sign of a much worse omen to come."

Kilik placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "Try not to worry about that. The only thing we can do is to make the best of our situation."

Xianghua sighed. "I hope you're right…"

~~~

**Outworld, Near Shang Tsung's Former Palace**

A green energy ball projected forward from Ermac's hand, shooting towards his opponent, Shin Akuma. Shin Akuma immediately teleported himself to his right, avoiding the projectile by a few inches. Still teleporting, Shin Akuma quickly brought himself towards Ermac before he attempted to deliver a punch to his face. Ermac saw the move and immediately blocked it with his forearm.

For a moment, Ermac found himself on defense as Shin Akuma threw various punches at him in rapid speed. The enigma quickly realized that the demon was possibly going to be more than a match for him.

Moments ago, Shin Akuma showed up with Dark Sakura near the portal which would lead them to Earth. They had already spent a few days searching for an open green portal, which he knew would lead them to Earth. The two finally found it, but Shin Akuma had spotted Ermac and Siegfried close by. He sensed one of them with strong powers, enough to where he knew that that they would prove to be a good challenge. In the meantime, he sent Dark Sakura through the portal.

Once he got Siegfried out of the way, who was still suffering from dizzy spells after being knocked into a tree, Shin Akuma realized that it was Ermac who had the strong power within him. The demon wanted to see what he was capable of.

Besides, he hadn't had a good challenge since facing both the ninja spectre Scorpion and the Emperor Shao Kahn back during The Blood Tournament.

As Ermac continued to block, Shin Akuma eventually found an opening, and he quickly delivered a palm strike to Ermac's chin. The enigma was forced to stumble back, but he managed to keep his balance.

Shin Akuma jumped forward, but Ermac quickly used his telekinesis to levitate himself into the air. The maneuver caught Shin Akuma in a bit of surprise, not expecting his opponent to do that. Either way, he grinned as he slowly started to like where this fight was going.

The demon jumped up into the air. He lifted one leg out and began spinning himself rapidly, performing a hurricane kick. Ermac quickly pulled himself back, avoiding the attack. Once Shin Akuma stopped himself from spinning, the enigma flew forward, a fist drawn back and ready to fight some more.

Shin Akuma now found himself on defense as Ermac delivered his own attacks at him. It didn't take long for Ermac to break through the demon's blocks, managing to strike his fist into his face. Shin Akuma staggered back, still airborne, giving Ermac the chance to hurl forward and striking him once more with a roundhouse kick. This knocked Shin Akuma back down towards the ground, but he managed to catch himself by somersaulting backwards, soon landing down by his feet.

The demon looked up just in time to see his opponent quickly coming down towards him with one foot pointed diagonally towards him. He quickly rolled forward, avoiding the kick. He straightened himself up and turned to face him just in time to block another punch from the enigma.

Once again, Ermac found himself on offense with Shin Akuma blocking each of his moves. It only lasted a few seconds before Ermac broke through the demon's defenses, hitting his face with a double palm strike. Shin Akuma barely shook the pain off when Ermac managed to grab both sides of his face before quickly slamming his face into his knee. The move made Shin Akuma stagger back a little, but to Ermac's surprise, he rapidly recovered from the pain as though he was only slapped.

Shin Akuma suddenly jumped up into the air, quickly extending both his hands as he shot out two dark purple projectiles from each palm. Ermac managed to dodge away from the first one, but the second projectile ended up hitting him, the force sending him flying back a few feet before crashing into the grass.

As Ermac got himself back up, Shin Akuma began to teleport forward to get himself closer. Once he was, he attempted a high kick to his face. Seeing the move in time, Ermac evaded the it by leaning back, the foot missing him by inches. The enigma straightened himself back up as his opponent jumped up, delivering another kick. Once again, Ermac was forced to move back.

Shin Akuma attempted a spin kick as he fell back down to land, which Ermac quickly blocked with his hand. Finding an opening, the demon crouched lower and performed a sweep kick, catching the enigma by the ankles, tripping him.

"Is that all you've got?" Shin Akuma asked as he got himself back on his feet.

Narrowing his eyes, Ermac quickly lifted a hand, which glowed in a green color. Before Shin Akuma knew it, he suddenly found himself being lifted a few feet into the air. Ermac took a moment to get himself back up on his feet before pulling his arm down, slamming Shin Akuma down to the floor with his telekinesis.

Once he knew he had the will to move again, Shin Akuma quickly rolled forward, getting himself closer to Ermac once more. Ermac attempted a back kick, but Shin Akuma managed to jump to the side. With his enemy now open, he used his elbow to deliver another blow, smashing it into his face. Ermac staggered back in a bit of pain from the hit, giving Shin Akuma the chance to another jump kick, hitting him in the chest, then following that with a punch square in the chest.

While attempting a roundhouse, Ermac managed to get himself to focus in time to block the move. Getting himself on offense once more, he threw in some more maneuvers, which were promptly blocked. It only lasted a couple of seconds before Ermac landed a palm strike to Shin Akuma's stomach, then following with a punch under the chin, the force sending his enemy into the air.

Shin Akuma caught himself mid-air, somersaulting in the air before landing safely on the ground. He barely touched his feet onto the ground before shooting out another purple projectile towards Ermac. Ermac had shot out his own green projectile, the two energies quickly exploding into nothing as they collided.

As the projectiles dispersed, Shin Akuma once again jumped forward as he delivered another hurricane kick. This time, he managed to hit Ermac multiple times in the face before landing back on the ground. As Ermac stumbled back, he delivered an uppercut under his chin, sending him flying up with him. Ermac found himself crashing onto his back as the demon landing safely once more.

Ermac found himself struggling a bit to get himself back up. Shin Akuma noted this, finding himself disappointed that his opponent was beginning to show small signs of weakness already.

Seeing this, he decided to end this battle.

Shin Akuma teleported towards Ermac, who just barely got onto his two feet again before he suddenly felt a large hand wrap around his throat. Before he had the time to react, the enigma suddenly found himself being hurled forward with such a force that he would leave a dent in the large tree he would crash into. Pain quickly coursed through his body as he collided into the tree, his back taking most of the force, before he fell face first into the ground.

Ermac sensed the demon approaching as he tried to get himself back up once more. He turned his head towards the direction his opponent came from, seeing his entire body surrounded by a red aura.

"Prepare to meet your maker," Shin Akuma's menacing voice announced to him.

Before the demon had the chance to move, he suddenly felt another presence coming up to him from behind. He narrowed his eyes, suddenly remembering the human he tossed to the side a few minutes ago…

Quickly, he teleported to the side as a large sword swiped down onto the spot where he had just stood. Shin Akuma turned towards the direction where the attacker was, noticing Siegfried standing on his own feet, his two hands clutching the hilt of his large sword.

Shin Akuma sneered at him. "Only fools would even think to bring a weapon to battle."

Siegfried narrowed his blue eyes at him. "Why? Are you afraid to face someone with a weapon in their hand?"

Shin Akuma snorted at this. "Fool."

Quickly, the demon teleported towards Siegfried, who attempted to once again swing his sword at him, but he only ended up missing him. Seeing the younger man opened, Shin Akuma delivered an uppercut, sending Siegfried flying up diagonally into the air. The demon then jumped up and delivered a few kicks on Siegfried before punching him with enough force to send him crashing down.

The light humming noise of the portal reached Siegfried's ears, and he realized that he was a couple of feet away from the structure. Seeing Shin Akuma aiming his foot at him as he fell back down to Earth, Siegfried barely rolled out of the way, forcing Shin Akuma to miss. Siegfried then got himself back up, swinging his sword at the demon with all his might…

… Shin Akuma ended up jumping back to avoid a swing from Siegfried's sword, hurling himself into the portal towards Earth. And instead of slicing through the demon, the sword ended up slicing right through the portal! A shattering noise reached Siegfried's ears as though he had smashed the swords through a wall of glass.

For a moment, the young man cursed himself over the fact that the demon managed to escape. Then, within a split second, Siegfried could only look in shock as he noted the shattered stone pieces falling to the ground.

"No…" Siegfried uttered as he fell on one knee, realizing what he had just done. He found himself looking wide-eyed at the shards of stone that, moments ago, served as the one possible hope for the citizens of Lei Chen to escape.

"Do not blame yourself for this," he heard Ermac's echoed voice speak a few feet behind him.

Siegfried sighed. "I should've been more careful."

"There are other portals to search for besides this one," Ermac reminded him. "Even if they don't lead to Earth."

Siegfried slowly got himself up, but he continued to stare at the shattered stones. "What if this portal had been the only one that remained in Outworld?"

"Let's hope that's not the case. But if it is, don't blame yourself. You were merely defending us from that demon and nothing more. And if we don't find an open portal after today, then we will have to find other means to escape from Outworld. In the meantime, we must continue on."

Siegfried nodded. Though he still felt guilty for accidentally shattering the portal, he knew that there was nothing else he could do about it. Indeed, they had to keep going.

"We'll camp here for the night to recover," Ermac suggested. "In the morning, we'll continue our journey."

Siegfried slowly nodded in agreement. "Yeah… that sounds good."

From there, the two of them began to set up camp as the sun above slowly began to set behind the tall, distant mountains.


	26. Chapter Twenty-Five

**Unknown Area, Keisei**

Night had fall, and the single half moon created a light glow in the forest area. A small chirp from what sounded like a cricket could be heard in the distance, and a light wind blew, brushing the leaves against one another.

The only other light in the forest was the small fire that was lit in the tiny camp sight. A tent was set up, and the young woman named Seiko was inside, resting for the night after a long day of traveling.

Outside the tent, Kazuya Mishima sat himself in front of the fire, staring into the flames. A cup of coffee was in his hand, not caring whether or not he was going to get any sleep tonight. He was never a fan of sleeping anyway. Just relaxing with his thoughts was all he needed to regain his energy.

He had been traveling with Seiko for the past few days. She was to take him to a city called Chili-san in the country of Lee Dynasty. There, he would find a way to return to Earth, with or without the Outworld invasion.

His thought tonight, however, were of grim ones, which was actually usual for him for the most part. But for some reason, he found himself thinking of one particular moment in his life… one that would be the beginning of his fate…

_Forty-Five Years Ago, Japan…_

_The young boy couldn't understand why his father was doing this. One minute, he had been playing outside, minding his own business, the next minute, he was grabbed by the back of the shirt and dragged along._

_He wasn't sure what his father was going to do. At first, he thought he would be dragged back to their home where he was sure to face his wrath. But the boy quickly realized that they were not heading back to the house._

_Before he knew it, he was lifted up into the air. He took one look down the cliff they were now standing at, and he was suddenly full of fear… fear for the amount of pain he was about to endure, and fear of losing his life. Even at such a young age, he understood what was about to happen to him._

_"_ _Wha… what are you doing!" the boy cried out, his voice shaking._

_"_ _You're weak boy," he father replied. "It's about time you gained some strength. If you are to be the successor of the Mishima Zaibatsu, you must not only survive the fall, but you must climb back up as well. This is only way for you to prove that you are truly my son."_

_"_ _Please, father! Don't do it!" the boy begged._

_However, his pleas only fell on deaf ears as his father unraveled the hand that held his_ _shirt, and the boy could only scream as he fell towards the ground far below. The fall felt like an eternity, but he had stopped screaming even before his small body crashed into the ground, missing the rocks that were scattered in the gorge._

_He was still awake, but the intense pain coursed through him. The young boy found that he could barely move. Tears stung his eyes, but he found that, for some reason, he couldn't shed them…_

_One question lingered in his mind… how was he to climb back up the cliff in his condition?_

_"_ _No… I can't die…" he said out loud. "Not… until I…"_

_He couldn't finish his sentence before a voice nearby talked. "_ __**No, you must not die,** _ _ _" the deep voice said._

_The young boy happened to look up, seeing a purple ball of energy lingering above him. He was soon scared and confused, unsure of what was happening._

_The voice spoke again. "_ __**You must live** _ _ _." Red eyes appeared within the energy. "_ __**I will help you become stronger if you choose to accept me. Make this deal, and I will help you live long enough to seek revenge.** _ _ _"_

_All the boy could feel was anger at this point. Indeed he wanted revenge against his father for what he had just done to him. It would take a long time, that he knew, because he was too little to take him on right now. But no matter what, he would become stronger._

_He could only say one word at this point. "Yes."_

_The energy moved, lingering above his broken body before shooting itself through his chest, forming a large scar that ran across it. The boy felt renewed energy surging within him and the pain that had coursed through him was gone. He took a deep breath, not feeling so weak any more…_

_A few minutes later, the boy was slowing climbing up the cliff, unsure of where fate would lead him…_

' **Thinking of the past, are you not?** ' a deep, demonic voice suddenly asked within his mind.

Kazuya's eyes slightly widened. It was a voice he had not heard in quite some time.

' _You…_ ' Kazuya replied in his mind. ' _I thought-_ _'_

' **Thought what? That we were both working together.** ' The devil within chuckled. ' **Of course we still are. But I must admit, I've been amused by your… actions this past week** **.** '

Kazuya's eyes narrowed. ' _What are you talking about?_ '

' **Well… for one thing, you were quite nice to that old man back in that village. I didn't think you'd had it in you.** '

' _It was out of necessity and you know it._ '

' **What about that daughter of his?… Seiko is her name, an I correct?** **'**

' _She's nothing more than a travel guide. If I knew this realm, I wouldn't need anyone's help._ '

' **I see. But of course she's nothing more than a travel guide. Just like Jun was nothing more than a strange, mysterious woman.** '

Now Kazuya was seeing where Devil was getting at. ' _ **Just remember this. It was**_ **you** _ **who instigated what happened to us that night. All because of your attempt to create that spawn.**_ '

Kazuya swore that Devil was grinning at his next words. ' ** _Would you let happen again with Seiko?_** '

Before Kazuya could reply, a howling sound was heard in the distance, catching his attention. The howling only lasted a few seconds before it stopped. Aside from the crackling of the campfire, all was silent.

Kazuya stayed in his place for a moment, waiting to see if Devil would speak again. After a few minutes, he realized that the demon decided to keep quiet, at least for the time being.

Taking a cup of coffee in hand, Kazuya immediately took a sip from the warm drink, his eyes staring into the fire. He suddenly realized that he was not going to get any sleep tonight.

~~~

**Outworld, Near Lei Chen**

Leading the sorcerer Shang Tsung to the edge of a tall cliff, Baraka and Mileena were able to give him a good view of the city of Lei Chen. From this view, they were able to see a majority of the walled city, noting the outdoor activities of both the Lei Chen army and the citizens.

"From this view, we've figured out where our enemies have been posted," Baraka began to speak. "Aside from the rocks closest to the gates, there are others hiding behind the city, completely surrounding it. My militia have been keeping their distances, mostly facing the front of the city. We're planning out other hidings in order to surround them completely."

Shang Tsung folded his arms as he stared down at the city below. "What else have you been doing besides planning and spying?" he asked.

"Well," Mileena began to reply almost cheerfully. "Anyone who comes too close to us receives our wrath. Once we're finished with them, we devour their flesh until there is nothing left but their bones."

Shang Tsung resisted the urge to roll his eyes, not caring to hear what they've been doing in between their mission. "What of the enigma and that Keisei native?"

"I was just getting to that," Baraka said. "We actually haven't seen signs of either of them in almost a week. It's almost as though they are no longer here in the city."

"Are you sure they aren't just hiding within the castle?" Shang Tsung asked.

"I doubt those two would suddenly go hiding for a long period of time. For now, we're believing, for the time being, that those two are holding themselves back just as we are until the right time comes."

Shang Tsung nodded, agreeing with the tarkatan's theory. "I'm very sure that's what they are planning… though I find it coincidence that they are planning the same thing we are, if it's true."

"It won't matter in the end," said Mileena. "They'll be wiped out when the time comes."

"Let's head back to camp," Baraka suggested as he and Mileena began to walk away from the edge.

"I'll catch up in a little bit," Shang Tsung said as he continued to look down at the city.

Unknown to the sorcerer, Baraka and Mileena stared at each other for a moment. Neither one of them had forgotten their additional plan to be rid of the sorcerer once their mission to take over Lei Chen was over. Without another word, the two began to walk away.

The mention of the enigma, Ermac, began to bring memories back to Shang Tsung. After all, the former servant of Shao Kahn helped the swordsman, Kenshi, eliminate him back in the tournament, briefly sending his soul into the Netherrealm before Shao Kahn summoned him back on Earth. The experienced had left a large scar on the sorcerer's chest, and his once normal, brown eyes were now a glowing green, the result of his time in the Netherrealm.

Shang Tsung's right hand clutched into a tight fist. Aside from the monk Liu Kang, who he had the 'pleasure' in killing over a year ago, he couldn't remember ever being angry over a mortal.

' _I will find you, swordsman_ _,_ ' he thought bitterly. ' _And I will make sure you pay. No one defeats me and gets away with it. Even the Champion of Mortal Kombat couldn't escape his fate._ '

Quickly shaking the thought out of his mind, Shang Tsung turned his back on Lei Chen before heading back to the camp where Baraka and Mileena waited for him.

~~~

**Unknown Area, Keisei**

The day was beautiful with the sun rising high into the sky. Not a single cloud was see for miles around.

In a small, remote village, Heihachi Mishima found himself sitting in a lawn chair made of wood. Behind him, a young woman was massaging his shoulders. In front of him, two women were each massaging a foot. On each side of him, two men were fanning him with large, palm tree branches. To his right, a drink that looked similar to a margarita sat on the small table waiting to be consumed.

It was the kind of service and pampering Heihachi could only dream of back on Earth. At the Mishima Zaibatsu, it was a struggle just to get one of his followers to get him a glass of water, let alone requesting a certain kind of sake only to get something different.

Here, he only had to ask for something once, whether it was simple or complicated, and these people would get it to him in almost a snap. The best part was, they never got his drink request wrong.

It was almost _too_ perfect.

This was all because Heihachi apparently 'saved' the people of this village from whatever group he fought when he arrived here. He hadn't had a good fight in a few days by that time and, when he saw the chaos in this village, he joined in the fray mainly to entertain himself.

Then again, there was the interesting fight he had between that man who reminded him of a rotting zombie. He was still confused over the result of the fight… all because he was a wanderer? No matter… he now had an entire village at the palm of his hands.

"Would you like a sip of your drink, Mr. Mishima?" the woman massaging his shoulders asked him.

Heihachi gave this a thought for a moment before replying. "Why not? I'm quite thirsty."

He was just about to reach for his drink, but the woman quickly grabbed the glass before bringing it to his lips. Heihachi stared at her oddly for a moment, but then grinned with amusement. The question popped into his mind again; Where else could he get great service like this?

Without another word, Heihachi leaned his face towards the glass close enough for the woman to tip, the drink passing through his lips. This went on for a moment before he slowly pulled away, signaling that he was done.

"Would you like me to continue to massage your shoulders, Mr. Mishima?" the same woman asked cheerfully as she placed the drink back down on the table.

Heihachi was about to say yes, but upon looking down at the two women massaging his feet, he suddenly got another idea. "That'll be enough. As a matter of fact, I want you, and you two-" He pointed at the two women at his feet. "-To dance over there. I don't care what kind of dance it is… just dance for me!"

"Right away, Mr. Mishima!" all three women called out at once as they stood up. They quickly got themselves in front of Heihachi and began dancing in sync.

However, Heihachi realized that something was missing. "Oh yes… I want music! Lively, happy music, right away!"

"Right away, Mr. Mishima!" some men nearby said.

Less than a minute later, a small group was playing their own instruments, playing a lively, happy tune while the three women danced to the beat just a few feet in front of him. And best of all, his worshippers were doing all of this for him with a smile. Another grin came over Heihachi once more.

Heihachi reached over for his drink again. ' _Now, if only I can find a way to get back to Earth. Then again, I can always stay here and rule Keisei. If a measly village such as this one could worship me like a God, imagine the rest of this realm? That wretched son of mine will be in for a nice surprise upon my return… if I can find a way to return!_ '

"A gift for you, Mr. Mishima," someone said next to him. He turned around to see an elderly womanly kneeling before him. In her hands was what looked like a large, green gemstone.

Heihachi was a little confused by the gift. "What's this?"

"It's the rarest gemstone in Keisei. It's the richest artifact in our village, and we want you to have it."

A bit baffled, Heihachi took the heavy stone in hand. "Um, thank you."

"You're very welcome," the elderly woman said. Still with a smile on her face, she got back on her feet before taking her leave.

Heihachi leaned himself back before taking another sip of his drink. ' _This couldn't get any better than this!_ '

~~~

**Shaolin Temple Grounds, China**

The sun was only beginning to set for the evening as Kung Lao entered a single building. He felt a slight chill as he went inside, which didn't bother him. Various lit candles were the only light source and the echoes of his steady footsteps bounced against the wall.

He kept his walk until he reached the back of the building. There, with a lit torch on each side, and incense lit at it's base, was a sarcophagus. Within the sarcophagus laid the body of his fellow monk; Liu Kang.

When he was close enough, Kung Lao got himself down on both of his knees, removing his hat from his head. Taking an unused incense, he took a moment to light it before placing it amongst the others already burning there. He then bowed his head and quietly chanted a brief prayer which was passed down from his ancestral line for many generations.

Once he was done, Kung Lao looked up at the sarcophagus. Every time he did this, he would end up thinking about that fateful afternoon last year. He knew that Liu Kang was training on the lei tai of the Wu Shi Academy and was heading over there to spar with him. Instead, he found him lying dead in the middle of the lei tai, his neck broken.

Kung Lao immediately knew he was murdered, and he had gone around the temple in anger, asking everyone he ran into if they knew who did it. It wasn't until that night that one of the elder monks approached him. He had witnessed Liu's death and was able to get a good look at Shang Tsung's face, his killer.

It was to no surprise to Kung Lao that Shang Tsung had done the deed. After all, it was Liu Kang who had won the Mortal Kombat tournament, defeating Shang Tsung and ending his chance to win the last of the ten tournaments Outworld needed to win in order to invade Earth.

He had wanted revenge, and he was going to take that opportunity when he received an invitation to The Blood Tournament months ago. But the Thunder God, Raiden, had approached him and asked that he would remain on Earth to make sure that all is well during his absence. Although Kung Lao was aware that Raiden saw him as a strong warrior, he couldn't help but wonder that perhaps another reason he was asked to stay was because Raiden knew that, if he attended, his focus would only be on Shang Tsung and not their mission in the tournament.

Although he would have liked to have taken care of the sorcerer himself, he was grateful for the two men who saw to his death. At least now, Liu Kang could rest and no other person would have to face his wrath.

Shaking the memory from his mind, Kung Lao spoke aloud. "I'm sorry I haven't visited you in a while, Liu," he said. "Too much has been going on, especially in the last few days."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "Outworld has invaded again. We only lost a few of our fellow monks, but it's still left much devastation to the rest of the realm. We also have a few guests staying with us. They informed me of Shang Tsung's death during the Blood Tournament. I would have liked to taken him down myself for what he did to you, but as long as he will no longer harm another soul, that's what truly matters. Now if only-"

His words were suddenly cut off as his ears picked up another set of steady footsteps from within the mausoleum. At first, Kung Lao thought that another monk had entered, here to visit either the crypt of another fallen monk or even Liu Kang himself. He then noted that the footsteps were coming closer and closer, soon realizing that they were indeed intending on visiting the champion of Mortal Kombat.

Then suddenly, the walking stopped.

Unsure of what to think, Kung Lao slowly stood himself up. As he did, he suddenly felt the person's energy… not necessarily evil, but it was indeed off. Once on his feet, he turned himself around to face the person standing nearby.

To his surprise, Kung Lao recognized him; the Thunder God, Raiden!

He drew a breath, shocked to see him. For months, Kung Lao had been left wondering of his whereabouts, finding it strange that he didn't return after the tournament's end, let alone not warning him of the incoming invasion.

"Raiden!" he called out, glad to see him. "You have no idea how happy I am to-"

Kung Lao stopped mid-sentence, suddenly noticing Raiden's prominent red eyes. A sinking feeling came over him, and he found himself unsure of what to think.

Raiden raised a hand, his arm surrounded by white electricity which produced a soft glow. "You are standing in my way, mortal," he said, his deep voice echoing within the building's walls.

Kung Lao stared at him, confused. "What are you talking about? I'm not in your way at all."

Raiden's eyes narrowed at him. "You are standing in my way of the only person capable of stopping this new threat."

He looked passed his shoulder, and Kung Lao immediately knew that he was staring at Liu Kang's sarcophagus. His brown eyes widened in shock, not believing what was going on. Was he actually serious about this?

"Have you gone insane?" Kung Lao asked him.

Raiden wasn't about to wait for the mortal to move any longer. "Prepare to die!"

Before Kung Lao had the chance to comprehend what was going on, Raiden quickly shot his arm out, a lightning bolt emerging from his hand. Quickly, Kung Lao grabbed for his wide-brimmed hat, barely blocking the move. The power of the bolt pushed him back, stopping mere inches from the sarcophagus behind him.

He tried to recover from the move, but Raiden then quickly teleported himself behind him. Before he had the chance to turn around, Raiden delivered a blow to his back, sending him flying forward until he crashed onto the floor. Despite the pain that was now coursing through his body, Kung Lao turned himself around so that he was on his back, and he watched as Raiden slowly walked towards him. Both of his hands were raised over his chest as more electricity was seen in between his palms.

Kung Lao stared at him with wide eyes. _He's not himself, I can see that!_ he thought in almost a panic. _But how did it happen? What suddenly gave him the idea that resurrecting Liu Kang is going to help anything? And why does he want to kill me? I must defend Liu Kang… despite the invasion, he deserves to rest in peace!_

Slowly standing himself up, Kung Lao got himself into a fighting stance, having no choice but to fight the Thunder God…

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

Today was one of the better days of traveling for Sub-Zero, Smoke, Frost, and Sareena. Although the snow on the ground was heavy and not easy to walk through, the surrounding area was clear, giving them a better view as far as their eyes could see. The sky above only had a few scattered clouds, and the late afternoon sun was beginning to set behind the mountains.

It's been five days since the four of them began their travel. Before their departure from the Lin Kuei temple, Sub-Zero estimated that their travel to the nearest village would take about two weeks. With nearly the first week ending, they were most likely close to being halfway done with their journey.

As usual, Smoke lead the way, using his technology to get an idea of their surroundings, especially if they end up near enemy territory. However, since the invasion ended, they had not run into anyone from Outworld. He was also on the lookout for another cave to settle in for the night, knowing that it would be dark within the next couple of hours.

"Well, my feet are starting to hurt," Frost suddenly announced.

"At least you're not wearing high heels," replied Smoke. "It could be worse."

"You think the others are trying to find us?"

"I prefer that they didn't," Sub-Zero replied. "I want them to save themselves and not worry about us."

Frost raised an eyebrow. "You better hope that they don't betray you in some way."

As they talked, Sareena found herself daydreaming. It was a way for her to keep her mind off the cold, being the only one of the four travelers not adjusting to it. She blamed it mostly on her time spent in the more hotter Netherrealm.

Unfortunately for her, a majority of her memories were filled with pain, torture, and her missions as an assassin for the Brotherhood of Shadow. However, there was one good memory that always stood in her mind, one of a particular ice ninja, though he preferred not to be called a ninja, but a Lin Kuei. He happened to be the elder brother of the current Sub-Zero.

Years ago, he had been on a mission to retrieve the amulet of Shinnok, the fallen elder God who formed the Brotherhood. Sareena herself had been with them for as long as she could remember, but for years, she had desired to escape from the Netherrealm.

It wasn't until the elder Sub-Zero had arrived that she had taken the opportunity. He had, for reasons she never found out, had shown mercy towards her after their fight rather than killing her. She wanted to repay him, but she had to escape the Netherrealm first if she was to do so.

But it never went any further than that…

_Over Ten Years Ago, Netherrealm…_

_The blue-clad Lin Kuei member watched with surprise as Sareena knocked her master Quan-Chi off the platform. His screams were heard as he fell into the darkness of the pit below._

_For a moment, the two of them found themselves looking down at the pit until the sorcerer's screams were no longer heard. Then they moved their heads… and found themselves staring at each other._

_He spoke first. "Why did you help me?"_

_Sareena decided to be straight with him. "Because you're a mortal. That means you can escape the Netherrealm."_

_The ice ninja shook his head. "There won't be anywhere to go if I don't get the amulet back."_

_Sareena took a step closer to him. "Take me with you. I've waited an eternity to escape."_

_He stared at her intently. "You don't understand. I can't leave without-"_

_His sentence was suddenly cut off as Sareena felt a blast hit her from behind. It felt like a large knife stabbing through her and she cried out in pain as she began to fall down._

_The last thing she remembered before her world turned back was feeling a pair of arms catching her…_

"Sareena," a voice said next to her, cutting through her thoughts.

Sareena blinked a couple of times, shaking her head a bit before turning her attention to Sub-Zero. She found herself staring into his blue eyes. She remembered his brother having brown eyes, but she still found that they both had that same, intense stare they gave, but she figured it was because of the mask that they wore to conceal their identities from their enemies.

"You looked distracted," he continued. "Are you all right?"

Sareena gave him a warm smile. "Yes. I've been able to handle the cold well today."

"That's good to hear."

"I see a cave up ahead," Smoke announced. "About another twenty minutes, I'm guessing."

"It's about time!" Frost said.

"You're not cold, are you?" Sareena asked her with a smirk.

Frost narrowed at her eyes at her. "You wish."

With that, the four of them began heading over to the cave, intending on camping for the night once again.

~~~

**Somewhere in Japan**

"I wish you weren't leave so soon," said Dr. Boskonovitch. "But I understand how important your latest mission is."

Sitting on horseback along with a few selected members of his clan, Yoshimitsu looked down at the elder doctor. "It is indeed an important mission. But many of my clan members will remain here to protect you and the citizens in your facility from any future dangers."

"When do you think you'll be back?" the doctor asked.

Yoshimitsu shrugged a little. "I'm not quite sure. It might be a while since my mission may involve an extensive journey. But I'm hoping it will all be worth it in the end. To meet with this… friend of mine will up our chances to beat this fight against Outworld and save the realms."

Doctor Boskonovitch smiled. "All I can say is, I wish only the best of luck… and come back soon."

"Thank you," Yoshimitsu said as he reached his left hand out. The doctor stretched out his own hand and the two shook them. "And be sure to inform that General friend of yours of my clan's coming."

"I'll do my best. I may have to send him an old-fashioned telegram, but I'll try."

"Farewell, doctor."

"Farewell."

From there, Yoshimitsu kicked the side of his horse, encouraging the beast to trout forward. The selected Manji clan members who were coming with him to his mission soon followed.

Only a couple of days ago, Yoshimitsu made the decision to seek out Jin Kazama. Not only did he believe that the young man could contribute greatly in their fight against the Outworld Forces, but after all, he did make it to the final round of The Blood Tournament, even if he didn't emerge the victor.

The events during the tournament didn't seem so long ago. Yoshimitsu had been a participant, ironically losing to Jin's grandfather, Heihachi Mishima. Aside from that, he laid low, keeping his focus only on retrieving the _Chishio No Me_ medallion. It was the very same artifact that he held in his hand hundreds of years ago, the one that nearly consumed him…

He can still clearly remember the medallion's power coursing through his veins up his right arm, which started to turn black. Feeling it travel, Yoshimitsu forced himself to chop off that arm, realizing that it was the only way he could escape it's grasps.

He ended up being the last wielder prior to the tournament, the artifact lost in the sands of Outworld…

Yoshimitsu remembered approaching Jin Kazama the night before the final round of the tournament. He had always planned to approach the finalists, though he never got near Ivy. At least he was able to get the chance to warn the young man about the medallion that cursed him so many years ago…

_Six Months Ago In Outworld…_

_Jin wasn't sure how long he had been training before he decided to call it a night. As he took a moment to relax himself, he looked up into the blue starless night above him. Normally, the moon was bright, but it seemed to be dim this time around._

_That's when a voice was heard, a voice that suddenly said his name. "Jin Kazama!"_

_Jin quickly whirled around to see the person behind him. Even before he saw the person, he realized that he wasn't able to recognize the voice and was expecting an enemy to be nearby. A tall person stood a few feet away from him…he was indeed a man, but seemed to look like a cross of a demon and an alien by the way he was dressed._

_Jin didn't get into his fighting stance, but he was prepared to fight if this person ended up being a threat. "Who are you?" the young man demanded._

_The person began to walk towards him. "There's no need to be alarmed, I don't wish to fight. My name is Yoshimitsu."_

_Jin instantly recognized that name. "You're the one who helped Nina and Raven a few days ago. And you're the one who knows the true nature of the medallion."_

_"Precisely," Yoshimitsu replied. "Speaking of the medallion, that is the reason why I've come to you tonight."_

_"I've figured as much," Jin said._

_By now, Yoshimitsu was standing a couple of feet away from the young man. "Tomorrow, you face Ivy in the final round of the tournament. As a former wielder of the medallion, there is a question I want to personally ask you."_

_Jin nodded. "Go on."_

_Silence lingered between them for a moment before Yoshimitsu asked his question. "Say that you win the tournament and receive your prize…what do you plan to do with that medallion?"_

_Jin tried not to grunt by this question…his allies back at the cave have been asking him this very question all day and he was already unraveling his nerves from the inside. He had only given them the same answer: 'I don't know.'_

_However, this time, the question was coming from the last man who held the medallion in his hands…the very medallion that changed him into the form that he was in now. The question didn't seem important when his friends asked him this…yet now, it seemed to be so important now that Yoshimitsu was asking the question._

_Jin decided to give Yoshimitsu half the answer. "After the tournament, I plan to hand the medallion over to Raiden and Rose. From there, they'll see to it's destruction."_

_"Excellent," Yoshimitsu replied. "I have heard of Raiden before…a great Thunder God indeed. I believe you've made a good choice. You are indeed worthy of victory for tomorrow."_

_A question popped into Jin's head. "Have you talked to Ivy about the medallion?"_

_Immediately, Yoshimitsu shook his head. "No…as a matter of fact, I don't think she even has a room in the palace."_

_To Jin, there seemed to be only one reason for that. "Do you think she may be allied with Shao Kahn?"_

_"It's possible," Yoshimitsu replied. "But that may not be true either. Do keep it in mind…just in case."_

_From there, Yoshimitsu began walking away._

Despite what he was told, Yoshimitsu had his suspicions of Jin's true reason for wanting the medallion. He knew that he was the heir of the devil gene in which his father, Kazuya, possessed in his own blood. He had received this knowledge at the last King of Iron Fist Tournament.

To Yoshimitsu, he would imagine that the young man wanted to be rid of the gene. Jin had, of course, informed the katana master that he was working with the Thunder God, Raiden, and he could only imagine that he was more good than the rest of his family.

Thinking of the Mishimas, Yoshimitsu suddenly got an idea. He realized how he can begin his search for Jin.

"Where will we be heading to?" one of his clan members asked.

Yoshimitsu peered up towards the sky. "We'll begin our mission… at the Mishima Zaibatsu Headquarters."

~~~

**Wu Shi Academy, China**

A zap of lightning shot out from Raiden's hand, which Kung Lao narrowly missed being hit by mere inches. As Raiden was distracted, Kung Lao quickly took off his hat and threw it at him, which spun rapidly as it approached it's target. Raiden noted the bladed edge of the hat gleaming and he teleported away from it.

He got himself closer to his opponent once again and attempted a few punches, but Kung Lao managed to block them before he rapidly spun his body with enough force to knock Raiden back. This gave him the opportunity to grab his flying hat with ease and placed it back on his head.

Raiden quickly recovered and covered the distance between the two, aiming a few punches at Kung Lao, who was once again forced to defend himself. However, that only lasted a few seconds before Raiden managed to break through the barrier, landing a few blows to Kung Lao's face.

As Kung Lao staggered back, he saw Raiden running towards him again. With quick thinking, he channeled some of his own power to teleport himself, seemingly sinking into the floor with a turquoise mist following him. Raiden scanned his surroundings, briefly confused. Unknown to him, Kung Lao reappeared behind him, seemingly emerged from the floor.

Sensing his presence behind him now, Raiden turned around just in time to block and incoming punch from Kung Lao. The mortal then used his other fist to slam it into his gut, causing Raiden to gasp a little in surprise. Kung Lao then followed by a roundhouse kick, the force sending Raiden back again.

Kung Lao waited until Raiden recovered, which only took a couple of seconds before the space between them was closed once more. Raiden immediately got himself on offense, throwing more punches at Kung Lao who was again on defense. That took only lasted a few seconds before Raiden managed to get passed his defenses, landed more punches to his face and chest. Before Kung Lao had the chance to block the next move, Raiden lifted a leg and kicked forward, hitting him square in the chest and forcing him to rear back once more.

Raiden then jumped forward, but Kung Lao saw this in time and sidestepped away from him before getting himself behind the immortal. Raiden quickly turned back to him just in him to see him perform a high spin kick to his head, swiftly ducking underneath him. Kung Lao then crouched down, performing a sweep kick, forcing Raiden to jump over it.

The Thunder God landed back on the ground as Kung Lao straightened himself up at the same time. Kung Lao didn't waste any more time as he threw more various punches and kicks at Raiden in rapid speed, forcing his former mentor to block them.

Soon, Kung Lao managed to break through Raiden's blocks, punching him a couple of times before delivering a roundhouse kick to his face, forcing Raiden to stagger to the side. This gave the mortal the opportunity to jump up, flipping himself forward before landing another kick to Raiden's face, the power of it sending him back and landing on the floor with a thud. Kung Lao landed on his feet and got into his fighting stance, waiting for the Thunder God to get up.

Electricity began to form on Raiden's body, and his red eyes glowed in anger as he got himself on his feet. "I'm done holding back!"

He quickly flew forward and aim another punch at Kung Lao. He attempted to block his attacks, but now they were powerful enough to break through the mortal's defenses. The Thunder God landed blow after blow on Kung Lao, only stopping after a minute by kicking him in the chest. Kung Lao managed to stay on his feet, but he now was feeling dizzy from the recent attack, and he could now feel a bit of blood trickling down his face.

Then suddenly, Raiden grabbed Kung Lao by the throat and lifted him up in the air. Kung Lao looked down at his former mentor with a horrified look in his eyes, knowing what he was about to do.

Raiden seemed to look up at him with satisfaction as he sent a few electric shocks through Kung Lao, the pain hitting him like a thousand knives plunging through him, and he found himself clenching his teeth as he tried not to scream from the agony. When he was satisfied, the Thunder God simply tossed him to the side like a rag doll, sending Kung Lao flying until he crash landed just a few feet from Liu Kang's sarcophagus.

As Kung Lao struggled to get himself up, he could only watch as Raiden began to walk over him. His hands were raised in front of him once more and his body became surrounded by electricity.

"Now mortal," Raiden began to say as he collected more electricity into his hands. "You will die."

Still trying to gather some strength so that he could defend himself, Kung Lao found himself staring him, shocked but all that had just happened. Even as he laid on the floor beaten, he still couldn't believe that the immortal he had long respected was now trying to kill him.

 _What's become of him?_ he could only think sadly.

Before Raiden had the chance to do anything else, he suddenly sensed another person just behind him, and he sensed that they shot out a projectile. He quickly jumped up, flying into the air as a fireball passed underneath his feet. The fireball flew until it hit the opposite wall.

"So," Raiden began to say as he turned to face the newcomer. "You caught up with me… Scorpion."

"What?" Kung Lao called out, instantly recognizing the name. He searched around to find the newcomer. Upon his eyes laid upon him, the monk realized that it was indeed the ninja spectre Scorpion.

 _What is_ _he_ _doing here?_ he asked himself, now more confused than ever.

As Raiden brought himself back down to the ground, Scorpion shot out his hand. "COME HERE!" he shouted as a spear emerged from the palm of his hand. Raiden waited until the spear was close enough before he took a sidestep, grabbing the chain of the spear just behind the sharp blade that was tied at the end of it.

Raiden's eyes glowed a little. "I don't think so!" he said right before pulling the spectre towards him. The move took Scorpion by a bit of surprise and he soon found himself flying forward. Once he was close enough, the Thunder God raised a fist, delivering an uppercut that sent the ninja airborne.

He waited for the spectre to crash land, but to his surprise, Scorpion managed to catch himself, somersaulting back before straightening himself our. Putting his feet together, he aimed and managed to hit Raiden right in the face, the force sending him flying a few feet back and landing on the ground. Scorpion got himself back on the ground afterwards.

As Raiden quickly got himself back up, Scorpion raised up a hand. Half of his arm was engulfed in flames, and his pale eyes seemed to glow a bit. He stared at Raiden, getting ready to shoot out a fireball from his hand.

Before Scorpion had the chance to do so, he was suddenly surrounded by a gust of wind. He briefly looked around, his pale eyes wide in surprise before the wind completely engulfed him, and he soon vanished into thin air.

When the wind disappeared, both Raiden and Kung Lao turned their attention to the next person who came in; Fujin.

"Sorry Scorpion," Fujin said aloud, even though the ninja spectre was no longer present. "But not here… not here…"

The Thunder God stared at the Wind God in annoyance. "Must you be constantly following me?!"

Fujin looked at Raiden with disgust. "To kill the mortals for selfish reasons is one thing, but how _dare_ you fight on sacred ground! Even you had condoned that, but now I see you don't care whether or not you go against your own words anymore!"

Raiden only stared at him. "I see that you and this mortal are determined to protect this place. Very well then… I'll deal with you at another time."

With that, he disappeared with a bolt of lightning, blinding Fujin and Kung Lao briefly. Once the light dispersed, only they remained.

Kung Lao was fully aware of who Fujin was. He had helped the mortals alongside Raiden during the invasion of the fallen Elder God, Shinnok nearly three years ago. He had not seen Fujin since, at least until now, but he never forgot how he helped him and how kind he was towards the mortals.

"Fujin…" Kung Lao uttered as the God of Wind helped him up on his feet.

"It's been a long time, Kung Lao," Fujin replied with a smile. "I'm sorry that it couldn't be under better circumstances."

"Likewise," Kung Lao agreed as he bowed to him in respect. "But please tell me… what's going on? What is wrong with Raiden? And why was Scorpion of all people here?"

"It's indeed a very long story," Fujin answered. "I had actually followed Scorpion to here. I didn't realize how close I was to the Shaolin Temple until an hour ago. I only waited long enough to see what Raiden would do, but then I saw Scorpion go after him." He turned his attention to Liu Kang's sarcophagus. "It seems as though Raiden had intended to bring back Liu Kang for whatever reason."

"I figured as much," Kung Lao sighed.

"I'm afraid Raiden is not who he once was," Fujin began to explain. "He had ended up sacrificing himself during the tournament in Outworld six months ago. His energy reformed here, but something happened in the process."

Kung Lao placed his hand on Fujin's shoulder. "Listen… I have a few allies staying here who would want to hear this as much as I would. Four of them were in the Blood Tournament with Raiden. I hope that you can stay for a little bit."

Fujin agreed. "Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Let's not delay any further."

With that in mind, the two began to head out. Before that, Kung Lao turned his attention back to the sarcophagus. He found himself apologizing to Liu Kang for fighting on sacred ground…


	27. Chapter Twenty-Six

**Edenia**

The morning sun rose above the mountains as members of the Outworld Forces began to gather their weapons at their camp. Each of them checked to make sure that all weapons were in good condition or in working order.

Tanya stood in front of them, her two tonfas, one in each hands. She grinned over what today meant to her… the day had come that they would head to the camp of the Edenian Freedom Fighters in a surprise attack, a day she had longed waited for.

Sure, they had attacked before, but their enemies had expected them each time. This time, they stayed back for some time just make it look like they had 'given up' for the time being. Hopefully, their plan would work.

"Remember," Tanya called out to the Outworld Forces. "We are to quietly sneak in to the camp so that we are not detected. Therefore, they will no expect us once we attack."

"Thissss better work," said Reptile as he held the hilt of his sword in hand. "The lassst thing we need issss to fail."

"We will not fail," Rain replied as he placed what he called a storm sword, a weapon made of bronze, into it's scabbard that was connected to his belt.

"Just follow my lead," Tanya said.

That was when a deep, booming voice began to echo into her mind. " ** _Are you going forth with the plan?_** " he asked. Tanya knew who it was;

Shao Kahn.

" _We are just about to take our leave,_ " Tanya replied.

" ** _Just remember… only kill the weaker warriors. Make sure that the stronger ones remain alive. They will be good use for us just like the others we have captured. I especially want Jade brought to Outworld alive. I want her to face her punishment properly._** "

Tanya grinned at that. " _I'll personally see to that, my lord._ "

" ** _Do not fail me._** "

Once she was sure that he would no longer speak, Tanya turned her attention to the others. "Let's head out!" she called out.

With Rain and Reptile on each side of her, Tanya lead the way as the other members of the Outworld Forces followed. Today, they would destroy the Edenian Freedom Fighters, and Tanya would seek to it that Jade was taken care of…

~~~

**Shaolin Temple Grounds, China**

It was barely early in the morning when Kung Lao and Fujin met up in the small dining quarter, a small plate of food in front of them on the table. Also there with them were Bo' Rai Cho, Chun Li, Yang, Lei, and Li Mei, who were awakened and asked to meet with the two of them.

Aside from Kung Lao, none of the others ever met Fujin, but upon one look at him, they all had the feeling that he was a God. It also made them realize that this morning's meeting was indeed very important.

"What is this all about?" asked Lei once they were all settled down.

Li Mei had noticed the cuts and bruises on Kung Lao. "Oh my goodness! What happened to you?"

"That's why we're here," Kung Lao replied, giving his allies a serious look. He turned to the immortal in the room. "This is the God of Wind, Fujin. Fujin, these are my allies; Bo' Rai Cho, Li Mei, Chun Li, Lei Wulong, and Yang Lee."

"It's nice to meet you all," Fujin replied. "However, I'm afraid that this meeting is not under good circumstances."

"What do you mean?" Chun Li asked, feeling a little nervous.

Kung Lao sighed. "Late last night… I discovered what happened to Raiden. One thing is for sure… he's alive."

Now everyone was surprised. "Is he all right?" asked Li Mei.

"Unfortunately, all is not well," Fujin answered. "I stayed here for a little bit in order to explain everything about our friend. I had promised Kung Lao that I would gather all of you and let you know what happened to Raiden."

From there, Fujin explained how Raiden had sacrificed himself during the battle in Outworld six months ago in order to destroy the Fighting God, Ogre. He had succeeded, but at the cost of his sanity, it would seem. Even Fujin was not sure what caused Raiden to form an evil essence within him as his body reformed on Earth. He mentioned how his new mission was to destroy anyone who threatened Earth, and how the Elder Gods had send their Champion, Scorpion, to assassinate him (explaining why he was at the mausoleum last night).

"I wanted to find a way to help Raiden," Fujin mentioned as he finished his story. "But I had to abandoned my status as Elder God to do so."

"I don't get one thing," said Lei, sounding a bit annoyed. "With all this invasion stuff happening, you mean to tell me that the Elder Gods are more concerned about a deranged Thunder God over the fate of the realms? Aren't they concerned for any of us mortals?"

"I know it's not easy to comprehend," Fujin explained. "But by rule of nature, the Elder Gods are not able to get involved with any conflict the realms have, though they try the best they can. That's another reason why I abandoned my status. I couldn't just let this all happen. As for Raiden, with Scorpion being their champion, they are sending him to do their work, hence why they are doing something about that."

Fujin sighed. "If Raiden was given the chance, he could be just as deadly as Shao Kahn."

"That's comforting..." said Chun Li with a small sigh.

"The Elder Gods can only do what they can," said Bo' Rai Cho. "I've always believed that even they have flaws just as much as us mortals."

"There's something else I don't understand," Kung Lao began. "He had come to the mausoleum and he said that I was in the way of the only person capable of saving Earth. He had been staring at Liu Kang's crypt when he said that. Do you think he was trying to… bring him back?"

To Kung Lao's surprise, Fujin gave him a confused look. "With what's happening right now… it's impossible."

"What do you mean it's impossible?" asked Bo' Rai Cho. "I thought you had that ability only when it's absolutely necessary. Raiden had even told me that many years ago when I was training Liu Kang."

"Yes, but in order to resurrect someone, they need their soul to do so, reuniting them with their original body. The resurrection process would even restore their body to the way it was before their death. However, with the invasion happening in all the realms, Shao Kahn is taking any available soul and keeping them for himself to obtain his own power.

"But…" Fujin thought about this for a moment before proceeding. "If Raiden was planning to bring Liu Kang back, the only other way I can see it happening is if he was intending to… reanimate his body."

"You mean like a zombie?" asked Lei, feeling a little sick over that thought.

"Precisely," Fujin nodded.

Yang suddenly found himself sick to his stomach. The mention of what Shao Kahn was doing with the souls of those who died in the invasion made his hands shake in a bit of anger. Memories of what happened back in Hong Kong less than a week ago began to take hold of his mind, remembering the blue and yellow hat that was left behind and the small amount of blood that surrounded it.

 _Yun_ _…_ he thought to himself. _I really hope this wasn't your fate…_ He suddenly got himself up and began to pace around the room.

Fujin noticed this and frowned with concern. "Are you all right?"

Yang swallowed as he noticed everyone staring at him. "Yeah…" he said while rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm fine… I'll be fine…"

"Since you're here," said Kung Lao while looking at the immortal. "What do you think we can do about the invasion?"

"I thought about that last night," said Fujin. "For the time being, I want you all to stay put. I doubt the Outworld Forces will return to Earth any time soon. From what I witnessed in the other realms, it will most likely be weeks before they return."

"That's good to know," said Bo' Rai Cho. "It will give us plenty of time to plan."

"Do you think there could be a way to gather our allies together to fight back?" asked Chun Li.

"It's possible," Fujin nodded. He stood himself on his feet. "I will help you, that I'm sure of. But I want to be able to organize a solid plan in order to us to accomplish our goal to stop Outworld from further harm."

"If you need us for anything else, you are more than welcome to summon our help," offered Kung Lao.

Fujin smiled. "I appreciate that and I will keep it in mind."

"Why don't we gather everyone right now?!" Yang suddenly exclaimed. "Why don't we do that and get it over with?!"

"Yang, we cannot just jump into something without the knowledge of what we are facing," said Bo' Rai Cho.

Yang suddenly felt more angry. "I understand that from your point of view, but what about his?!" He pointed at Fujin. "You're aware of how powerful they are!"

"Yes, but even we have lost a couple of Gods to the might of Shao Kahn in the past," Fujin mentioned, keeping himself calm. "Bo' Rai Cho is right... we need to figure out what we are facing before we head off. Even _I_ am at risk if we just go into battle blindly.”

Yang suddenly felt foolish upon hearing that. Unsure of how to react to his words, he turned his back on the other and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Chun Li frowned, suddenly feeling down over what just happened. "I hope you can forgive him, Fujin. His brother went missing during the invasion and he's also worried about his girlfriend, who lives in Japan."

Fujin nodded, understanding. "I sensed that something had happened to him. I hope that his loved ones will be found, and I will even look for them myself, if possible."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate that," said Lei.

"Again," Fujin continued as he began to head towards the door. "If anything comes up, I will be sure to inform you. Right now, I have a task to take care of before things with Raiden get much worse."

Before anyone could ask him what the task was, the door opened to the outside out and, with a gust of wind, Fujin disappeared.

Seeing that the meeting was over, Chun Li immediately stood up. "I'm going to see how Yang is."

Lei stood up as well and grabbed on to his fiance’s arm. "I think you should leave him alone right now," he suggested.

Chun Li sighed, knowing that he was right. "All right… I'll keep my distance… but I'm staying close by to him, just in case."

She removed her arm from his hand and began to head outside. Lei sighed to himself. He knew that once Chun Li had an idea in her mind, she was going to stick to it. He just hoped that she would indeed keep her distance.

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

It was nearly two in the morning, and the Special Forces Agent Cyrax figured that almost everyone at the fort was asleep by now. He used his night vision to scan his surroundings so that he could easily see anything before they had the chance to see him. Aside from the occasional wild animal walking nearby and the gust of winds that blew, all was calm around him.

He had heard from the others that they found themselves deep in thought during their time on watch duty. Cyrax found himself doing the same thing, and as one of two people with four hours on duty rather than the two hours that everyone else was assigned to, he had plenty of time to be deep in thought.

Particularly, he found himself thinking of his past… his past with the Lin Kuei. He had been automated into a cyborg against his will and the only assignment he was given then was to assassinate the rogue ninja, Sub-Zero, who had escaped the clan to avoid automation.

However, Sub-Zero had defeated him and reprogrammed him so that he would help in the fight against Shao Kahn. But then Shao Kahn was defeated and as a result, he was forced to await new orders. While waiting in an Outworld desert, he shut down.

The Lin Kuei had found him and he was reprogrammed, working alongside Sektor. During the fight with Shinnok, Cyrax was experiencing flashbacks that attempted to reveal his former life before he was a cyborg. At that time, he met Sonya Blade and Jax Briggs, who revealed to him that they had technology that would restore his humanity.

Cyrax remembered that day clearly as though it was yesterday…

_Four Years Ago, OIA Base_

_After Cyrax was strapped onto the table, Sonya positioned herself behind the controls. "All right Cyrax, all systems are go. Are you sure you want to go through with this?" She looked at him seriously. "If this fails, we won't be able to recover your main processor."_

_Jax nodded. "We'll lose you for good."_

_Cyrax stared at the both of them. "After experiencing my flashbacks with my fight against Shinnok, I realized that my existence is unnecessary, unless I can fully recover my human psyche. We must continue with the process."_

_Jax backed away, heading over towards a computer. "All right then. I'll begin the scanning process." He pointed to his female comrade. "Sonya, you hit the re-generator switch on my cue."_

_They both pressed a few buttons on their respective machines before Sonya replied. "All set Jax. Ready on your go."_

_Once he was done on the computer, Jax walked over to another machine, using both hand to push up a switch, activating the machine. The machine powered up, a beeping noise heard, and a large scanner on the ceiling began to move towards the table Cyrax laid on, it's green light shining._

_When the light shined over Cyrax, Jax called out to his partner. "Sonya, hit the switch on three! Ready! One!"_

_A pause lingered as Jax turned his attention to Cyrax. Cyrax stared at him as well, giving him a small nod. Whatever was to happen in the end, the cyborg had hoped that it worked out. If it didn't, he hoped that the two soldiers wouldn't blame themselves for not being able to help him._

_"_ _Two!" Jax called out again._

_Sonya placed her hand on the single switch at her control station. She looked over at Cyrax for just a moment, seeing that he was looking up at the ceiling. She then turned her attention back to the switch, waiting for the final signal._

_"_ _Three!"_

_With no turning back now, Sonya flipped the switch. The green light that was above Cyrax shot down at him, brightening the room with enough light to force Jax and Sonya to shield their eyes with their arms. The process lasted ten seconds, but it felt like an eternity for Cyrax as he felt a strange sensation coursing through him._

_"_ _Okay!" Jax called out once more. "Power down now!"_

_"_ _Powering down," Sonya said as she flipped the switch again._

_The noise from the machine began to dissipate at that point, and the table Cyrax was lying on began to move him into an upright position. When it stopped, he felt the mask of his suit loosen and he immediately took it off. He took a deep breath of fresh air for the first time since he could remember."_

_Cyrax staggered a little as Sonya and Jax approached him. "I… I am human." He scanned his surroundings as flashes of his past filled his mind. "I feel life once again… and I remember… everything… thank you… so much. I am forever in your debt."_

_He noticed Sonya and Jax smiling at him, and he too smiled at him. From there, he had made a decision about where to go from here now that he was able to make his own choices once more._

_"_ _I will not return to my Lin Kuei roots as an assassin. I instead choose to fight at your side, for Earth."_

_Jax smiled more. "Well that's good news."_

_The two began to approach him. "Let's get you out of these harnesses," suggested Sonya. "You've been trapped long enough."_

Cyrax looked down at the grounds of the forest as the memory left him. He remembered when they tried to remove his cyborg parts. Unfortunately, Jax and Sonya realized that many of the pieces were connected to vital parts of him and it would be way too risky to remove them. Since Cyrax was used to wearing the harnesses by then, he decided to stick with them for the time being.

Someday, he would like to get them all removed. But he is able to remove robotic parts of his arms, chest, and even a majority of his helmet, so at least he could be rid of those at anytime he wished.

It's been four years since that day, and Cyrax had since remained loyal to the Special Forces, working alongside Jax, Sonya, and even Hsu Hao on their missions, especially the one against the Black Dragon clan. Two years ago, Alex would join after being transferred from the US Army, and six months later, Kenshi would join as free agent. The six of them were the main team, sticking with each other in every mission they were in with both Jax and Sonya leading the way. Cyrax was fond of those days.

However, things have heavily changed in the past seven months. He had stayed behind when Sonya and Kenshi were assigned to participate in the Blood Tournament. With Jax on a three-week leave and Alex going missing (Cyrax had the feeling she indeed ended up in Outworld), it was just him and Hsu Hao for over a month.

During that time, they had both been assigned on a mission in Italy involving an international terrorist group. They had succeeded within a month, but it was during that time that Cyrax began to get a strange feeling about Hsu Hao, noting his demeanor and his knack for disappearing whenever Cyrax had to report a new finding to him. He wasn't sure if it was just him going crazy, and he did bring his concerns to Jax once he returned from his leave.

Then, when Kenshi and Alex returned, he learned of Sonya's death in Outworld at the hands of a wanted criminal named Kira. It had been a devastating blow to Special Forces as she was one of the best soldiers they ever had. Cyrax had noted that Jax was especially affected. The Major had worked with Sonya side by side for over ten years, and to lose her definitely hurt him. Cyrax was also saddened by her death. He had highly respected her and felt that he could never repay her for her assistance in restoring his humanity.

Cyrax always suspected that Kenshi would eventually leave Special Forces, but not so soon after Sonya's death. The swordsman only stuck around long enough to finish the paperwork and attend her memorial service before resigning as a free agent.

Up until the invasion, it was just him, Jax, and Hsu Hao working together. Alex's demotion, after going missing without informing Special Forces of her whereabouts, had her assigned to other missions, more or so within the Los Angeles area, so that initially broke the team in half.

Then, on the day of the invasion, Hsu Hao revealed himself as a traitor. Jax chose to stay in Los Angeles, sending Cyrax and Alex to the Rockies. Meanwhile, he ordered them to kill Hsu Hao on sight, if they can find him.

With Jax left behind during the chaos, Cyrax wasn't sure of his fate. He was working with both Kenshi and Alex again, but he still had the same empty feeling when it was just him, Jax, and Hsu Hao.

 _If only Sonya was here… she definitely held all of us together,_ he thought to himself.

"I see that everything is all clear," a male voice suddenly said above him.

Not expecting anyone nearby, Cyrax whirled around, using his night vision to find the person who just approached. A few seconds later, he spotted Kenshi standing on top of a thick branch of a tall tree.

Cyrax folded his arms as Kenshi jumped down, barely making a sound as the bottom of his black boots hit the snow. "Do you always sneak up on criminals like that when you're out being a vigilante?"

Kenshi seemed to freeze in place upon hearing that. "What makes you think _I'm_ the vigilante?"

Cyrax chuckled a little. "Let's face it. I sincerely doubt that you just sit in Alex's apartment all day and night. Besides, everyone knows that the vigilante of Los Angeles carries a sword. And you use a sword… so…"

Kenshi sighed. He figured that at least a few people who knew him would figure out what he did nearly every night, but he didn't expect them to come out and say anything about it.

"Jax knows too," Cyrax informed him. "But don't worry, your secret is safe with us."

"I appreciate it," Kenshi replied. He slightly turned his head as though he was getting to know his surroundings, something Cyrax had noticed the blind swordsman do whenever they were in a new place. "Now it makes me wonder who else at the fort figured it out."

"Well… Alex obviously. I doubt you can get away with telling her you work the night shift at a sushi bar."

"Shouldn't you be getting back to the fort?" Kenshi reminded him.

"It's only one fifty eight in the morning. I have two minutes left until my shift ends. I'm sure two minutes won't-"

Kenshi quickly lifted a hand in front of the cyborg as though to silence him. "Stay quiet for a moment," he whispered as he turned his head to another direction. A moment of silence lingered for a moment… the Cyrax heard it.

Although it was far away, they could both hear footsteps somewhere within the forest. However, they weren't able to tell just yet where it was coming from.

"Do you hear that?" Kenshi asked him.

"Yes," Cyrax informed. "It's definitely not someone coming out of the fort. We're close to it, and the footsteps sound too far away."

"You're right about that. Besides, when I left, everyone was asleep."

"Let's check it out. If it's someone not on our side, I don't want to take any chances."

With Kenshi's heightened senses and Cyrax's night vision, the two of them began to search for the source of the footsteps.

~~~

**Edenia**

"I recall that one time Kitana was training in the garden," a member of the Edenian Freedom Fighters began to say, deciding to tell a tale of his time as a guard of the royal castle.

As he took a bite of his food, Jade found herself looking at her surroundings. Many of her troops gathered together to enjoy a lunch. It was only nuts and berries, but even so, everyone seemed relaxed and enjoying themselves. Even Jade felt relaxed as well.

"She was wearing these tall high heels and all I can think about is, 'how in the world could anyone fight in those without tripping?'"

"It's a skill we developed," Jade replied, lifting up her own heels. "What I like most about them is that it delivers more pain to our enemies."

"Well… you have a point there," the story teller replied. "Because my friend asked her about them, and Kitana mentioned that she was used to it. They decided to spar a bit and, well… let's just say he was having some stomach pain after she kicked him."

Everyone chuckled at that story, and even Jade found herself smiling, recalling a night Kitana had told her that story.

"Since we're gathered together, do you have any official plans for the day?" another Edenian asked looking at Jade.

"Well-" the General started to say.

"Jade!" a female voice suddenly called out, catching everyone's attention. "Jade!"

Everyone turned their attention to the young woman who was running towards them. Jade realized that she was one of her spies and immediately stood up, knowing that something important had come up.

"What is it, Iva?" Jade asked her, taking her staff in hand.

Iva took a moment to catch her breath before answering. "It's the Outworld Forces! They're coming this way!"

"No…" Jade whispered, not expecting this to happen today. However, she knew what she had to do. "Gather your weapons!" she commanded. "We'll be fighting today!"

As her troops began to get themselves ready, Jade happened to spot her second in command, Zarek. He stared at her for a moment, and she realized what he was thinking… was she going to go forth with her plan to let herself get captured in order to gain access to Outworld?

Even at this moment, she wasn't sure if she would let it happen.

"Go get your weapon," Jade suggested. "We have a realm to defend."

Zarek only nodded in reply before taking his leave.

Ten minutes later, Jade was leading the Edenian Freedom Fighters forward, heading towards the direction her spy had mentioned. All was silent with the exception of their footsteps as they began to emerge from the forest that surrounded their camp and into a clearing.

By then, the could see the Outworld Forces heading towards them.

Jade immediately raised a hand up, commanding her troops to stop walking. "We wait until they make their move," she said. "Hold off until I give the signal."

On the other side of the battlefield, Tanya noticed the Edenian Freedom Fighters coming towards them. She raised up a hand, signaling the forces to stop.

 _Now this was unexpected_ _,_ she thought with disappointment.

"That sssure worked out," Reptile said sarcastically.

"They must have a spy who spotted us," Rain guessed. "That's the only way they would've known of our coming."

"It doesn't matter," Tanya replied as she raised her weapons. "They'll be taken care of before they know it."

Before Rain could say anything to her, Tanya raised her arm up. "ATTACK!" With the call, everyone in the Outworld Forces shout out their battle cries as they ran forward towards their enemies.

Seeing the forces running towards them, Jade raised her staff in the air. "LET'S GO!" She began running forward and her fellow Edenians followed, ready for battle.

It seemed like hours, but it only took a minute before the two groups reached one another, their weapons colliding with one another and a few of them were immediately killed upon clashing. The battle between the Edenian Freedom Fighters and the Outworld Forces had begun…

~~~

**Shaolin Temple Grounds, China**

Standing a few feet away from a pond filled with fish, Feng Wei practiced his katas. With his eyes closed, his slowly moved his arms around, his rhythmic breathing the only thing he heard.

It's been nearly a week since his arrival at the Shaolin Temple. Beforehand, he was unaware of the invasion that had occurred, more or so because he was in a very isolated area. He had spotted this temple and hoped that, somehow, the Dragon Scroll in which he had been searching many months for was here.

He thought that the task of finding it would be easy. At other times, he would break through everything just to find it. However, with the invasion, he knew that he had to be careful, not wanting anyone at this temple to figure out who he really was. He had even given them the name Rong Yuan just to cover his identity.

Finding the scroll proved to be harder than he realized. He wanted to keep a low profile, but there were too many monks around everywhere he went. Worse, the detective who was searching for him, Lei Wulong, was staying here at the temple as well along with a couple of his friends.

With that in mind, he found himself being patient about finding the scroll for the first time since he began his mission. However, he was beginning to wonder exactly how long that would last…

Meanwhile, not too far from the pond area, Chun Li strolled through what looked like a garden area. A light wind blew against her face, causing the ribbons of her white silk brocades to sway.

It was an hour ago that the meeting involving the God of Wind, Fujin, ended. She had been shocked to learn the fate of the Thunder God Raiden, one of two people who had lead the chosen ones in their mission to obtain the _Chishio No Me_ medallion during the tournament in Outworld. It had explained many things, especially why Raiden hadn't warned them about Outworld's invasion.

 _It's a shame that it had to come to that_ _…_ she had thought sadly during the meeting.

It was during that same meeting that Yang, understandably, threw his outburst, frustrated and angry that they are being suggested to remain at the temple rather than go out and stop this threat. More important for him, he wanted to search for his brother Yun and figure out the whereabouts of his love, Maki.

To be separated from someone you deeply loved was something Chun Li knew she couldn't talk to him about. After all, she was lucky to have Lei by her side during this time of crisis. But to have a family member you love go missing… she understood that too well…

Soon, Chun Li managed to find Yang. She noted him sitting underneath a large willow tree on a bench. She frowned a little as she noticed Yun's blue and yellow hat in Yang's hand.

Quietly, the Chinese woman walked over to her friend. Noting an empty spot next to him, she sat down, choosing not to saying anything until he spoke. She even half expected him to tell her to go away.

There was a few minutes of silence before Yang spoke. "I wonder if he's even still alive after that talk we had-"

"Don't think that," Chun Li told him.

"What else am I supposed to think?" Yang quickly asked her. "Even if he's alive, he's a slave. Either that, or he's brainwashed just like Guy. There's a small part of me that hopes, somehow, he got away and is just lost in Hong Kong, but still…"

He looked up towards the sky, his hands tightening around the brim of the cap. "It makes me wonder what became of Maki, too…"

Chun Li took a deep breath. "All you can do right now is hope. I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but it's all you can do. And don't lose it either."

"After that meeting, I'm not so sure…"

"I know what Fujin mentioned doesn't seem like much, but he's going to do all he can to help. Of course, he'll be mostly focused on the invasion himself, but he promised that, once we are ready to leave here, he would help with finding Yun and Maki as well, if possible."

Yang looked over at her. "Did he really say that?"

Chun Li nodded. "He did."

He took a deep breath. "I'm still not feeling confident… but it's nice to know that he thought of me even after my outburst."

"He understood what you were going through and doesn't blame you. But please Yang… be strong for them. You won't be able to help them if you're not strong."

Yang nodded. "I'll do my best. Thanks Chun Li. I'm glad we found each other during the invasion. I wouldn't know what to do if we hadn't."

"My pleasure, and I'm glad we found each other too."

Yang stood up from the bench, placing Yun's hat down where he previously sat. "Do you want to spar for a little bit? I could use it right about now."

Chun Li smiled as she stood up. "Sure. Perhaps we can try to perfect those moves Gen taught us."

Yang had to smile a little at the thought of his Grandfather. "I'm sure he would like that."

Both getting into their fighting stances, they stared at each other for a moment, both now feeling a little content, before beginning their sparring session.

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

Five minutes went by since Cyrax and Kenshi heard the footsteps within the forest. Both knew that it wasn't coming from the fort, and they soon realized that someone… or something… was coming their way.

A thought came to Cyrax. "I swear, if it turned out to be a wolf or something-"

"I'm positive it's human," Kenshi cut in. "The steps are too steady to be anything else."

"I'll take your word for it," Cyrax replied. "But again, I'm sure we'll both feel like a couple of buffoons if it's an animal."

Kenshi slightly turned his head to Cyrax. "Let's split up from here. Meet back at the fort in an hour."

"All right then," Cyrax replied.

From there, the two split up with Kenshi going left and Cyrax going right. For five minutes, Cyrax slowly trekked through the forest, still hearing the footsteps which he realized were now coming closer.

 _If this wasn't a serious situation_ _,_ Cyrax began to think. _This would be the perfect time to play the_ _Mission Impossible_ _theme. Besides, I don't have it downloaded into my system anyway… just that stupid theme from_ _Gist of My Fist_ _that I can't seem to delete…. I hate you Johnny Cage and I_ will _get my eight bucks back one day!_

Then, the footsteps suddenly ceased, causing him to stop in his tracks.

 _Well… that's not good_ _,_ the cyborg thought.

Suddenly, a loud battle cry was heard. Cyrax attempted to whirl around to see the person, but he was soon quickly tackled to the ground. Being on a hill at that point, they both ended up rolling down it, narrowly missing the trees before finally landing on the bottom.

Both getting up at the same time, Cyrax got a good look at his opponent. At least he was human.

"Who do you think you are sneaking about here?!" the human quickly called out. "Another who works for Outworld, I assume!"

Cyrax felt confused suddenly. "What are you talking about?"

The human quickly pulled out a large knife from his pocket. "Let's see if I can cut one of your wires!"

He jumped forward, slashing the knife at Cyrax, who easily avoided it. The cyborg waited until he found an opening before kicking his opponent in the chest, forcing him to stagger back.

"Nice try, buddy," Cyrax said as he put an arm out. Pressing a button, his hand transformed, a buzz saw replacing it.

The human looked at the saw in shock. "Shit!"

Cyrax quickly slashed the saw at him, the human jumping out of the way in him. Instead, he left a nice dent in a tree. "Now you know what-" he started to say.

Before he could finish his sentences, Cyrax found himself suddenly lifted into the air, his body surrounded by a blue aura. At first, he thought that the human had another trick up his sleeve, but he soon noticed that his opponent was also lifted in the air, surrounded by the blue aura as well.

Cyrax suddenly realized what was going on. "Kenshi! What are you doing?"

The human seemed to give him a surprised look as though something dawned on him. "Hey, Kenshi, eh... could you tell that robot friend of yours who I am and… no hard feelings?"

Kenshi's hands and head continued to glow in the blue color as he approached the two of them. "The cyborg is an ally of ours. Cyrax, this is Cody, the one we've been expecting to show up."

It dawned on Cyrax then. "… Eh…"

"If I put you two down, will you promise not to kill each other?"

"Yes!" Cyrax and Cody called out.

Kenshi took their word for it and released his telekinetic hold on them, both of them landing back on the ground. Cody rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a bit silly over what just happened.

"My bad," he said to Cyrax.

Kenshi decided to get down to more important matters. "Is there anyone else with you?"

Cody sighed. "No. It's just me."

"Anyone you're expecting to arrive any day from now?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. My brother and his girlfriend are being held up back in Metro City. He broke his arm during the invasion, so I'm not sure exactly when they'll arrive."

Kenshi nodded. "The fort is about ten minutes from here. I'd suggest you get yourself settled. Not counting you, there's only twelve of us at the fort."

"That little amount, huh?"

"Yeah. Cyrax, why don't you take him up to the fort."

"Sure," Cyrax replied.

Cody chuckled a little. "Don't worry, I won't beat you up again."

"That's comforting to know."

From there, the two of them began heading up the hill, leaving Kenshi alone on his watch shift.

~~~

**Edenia**

An enemy attempted to slash his sword downward, but Jade managed to avoid the attack by blocking it with her staff. Her opponent backed off, then attempted to swing his sword down again, but Jade blocked once more.

The two of them went back and forth like this for a moment before Jade took the opportunity to side-step. As the sword went passed her, she quickly got herself behind her foe, kicking him in the back. He stumbled a couple of feet after the impact.

He attempted to turn around, but he never had the chance before Jade took her staff and quickly stabbed him right through the head. He screamed in agony, realizing his fate, before Jade jumped forward. Grabbing on to her staff, she performed a headstand. Then, she flipped forward and tossed her opponent over her head. His body went flying forward, but his now decapitated head remained on her staff.

Jade heard running footsteps behind her, turning around in time to see an Outworld guard running towards her. She waited until he was close enough before smashing the part of her staff that held the head into his face, shattering it off and knocking him out cold.

Then, she heard a female scream nearby. Jade turned her attention to it. Just a few feet away, she noticed Reptile grabbing one of her comrades. The Edenian General was just about to run over to save her, but it was too late as Reptile pried her jaw open and spat acid into her mouth!

"Livana!" Jade cried out. Her agonizing screams reached her ears, but Jade realized that there was nothing she could do at this point… her ally was now dying from a very painful death.

She saw Livana beginning to fall to her knees, but before she did, Reptile forced her to stand up before taking his hand and shoving it through her abdomen. She screamed more as he managed to pull out her stomach, ripping it from her body. Her cries ceased as her now-lifeless body fell back into the ground.

Anger took over Jade as she launched herself towards Reptile. He happened to turn around and saw her coming. Tossing the organ to the side, he drew out his sword, managing to block an attack from Jade's staff.

For a while, the two of them went back and forth, their weapons clashing against one another. Neither one of them were sure how long it was before their weapons collided once more. From there, they leaned their weapons against one another, trying overcome the other.

"It'sss about time I ran into you once more," said Reptile, his yellow eyes staring intently at Jade. "I look forward to sssseeing your pretty face burn away by my acid."

"You never give up, do you?" Jade replied, narrowing her green eyes at him. "Face it Reptile, your dreams of seeing your world of Zaterra rebuilt is not going to happen! You'd think your 'master' would have fulfilled your wishes by now-"

"SSSILENCE!" Reptile yelled out as he landed a kick to Jade's stomach. She found herself stumbling back, but she managed to retain her balance just in time to see Reptile open his mouth and spit out a glob of acid towards her.

Seeing this, Jade managed to crouch low to the ground, the acid passing her and ending up hitting the back of an Outworld guard, burning his skin off as he screamed with terror. While Reptile was bit distracted over what just occurred, Jade took the opportunity to swing her staff into his stomach, the force of it sending him flying back into the crowd of fighters.

She was about to go after him again, but it was at that moment that she noticed a certain yellow-clad woman not too far from her. Jade turned her head, realizing that her biggest enemy was there, staring at her as well; Tanya!

"Well," Tanya said, grinning sadistically. "It's about time I found you."

Jade immediately got into a fighting stance, ready to fight. "Where are Kitana and Sindel?!"

Tanya laughed maniacally. "If you want to know, you'll have to fight me!"

"With pleasure!"

Tanya had expected her to jump forward at that moment. Instead, Jade quickly spun herself a couple of times, her body soon surrounded by a green cloud. Tanya tried to get to her while seemingly distracted, but when the cloud dissipated, so did Jade.

She then heard a noise behind her, and Tanya realized where Jade was. She quickly turned around and managed to block Jade's attack with her two weapons. Briefly, their weapons clashed until Jade managed to knock a tonfa out of Tanya's hand. She tried to used her other one to fight, but Jade soon knocked that off as well.

The green-clad woman swung her staff a few times at Tanya, who was forced to jump away from her attacks. Then finally, when the chance came, the yellow-clad woman grabbed one end of the staff. She tried to pull Jade forward, but to her surprise, Jade let go, jump up into the air before smashing her foot into her face, causing Tanya to fall back.

Jade attempted to stomp on Tanya after she landed, but Tanya managed to roll out of the way in time, getting herself back on her feet. With no weapons in their hands, they covered the distance between each other and began their own hand to hand combat.

Tanya managed to get herself on offense first, throwing a few punches at Jade, who was able to block them. At one point, Tanya nearly delivered a palm strike to Jade's stomach, but Jade was able to back away a few inches to avoid the attack. When Tanya pulled back, Jade lifted a leg to hit Tanya, but Tanya managed to back off.

Tanya then jumped forward, delivering a few low kicks to Jade's shins. She was able to aim and hit, but the blows didn't affect Jade as much as she kept herself on her feet, back up in the process.

From there, Tanya threw more punches, forcing Jade on defense once more. Seeing that it wasn't working, Tanya attempted a few mid-high and high kicks to Jade's torso and face, but Jade blocked those with her hands. The traitor of Edenia then delivered a spin kick in mid-air, but still missed. As she recovered from the move, her eyes widened as Jade executed her own mid-air spin kick, having no choice but to duck underneath it in order to avoid it.

Tanya quickly straightened herself up, then swiftly jumped forward, throwing more punches. However, Jade managed to parry her moves before finding an opening to smack her a couple of times in the face. She then gave her a slight shove back before jumping up and kicking her just below the neck.

With a small cry, Tanya flew back a few feet before landing on the ground back first. She stared up at Jade with her pale eyes, seeing her still in a fighting stance waiting for more. Tanya knew she wasn't about to end this fight. She was fully aware that the Edenian General would see to her death personally.

She wasn't about to let that happen.

Tanya rolled herself back to leave more room in between them, soon getting back on her two feet. Without wasting any more time, she flew forward once more, throwing more punches and kicks at Jade.

Seeing that this wasn't going to work out, Tanya jumped back, leaving more room in between them before raising a hand, shooting out a fireball from her palm. Jade swiftly ducked underneath the projectile before straightening herself up, delivering an uppercut in the process. However, Tanya saw this in time and reared back before being hit.

Jade covered the distance between them, delivering her knee to Tanya's abdomen, but Tanya pushed it away with her hands. Another kick came towards Tanya, and she pushed that away as well. A third kick was delivered, but Tanya sidestepped away from it, now leaving Jade open.

She landed a punch to Jade's face, catching her by surprise. Tanya then threw a few more punches, some of which Jade before one landing on her cheek made her stagger back. Seeing her chance, Tanya somersaults forward, her foot surrounded by flames as it managed to land in the spot between Jade's shoulder and neck, the force of it knocking her to the ground face first.

As Jade tried to recover from the hit, Tanya took the opportunity to grab her by both the collar and the belt of her green and black swimsuit-like outfit. With a growl, Tanya lifted her up in the air, getting her above her head before hurling her forward. Jade found herself flying in the air before her body slammed against a tree. She let out a small cry upon impact before falling back down face first into the ground.

Seeing herself in the right situation at that moment, Jade forced herself to make it look as though she was struggling to get up. She knew she still had time to change her mind, but even at this moment, the green-clad woman knew that she was going to go through with this. If it means getting closer to the whereabouts of the royal family, then so be it.

She just had to hope that she wouldn't be killed along the way.

Tanya approached her, sneering at her. "Looks like I finally defeated you. If I had known better, I'd say this was _too_ easy."

The yellow-clad woman lifted up a leg and swiftly kicked down at the small of Jade's back. Not expecting the blow, Jade screamed out in pain, her eyes widening as she found herself completely flat on the grass face first.

Tanya grinned as she kept her boot on top of Jade's back, slightly digging into it with her heel. "Lucky for you, the Emperor wishes to bring you to him alive. I imagine he wants to see to your death personally."

Tanya then took out a rope and quickly tied Jade's hands together behind her. Once that was done, she lifted her up by her hair, forcing her on her feet. Jade glared at her. "Even if you kill me, the others will prevail."

"That's what they all say," Tanya replied. "But I'm afraid none of them have been true to their word as of now."

"Jade!" a female voice called out. Jade gasped as she turned her head, noticing her spy Iva running towards her.

"No Iva!" Jade cried out. "Keep away!"

However, the General could only watch with horror as she noticed Rain approaching Iva. Her eyes widened as Rain took his sword and cut her right through the torso. Iva looked at her in shock before her upper body slid off her hips, crashing into the ground with a thud. Her legs followed soon after.

For the second time, anger took over Jade, and she instinctively struggled against Tanya's grip. Seeing this, Tanya lifted up one of her tonfas and, using the hilt of it, smashed it against the back of Jade's head. After the blow, Tanya found that she had to hold her up as Jade lost consciousness.

Rain saw this and approached Tanya. "I hope you didn't just kill her. Shao Kahn will not be pleased."

"Relax, I only knocked her out cold. For all we know, she feigned her capture and had a trick up her sleeve. It was all just too easy for my taste."

"Well… if you say so."

Tanya grinned again and she decided to put on an innocent voice at her next statement. "Could you do me a favor, Rain? Carry her back to the camp for me? She's a bit on the… heavy side."

Rain sighed a little, but decided to amuse Tanya anyway. Even as the battle between the Edenian Freedom Fighters and the Outworld Forces continued, the two of them carried the unconscious Jade back to their camp, intending on taking her the Outworld. Indeed Shao Kahn would be most pleased…


	28. Chapter Twenty-Seven

**Somewhere in Asia**

"I'm sorry… but the only reason I had to stopped you and send you away was because it's considered forbidden to fight on that sort of ground."

It was the only thing the God of Wind, Fujin, was able to say as he watched the ninja spectre, Scorpion, pace around impatiently, his pale eyes staring at him in anger. They were now here in a small, grassy field surrounded by countless trees, away from prying eyes.

When Scorpion had showed up yesterday to fight Dark Raiden at the Shaolin Temple, right inside the mausoleum, Fujin was forced to send him off. He made sure to send him far away from both the Shaolin Temple and Raiden's Sky Temple.

Scorpion pointed at himself after Fujin's brief explanation. "Should I remind you of what my nemesis, Quan Chi, did to me for his own gain?"

"I'm fully aware of his responsibility of resurrecting you," Fujin replied. "But I'm not Quan Chi. I'm just a God trying to make things right."

"Including finding a way to stop me from assassinating Raiden?"

Fujin's eyes widened. "What makes you think-"

"It was only a guess, but it's obvious from last night that you intend to stop me from what the Elder Gods sent me to do. You told me yourself that you gave up your Elder God status. It's obvious why you did."

"That's not the only reason," Fujin began to explain. "I'm also here to find a way to stop the latest threat against the realms."

"You did mention wanting to recruit me," Scorpion replied. "I haven't forgotten your offer."

Fujin nodded. "As for Raiden… I admit, I want to find a way to keep him alive and, at the same time, unite you with your family and clan."

Scorpion pointed at him. "You do what you please. But until I'm needed for your fight against Shao Kahn, stay out of my way!"

Before Fujin had the chance to say anything else, a flash of fire surrounded Scorpion's body, the brightness briefly blinding him. When the fire dissipated, Scorpion vanished.

Fujin sighed to himself. He imagined that the spectre only transferred far enough just to get away from him. If that was the case, at least Fujin knew that he was too far from Raiden this time. Most likely, it would be a while before Scorpion crossed paths with the Thunder God once more…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Over three months ago, the Outworld Forces had invaded the realm of Edenia. Not only was the invasion a success, but they had managed to capture the realm's Queen, Sindel, and her daughter, Princess Kitana. To them, it was one of their biggest victories.

Not long after, Shao Kahn sent three of his generals to secure the realm; Tanya, Rain, and Reptile. Not only were they to take care anyone remaining in the realm, but their main objective was to capture the traitor Jade and bring her back here alive to face a proper execution.

Hours ago, Shao Kahn had sent his orders to finish things up in Edenia. Now, as he and Ivy Valentine sat in their thrones, they watched as Tanya, Rain, and Reptile approached them, the three of them bowing down to them just at the foot of the steps.

It was Tanya who spoke first. "My Emperor and Empress, we return to you with news I highly believe will be to your satisfaction."

Shao Kahn tapped a single finger impatiently against the edge of the armrest. "Go on."

Tanya proceeded. "We defeated the Edenian Freedom Fighters. We've killed many, and we managed to capture those who survived our onslaught. They are being placed in their cells as we speak."

"And what of Jade?"

Tanya stared up at him, a grin appearing on her face. "She is indeed captured. I even placed her in the cell myself. She's isolated, away from the others."

"Good," Shao Kahn said. "It's about time that traitor was captured. We'll schedule her trail when the time comes. Reptile-" He turned his head to the Zaterran. "Alert the Shadow Priests of our success in Edenia. Tell them to begin the merging process immediately."

Reptile stood up. "It will be done," he said before taking his leave.

Shao Kahn looked at Tanya and Rain. "Now that you two have returned, you are to return to your original positions in the fortress. Rain, you will proceed in assisting the others in the dungeon. Tanya, you are to resume your position as one of Ivy's bodyguards."

"Yes, my Emperor," Tanya replied.

"We will be expecting to return to Earth in a few weeks to secure it. We'll also be planning to invade Keisei once your Empress gives the word."

"We'll be ready when the time comes," Rain said.

"You may take your leave."

Rain and Tanya straightened themselves up and were just starting to leave when Ivy spoke up. "Oh, Tanya dear, I almost forgot. I have a little assignment for you now that you've returned."

"What would that be, my Empress?" Tanya asked.

"I want you to go up to my private quarters and begin shining all my boots. They haven't been shined in many weeks and they're awfully dirty."

Tanya resisted the urge to give Ivy a sour look. "Yes, my Empress. Right away…"

Ivy smirked. "Good girl."

As she left the throne room, Tanya soon found herself fuming on the inside. After spending three months in Edenia, she nearly forgot what it was like to serve as one of Ivy's personal bodyguards…

~~~

**Yakushima, Japan**

The sun had already set for the evening. With the exception of the campfire outside, all was dark around the island.

Earlier in the day, it lightly rained, leaving everything on the island more wet than usual. The small group of fighters gathered at the isolated childhood home of Jin Kazama were forced to remain indoors through most of the day. Even with twelve of them in the small house, which consisted of a small kitchen, a small living room, a bathroom, and two bedrooms, they were all able to fit okay.

However, the seven-foot tall Marduk was forced to squat down a little just to walk through the cabin. That was about the only inconvenience aside from staying in the same place as the guy who wanted to rip him apart.

When night came, the rain was long gone, and everyone decided to eat their canned food outside in front of the warm fire. Each used either their own or shared a towel to protect themselves from the damp ground or log they sat on.

Karin looked down at the canned green beans in her hand, her nose twitching little. "I wonder when we'll eat real food again," she mumbled to no one in particular.

A few more minutes of silence followed before Hwoarang spoke. "I'm wondering again… how the hell are we all going to stop this threat against Earth while we're all sitting here hiding in an isolated island."

Mika sighed. "Do you have to bring that up again?"

"Yes I do, because in my opinion, this is stupid."

"It's been six days since the invasion," Cassandra reminded him. "And we've only been here on the island for three days… and at least twice a day, you bring that question up."

"Has it been only six days…?" asked Maki aloud.

"The only reason we're here on the island is because it serves as a safe haven until we figure out what to do, remember?" asked Jin as he stared down as his can of peas.

Hwoarang stared at Jin. "But it could be, like, YEARS before we're found. Anything could happen to that guy who dropped us off here."

"Even if he didn't pick us up," Jin began. "This island is also a tourist attraction. So we will eventually leave sooner than you think.

"Yeah… in twenty years time."

"In that case," said Mi-na. "You better be nice to me for now on." She grinned. "Eventually, I'll start looking good to you."

The girls giggled at that, and Hwoarang only replied with a grumbled, not feeling like digging a deeper hole than he already put himself into.

"I have an idea," Dan suddenly spoke up. "Why don't we play a game?"

"What kind of game?" asked Asuka.

Dan shrugged. "I don't know… any game!"

"Unless it involves beer, I'm not in the mood," said Marduk.

"Me neither actually," said Maki.

Dan sighed. "Well all right. But if you guys change your mind, let me know."

"Okay," Asuka said with a nod.

Silence fell between the group again, this time lasting a bit longer than the last. Meanwhile, Ryu had found himself quiet, barely listening to the previous banter between his allies. Ever since he woke up from his afternoon nap, something had been bothering him and it had been plaguing his mind for the past few hours.

Soon, the thoughts because unbearable and he turned to Jin. "Those visions came back again."

Ryu had said this loud enough for everyone to hear. "What visions?" asked Mika.

He gave everyone a serious look. "Do you remember the visions Nightwolf had when we were in Outworld?"

"What visions?" asked Hwoarang. "And who's Nightwolf?"

"Only the nicest and most wise Native American you could ever know," said Dan, his mind filling with fond memories of Nightwolf training his mind to become a better fighter during their stay in Outworld. "He had helped me a lot during the tournament and…" The Saikyo fighter began to frown. "I wish I had been able to repay him."

Mika continued for him. "Unfortunately, he didn't survive the chaos we experienced after the tournament ended."

"That's a shame," said Karin.

"About the visions…" asked Hwoarang, curious to know what this was all about.

Ryu placed his can of beans down on the ground before proceeded. "Those of you who went to the tournament know what I'm talking about. Those who don't… well… everything, the sky, the ground, all were a blood red color. Corpses laid everywhere, lying where they had fallen. And the stench of death is strong… it felt too real."

"I've had the same visions just before I decided to return to Japan," Jin said. "I haven't seen them since, but…" he turned to Ryu. "It sounds like this is about the second time since you've seen them."

Ryu nodded in reply.

Hwoarang couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Just great. Now I'm stuck on an island with a couple of loonies who think their psychic all of a sudden."

"Hwoarang, the sky actually did turn red just before the chaos in Outworld!" Mi-na mentioned, feeling annoyed by his attitude towards the revelation. She looked at Jin and Ryu. "I thought they would be from the chaos but… why are you two still seeing the visions?"

"That's what we've been trying to figure out for the past few days," said Ryu.

Asuka sighed. "I have a confession to make… I had the vision too… just two nights before the invasion."

Everyone stared at the young woman. She took a deep breath before proceeding. "I thought it was a regular dream because it was the middle of the night and… at first I thought it was just memories from the tournament, but… it all felt too real to me."

King suddenly spoke up. "It… sounds like the dream I had the night before the invasion as well…"

Now everyone was looking at the Mexican wrestler. "Now this is different," said Cassandra. "You weren't even at the tournament."

"I just thought it was just another nightmare I had. It was just as you two described… blood red sky, corpses lying all around, and the scent of something that wasn't right… I assume that was the smell of death as you mentioned.

"Great," said Karin. "I'm freaked out now…"

Even Hwoarang had to swallow back the uneasiness he was starting to feel. He gazed at everyone for a moment. "You think maybe these visions are just actually dreams… like just nightmares from your experience in Outworld?"

"Maybe," said Ryu. "But if that's the case, why did King have the vision as well?"

From there, everyone grew quiet, unsure of what to think of all of this…

~~~

**Russia**

For nearly a week, Raven and Dragunov trekked through the snowy terrain, surrounded by nothing more than mountains and trees depending on which spot they found themselves at. Their only shelter was usually a cave, protecting them from the cold for the most part.

They were forced to work together in order to survive after the invasion. The irony of it all was the fact that they both considered the other… well… the word enemy might actually be too much. However, the distrust they had towards each other was enough for them to watch their backs in case the other suddenly decided to stab them from behind, metaphorically speaking.

The main goal was to find Raven's jet. He knew that it was in the area somewhere, but he was already aware that it would be a while before they would find it. Usually, whenever he went on a mission, he made sure that the jet would be parked far enough so that no one would suspect his coming.

For the first time since he became an agent, it definitely wasn't helping.

On this particular day, Raven began to realize that both of their food supply was beginning to run a little low. A few more days, he guessed, before they completely ran out. They were already using snow as their main source of water, melting them during the night in the bottles they used to store them.

Briefly, in his mind, Raven thought about the allies he knew during the Blood Tournament. He never really socialized with them, only speaking to them when either spoken to or whenever it was necessary. Yet, despite that, he found himself wondering how they were all holding up during the invasion.

His thoughts were quickly cut off as he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned his head to Dragunov, who pointed forward. He followed where he was pointing. To his surprised, a one-story building stood nearby, about a twenty minute walk, he guessed.

"Well," Raven said. "This is about the best luck we had all week."

Dragunov briefly nodded in reply, agreeing with Raven, before walking forward. The intelligence agent soon followed just a few feet behind the militant.

The walk to the building took longer than they expected, blaming it mostly on the heavy snow that surrounded it. Within a half hour (or more, both of them losing track), they soon reached the door of the building.

A single, black door was closed and there were only a few window around it. Dragunov reached for the door knob, twisting it before pushing it back, opening it. Without hesitation, both of them walked inside, closing the door behind them.

Raven scanned his surroundings. He immediately noticed what looked like a gym, noting the training equipment. The particular room was large, and he also noticed a hallway nearby, leading to other rooms. Also, judging about the amount of dust and cobwebs all around, this place definitely hasn't been used in quite some time.

Dragunov stepped further into the room. Raven noticed that his head seemed to move quite a bit as though he was trying to find something.

"What are you looking for?" Raven asked him.

Dragunov turned to him. Raising a closed hand to the side of his head, he extended his pinky near his lips, and his thumb near his ear. Raven quickly realized what he was looking for.

"A phone. Okay… if there is one, let's just hope it works."

The two began to look around the area for a phone, or some other kind of device so that they are able to contact somebody in a nearby town or city. They mostly pulled away the thick cobwebs, hoping something would be behind them, but that didn't turn out to be the case.

Then, much to their sudden surprise, they heard a low growl coming from the hallway area. They briefly froze in place, unsure of how else to react to that.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "What was that?" he asked.

Dragunov narrowed his blue eyes, keeping himself still as he tried to figure out what was going on. Raven soon did the same thing.

Then, they both felt the ground underneath their feet shake. The more it happened, the louder they heard the footsteps coming. At the same time, they happened to look down the hallway.

An eight-foot red monster with yellow eyes suddenly appeared from the hallway, revealing himself to the others! The monster growled as he spotted the two of them, showing off a row of sharp, yellow teeth. He looked like the devil himself, minus the horns and tail. Dragunov and Raven kept themselves in place, knowing that they were both about to battle another common enemy for the first time in nearly a week.

The monster stopped a few feet into the room. Stretching his arms out, he let out a loud roar. Behind him, a handful of tarkatans appeared. Their blades were out and ready to fight.

The tarkatans began their approach. Seeing this, Raven quickly took out two kunais from behind him and threw them forward. Both kunais spun rapidly forward before each of them decapitated a tarkatan's head. As their heads rolled away, each body stumbled a few more feet before falling to the ground. It served as enough of a distraction for both Raven and Dragunov to run forward and began their attack.

Approaching a tarkatan, Dragunov immediately delivered an uppercut, sending it flying straight into the air. Not giving it a chance to hit the ground, He lifted a foot up high, kicking it back. As it fell back down again, he gave it one last kick forward, sending it flying.

Another tarkatan came from the right, and he wasted no time as he slammed his fist into it's face. It was enough force to knock a few of the nomad's teeth right out, and he stumbled back a few feet. Quickly recovering, the mutant launched itself forward, swinging it's blades back and forth. This forced Dragunov to jump back and dodge away from the attacks to avoid injury. He waited until he found an opening before reaching forward to grab it by the back of the neck, throwing a couple of punches at it's face with his free fist before kneeing it in the stomach, forcing it to keel over.

Meanwhile, Raven jumped up and doubled kicked two tarkatans in the face, knocking them back. He then noting another running towards him and, when it was close enough, he performed a backwards flip kick. However, the tarkatan managed to pull back before being hit. Raven quickly straightened himself up before throwing three punches at him before kneeing him in the chest. The last hit caused the mutant to stumble back, giving Raven the opportunity to throw another punch to it's face before performing a spin kick, sending it flying back.

Another tarkatan followed immediately after, and Raven was prepared for it. He lifted his leg high up before kicking down, smashing the back of his foot into the mutant's shoulder, sending it crashing to the ground. He tried to stomp on it afterwards, but the mutant managed to get itself up. It tried to attack Raven again, but he quickly teleported himself behind it before sending another kick to the back of it's head, knocking out cold.

When he finished the nomad off, Raven happened to turn around… only to notice Dragunov running towards the hallway. Before he had the chance to comprehend what he was doing, Dragunov vanished within the darkness of the hallway.

"Hey! Dragunov! Where are you-" Raven began to call out. But he never finished his sentence before another tarkatan attacked him, slashing his blades at him. When he got the chance, Raven quickly maneuvered himself so that he was behind the tarkatan before grabbing on to his neck and twisting it certain angle. A loud _snap!_ was heard before the nomad fell to the ground dead.

Raven scanned his surroundings, realizing that he was alone, surrounded by the Tarkatans, and the monster who was watching and waiting for it's chance to kill him. He was now fighting the mutants off on his own…

He clenched his fists. It was only a matter of time before Dragunov abandoned him.

"Damn him…"

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

"Well, it turns out that the takeover of Edenia was a success," said Ivy Valentine as she raised a cup of hot tea to her lips. "Shao Kahn was very pleased with the results."

"I could only imagine," replied Anna Williams. She briefly took a sip of her own tea before proceeding. "I understand that was one of the places he truly wanted to conquer aside from Earth and Keisei."

"That, my dear, is true," Ivy confirmed. "Let's just say that he has a long standing history with that particular world."

"Any word on when things will move forward for Earth?" asked a curious Kira.

Ivy placed her cup of tea down on the table. "Very soon, at least that's what I was told."

In her private quarters, Ivy had invited both Anna and Kira to have tea with her, a little tradition the Empress started with her personal bodyguards since she joined Shao Kahn's side. From everything that was going on, this was one of the more relaxing moments for her, and she didn't mind inviting her bodyguards to join her.

Ivy was about to say something else when they heard footsteps nearby. All three of them turned around and saw Tanya coming in.

"Are all the boots shined?" Ivy asked her.

Tanya took a deep breath. "Yes, my Empress."

Ivy smiled a little. "Good. Come have a set and drink some tea. You've earned it."

Without another word, Tanya joined the other three women at the table. Carefully, she took a hold of the teapot, pouring herself a small about into her cup. Placing the pot down, she picked up the cup before sipping it. It was lukewarm at that point, but at least it was better than being ice cold.

"As I was saying," Ivy continued. "We'll soon be sending Sheeva, Motaro, and Kintaro to begin securing Earth. Most likely, it'll happen within a week or two."

"The sooner, the better," said Tanya. "After what happened a decade ago during the last invasion, it's best not to take any chances."

"You're right about that," Ivy agreed. "We will make sure everything goes according to plan."

With the talk about Earth, a question came up in the Empress' mind and she turned her attention to both Kira and Anna. "What was it like invading Earth for you two? Considering how it's your home world and all."

"I got a thrill out of it," said Kira. "I think it's because I always resented the way our society there lives." She looked down at her tea. "Maybe it's because all I've seen my whole life is the bad side of everything."

"I admit, I got a thrill out of it as well," said Anna, smiling. "Especially when I ran into that wretched sister of mine." Her smile faded. "Too bad I didn't kill her when I had the chance."

"You'll get a second chance when we go back in a few weeks," mentioned Ivy.

"I hope so. Tell me, my Empress… do you think you'll feel the same way once we invade Keisei?"

Ivy immediately took a long sip of her tea before placing it back down on the table. "Maybe," she replied with a small smirk, not wanting to give the girls a single hint of her indecisiveness on the subject.

She knew that she would eventually have to make the call to invade Keisei. She just hoped to put it off for as long as possible…

Meanwhile, having some time on his hands, Vega decided to head to the training room within the confines of the fortress. He hadn't had a good training session in a while and had decided that now was the time to do so.

Earlier, he heard the news of Edenia finally being taken over and the merging process would begin today. It was a piece of news that didn't phase Vega. He never even heard of Edenia until he began working for Shao Kahn during the tournament. If something didn't have any impact on him, he wasn't going to care about it.

As he headed into the room, he found himself thinking about on the day he joined Shao Kahn. He, along with his former ally Sagat, were asked to join by the sorcerer Shang Tsung. They felt that their skills would prove useful to his growing army, and they had accepted the offer.

It was the same day that he met his beautiful Anna. He still remembered their first meeting clearly…

_Suddenly, she felt something sharp and cold pressing at her neck. Anna kept still in her place. She had been in worse situations like this so she was able to show no fear. She did, however, manage to shift her eyes to see who was behind the weapon that threatened her life. Her eyes were met with another set of blue eyes. She could see that the person was a tall male with long blonde hair and a white porcelain mask over the rest of his face._

_"Why do you follow my dear Viper?" the man demanded calmly._

_Anna looked over then and noticed the true person she was following who she now knows as Viper. She had the long blonde hair and green shirt like Nina, but the woman's hair was down while Nina always had her hair up and she had green pants instead of black. Anna admitted to herself that she felt a bit foolish that she thought she was following her sister._

_Being in a presence of a man then, Anna decided to use her charm. A warm smile came upon her face. "Forgive me," she purred. "I had thought she was my sister, who I want to kill so badly." She then made herself pout a bit. "She and your little friend look so much a like. I mean your friend no harm."_

_The man let out an amused chuckle and he released Anna from under his three claws. He then slowly took off his mask revealing his flawless complexion. "Forgive me then my dear. My name is Vega and from this point on, I will let no one harm you." Then from his large, loose pocket, Vega took out a fully bloomed red rose and handed it to Anna. "This is for you, just for being beautiful."_

_Anna smiled more then as she took the rose in her hands. "It's been a long time since someone has given me a gift out of kindness. My name is Anna."_

_A smirk came on Vega's face. "Anna means gracious, characterized by charm and beauty… indeed a lovely name for a lovely woman."_

_Anna let out a chuckle feeling quite flattered by Vega's description of her. "And you are very handsome yourself. Why the mask? Why hide your beauty?"_

_"It's to keep my face in perfection," Vega replied. "With this mask, no harm will ever come upon my face."_

_Their fun suddenly ended then when they heard someone clearing their throat. Vega and Anna turned their heads to the noise and noticed Sagat approaching them. Once he was close enough, he briefly looked over at Anna, then at Vega before speaking._

_"This is the anonymous note we were told about this morning," Sagat said. As he spoke, Viper brought herself closer to the small group silently._

_"What does it say?" Vega asked as he placed the mask back over his face._

_Sagat opened the letter and read it. "You are to head North into the forest where you will meet a person two miles in next to a broken statue. Be there, or else." Sagat looked up then. "The letter seems suspicious to me. It could be a trap."_

_"Relax," Vega said. "Trap or not, we'll be prepared to cut them up like ribbons."_

_"Fine," Sagat replied with a sigh. "But if is a trap, I'll have your head." He then began heading into the forest with Viper following him._

_Vega looked over at Anna. "Why don't you come along with us my dear? I'm sure you'll have fun."_

_Anna smiled. "I'm sure I will."_

_With that, the two began following Sagat and Viper into the forest._

The memory faded from Vega's mind as he went further inside the training room. At first, he wasn't sure where to begin, whether it was lifting weights or taking out any pent up frustration on a punching bag.

Speaking of punching bags, he was able to hear someone training with it, their punches and kicks being heard hitting against the bag. Curious to know who else was in the room, Vega decided to do a little inspection. It didn't take long before he saw the person after turning a corner.

He immediately recognized the one named Guy Hinato.

Vega knew his story well. He was brainwashed by Shao Kahn, captured merely for his skills and his way of fighting, witnessed during the second round of the tournament when he fought the monster Berserk. Now that he was under the control of the Emperor, Guy served him, taking orders without question, even going on a mission to kill a friend of his from his… previous life.

The brainwash was too perfect in Vega's opinion. He even wondered whether or not his former master, Bison, could do better…

It was then that Guy stopped his training, and Vega realized that the Bushin fighter knew of his presence. He slipped his porcelain mask over his face just as Guy turned around to face him, his colorless eyes staring at him.

This gave Vega an idea. He raised his fists up, his claws gleaming in the small light in the room. "I hope you don't mind. I'd like to amuse myself for a little while. It's been a while since I fought a… puppet."

Without hesitation, Guy got himself into a fighting stance. Vega chuckled in reply. "Not a bad start if I say so myself."

With that, Guy quickly launched himself forward. He couched low, his right leg leading him as he glided forward with the intention of tripping his opponent. Vega managed to jump over him, somersault forward before landing back on his feet. He turned around in time to see Guy running towards him. When Guy was close enough, Vega performed a flip kick, hitting him underneath his chin. Despite the pain, Guy shook it off, and he managed to catch himself mid-air, somersaulting back before landing back on the ground.

Vega jumped, extending his claws out to strike, but Guy pulled himself back before he was hit. As Vega pulled away, Guy attempted a couple of spin kicks, but Vega blocked them with the palm of his hand. The brainwashed fighter tried to deliver a couple of more punches, but Vega managed to sidestep out of the way, flipping back to create a distance between them.

Guy suddenly darted forward, and before Vega could react, he was grabbed by the shoulders and pulled forward. He was met with a knee to his stomach, feeling the wind knocked out of them. He felt another knee again before Guy threw him over his own shoulder and flip him over.

Vega landed hard on the ground, his back taking the most impact. As he tried to catch his breath, he saw Guy's foot attempting to stomp him, but the Spanish matador managed to see this in time, rolling himself out of the way before getting back to his feet.

Once again, Guy dashed forward, but Vega was ready for him this time. As Guy approached him, Vega immediately got himself on a handstand, grabbing a hold of his opponent's next with his feet. When he got a good grip, he flipped him back, sending him flying in the air before landing back on the ground on his side. As Vega straightened himself up, Guy also got back on his feet.

Deciding on his next move, Vega rolled forward and, once he was near, he extended his claw out, but Guy jumped back in rapid speed. Close to a wall at that moment, Guy jumped off of it, launching himself higher in the air before extending on leg out and spun himself rapidly. Seeing this, Vega managed to dodge out of the way, rolling forward and keeping himself away from him. Landing on the ground once more, Guy turned his attention to Vega, who was now standing, glaring at him.

Both stood in their fighting stances, waiting for the other to make their next move. They narrowed their eyes at each other while figuring out their next maneuver in their minds.

"That'll be enough for now," a voice was suddenly heard nearby. Both fighters turned to see who had just come in and they both recognized the sorcerer Shang Tsung.

Shang Tsung looked at Vega. "Do you now understand the power Shao Kahn possesses?" He turned to Guy. "If he could make a perfect soldier out of this man, imagine what else he could do."

Vega nodded. "I believe that."

"Good. Guy, you may take your leave."

Without another word, Guy gave the sorcerer a solemn bow before leaving the room. Soon, only Shang Tsung and Vega remained.

Vega turned to Shang Tsung. "Don't you have a harem to attend to?"

Shang Tsung narrowed his eyes at him. "I would if I still had one. They escaped my grasps upon my 'demise' back at the tournament."

"I see," Vega replied. "That also explains why you hang around this fortress more than usual."

"I'll build a new harem soon enough," Shang Tsung mentioned. "They're easy to replace, just like any broken doll. Speaking of dolls, it's too bad you failed to provide me with those two you promised me."

"If you mean Xianghua and Viper, that's not entirely my fault," Vega said. "Viper escaped my own grasps, but I think it's for the better anyway. I'm sure her new life is filled with agony as we speak. As for Xianghua, had I known her friends would show up that evening-"

"It's over now anyway, so there's no longer a reason to dwell over it." A sadistic smirk came over Shang Tsung's face. "Of course, to make up for it, if you ever get bored of your precious Anna-"

He barely had time to get another word in before he found Vega's three claws barely an inch away from his own neck. Even with his mask on, Shang Tsung noted the crazed look in Vega's blue eyes. He didn't even react to it, knowing that the Earthrealm native wasn't intending to actually kill him. Even if he did, he would steal his soul before he had the chance to blink himself.

"She's off limits!" Vega called out, giving the sorcerer an icy glare. "Be sure to keep that in mind!"

Shang Tsung resisted the urge to chuckle, realizing Vega's inner feelings. Deciding that he had enough for now, he steppd away a bit before turning his back on Vega and departed, leaving Vega fuming.

~~~

**Russia**

For a few minutes after finding himself alone, Raven fought off the tarkatans who came after him. He found himself mostly dodging the blades that slashed at him, but when his chance came, he would take them down with ease. At one point, he managed to retrieve his kunais and used them against his enemies, mainly slashing their arms off and cutting their necks open.

Soon, Raven didn't leave a single tarkatan alive. By then, his kunais were covered in blood, and he had a sheen of sweat covering his body, and he found himself slightly out of breath.

However, the fight wasn't over yet. There was still the large beast to deal with…

"Now it's just you and me," he said out loud at he stared at it.

Just then, Raven noticed the demon running towards him. He quickly jumped high into the air just as the monster brought down both of it's fists and driving it down to the ground, leaving a dent behind.

Jumping over the monster, Raven happened to see one of his kunais embedded into a nearby wall. Once he landed on the ground, he pushed himself forward, flying towards the wall. When he was in reached, he grabbed for the hilt of the kunai and pulled it out of the wall. Then, he turned around to face the monster, who was running after him once more.

Without hesitation, Raven threw his kunai at the demon, hoping to chop his head off as he did with the two tarkatans earlier. To his dismay, however, the monster quickly lifted up a wrist, covered by a metal brace, blocking the kunai. The weapon flew sideways before landing on the floor.

"Damn…" Raven uttered under his breath.

The demon threw another punch at him, but the agent jumped up again, avoiding the attack. Darting forward, he grabbed a hold of the monster's head and, using all of his strength, flipped him over his head. With a loud raw, the monster flew a few yards away, crashing into some weight equipment, breaking them into pieces. It caused some years worth of collected dust to fly up in the air, disturbed for the first time in years.

It didn't take long for the monster to get back up. By then, Raven retrieved both of his kunais. He stood in a fighting stance, ready for more.

Suddenly, to Raven's surprised, a loud blast was heard, the sound nearly deafening him. Nearly a second later, he felt a wet splatter, almost like rain, splashing on to him. When the splatter stopped, Raven took off his now-drenched sunglasses to get a better look at what just happened.

The monster stood there in shock by what just happened. Raven wasn't sure what was going on… until he saw the large, gaping hole right in the middle of it's torso.

Raven looked on with a bit of confusion… and a bit of disgust, as the monster's blood spewed from the hole. Eventually, as it's life left it, the body fell to it's side, creating a rumble as it's heavy weight crashed down to the floor.

About twenty feet away from the monster, Raven spotted Dragunov. His uniform had some blood splattered on it, and he was now holding an old-fashioned M1 Bazooka, it's hole slightly smoking from it's recent use.

 _So, he didn't run off after all,_ Raven thought, realizing that he had indeed doubted the Russian militant earlier.

Raven stood himself up, stretching himself a little before turning his attention to Dragunov. "How did you find that thing?" There was a pause before Raven realized something. "Oh… yeah… you don't talk."

Despite that, he still got his answer when Dragunov pointed at the side of the bazooka. There, a faded SPETSNAZ insignia was printed on there.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "I see. By the way things look around here, this place hasn't been used in years, am I correct?"

Dragunov shook his head once.

"I assume then that there's no working phone then."

Dragunov pointed a finger towards the hall. He then lifted a single finger before shaking his head once.

It took a moment, but Raven realized that he was indicating that there was one phone, but it wasn't working. "That figures," he said. "Since we're here, we might as well call it a night. It'll be better than staying in the cave, that's for sure… aside from that gaping hole the bazooka left on the wall of course."

Dragunov's only reply was a single nod.


	29. Chapter Twenty-Eight

_Two weeks after the Earth invasion…_

**Kerala, India**

A smile came over Ruby Heart's face as she gazed over at her beloved flying ship. Nearly two weeks ago, she and Dhalsim had begun the fixing process in hopes to getting it flying again as soon as they could. Even when they began, they both knew that it was going to take possible weeks for it to be ready.

The holes that were on the ship itself along with a few bent parts were all finally fixed and patched up. Even though the ship was not tested out yet, Ruby Heart was confident that it would fly without problems, especially when it came to turbulence in the air.

However, there was still the hardest part of the fixing process… the propeller. It had bent quite a bit when it crashed here two weeks ago. She had been working on that for the most part and, after a while, she knew that she would have to take it apart. Then, with the help of fire and specific equipment used by blacksmiths, she would have to put it back together again.

The small smile that was on her face soon disappeared and she stared down at the large propeller in front of her. Ruby Heart had already began sawing the propeller some time ago, something that was definitely not easy as it required her to put a lot of muscle behind the heated saw. The metal barrel underneath the propeller had a fire going, so the heat helped the process a little.

As of now, she was just over halfway done with the cutting.

As she began sawing again, she noticed Dhalsim approaching her. A bucket filled with water was in one hand, and she realized how thirsty she was suddenly. Placing the saw down on the grass, she briefly wiped the small bead of sweat from her brow as Dhalsim put the bucket down next to the saw.

"Thanks, I needed that," she said as she grabbed the serving spoon inside and took a long sip.

"I had the feeling you were thirsty," said Dhalsim. "However, that's not the only reason I approached."

"Oh?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something important. I had another vision during the night."

Ruby Heart was now staring at him with interest. "About the chosen ones?"

Dhalsim immediately shook his head. "Actually, no. This time, it wasn't about the four chosen ones, as much as I wish it was. I'm just trying to find out who the four are."

"I see," she said, slightly disappointed.

For the past two weeks, the two of them had talked about the four chosen ones, who all held the perfect balance of their inner energies which can be formed into a weapon to stop the 'main source of the conflict' during a universal war… the one they were experiencing now. The main source of the conflict was, of course, Shao Kahn. However, despite Dhalsim's psychic abilities, even he wasn't able to determine who the four are, which was frustrating itself since they were currently the only hope for mankind's survival.

She could only hope that he could figure it out before it was too late…

"What was the vision then?" the pirate asked after a moment of silence.

Dhalsim looked up towards the blue sky. "I was at the sacred ground where the tablet was… the one with _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend. I noticed a man there. Like me, he had pale eyes, and his hair was long and white. I realized from sensing his aura that he was a God."

Ruby Heart raised an eyebrow. "A God? Why would a God come here?"

"I'm not sure," Dhalsim continued. "But perhaps it's a sign that things are only going to get better for us. What I mean is, since I found him by the tablet, that he may be able to help us somehow. I'm not quite sure exactly how, but anything can help at this point."

"Do you know which God this is?" Ruby Heart asked with more curiosity.

Dhalsim shrugged a little. "I'm not quite sure. However, something tells me that this is the Thunder God, Raiden. Remember how I told you about how he led a group of people in the Blood Tournament to obtain the medallion?"

"You mentioned it a couple of times, but not quite in full details," she reminded the yoga master.

Dhalsim nodded. "He had his reasons for choosing the ones who would join him during the tournament, but even I cannot see exactly why. I hope to get more details upon his arrival."

"If this God is actually him."

"If not, then I hope to find out something either way. But with everything that's happening, I have a feeling that this is Raiden."

"I hope you're right in this case," Ruby Heart said.

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

The sun in Keisei had set only a couple of hours ago. Many of the citizens of the city of Chili-san have already returned to their homes. The streets of the city were now mainly consist of members of either the Coast Guard, the Manji Clan, or a few citizens who highly enjoyed the nightlife despite the current universal crisis.

Sitting on the edge of the dock, Kilik found himself gazing at both the ocean and the night sky which was filled with countless stars. He realized that he hadn't enjoyed such a view in quite a bit and, while everything was quiet tonight, he decided to take that opportunity.

About six days ago, the Coast Guard had sent a handful of their men out to sea. There, they were to find out the location of a possible portal that led to other realms. The fact that many of the fighters who attended the tournament in Outworld went through a portal out at sea was what fueled the idea, and the Coast Guard knew that they had to find a way to secure it, if it still existed.

Since his arrival, Kilik did all he could to assist the Coast Guard in whatever they needed. It really wasn't much at the moment. Mainly, it was keeping an eye out on the citizens for their own safety. At least, however, it was better than not doing anything at all.

Soon, he heard footsteps coming from behind him. Kilik already knew who it was just moments before he felt a pair of hands covering both of his eyes.

"Guess who?" the young female voice said cheerfully.

"Hi Xianghua."

Xianghua sighed a little as she removed her hands from his face. "Hmph, you're no fun." She then sat next to him on the dock, her lower legs dangling over the edge. "Aren't the stars beautiful tonight?" she asked, trying to make conversation with her friend.

Kilik looked up at the sky once more. "Yeah… they are."

"I remember, when I was little, my mother used to take me to a big field that was outside the Imperial castle. We would stare up at the stars for hours and she would tell me stories about the stars. I almost miss those days."

Xianghua turned her head to Kilik, but she frowned a little as she noticed that he was a little distracted. His brown eyes seemed to hint that something was bother him, and she realized that being her cheerful self wasn't exactly the right thing to do at the moment.

"Is something the matter?" she asked.

Hearing that, Kilik sighed a little. "I'm not sure, to be honest."

"Why aren't you sure?"

"Well… it's nothing really… just a dream I had last night."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Kilik shifted his eyes to Xianghua. "I don't think you want to hear this one."

"I don't mind," she said. "And if it's something that's truly bothering you, just remember… I might now be able to give you any advice, but you know I'm a good listener."

Kilik had to smile a little. "That's very true. You've always been good at that."

"Thanks. So, tell me all about it."

Kilik took a quiet, deep breath before speaking again. "I don't know if you remember, but during the tournament back in Outworld… do you remember the vision Nightwolf had?"

Xianghua's eyebrows knitted a bit as she tried to remember. She remembered Nightwolf all right, but the vision, well… she couldn't quite recall it.

"Remind me again," Xianghua said. "It's been a while."

Kilik nodded, understanding. "Well… the sky is blood red… I can smell death all around, which almost reminds me of…" He stopped himself for a moment, taking another deep breath before proceeding. "The worst of it was that bodies laid everywhere, most of them long dead…"

Xianghua frowned. "Suddenly, I remember it once you mentioned the sky. It was like that right after the tournament, too."

Kilik nodded again. "But Nightwolf had those visions prior to what happened after the final round. But one thing is bothering me… if the visions he had seen have already happened, why am I dreaming about it now?"

Xianghua turned to him. The talk had suddenly made her a bit queasy. "Maybe it was really just a dream. You still remember that day clearly, so you dream of it."

"The thing is, Xianghua, it all felt too real to be just a dream. I felt as though I was really there all over again. That smell… I don't think I'm going to forget it any time soon."

The two had been so focused on their conversation that neither one of them had noticed anyone approaching them from behind. That was until Kilik felt a playful slap on his back.

"What are you two doing?" the familiar voice asked.

The voice had made Xianghua jump a little and she turned to see who it was. "Nice way to give us a scare, Maxi."

Maxi chuckled a little. "Sorry Xianghua. Any way, what are you two doing?" he asked again.

"Nothing much," replied Kilk.

"We were just talking about the stars," Xianghua added.

Maxi eyed the both of them for a moment before grinning. "I see. You know, I seem to recall a story I heard as a child. Something about two souls coming together underneath the stars. I can't quite remember it, but somehow, this reminds me of it."

Xianghua immediately realized what her friend meant, and she felt her cheeks burn red. However, Kilik seemed to look at Maxi with confusion. "What are you talking about?" he asked. His hand seemed to reach for the green Dvapara-Yuga piece that was connected to a thin rope which hung around his neck.

The young woman wanted to sigh at this. _Oh Kilik, you're hopeless_ _…_

"Ah, it's nothing," Maxi said. "But, whenever you are ready, I was thinking about going to the pub for a drink or two, if you want to join."

"Well," Kilik began. "I guess I could go for a drink myself."

"Me too!" called out Xianghua as she got herself on her feet.

The two men stared at her, a bit baffled. "Xianghua, you do know that women aren't allowed in these pubs, right?" Maxi mentioned.

Xianghua folded her arms, looking annoyed. "So what? If they're worried about a woman getting herself drunk in a room full of men, they should put signs up at the door. Besides, if I can survive Outworld liquor, I can survive whatever they have."

The two men laughed at this, remembering the infamous drink during the tournament. "Well, at your own risk, you can come with us," said Maxi. "But stay close to us. I don't want you running off in a drunken stupor."

"I only want one shot anyway," Xianghua mentioned.

"That's good to know," Kilik said as the three of them began heading back towards the city.

Meanwhile, about five minutes from where they were, Sophitia also found herself looking out towards the ocean. She had noted the beautiful stars some time ago, but her mind ended up drifting somewhere else.

Ever since she came to Chili-san to help fight back against Outworld's tyranny, Sophitia had kept herself quite busy. She mainly helped with whatever she was asked by the Coast Guard and the Manji Clan. For now, it mainly consisted of keeping watch over the citizens of the city. If anything helped, then she would do it.

Eventually, she heard someone approach her. Turning her head, she spotted her new ally, Hwang approaching her, stopping once he was next to her.

"Hello," she said.

"Hi," Hwang replied.

"I assume you're off-duty for the night?"

Hwang nodded. "It's pretty quiet tonight, so I'm not needed unless something comes up."

"I see."

Silence fell between the two for another minute as they turned their heads towards the water. As the wind picked up, Hwang turned back towards Sophitia, seeing that she was deep in thought.

"Thinking of your family?" he guessed.

Sophitia had to smile. "Yes. You're right about that. I'm really wondering how my husband and children are holding up back at home. I admit, after I made the decision to help out, I left home quite quickly, not wanting to waste any time."

"I'm sure they understood your reasons," Hwang said.

"My husband's used to it, though he was quite against me leaving. You see, the last time I traveled, I came home very weary and it took me some time to recover. He was worried that it would happened again, but I assured him that it wouldn't. After all, this is about preventing Outworld from invading our home. He finally did let me go, of course. Even though I know I'm doing the right thing, I do miss them."

"Understandable."

Sophitia turned to him. "Do you have family, Hwang?"

Hwang sighed a little before replying. "If you mean biologically, no. I was an only child growing up. My parents had a strong sense of justice and would fight any threat against our country. Unfortunately, their sense of justice would end up killing them. I've been on my own for the most part, and I lived here ever since, mainly between the Dojang and the Coast Guard headquarters. Master Seong Han-myeong has been good to me, and he's almost like a father, but even so, he couldn't ever truly replace my own father."

"I'm sorry about your parents," Sophitia said with a small frown. "But, from what I've seen from you, their sense of justice was passed down to you."

Hwang had to smile a little at that. "That's what many have said. It's one of the reasons I joined the Coast Guard. I love this country and would see to it that it's treated with the honor and respect it deserves."

"You also mentioned that your master has a daughter."

Hwang nodded, his smile fading. "Seong Mi-na. I've known her ever since I came to the Dojang. As a matter of fact, my Master wanted us to marry a few years ago, but Mi-na was against it. I don't blame her to be honest. The thing she truly wanted was to be able to make her own decisions, and I respect her enough for that.

"But then again, just nearly a year ago, my master was going to marry her to a wealthy man. I didn't know anything about this until Mi-na mentioned it during the tournament. The two of us only ended up there because she was trying to run away. When I found out who she was marrying, I couldn't blame her for running away. The bastard turned out to be a murdering scum, and he was actually hanged while we were gone.

"Master always felt sorry about that and he wants Mi-na's forgiveness. He knew he should've listened the first time rather than trying again. He really is a good man, and Mi-na knows that too, but she didn't want to face that even if she wanted to make her father happy. But with Mi-na in another realm now, Master feels as though he may never get the chance to tell her all that."

Sophitia reached her hand out and placed it on Hwang's shoulder. "It must be all hard, especially for your master."

"He's been trying his best to be strong," Hwang mentioned. "And I've told him over and over again, she's a strong girl. She's learned from the best, and I know she'll take care of herself. I must admit though, I can't help but worry for her myself. I just wish there was a way to bring her back home."

"Maybe she'll find a way herself," Sophitia suggested. "I just wish there were other words I can say to help."

"There's nothing to be said. All we can do is hope for the best." Hwang stretched his arms out. "I'm going to head off to bed for the night. Suddenly, I'm tired, and we hadn't really done that much today."

Sophitia chuckled a little. "That tends to happen sometimes. Well, I'll be back at headquarters in a little while myself. Good night."

"Good night."

With that, Hwang began heading back towards the city. When he was far enough, Sophitia turned her head back towards the ocean. The blond-haired woman frowned once more, missing her family more than ever.

She bowed her head down, her hands clasped in front of her. "Cassandra, my dear sister… please watch over our family tonight…"

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

Carrying a small bag in hand, Juli climbed up the newly-fixed ladder towards the watch tower that was within the fort she was staying at. She had been up there earlier that day, and even she admitted herself that the view was quite beautiful. It was nothing but countless trees and surrounding snow-capped mountains for miles around.

It was the first time in her life that Juli was truly seeing the Rocky Mountains. She only wished that she was seeing them during a vacation rather than hiding out within them during the invasion…

Soon reaching the top of the fort, she noticed a hand reaching out to her. Juli smiled as she noticed Wagner before reaching her hand out as well to grab his.

"What are you doing back up here?" Wagner asked. "Your watch shift ended a half an hour ago."

"I know," Juli replied. She held up the bag. "I wanted to bring up some breakfast for you since you mentioned that you didn't eat yet."

Wagner had to smile. "Thanks. So, what's for breakfast?"

Juli began taking out the content from the bag. "It's nothing special. Just some hard-boiled eggs and some hash browns."

"We have hash browns?" Wagner asked, a bit baffled.

Juli raised an eyebrow at him. "You mean you don't remember looting them back in Utah?"

Wagner laughed. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that."

Juli handed him a small take out box and a plastic fork. "Like I said, it's nothing special."

"I appreciate it either way." He opened up the box, noticing the hot steam emerging from it. "Hmm, looks hot. Smells good too. You know, Juli, you didn't have to do this."

Juli opened up her own box. "Well… I must admit, I was looking for an excuse to come up here."

Wagner laughed again. "Well, I'm glad you came up either way. But don't be too long." He grinned. "You're a bit of a distraction."

Juli giggled at that. "Well that's not my fault."

"Wagner!" a voice called out from below.

He didn't have to look over the tower to see who was calling. "Yeah, Alex?"

"I'm going out the fort to check on the traps," Alex mentioned. "I'll be back in about thirty to forty minutes."

"Carry on, soldier," Wagner replied. "And as I always say each morning, be careful."

"Will do." With that, Alex began leaving the fort.

"I thought Julia checked on the traps," mentioned Juli.

"She does, but in the afternoon. She managed to convince Alex to volunteered to check on them in the morning. The more game, the better I suppose. All I know is that I'm glad I'm not doing the job."

"Me too, actually," Juli said. She decided to change the subject, taking a bite of the egg before proceeding. "I had a dream last night."

Wagner stared at her. "Don't tell me it's the one with the blood red sky and all that…"

She immediately shook her head from side to side. "No no, not that one."

He sighed of relief. "Thank goodness. With Ken having that dream last night and Paul dreaming about it the other night, I'm starting to wig out. Something tells me we'll all have that dream eventually. So… what exactly did you dream about?"

Juli took another bite of her egg before continuing. "Well, it's that same one I've been having ever since I came to California. It's me with a handful of girls in the same room. We're all wearing the same uniform. I can't really describe it, but all I know is that it's a very dark blue color, almost black. And that girl with the strawberry blonde hair was there again. I was just standing next to her, but just like with the other dreams, she stood out amongst the rest of the girls there. That's all that happened."

"Were you able to write them all down?" Wagner asked, knowing that this was something she had to do by doctor's orders.

Juli nodded. "I had to use some cardboard and a sharpie pen, but I did."

The Air Force Sergeant wrapped an arm around the young woman. "Good. Just keep doing that. Someday, you'll read back on those entries and reflect on them. I think they'll somehow connect."

"Maybe, but I'm not holding my breath." Juli sighed a little. "Let's not talk about it anymore. I'm not saying it's something I can't avoid, but this is not how I want to start my morning."

Wagner nodded, understanding. "Hey, there's something you forgot… some drinks. I could go for some water if you don't mind."

Juli raised an eyebrow, giving him a serious look. "Sending me back, huh?"

"I'd get it myself, but I'm on watch duty right now."

Juli smiled as she chuckled. "I'm just teasing you. Actually, I'm thirsty myself." She leaned forward towards him to give him a brief kiss. "I'll be back then."

"All right," Wagner replied. He watched as his girlfriend began making her way back down the ladder.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the fort, Julia Chang was walking towards the kitchen area, deciding to get something to eat. She knew that Jane Guile was usually there around this time making breakfast for everyone.

On her way there, she began walking passed a small area that served as a training area, set up by Guile himself for those needing to practice during their stay here. There, the young woman noticed the Muay Thai fighter Sagat training, kicking his feet against the heavy sand sack that was hanging off a chain connected to a metal pole.

For a moment, Julia watched him train, curious about his fighting style. During their stay at the fort, Julia had noticed that he was one of the few who mostly kept to himself. For some reason, that didn't surprise her. She figured that he was the kind of person who preferred it that way.

Julia was just about to leave when Sagat had noticed her. He stopped his training, stretching his muscles out a little before turning to her. He nodded to her, his way of saying hello. Julia nodded as well.

Without thinking about it, the young woman spoke. "It's too bad you couldn't finish your business with the military before the invasion happened."

Sagat nodded in agreement. "Yeah… it is too bad."

Briefly, Sagat thought of the main reason he found himself in the US in the first place… he had recently found additional information about Julia's adopted mother, Michelle. Two years ago, Michelle had been in Japan when she was kidnapped and brainwashed to be an assassin for Shadaloo. When she was taken, her kidnappers had actually mistaken her for Julia, but her skills were realized and they decided to keep her.

Over a year ago, Michelle had been killed during a mission. It was at the tournament in Outworld when Sagat revealed this to Julia. The fact that her mother had died tragically was a devastating blow in itself. But he also had to tell her that a good friend of hers… Ryu… was the one who killed her. He had been the target Michelle was supposed to kill. _Out of self defense_ , he remembered telling her. He doesn't know, nor has he bothered to ask, the status of their relationship after the revelation.

Sagat remembered the disc that contained the evidence of Michelle's death along with the new information he discovered. He had carried it with him the night of the invasion, which was now packed away in a bag in his tent.

Right now, however, now wasn't the time to tell Julia this. There was enough on both of their plates involving the invasion, and he didn't want to add more pain in Julia's life. He already did that back in Outworld. For now, he would have to wait until the right time came… whenever that would be.

"So, Muay Thai," Julia continued. "I've heard of it of course, but I've never seen anyone use it."

"Hmm," Sagat replied. "Well, it's existed for as long as Thailand has been around."

"Of course, back in the day, it was called Siam."

"That's correct," Sagat said with a nod.

At that moment, Julia found herself smelling the food that was cooking in the kitchen nearby. She knew she was hungry a moment ago, but now the smell was making it worse.

"Well, I better grab something to eat. See you around." She waved to Sagat before departing.

Sagat stretched his muscles once again before returning to his training. _When the time comes,_ he thought. _You'll know._

Meanwhile, Paul Phoenix, Marshall Law, and Cody Travers sat around a small campfire in the middle of the fort. Each of them had a bottle of root beer in hand, something Cody looted in Iowa on the way over here.

"So here I was in a random bar in South Dakota," Paul said, telling a story from his road trip around the country. "And I see this mechanical bull. And I realized, 'hey I never actual rode one, I should try it.' I'd prefer to ride a real bull, but I figured that would do."

"How long did you stay on the mechanical bull?" asked Cody.

Paul sighed. "Let's just say I flew clear across the room and crashed into the bar table. I was bruised up for a week. At least the bartender gave me a job there for two weeks until I had enough money for gas and food to last me three weeks."

"Paul, you've got way too many stories about your travels," mentioned Marshall.

"Can't help it," Paul replied. "You know… now that I thought about it, I should've made a blog and wrote everything I did… I could've made money off that… damn!"

"You would need advertisements on your blog if you wanted to make money," said Cody. "But if that happened, I'd hate your blog big time."

"Especially if it was one of those loud ads that creep up on you suddenly in the middle of the night while you were wearing headphones," Marshall mentioned.

"Seriously."

"Well, at least the cash would be rolling in," Paul said.

"Not by much."

"Better than nothing."

That's when the three of them heard the voice of a young girl giggling as though she was having fun. The three of them turned around… and were suddenly surprised to see Amy Guile riding piggy back on the back of the cyborg, Cyrax.

"Hey Cyrax!" called out Amy. "Go around the fort one more time!"

"Again?" Cyrax asked, sounding baffled. "But we already went around the fort six times."

"I know," Amy replied. "But I haven't had a piggy back ride since I was four."

"That's because you're eight," Cyrax reminded her.

Amy seemed to huff at that. "So?"

Cyrax seemed to sigh at that. "All right, but no more after this. I'm going to need some fuel when this is over."

"Hooray!" Amy called out.

"And don't try to cover my eyes again. Last time, I almost tripped over a log."

"I said I was sorry!"

As the two soon disappeared, Paul, Marshall, and Cody turned to each other, all bewildered by what they just had seen. "You know," said Paul. "If someone had told me that I would one day see a cyborg give a piggyback ride to a little girl, I would've told them they were loony."

"Well, lucky for you, no one ever said that to you," said Marshall.

That was when they heard footsteps coming towards them. The three turned around and saw Ken Masters walking over to them.

"Hey Ken," all three said at once.

Ken sat down on one of the logs in front of the fire. "Hey."

"Root beer?" Cody offered, taking out another bottle that was placed next to him.

"Thanks," Ken replied, taking the bottle in hand. He took a moment to open the bottle before taking a long sip from it. It was cool, but not cold enough to make him freeze, which was perfect considering the winter weather.

There was a bit of silence before Cody chose to speak. "So, Ken… how have you been?" he asked, unsure of what else to say. He had heard about Ken's plight just a few hours after his arrival, and he noticed that it was something rarely brought up during their stay.

Ken shrugged a little at the question. "I'm just doing the best I can. I'm mostly trying to keep myself busy, mainly training."

"Training's always good," said Marshall. "Say, if you like to later, I wouldn't minding sparring with you, if you like."

Ken managed to give him a thumbs up, though the three of them noticed the gesture didn't really come with much enthusiasm. "That'd be cool."

"I'd like to see that myself," Paul mentioned. He finished off the rest of his root beer before continuing. "It'll be entertaining none the less."

"You just want to see my ass get kicked," said Marshall, eyeing suspiciously at his friend.

Paul looked at him thoughtfully. "You know… you're right!"

That got a small chuckle out of them. Even Ken smiled a little at that.

"Then maybe after Masters beats you, I'll be the next challenger."

"Battle of the blondes in red gis," Cody joked, remembering how Paul also wore a red gi during the tournament in Outworld.

"That would work out great if I was wearing one," Paul said, looking down at the black jeans, white shirt, zipped-up leather jacket, black boots, and the black finger-cut gloves that he was wearing. "Now if only I could find some hair gel and I'll be all set."

"It is weird not seeing your hair standing," mentioned Marshall.

"And it's weird not seeing you with a mustache."

"I'm sure once we run out of razor blades, it'll grow back."

Then, silence fell between the four of them, unsure of how else to continue the conversation. Eventually though, Ken spoke up. "If you guys don't mind, there's something I want to say… just to get it off my chest, you know?"

"Go ahead," said Paul.

Ken took a deep breath. "I'm still holding on to hope. I mean, even after seeing the rubble, I still hold on to hope that, somehow, Eliza and Mel got out of there safely. I never looked through the whole area. I told her about the hideout in case we got separated and to meet me here. I tried to find her…" He looked down at his bottle. "But it didn't turn out that way."

"If that's the case," said Cody. "Maybe she's being held up. When I left Metro City, my brother had to be held up because of a broken arm. He's said he'll try to find a way to get here when he can. Something similar could have happened. Maybe not a broken arm, but… well… I don't know…"

"Then again," Ken continued, lowering his eyes to the ground. "I did see a hand in the rubble. It could've been anyone's… one of the maids, the butlers… " His voice lowered at the next word. "Hers…"

Ken looked up at them again. "I'm sure you guys have your worries and problems too… I shouldn't burden you with mine…"

"You have every right to," said Marshall.

"Yeah, man," Paul agreed, patting Ken's shoulder.

Ken sighed. "Well, I'll make it fair for you guys… what kind of worries do you have? About the invasion I mean."

"I can't compare my problem with yours but…" Cody sighed. "I'm hoping to somehow free Guy from the brainwash. I made a promise back in Outworld, but sometimes I think I might not be able to keep it…"

Marshall took a sip of his root beer. "I'm hoping my wife and son would get here. I had to leave my son behind during the chaos, and my wife was in Seattle when it all started. I'm just worried that they might not get here…"

As this was all discussed, Paul found himself feeling a bit down. Sure, he had nothing to worry too much about, other than the fact that the universe was most likely going to be sucked into oblivion. But to see his friends suffer, no matter what kind it was, it wasn't easy to watch.

Paul looked down at the now-empty root beer bottle. _Suddenly, I wish this was real beer…_

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

After two weeks of walking through the snow, the extreme cold was finally getting to Sareena. For a while, she had grown used to it, trying her best to stay warm and ignore it. However, after many days of this, she was beginning to grow weary and tired.

It frustrated her that she was lagging behind compared to Sub-Zero, Smoke, and Frost. The three of them had no problem trekking through the snowy terrain. Sareena felt as though she was slowing them down. The thought made her more mad whenever she looked at Frost, who seemed to give her an annoyed look every time she stared at her.

While going up a steep hill, Sareena felt her body starting to give out. Her teeth were chattering, her eyes were watery from the harsh winds, and her body constantly silvered as it fought to keep the chill off. The travel to her now seemed never ending.

Then, to her surprise, her knees seemed to buckle, and Sareena fell forward. Feeling faint suddenly, she tried to call out Sub-Zero's name, but nothing came out. Then, she fell to her side…

A few seconds later, Sub-Zero happened to turn around, mainly to check up on Sareena. At first, he was a bit baffled to not see her anyway. Then, he saw her lying on her side in the snow.

"Hold on," Sub-Zero called out to Smoke and Frost. The two of them turned to Sub-Zero, seeing him running down the hill and towards where Sareena laid. When he reached her, he saw that she was shivering to no end, and he could actually hear her teeth chattering.

Sareena noticed Sub-Zero as he bent down to her. "Sorry," she managed to say. "Guess… the cold… got to me…"

"It's all right," Sub-Zero said as he picked her up into his arms. "Walking in this weather for two weeks can do that. I must admit, you withstood it more than many of the other clan members could under the circumstances."

"That's… comforting," Sareena said as he stood himself back up. As Sub-Zero walked back up the hill, Sareena was able to feel the coolness of his hands, but aside from that, she felt warmer now than she did a moment ago.

"Sub-Zero!" Smoke called out. The Grandmaster had noted the excitement in Smoke's voice despite sounding robotic.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I see a village up ahead! It's about an hour's walk from here."

"Good," Sub-Zero said. "The sooner we get there, the better."

Frost happened to look over at Sareena, raising an eyebrow. _Only after the demon decided to faint._

Sub-Zero looked down at Sareena. "Did you hear that? One more hour until we've reached the village."

Sareena smiled at that. "It's… about… damn… time."

The knowledge that the village was nearby seemed to make the last hour of the walk longer. The wind seemed to die down a bit as each minute passed, something that they were grateful for.

As Smoke predicted, they arrived an hour later. Immediately, Sub-Zero noticed the vehicles that were used back at the temple to travel the area, and he knew that his fellow clan members were here.

No soon did the thought leave his mind that he noticed some of the Lin Kuei approaching near the entrance of the small village. They ran to him until they stopped about a yard away.

"Grandmaster!" one of the Lin Kuei members called out. "You're alive!"

Sub-Zero nodded. "I am."

"We thought you died back there," said another member.

"I was just merely knocked out," Sub-Zero mentioned.

"Did you travel all that way by foot?"

"We did," cut in Smoke. "But we managed fine."

"If we had known-"

"What's done is done, and you're all forgiven." Sub-Zero then decided to cut down to business. "What's been going on during my absence?"

"Mainly we've been protecting this village from future attacks," said another Lin Kuei. "But nothing has happened here since our arrival. Other than that, everything is normal."

"Something tells me they'll be back," Sub-Zero said. "After my experiences, I doubt Outworld would leave us survivors lingering."

"We believe that, too."

"We'll talk more in a little bit." Sub-Zero looked down at Sareena. "Right now, I need to get her someplace warm."

"There's a fort within the village we built here. That'll be a good place for her to recuperate."

"Good."

As the group began going in the village, they were unaware of the shadowed figure witnessing all of this from behind a tall, thick tree. It had looked on in delight, specifically during the moment in which Sub-Zero arrived.

 _Something tells me that the master will be pleased,_ it thought to itself.

Deciding to leave, the figure sunk into the ground like melted ice…

~~~

**Outworld**

Nearly two weeks have passed since Ermac and Siegfried left the city of Lei Chen. During their travel, they hunted for portals, hoping for them to be open for the Lei Chen citizens to escape through. At this point in the war against the Outworld Forces, they realized that escaping this realm was their only chance for survival.

Unfortunately, the duo weren't having much luck in their search. And at this point, they were more than halfway done…

On this particular day, Ermac and Siegfried mainly walked through a forest area. Luckily, it wasn't the Living Forest that Ermac knew about. He had mentioned it's history to Siegfried before as a place where those consumed by the trees become a part of the forest. Even Shao Kahn himself learned to respect it's nature after losing some of his best troops to the might of the forest.

There, they found another portal, but it was shattered just like many of the others they had found previously.

Ermac realized, from there, that they only had one portal to go…

Throughout the day, it had lightly rained on and off, a very rare occurrence in Outworld. However, by nightfall, the rain came pouring down like a gushing waterfall. Luckily, the two of them were able to find shelter in an abandoned shack just at the edge of the forest near a river.

Ermac stared out the shack's window, a worried look in his eyes. "Perhaps our search for the portals may be in vain," he said, a small sigh escaping his lips. "We've found nothing but portals that were either shut down or destroyed."

After removing a boot from his foot, Siegfried turned his attention to his ally. "Do you just want to go back to Lei Chen in the morning?" he asked.

Ermac immediately shook his head. "We're not ready just yet. There's still one last portal to find. It's our last hope in our search."

Siegfried leaned back into his chair, soon staring at the large berry that he picked earlier in the day to consume for supper. He took the berry in hand. "Well, let's just hope it's still available."

Ermac only nodded in agreement.

Siegfried took a bite of the berry, a small clap of thunder being heard in the distance. After swallowing, he spoke again. "Where exactly is the final portal?"

Ermac turned to face the Keisei native. "If you want to know… it's in one of the most brutal parts of Outworld. And we have to trek a majority of it just to get there. Not even a Dragonfly flies over it."

Siegfried raised an eyebrow. "That bad, huh?"

Ermac nodded. "This place was created long ago when the realm of Edenia was merged with Outworld. It was a part of what Edenia once was, but it became nothing but a desert of sorts. Perhaps a ghost town depending on the area. Even when Edenia was finally freed from Outworld, the area still remained. Our guess was that it was so beyond redemption that it remained here in this realm."

"Aside from being deserted, what else makes it bad?" Siegfried asked, curious to know more.

"It's where all the outcasts go," the enigma answered. "And it's where Shao Kahn would send his forces to hunt them down. They would be killed and their souls would be taken either by the Emperor or Shang Tsung himself. Even his Generals are weary to travel through there."

"Sounds comforting," Siegfried mumbled. He wasn't afraid of walking through the land, but the way Ermac described it surely left him uncomfortable. "How long will it take us to walk through?"

"A couple of days depending on whether or not we run into anything out of the ordinary… which is a common occurrence." Ermac folded his arms. "We'll surely be left wide open and vulnerable to our enemies. They don't call it the wastelands for nothing."

Even though he had no fear of walking through the area, Siegfried found that he was not looking forward to it.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Within the confines of the Dungeon, Jade found herself mostly isolated for a week since her capture in Edenia. She knew that the Emperor had specifically requested for her to be confined in her own cell, away from the other prisoners.

She had been told that there would be a trial for her 'crimes' soon. _Perhaps a few days from now_ , she was told. But a week has gone by already. The small window in her cell was her only guide to figure out how much time has passed.

Jade knew what Shao Kahn was doing. He wanted to see whether or not her isolation would make her break down and go insane. She had seen it done to others when she worked for him for so long. She wasn't about to let him do the same to her… not now.

The only 'contact' she's had at this point was from the person providing her daily rations of water and bread. At least they were going to keep the Edenian General alive for the time being.

All this time, Jade was trying to find a way to escape. To her dismay, however, it seemed as though they've made improvements in the dungeons since she chose to leave the Emperor years ago. She knew that, from there, that she was going to have to wait until someone let her out. From there, she would search for Kitana and Sindel. When that was going to be, she wasn't sure.

 _I'm surprised he hasn't had me executed by now_ _,_ Jade thought. _Looks as though he's going to take his time._

At the end of that thought, the heavy door to her cell was suddenly opened. She looked up as a small ray of light entered her cell. It took the Edenian a moment to adjust her eyes before she got a clear view of the three people who just entered.

Two of them were Shadow Priests, but Jade quickly realized that they were serving as bodyguards to the woman standing in front of them. Jade instantly recognized her; the Empress, Ivy Valentine.

Jade had only encountered Ivy once prior to the invasion of Edenia. She fought her in the Blood Tournament in the later rounds, but lost to the Keisei native. It came as no surprise to Jade that the tournament winner would become the new Outworld Empress. Unlike Sindel, however, it seemed as though Ivy accepted her title willingly.

Ivy smirked at her. "How is our prisoner doing?"

Jade only replied by narrowing her green eyes at her. Ivy had expected this and proceeded. "I figured you were in a bit of suspense over your fate. Well, I came here because I thought it would be nice to tell you that your trial for your crimes against the Emperor will be in two days."

Jade folded her arms. "What's the point of a trial if all you plan to do is execute me anyway?"

"The Emperor only wants to see to it that you are taken care of in a… proper manner."

"Where are Kitana and Sindel?" Jade asked right after.

Ivy smirked more. "You shouldn't be concerned with them. You should only be concerned with yourself right about now. But if you must know, they are still alive."

Knowing that at least brought some relief to Jade. Still, she only wished to know whether or not they were truly okay. Who knows what was happening to them at this minute.

"And if you want to know about your troops," Ivy proceeded. "Most of them were captured and imprisoned just like you are. They'll serve as eternal slaves for the Emperor. However, I should also inform you that some of them didn't make it. But their souls are being… well taken care of by the Emperor."

As Ivy spoke, Jade noticed something interesting about her… she was referring to Shao Kahn as 'Emperor' rather than his actual name. To Jade, she would think that Ivy would refer to him as 'Shao Kahn' since, after all, she was the Empress.

The next thing Jade said was more than daring. "The way you talk about your… Emperor… I can't help but wonder. Do you work _with_ him, or do you work _for_ him?"

The smirk that Ivy had on her face since she came into the cell quickly slid off her face. Her blue eyes narrowed in anger. If looks could kill…

"...You better watch that pretty mouth of yours," Ivy warned her. "Then again, I doubt you won't live much longer once your trial is done and over with."

The Empress then turned her back to her and began leaving the cell. As she stepped out, the Keisei native spoke one more time. "Enjoy the last couple of days of your life while you have the chance."

Then, the door to the cell closed behind her, leaving Jade alone once more…

Meanwhile, in another part of the fortress, Mavado is having a small meeting with both Hsu Hao and Donna. At one point, Donna made each of them, and herself, some hot tea, something that the two men appreciated.

"Do you think Master Daegon will show up here any time soon?" Donna asked as she sat down at the small table, her cup of tea in hand.

"I sincerely doubt it," replied Hsu Hao. "The way he's mentioned about staying on Earth to… search around… it might be a while before he rejoins us." The Mongolian native turned his attention to his superior. "Anything else on the Black Dragon clan?"

Mavado shook his head. "We're still looking into it. However, I find myself wondering… if Kabal had survived our last encounter, then how many other former members survived? Something tells me we weren't as thorough in our hunt than we should have been."

"For all we know, Kabal truly is the sole survivor," Hsu Hao suggested. "And he's only rebuilding the clan."

As the two talked, Donna found that she was quickly getting a migraine. She tried to drink some of her tea, hoping to soothe it off somehow, but it wasn't working, at least not right away. She began to rub one side of her temple, hoping to ease it.

"Can we talk about our rival clan another time?" Donna asked.

Mavado turned his attention to the young woman. "With the Black Dragon clan re-emerging, they're going to be brought up more often, at least until they are all eliminated once more. It's something you're going to have to get used to until then."

Donna sighed. "I know, but-"

"Am I interrupting anything?" a female voice asked nearby.

Mavado turned his head and immediately noticed Kira coming closer to the table. Immediately, he realized that she was coming here more than likely to give him a message of some sort.

By then, Hsu Hao and Donna noticed Kira as well. To Donna, for some reason, she immediately felt a strange feeling about the red-haired woman… something not good. For some reason, Donna couldn't help but take an immediate dislike towards her, but she decided to keep that to herself.

Mavado looked over at his two clan members. "We'll talk later when the sun sets."

They nodded before Hsu Hao turned to Donna. "Come on, we'll grab something to eat in the meantime."

Donna sighed as she stood herself up. "Sure."

Soon, the two of them left, leaving Mavado and Kira alone. Mavado looked over at her. "What do you want?"

Kira slowly sat herself on top of the table, looking down at Mavado as she crossed one leg over the other. She leaned herself back a little, placing her hands behind her on the table for support.

"I came with a message from Shao Kahn."

"Go on."

"He wants you and the rest of the Red Dragon to start preparing yourselves for the upcoming invasion of Keisei."

Mavado raised an eyebrow at that. He was aware that the Empress of Outworld originally hailed from there and that there was talks of invading Keisei soon enough. However, everyone in the fortress knew that it all came down to Ivy giving the word to begin the invasion.

"I assume the Empress has made the official decision."

Kira immediately shook her head. "No, not yet. Shao Kahn just wants to start preparing so that they can quickly execute their attack once Ivy gives them the signal."

Mavado sighed a little. "That makes me curious as to when exactly that will be."

Kira shrugged. "I'm not sure… but I suspect Ivy is being a little… hesitant. After all, Keisei is her home world."

"I see. Well, until then, we'll have to prepare to attack. I'm sure Shao Kahn is right when he says we'll be more prepared once she's ready."

"I'm sure you're right."

In his mind, however, Mavado made a conclusion in his mind about the Empress. _She's weaker than she's letting on._

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

In an isolated area, a black puddle appeared near where Noob Saibot stood. Some of the other members of the Brotherhood of Shadow were searching around the area as they had spotted a few corpses lying around half buried in snow. It was another opportunity to reanimate their bodies and have them join the clan.

Noob had noticed the puddle, and he realized that it was the spy that he sent specifically to locate any surviving members of the Lin Kuei clan. _You better not disappoint me,_ the clan leader thought to himself. His grip on his scythe tightened, ready to kill the minion if it was necessary.

Soon, the liquid sprung up almost to Noob's height before forming into a person, all black with glowing gray eyes. Indeed this was the spy he sent out.

"Well?" Noob asked him.

The minion almost grinned underneath his mask. "We found the location of the Lin Kuei."

"Good," Noob replied. "Anything else to report on?"

"Indeed I do. Guess who's also with them." There was a brief pause before the minion answered for him. "The Grandmaster himself."

If he had the ability to grin, that's what Noob would be doing at that very moment. To know that they found the remaining members of the Lin Kuei was rewarding in itself. To know that his brother was also there as well… that was even more satisfying.

"Should we pursue them now?" the minion asked.

Noob had a better idea. "Not now. With the Grandmaster present, I want to take our time getting to them. I want them to believe that no enemy will approach them for a while. This way, when we do make our appearance, we will be able to catch them by surprise. In the meantime, we'll continue to reanimate any corpses we run into on the way there. With the Earth invasion, I doubt they'll be leaving the village any time soon."

"As you wish, my lord."

As the minion joined with the others, Noob narrowed his eyes as he stared up towards the sky. "Soon, Sub-Zero, you will meet your demise."

Unknown to any member of the Brotherhood, the green cyborg Matrik noted their presence about two miles away, hiding herself behind a tree. Her eyes glowing red, she was able to hear the conversation between the members of the Brotherhood using her sound sensors.

Her system had told her to meet with the one name Frost… the one she now considered her 'master.' There, she would eliminate any of her enemies.

Hearing the conversation two miles away, she was able to get an idea of the location of her 'master,' a member of the Lin Kuei. With this in mind, Matrik departed, disappearing within the snowy terrain.


	30. Chapter Twenty-Nine

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

For the past two weeks, Kazuya Mishima found himself traveling through unknown terrain in a realm in which he had never visited. Well, coming to Keisei wasn't exactly his choice. He would still flare in a bit of anger as he thought back on when he tried to follow his father, Heihachi, through the Mishima Portal, the old man's personal item.

The fool had tried to escape when they were being attacked by tarkatans during the invasion of Outworld. Kazuya was having none of that, and he tried to follow him. However, somehow, the portal had separated them.

He figured that Heihachi was somewhere in the realm of Keisei. Even so, Kazuya had more of a desire to return to Earth. He wanted to get back to his throne at G Corporation. Most of all, he wanted to take the opportunity to destroy the Mishima Zaibatsu while Heihachi was absent.

 _He'll be in for a spectacular surprise if he finds his way back to Earth_ _,_ Kazuya had thought to himself quite a few times during his 'stay.'

However, at the moment, he had to try to find his way back to Earth. He had been told earlier to travel to a city called Chili-san, where it was possible that a portal back to Earth would be located. It was his only option for now.

Since he didn't know much about Keisei, he had no choice but to accept the fact that he had to be accompanied by a travel guide. That was all Seiko was to him. He loathed being in this position as it made him almost helpless. He hated that feeling more than anything. To him, it was a sign of weakness.

The fact that Seiko looked much like a certain woman from his past didn't help things much either. Kazuya mainly blamed her hairstyle and, in a way, he wished that the young woman did something else with it.

On this particular day, it was partially cloudy up above with the sun mostly hiding behind the white clouds. They had been traveling since sunrise after a light breakfast. Within three hours, they found themselves traveling next to a river, which had been mentioned to Kazuya prior to leaving the village the young woman lived.

"This should lead us to the small village I mentioned," Seiko had said once the river was in view. "Soon enough, we'll be taking the stage coach to Chili-san from there."

Kazuya only nodded to her, choosing not to say anything. As a matter of fact, this was how their communication was done since the journey began. Not wanting a traveling companion to begin with, he chose to keep his distance from Seiko. He would only talk to her whenever she asked him something. Any comments she made was only met with a nod from him. Other than that, to him, there was no need for petty conversation.

"Let's stop to eat for a little bit," Seiko suggested as she placed her duffel bag down on the ground. Kazuya stopped, staring out at the flowing river as Seiko opened the bag and fished through the contents inside. She didn't stop until she found two sandwiches inside.

"Here you go," Seiko said as she held up a sandwich to the older man. Without saying anything, Kazuya took the sandwich in his hand, unwrapping it from the cloth napkin that was used to protect it.

"Aren't you going to sit down?" she asked.

"I prefer to stand," Kazuya said as he walked towards the river, leaving the young woman to eat alone on the grass.

He looked at his sandwich briefly, noting that there was lettuce and some meat, it's name he couldn't recall at the moment. Either way, from the other sandwiches he had, he knew that they tasted pretty decent.

Resting one foot on top of a small boulder, Kazuya ate his sandwich in silence staring at the flowing river once more. Briefly, he thought of doing some fishing for a little bit, but then decided against it. He decided to wait until the food supply became scarce.

Soon enough, the sandwich was gone, completely consumed. He was just about to practice some katas for a bit when…

' ** _Why the effort, Kazuya? It'll all be in vain in the end, anyway_** _ **.**_ '

Kazuya was more annoyed than anything. Damn the Devil.

 _What are you talking about?_ he asked inside his mind.

The Devil laughed in amusement. ' ** _You know exactly what I was talking about. When you were brought back to life the first time, you swore not to associate yourself with anyone unless they had something you wanted._** '

Kazuya knew what he was talking about. Once again, Devil was mocking him about his temporary alliance with his travel guide.

_I'm associated with you, aren't I?_

' ** _Not exactly by choice. It was the only way for you to live at the time. I doubt you would have survived had you had made this pact_** _ **.**_ '

_If you had your own body, I'd punch you right about now._

The Devil's laugh echoed with amusement in his mind. ' ** _Why stick with the girl if you have nothing to gain from her?_** '

_You're just mocking me for your own amusement._

' ** _Am I? Remember what I said earlier… you swore not to associate yourself with anyone unless they had something you wanted._** '

_And what I want from her is to get me the hell out of this realm and back to Earth._

' ** _Are you sure she just doesn't remind you of_** _ **-**_ '

"Is everything all right?" Seiko's voice cut in suddenly. The echo of the Devil seemed to fade then as Kazuya turned to face the travel guide.

"You seemed to be in distress," Seiko mentioned.

Kazuya narrowed his eyes. "I'm fine."

"That's good to know," Seiko said, placing a single hand on her hip. "But I can't help but notice, since we began traveling, you sometimes have this distress look. It's as though something was bothering you-"

"I said I'm fine," Kazuya repeated. He tried to keep his annoyance in as much as possible, but upon seeing the wide-eyed look in Seiko's green eyes, he realized that he didn't exactly succeed.

Seiko huffed a little as her eyes turned a bit angry. She folded her arms. "You are not an easy person to have a conversation with."

With that, Seiko turned her back and began heading over to where her duffle bag was. Without any other thoughts about what just happened, Kazuya lifted his arms and began his kata training.

~~~

**In Another Part of Keisei**

"More berries, Mr. Mishima?" a young woman had asked happily as she got down on her knees, bowing her head as she held up a bowl of berries that were in her hands.

Heihachi found himself sighing a bit, staring at the berries under hooded eyes. He was about to refuse… but then he felt his stomach growling.

"Very well," Heihachi said as he took the bowl in his hands. He was about to reach for a berry when another woman grabbed it before he had the chance to brush his fingers over the fruit.

"Here, let me do that," the woman said as she brought the fruit to his lips. A small sigh escaped Heihachi before he took a small bite of the berry.

It was a dream come true for Heihachi. Not long after his arrival in Keisei, he found himself in this very village, saving them from chaos from a group who were trying to terrorize the seemingly peaceful place. Because he had saved them, they had repaid his apparently kindness by doing everything he asked of them and even did things for him he didn't even ask for, but appreciated.

Back in the Mishima Zaibatsu, it was the kind of service he could only dream of. It was hard enough just to get one of his employees to get him a single cup of coffee. And even when they got it right, it was either too hot, too cold, or it contained too much sugar for his taste. The people in this village knew exactly what he liked and how he wanted them.

They had even given him gifts whether he wanted them or not. They contained rare jewels that were possibly worth millions back on Earth, artifacts that were a part of their own history, and, just yesterday, they sacrificed their prized pig just for him, and only him, to feast upon.

Now, however, he was actually starting to get… bored.

Heihachi couldn't believe it himself, but after a few days of the same routine over and over, he realized that all this worshipping was getting a bit… tiring. All he truly wanted to do was to dominate the realm of Keisei just so he could pit them against Earth. With that, he could dominate Earth once it was taken over.

That was two weeks ago. Now he was so busy that he could barely think for himself. Just yesterday, he was given so many drinks and was very highly enjoying his massages that he never noticed, not until afterwards, that a couple of other worshippers had given him a pedicure _and_ a manicure. He never even asked for one and it was something he would not normally have done.

At least his nails were all nice and shiny.

At night, he was able to breathe, but the worshippers actually took turns guarding the hut, the largest in the village, during the night, a bunch of them making a ring around it with their own bodies. Then again, he never actually tried leaving the hut, but he had the feeling that, eventually, he will.

"Why the guards?" Heihachi asked an elder once.

"It's to keep you safe, Mr. Mishima," the elder replied.

That didn't make sense to him at all! After all, _he_ was the one who saved _them_. They were the ones who needed to be kept safe! Of course, that was what got him in his predicament in the first place.

 _If I hadn't known better,_ he suddenly thought. _I_ _'d say they were keeping me here for their own plans!_

As that thought ended, another woman approached him. "Would you like something to drink, Mr. Mishima?"

Heihachi sighed to himself. He had to remind himself of one thing… where else could he get good service like this?

"Just a cup of latte with a little whipped cream on top."

"Right away, Mr. Mishima!" the woman said cheerfully before she skipped away.

~~~

**London, England**

In a small room, Nina Williams sat in front of one of the three computers. Upon sitting at the desk, she realized that's it's been two weeks since she used a computer thanks to the invasion.

Nina remembered a time when ordinary people didn't rely on computers so much. It was before she was forced into suspended animation. Upon reawakening, she found herself in a world where it would seem as though everyone would go insane if they were forced to be without their laptops and fancy cell phones for even a few minutes. As much as she appreciated the technology, especially when it came to researching her assignments, it wasn't exactly a necessity for her.

Nina was using the computer for one thing… to do further research on her current assassination target; the boxer Steve Fox. After being forced to spend time with a few members of MI-6, she eventually discovered, without her ever asking, that MI-6 were assigned to protect Steve from the mafia that were after him.

It explained why Steve was mostly isolated from the rest of the group in the facility.

Nina, however, was amused by the fact that it would seem as though MI-6 trusted her. Throughout her days as an assassin, she managed to keep her true occupation a secret. Even when she was a chosen one back in Outworld, she never revealed anything to anyone. However, she did have a feeling that the psychic, Rose, may have known. If she did, Rose never mentioned anything about it.

Recently, MI-6 gave her the option to teach willing civilians staying at the MI-6 shelter building any gun knowledge she was willing to share. It at least gave her something to do rather than sitting around and wait for another onslaught to occur. MI-6 did, however, ask Nina about her training. The only thing she said to them was that her own father taught her about guns, and nothing more.

As she typed on the computer, she briefly looked down at her left wrist, relieved that the cast that confined it was finally removed. She had only sprained her wrist during the invasion, but MI-6 still insisted on placing a cast on it, just in case. Needless to say, she hated it.

After browsing the computer for some time, she finally found the folder containing about Steve Fox. She opened the file and saw that more files were inside, six of them, she noticed. She read each name of the file carefully… then, one in particular caught her eye;

The Mishimas Zaibatsu… the very corporation that forced her into their cryo-sleep project about twenty years ago…

Nina raised an eyebrow. _What does Steve have to do with the Zaibatsu_ _?_ she thought to herself. She realized it was one piece of information her client had not informed her about.

Curious as to what kind of dealings Steve had with the Zaibatsu, she clicked on the file… only to be met with a window that required her user name and password. Nina narrowed her eyes in a bit of frustration.

_I should've known._

That was when she heard footsteps coming closer to the small room she was in. With quick reaction, Nina exited out of all the files that were opened until there was nothing left but the desktop containing the MI-6 logo.

"There you are," a young woman's voice said. Nina turned around to see her, recognizing Lita Luwanda. "I came to tell you that the General wants to see you."

"What's it about?" Nina asked her.

Lita shrugged. "He didn't say, only that it contained your classes with the civilians."

Nina resisted the urge to take a deep breath. Getting up from her chair she began to leave the room. "Let me get a drink and I'll be over there."

"Sure," was all Lita said as both women began departing.

Meanwhile, in a nearby training room, Steve Fox watched as both Cammy and Juni sparred together. There was a bit of downtime in the MI-6 headquarters since many of the civilians staying there were accounted for at the time being. It was early in the evening and eventually, the three of them were going to need something to eat.

As Cammy was on offense with Juni on defense, Steve noticed something about the two of them… both of them looked as though they had the same body build. The only difference, it seems, was that Juni was a couple of inches short than Cammy. Other than that, and their hair of course, they looked similar to him.

At one point, Lita entered the training room after delivering her message to Nina. She briefly watched Cammy and Juni for a moment until she noticed Steve watching them from the bench. She walked over to him before sitting next to his left side.

"Hello, mate," Lita said cheerfully.

Steve turned his head to her and smiled. "Hi."

"How's their training going?" she asked him, trying to start a conversation.

"It's going all right as far as I can see," Steve replied.

Lita happened to look at his left arm them, noting the prominent scars on them. It was one of the first things she noticed about him when they first met, and she never bothered to ask him about them.

However, curiosity was now getting the best of her. "Steve, I hope you don't mind me asking, but… how did receive those scars?"

"This old thing?" Steve said while looking down at his arm. "To be honest, I'm not quite sure. My guess is that I've had it since I was born. My birth parents would most likely know about it, but I don't think I'll know any time soon, being adopted and all."

"A birth defect, maybe?"

"Maybe. But I've learned to live with it. It doesn't bother me as much as it did when I was young."

"You mentioned being adopted."

Steve nodded. "My adoptive parents were simple people. However, I'm ashamed to say that I haven't really had much contact with them since I began my boxing career. That started when I was a student at Oxford."

"A smart one, I see," Lita teased.

Steve chuckled a little. "Yeah, but I was more of a good athlete than a good student. I did graduate, but I ended up in the boxing world right after that."

"Is boxing the only fighting style you know?" Lita asked.

Steve nodded. "It's all I know."

"Have you ever considered a new style to learn?"

"I've considered it, but I haven't decided just yet what I want to learn."

"Maybe I can teach you some military moves some time. With this invasion, it's good to have some knowledge, especially kick moves."

"That you're right."

"What are you two talking about?" a voice called out. Steve and Lita turned their heads and saw Cammy and Juni walking up to them, the two finished with their sparring for the day.

"Just about boxing," Steve replied.

"Let's get something to eat," Juni suggested. "I'm starving."

"Me too," Cammy agreed.

Lita and Steve stood up from the bench. Steve chuckled a little. "You know… if the food wasn't free, I'd pay for all of you."

Lita poked him gently in the arm, a grin on her face. "Well mate, if that was the case, then I would decline and pay instead."

The two sentences between the two suddenly struck something in Cammy, and she had to stop walking for a moment to catch her breath. A certain memory from her time in Outworld came over her…

_"So, um…we've been seeing each other a lot lately," said Jin Kazama._

_Cammy couldn't help but smile at the remark then. She only heard him say one word since the tournament began and this was the first time she was truly hearing his voice. He had a light Japanese accent as he spoke, one which Cammy seemed to like._

_"Yes we have been," the Delta Red member replied. She then decided to start a real_ _conversation. "So how has the tournament been treating you?"_

_"Well," Jin answered. "I just won this round yesterday."_

_"Congratulations. Unfortunately, I just lost this round."_

_"Sorry to hear that. But what really matters is that you did your best."_

_Cammy nodded. "Yes, that's true." She then looked up at him. "Say, did you have breakfast yet?"_

_Jin shook his head. "No, I just arrived here."_

_"Great because I just arrived here too. You don't mind sitting with me, do you?"_

_Jin smirked a little. "I don't mind at all."_

_Jin and Cammy soon began their walk towards the palace. As they did, Cammy spoke again. "I'll admit…if the food here wasn't free, I'd pay the tab."_

_Jin smirked more. "That's very kind of you. And if that was the case, I'd say no and I would pay the tab instead."_

_Cammy laughed at the comment._

"Cammy? Are you all right?" a male voice said, breaking her thoughts. Cammy looked up and saw Steve staring at her, a concerned look in his blue eyes.

Cammy took a deep breath before managing to force a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just realized how tired I was."

Steve's eyes relaxed and he smiled. "I see. Maybe once you eat, you'll feel better." He reached a hand to her.

"Maybe," Cammy replied as she took his hand into hers. As the two began leaving the room, the young woman did her best to look cheerful in front of Steve and her comrades.

 _You're never going to see him again,_ Cammy reminded herself. _He's never coming back._

~~~

**Somewhere in Japan**

After a few days of traveling on horseback, Yoshimitsu and some members of the Manji Clan reached a mountain area somewhere near Mt. Fuji. He had been given a tip that this place served as the current hiding spot for the headquarters of the Mishima Zaibatsu.

There, Yoshimitsu had hoped to find a little information about Jin Kazama. While helping out Dr. Boskonovitch at his facility, he made the decision to seek him out. He thought of him as a worthy warrior, having gone farther than any other Earth fighter back in The Blood Tournament in Outworld. He had been the one to make it to the final round.

The fact that Jin didn't emerge the victor wasn't an issue for Yoshimitsu. The fact that he believed that the young man could be of big help in their fight against Outworld was what brought him here. He had hoped that, somehow, the organization, one that he himself despised, would have some information on Jin. If he could get some clue about his current location, it would truly help him.

And as the Mishima Zaibatsu facility soon came to his view, Yoshimitsu began to hope that his current goal to find Jin would come to fruition.

"Is that the facility?" one member of his clan asked.

Yoshimitus nodded. "Yes, that's the Zaibatsu. Be on your guard, just in case."

The horses they rode had been galloping almost all day. Once they were close to the facility, they slowed their horses down. This way, the sound of their hooves pounding against the ground was not as loud.

About a half hour later, they reached the entrance before they all dismounted from their horses and tying the reins around the chain-linked fence. At this point, Yoshimitsu found it odd that no alarm had went off, nor has any employee of the Zaibatsu had even made any attempt to approach them.

"We would've been ambushed by now if this was any normal day," another member of the clan mentioned.

"You're right," Yoshimitsu agreed. "But just in case, be on your guard."

Each of them taking out their own weapons before proceeding further into the facility. Again, they expected the alarms to go off, even as they hid themselves in every possible hiding spot they could find. Once they reached the doors, they were baffled over the fact that all was still quiet.

Yoshimitsu signaled his men to keep out of sight for a moment, and they obeyed. He then went into invisible mode right before kicking the door down.

They had expected the alarm to go off then and there, perhaps even an ambush. Instead, however, Yoshimitsu saw a handful of dead bodies scattered around the main room. One of them, he noticed, was a tarkatan.

Seeing this, he got out of invisible mode, the signal for his comrades to come out of hiding. "It seems as though Outworld made their way through here. It would explain why all is quiet around here."

"Do you think Heihachi survived?" a clan member asked.

Yoshimitsu nodded. "Knowing that scoundrel, he would indeed survive something like this. Whether he was here or in another one of his facilities during the invasion is another question."

Without waiting any longer, the group began going inside, forcing themselves to ignore the prominent smell of the corpses that laid around them. They expected to see more as they search for any sort of computer lab that would hopefully hold the information Yoshimitsu was seeking out.

For a while, the Manji Clan searched around the building, making sure to keep their eye out for anything unusual. All was quiet between them and they searched around for about fifteen minutes after walking in…

Then, somewhere within the facility, a low growl was heard…

Every clan member stopped in their tracks after hearing the noise. "What was that?" one asked.

"I'm not sure," Yoshimitsu replied. "But it's sounds as though something's here."

They continued their search, but the further they walked, the more their heard the roaring sound. In Yoshimitsu's mind, he was wondering what they were about to face.

The roar was heard again. This time, it sounded as though it was just around the corner and it was beginning to make a couple of the members nervous. Their leader could tell just by the fact that they were breathing heavily. He didn't blame them.

Suddenly, Yoshimitsu realized something.

"Zivis," he called out. "Do me a favor and open up the bag with the food supply."

"What do you need?" Zivis asked.

"I need you to fish out a… fish."

"At a time like this?"

"Just do it!"

"Whatever you say." Zivis took out the first large trout he found out of the supply bag before zipping it back up.

"Keep the bag handy, just in case," Yoshimitsu suggested.

That was when the group noticed a large beast emerging from a nearby corner. The group stopped in their tracks, only seeing it's shadow due to the lack of light in the area. It seemed to search around for a bit… until it's glowing eyes spotted the group.

It stood up, letting out a large roar once more before it jumped forward, running towards them until it was a few feet away. It stopped just under the light, giving everyone a clear view of who they were about to face.

"A… bear?" one member stuttered, more confused than scared.

"He's not just any bear," Yoshimitsu explained. "This is Kuma, Heihachi's loyal pet."

"Um… come again?"

Kuma roared again, ready to attack the group. Zivis suddenly realized what the fish was for and extended his arms out, holding it in front of him.

"For you, Mr. Kuma!" Zivis called out.

It was as though Kuma smelled it as he took a couple of sniffs in the air. He turned his head, and his eyes seemed to gleam with delight as the fish came to his view. He grabbed the fish into his paws and devoured it like a kid eating the best chocolate in the world.

"Keep giving him more fish," Yoshimitsu suggested, backing away from the scene while Kuma was eating. "I'll be back as soon as possible." With that, he began leaving in order to continue with his quest.

It was another fifteen minutes before he finally found a computer lab. There were only a few computers inside, and he had hoped that it contained the information he needed.

Going inside, he immediately sat down at a chair, cracking his knuckles a bit before diving into the task ahead. For a while he searched around the computer through all of their files. At one point, he even found a file on the Manji Clan. Obviously, he was curious about that, but not having time to look through it, he managed to quickly zip it into it's own file before sending it to his own personal email. He then went back and erased the sender record to keep his track covered.

Then he found it… a file with Jin Kazama's name on it.

"Bingo," Yoshimitsu uttered as he clicked on the file.

A window popped up after clicking on it. He noticed Heihachi's name on the user name line, but nothing on the password line.

"Well, this is going to be fun," Yoshimitsu uttered, deciding to play around with passwords for a little while.

He first typed in Heihachi's name… the first, the last, and even both, but he was denied all three times. Then he typed ' _Kuma_.' Nothing. He then wrote, ' _IhateKazuya_ ' and even ' _Ih8kazuya_ ' just in case… denied. Then, he remembered that there was a magazine he released nearly a year ago, so then he typed, ' _bikini_.' Still no access.

"This is tougher than I thought," Yoshimitsu muttered. He decided to try a few more passwords. He typed Jin's name, Kazuya's name, ' _Irule_ ' and ' _Irulelulz_ ,' ' _thisworldismine_ ,' ' _mishimazaibatsu_ ,' ' _gcorpsux_ ,' and even ' _speedo_ ' for the heck of it. He shuttered at the image of Heihachi wearing his sumo 'underwear' back in one of the later King of Iron Fist Tournaments.

"Let's try one more before I hack into this thing," Yoshimitsu decided. He carefully thought of the final password he would try. He scanned his eyes around the room, looking for a clue until one popped in his head as he noted an issue of Mishima Magazine: Bikini Edition. He noted a model holding a drink in her hand.

He went ahead and typed, ' _PinaColada_.' Then, he pressed the enter button.

“Access granted,” the computer soon echoed. “Welcome back, Mr. Mishima.”

"Bingo," Yoshmitsu said again. To his bit of disappointment, however, there were only three files on Jin. One read 'life story,' one ready 'KOIF,' and the other read, 'Outworld.'

He clicked on the file saying, 'Outworld' and read the words that were there;

_Documented; August 10, 20XX_

_Subject: Kazama Jin_

_Jin was one of hundreds of participants who was invited to The Blood Tournament which took place in the a world called Outworld. There, he fought through seven out of eight rounds, becoming one of two finalists._

_Records of his Eights fights with the following fighters;_

_Round 1 - Fighter - Jenkins - Canada - Status - Deceased, presumably in a failed raid during the tournament._

_Round 2 - Fighter - William Guile - United States - Member of the US Air Force and previous participant of the World Warriors Tournament - Status - Currently residing in Pasadena, California, USA._

_Round 3 - Fighter - Nightwolf - United States - Historian and Shaman - Status - Deceased._

_Round 4 - Fighter - Eadoin - Outworld - Guard for the Emperor - Status – Deceased. Apparently, Outworld Guards don't stay alive for very long once hired._

_Round 5 - Fighter - Ryu - Japan - Was seen previously in the World Warriors Tournament in the past decade. Status - Unknown._

_Round 6 - Fighter - Kenshi - Japan - Formerly worked with Special Forces as a Free Agent - Status - Unknown, but is believed to currently reside in the United States. Small possibly of being the Los Angeles Vigilante._

_Round 7 - Fighter - Siegfried Schtauffen - Realm of Keisei - Status - Unknown_

_Round 8 - Fighter - Ivy Valentine - Realm of Keisei - Status - Unknown, though heavily rumored to still remain in Outworld._

_Jin would have been the victor of the tournament had he not lost in the final round._

_He was seen only once after the tournament's end and was asked to meet with Heihachi Mishima at his home within two weeks time. He never showed up._

"Damn," Yoshimitsu uttered, realizing that the read was a waste of time. Trying to find more clues from there, he exited out of the file before clicking on the one that said, 'Life Story.'

_File 3365_

_Name: Kazama Jin_

_Birthdate: April 23, XXXX_

_Birthplace: Yakushima, Japan (prox.)_

_Father: Mishima Kazuya_

_Mother: Kazama Jun_

_The first fifteen years of Jin's life was not documented, though it's believed that he learned the Kazama Style Karate from his mother while living in Yakushima Island. Just after his fifteen birthday, the demon known as Ogre had attacked. His mother, Jun, went missing after and is presumed dead._

_He was taken in by his paternal grandfather, Heihachi-_

From there, Yoshimitsu stopped reading, remembering the rest of the story he had heard two years ago. However, reading the beginning gave him one clue.

 _Is it possible that he could be at Yakushima?_ Yoshimitsu asked himself. _If not, where else could he be, especially now?_

Just as he finished that thought, a new screen suddenly popped up, startling Yoshimitsu a bit. The screen blocked all the open files and it soon began showing a video. In it, the Manji Clan leader noticed the Mishima Zaibatsu owner himself sitting in front of the camera and staring directly at him with anger.

"Oh great," Yoshimitsu uttered, realizing that he had just got caught red handed.

"Hey you!" Heihachi cried out in the video. "I know what you doing! Trying to sneak into my files! You think you can get away with it, Kazuya?"

Yoshimitsu suddenly became confused. "Huh?"

Heihachi continued. "Yes, Kazuya, I know it's you! I figured you'd be the one foolish enough to sneak into the Zaibatsu headquarters and try to take everything back… the only reason my password is ' _Pina Colada_ ' is because I figured you'd be the only one who'd figure it out! Yes Kazuya, I know that you know how much I love my Pina Colada!

"Anyway, you just remember this… this is not your company any more! You may got away with it once over twenty years ago, but this time, only I will rule with an iron fist until my last breath!"

Yoshimitsu realized it then. Heihachi had his suspicion that his only son would one day sneak here and find his way into the computer files. But he wondered if the old man realized that anyone could have easily guessed his password.

"Oh, and one last thing…" It was the last words Heihachi said before the screen briefly went blank… before a timer starting at ten seconds popped up.

"CRAP!" Yoshimitsu yelled out, realizing what was about to happen. He jumped up from his seat before running out of the room as quickly as he could. He couldn't remember running this fast ever since that one time when he ran out of a lab with all he had with a giant rat closely following him, and with Dr. Boskonovitch hanging over his arm, all due to an experiment gone wrong.

Yoshimitsu went into invisible mode just as the room was engulfed in flames. Instinctively, he jumped forward to get himself further away, and the debris from the explosion scattered around him. Luckily, the damage was minimal with the room completely destroyed and only minor damage to the surrounding area. An alarm went off just as the sprinklers on the ceiling came on, slowly extinguishing the fire.

Getting up, Yoshimitsu went out of invisible mode before brushing himself off. "That was close," he mumbled. "But at least I got the information I needed." He turned on his heel before heading back to where his clan members were.

A few minutes later, Yoshimitsu noticed another of his clan members running towards him. "Master, is everything all right?" he asked almost frantically.

Yoshimitsu waved a hand at him. "I'm fine. Just ran into a little… trouble, that's all."

"That sounded like more than trouble."

"Trust me, everything's fine. Where are the others?"

"They're still distracting that bear. The explosion caught his attention, but we managed to keep him away."

"Good. Let's head back."

As the both of them made their way out, Yoshimitsu happened to pass by a room… and noticed a refrigerator inside. This gave him an idea. He encouraged his follower to return to the others before walking in the room…

Twenty minutes later, Yoshimitsu returned to the area where he left his comrades. Kuma was still happily enjoying the various fish given to him, and he noted the curious look on his clan's face.

Zivis noticed his master walking by. He also noted a very large bag which was nearly filled to the rim.

"Went on a food raid again?" he asked, not acting surprised.

"We'll need it for the next few days," Yoshimitsu answered. "We'll also be giving them away for those in need. I'd raid their safe, but right now, we have no time to lose."

Yoshimitsu turned his attention to Kuma. Kuma noted his presence as well and he seemed to give him a smile, satisfied over the amount of fish he was just given.

"Were you able to win the heart of that Panda since the last tournament?" Yoshimitsu asked the bear, remembering how the animal was seeking romance with a particular panda named… Panda.

The smile on Kuma's face faded and he looked down, a bit saddened. That gave Yoshimitsu his answer, and he patted the bear on his shoulder. "Don't worry, you'll win her heart someday."

A gleam of hoped seemed to come over Kuma's eyes and he nodded in reply. As he continued to eat, Yoshimitsu turned to his clan. "Let's go while he's distracted."

Fifteen minutes later, the clan was back outside, beginning to mount on their horses. Zivis walked his horse next to his master. "Were you able to find the information you needed?"

Yoshimitsu nodded. "It's not what I was looking for but… our next journey will be to Yakushima Island. He grew up there, it would seem, and I'm hoping he's there during this time of crisis. If now, I'm hoping to find some clues of his whereabouts. It's our only lead right now."

"Just lead the way, master."

As they began leaving, Yoshimitsu happened to look up towards a mountain area. For a brief moment, he saw what he thought was a red, gleaming light. It wasn't big, but it was still noticeable. He turned his head to get a better look, but by that time, it was gone.

For a moment after, he stared into that particular spot, hoping to see the red gleam again. Zivis stopped his horse when he realized that Yoshimitsu had stopped.

"Master, is everything all right?" he asked.

Hearing his follower, Yoshimitsu shook his head a little before turning to him. "Yes… I just thought I saw something, but I think it was in my imagination. Let's go."

From there the group began departing and headed south.

On top of one of the high mountains, the wind began to blow with a powerful force. The trees in the area swayed violently and anything that was lose found itself caught in the current.

There, Shin Akuma's eyes glowed a red color, noting the few figures below as they left a facility. Even from afar, he noted their power and realized this was a unique kind of group.

He turned his head, seeing his apprentice, Dark Sakura, standing a few feet away. Her emotionless eyes stared down in the same direction he had been looking.

The whole reason they were on Earth, after leaving Outworld, was so that they would find her 'friends.' There, she would test her worth against them.

In the meantime, however, Shin Akuma had another idea as he noticed the group.

"We'll follow them and see where they go," he said. "When the time comes, we'll take their power."

Taking Dark Sakura's arm, the demon teleported away, the two disappearing into the night.

~~~

**Near Lei Chen, Outworld**

Looking down from a tall cliff, Baraka was able to get a nice view of the city of Lei Chen. There, he was able to see within it's tall walls, though the majority of it's citizens were as small as bugs to him. He also made sure to keep himself hidden in case any spies may see him.

Briefly, Baraka gazed down at the faint scar that ran down his chest. He remembered, at one time, he had staples over them, if only to keep himself from falling apart. A decade ago, when Outworld invaded Earth the first time, the tarkatan found himself fighting the Earthrealm human, Kung Lao. By the end of the fight, he found himself split in half. He would later be resurrected, but needed the staples on his chest until he was completely healed.

As for Kung Lao… Baraka would someday return the favor when the time came.

He then heard footsteps nearby, and the nomad turned his head. He saw both Mileena and Shang Tsung coming over to where he stood.

Baraka saw the delight in Mileena's yellow eyes and knew that something new has come up. He folded his arms in front of him. "Got a plan in mind?" he asked.

A smirk came over the sorcerer's face. "As a matter of fact, I do, which is why I came to you."

The three of them walked over to the edge of the cliff, peering down towards the city of Lei Chen once more. Shang Tsung continued. "Soon enough, Shao Kahn will want us to finally finish off this city and it's denizens. I thought, in the meantime, while all is calm, I take the opportunity to… infiltrate the city."

"And how are you going to do that?" asked Baraka.

The sorcerer narrowed his eyes at him. "You seem to have forgotten my shape shifting abilities. I just go in disguised as one of the guards. This will be a way for us to determine what we are up against. Also, it will confirm the rumors of Ermac and Siegfried's absence."

It was indeed a good idea… but one thing bothered Baraka. Already impatient over wanting to finally destroy Lei Chen, he was wondering why Shang Tsung didn't think to do this in the first place.

"When do you think the Emperor will want us to make our attack?" asked Mileena.

"Within the next seven days," Shang Tsung replied. "I would've infiltrated Lei Chen sooner, but I've been quite busy as of late, hence why I haven't gone forth with this plan yet."

 _There's my answer_ _,_ Baraka thought, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"But I promise you," the sorcerer proceeded. "You and your hordes will soon have your chance to taste blood."

Despite the promise, Baraka knew, in his mind, that he was still not trusting the sorcerer. At least now, he knew that he would only have to deal with him for only a few more days.

As Shang Tsung continued to peer down towards the city, Baraka and Mileena found themselves gazing at each other. In their minds, they reminded themselves of their plan to be rid of the sorcerer for good.

~~~

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

For most of the night, Tira found herself sitting on top of a tree branch, one large enough to support her weight. Only a few hours ago, she found herself here, going on what she called her 'nightly hunt.' During that time, she would find herself a victim to murder to satisfy her own craving.

 _This better be a decent night,_ Tira thought to herself. _Or else I may have to go kill a Black Dragon member… again._

Then, as soon as that thought left her mind, she heard a pair of footsteps coming in her direction. She was delighted.

A playful smile came across Tira's face, and she was looking forward to her first kill for the evening. It didn't matter who was coming, as long as her ring blade was able to taste their blood.

The young woman wrapped her legs tightly around the branch, deciding to have a little fun before the kill. She then waited until her latest victim just finished walking passed underneath before she let herself fall.

Hanging upside down, her legs still wrapped tightly around the branch, she took a breath and opened her mouth, ready to let out a loud shriek to scare them. But before she had the chance, a loud _snap!_ was heard, making her stop.

For a moment, Tira was startled a little, her purple eyes widening a bit. Then, looking at her 'victim,' she saw that they had twisted their own neck halfway around to look at her, and she soon recognized the seemingly grinning face that belonged to her master, Havik.

A sour look came over Tira's face. "Why didn't you warn me you were coming?" she asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Havik gave her an amused look. "Because it's more fun that way."

Sighing a little, Tira moved herself a bit before jumping up, flipping herself so that she landed on her feet. Once on the ground, she straightened herself up. "I assume you were looking for me."

"I was, and I had a splendid idea," Havik replied.

"What kind of idea?" Tira asked. She wasn't sure whether to get excited or not, considering the disappointment she experienced only moments ago. Even if Havik did say she could kill him if she wanted, she found that she couldn't… at least not yet.

"It's been on my mind for a while, and tonight, I just thought… what the heck! How about we finally move ourselves towards that Chili-san city and spread the chaos. The villages are fun, but imagine how much more fun we will have in such a big place."

A large grin came over Tira's lips. "Finally! What took you so long in deciding?"

"We just needed enough Black Dragon for me to lose count," Havik answered. "Now all we need to do is spread the chaos in the villages leading up to the city and we'll be good to go."

Tira glided a finger near the edge of her ring blade, imaging the blood staining on it. "I can't wait to see them in pieces!"

"I'm sure you will," Havik said. "And while I'm here, I thought I'd make a… suggestion for you."

"What kind?"

"I saw some campers about two miles east from here. Have some fun."

"On my way!" Tira called out before jumping up into the trees.

Havik chuckled a little once she disappeared. "Amusing girl. Glad she joined us."

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Within the throne room, a portal is activated by two Shadow Priests, creating a purple swirling vortex. Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro watched, knowing that they will soon be walking through it.

Nearby, Emperor Shao Kahn and Empress Ivy Valentine stood nearby. Eventually, once the portal was completely opened, Shao Kahn approached his three Generals. "The time as come. You will soon begin the securing process on Earth, just as Rain, Reptile, and Tanya had in Edenia."

"We will not fail you, my Emperor," said Motaro.

Shao Kahn gazed over at Sheeva and Kintaro, both who nodded to him as though they were making the same promise Motaro had. "Be sure to seek the one named Dhalsim and kill him. He is a threat to our plans and must not live."

"We will see to it," replied Sheeva.

"We'll make sure that he's eliminated," said Kintaro.

"Go now," Shao Kahn ordered. "You'll receive further orders during your stay."

With that in mind, the two Shokans and the Centaurian leaped through the portal one by one, with Earth as their destination. Once they were gone, the Shadow Priests closed the portal until it completely disintegrated.

Shao Kahn turned to the Priests. "You may take your leave." They nodded to him before leaving the throne room.

Alone now, Ivy walked over to him before wrapping her hands around his muscular arm, slightly brushing her fingers over them. Shao Kahn turned his head to her and they gazed at each other for a brief moment. A small smile came over Ivy's face.

"Shall we begin the preparation for Jade's trial?" she asked him.

Shao Kahn nodded in reply. "We've waited long enough."

"Hmm… I wonder if we should reveal some surprises for her beforehand."

"That won't be necessary… at least not yet," the Emperor said. "Only after the trail and her conviction is through with. Then the time will come."

Ivy smiled, agreeing with him. "It would be a great way to end her life, wouldn't it?"

His red eyes seemed to glow at that. "I'll truly make sure that Jade will suffer for her treason. And I will make sure that her army will be there to watch her agony."


	31. Chapter Thirty

**Wu Shi Academy, China**

Sitting on a bench underneath a willow tree, Chun Li watched as both Lei Wulong and Bo' Rai Cho sparred together. Both using their Drunken Fist fighting style, Chun Li found it somewhat amusing that their stances had them move about as though they were intoxicated. However, she had sparred with Lei a few times with him using the style, and she realized then how powerful the moves were.

 _“It's definitely one of the most difficult wushu styles I've learned,”_ Lei said to her one time. “ _It's all because one has to possess powerful joints and fingers.”_

Lei and Bo' Rai Cho were in full concentration, keeping their focus on the sparring session. Chun Li watched them for some time before she heard footsteps coming towards her.

"Hello," a cheerful voice said. Chun Li looked over just as Li Mei sat down next to her, interested in watching the sparring session as well.

"Hi," Chun Li replied. She raised her left hand to brush a strand of hair from her face.

Seeing her left hand, Li Mei noticed the gleaming jewel on Chun Li's ring finger. "That's a really pretty ring," she commented.

Chun Li smiled as she gazed at her left hand. "Thank you. Lei gave it to me a couple of weeks ago. It's an engagement ring."

Li Mei smiled. "I didn't realize you two were going to get married! Congratulations!"

"Thank you."

"I love weddings, but I haven't been to one in quite a while."

"I'm not even sure when Lei and I will get married," Chun Li said. "We were starting to plan it out, but then the invasion happened…"

"Yeah," Li Mei sighed with a small frown. "But I'm sure you two will marry, no matter when it happens."

"I'm sure of that too."

It was then that they noticed Lei and Bo' Rai Cho bowing to each other, a sign that their spar had ended. "Thank you for the sparring opportunity, Master Bo' Rai Cho," said Lei.

"It's a pleasure," Bo' Rai Cho replied. The two began walking over to where the two women were waiting. "I can only guess that you have learned your fighting styles from many masters."

"I have," Lei mentioned fondly.

Bo' Rai Cho then reached over to one of his pockets before pulling out what looked like a flask. "Now that the sparring session is over, let us relax with a drink."

Lei raised an eyebrow. "This early in the morning?"

"Nonsense! It's never too early to enjoy a drink. Here." He gave Lei the flask. "Try this. And don't worry, I haven't touched it yet."

"That's good to know," Lei said as he slowly took the flask in his hand. Chun Li and Li Mei watched Lei with curiosity as he unscrewed the container. Once that was done, he slowly sniffed the bottle, his nose twitching a bit.

"What is this stuff?" he asked.

"Only the finest you will ever taste."

"Well… if you say so." With that, Lei took a small sip, letting himself taste it before swallowing the liquid. A curious look came over him as he stared at the flask. He realized that the taste was… familiar.

"It's… actually pretty good, though the taste seems familiar to me."

"Like I said, the finest. However, I must admit that your Rice Wine puts this to shame."

"I see," Lei said. "What is this drink called?"

"We simply call it Outworld Liquor."

Chun Li resisted the urge to chuckle as she noted the sick-like look on Lei's face. Memories of their earlier days in Outworld flashed through his mind…

' _Help! I'm drowning!_ ' Lei remembered calling out after falling back into the sand in a drunken stupor… all thanks to Outworld liquor.

Lei immediately stretched his arm out, handing back the flask to Bo' Rai Cho. "If Earth's Rice Wine puts Outworld Liquor to shame, then I don't think I want to know how drunk I'll get over the former."

Bo' Rai Cho let out a hearty laugh as he patted Lei on the back. "Ah, so you _have_ experienced the fine taste of Outworld Liquor. As you might know, it's definitely not for the faint of heart."

"Tell me about it…"

"You must learn to hold your liquor, my good man. Perhaps I shall teach you the technique someday."

"Um, sure," was all Lei said after.

Chun Li decided to pick that moment to stretch her arms a bit before standing herself up. "Hey Lei, since you're finished, do you want to go for a walk?"

Lei smiled. "Sure. A walk sounds good right about now."

"While you two do that," said Bo' Rai Cho. "Li Mei, I think this will be a good time to practice more of the Ming Zong style before lunch."

"Yes, Master Bo' Rai Cho," Li Mei replied.

With that in mind, the master and student headed over to the training area as Lei and Chun-Li began their walk around the temple.

~~~

_Over Two Years Ago_

_It shouldn't have ended like this…_

_He felt the immense pain coursing through his weakened body. He could even feel the small amounts of blood seeping out the wounds caused by the bullets that had embedded themselves in him._

_He was lying on his back in the middle of the dark, quiet street. No one else was around but him. Even if someone was able to get help right away, he knew that it would be too late for him._

_In his mind, he had expected his short life to flash before him. That was what society had mentioned for years, right? Yet, even as his breath shortened with each passing minute, that wasn't the case at all. Had it been all a lie? Or was he just that ashamed over how his life turned out in the end?_

_At this point, he no longer cared. Why when death was upon him? He couldn't even remember the faces of the two gangs who simultaneously attacked him._

_As he continued to lie on the ground, he somehow got the energy to lift up his arm a little, his hand opened and seemingly trying to outstretch it towards the night sky. He didn't know why he was doing this. Maybe he wanted to be saved after all? He couldn't think straight at this point._

_Then, he felt his final breath escaped his lips. As he blue eyes closed for the final time, the outstretched arm fell back beside him._

_It shouldn't have ended like this…_

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

Bryan Fury's eyes immediately snapped opened once the dream ended. He blinked a couple of times a few seconds later, trying to clear his vision as it became a bit blurry to him.

Once he was able to see clearly again, he got a good look at his surroundings. He was alone and in the middle of the dark forest, leaning against a large tree. The campfire in front of him had long burned out with only a couple of lines of smoke emerging from it.

He then remembered the dream he had moments ago. His eyebrows furrowed a bit. _What the hell was that?_ he asked himself.

It was an event he hadn't thought about in years… the day of his 'demise.' He would have truly been dead had it not been for Dr. Abel and his work to bring him back as a cyborg after he and his team found him.

But the doctor had since betrayed him by leaving him behind when he need him most when he was on the brink of death once more as his mechanics were failing him. At least now, things have… improved for him.

Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Bryan happened to look down, seeing Yoshimitsu's sword next to him. It didn't seem so long ago to him when he managed to get a hold of the katana during the Earth invasion. Because of this weapon, he found himself in Keisei. Ever since then, he was trying to find a way to reactivate the portal, but so far, it was no use.

For now, he had joined the Black Dragon… but only to hunt down and kill members of the Manji Clan in hopes of, somehow, luring Yoshimitsu to him.

As he continued to stare at the sword, the weapon began to glow a little. It was almost as though it was calling to him… calling to go out on yet another kill.

He almost like the idea.

Grabbing the hilt of the katana into his hand, Bryan got himself on his feet. After stretching his neck a little, he began walking forward, leaving the campsite.

As he did, he began to walk passed a small group of Black Dragon members. Bryan noticed Kabal in the group. He walked by him, deciding not to say anything, but the Black Dragon leader noticed him anyway.

"Where are you going?" Kabal asked him with curiosity.

Bryan stopped walking for a moment. He slightly turned his head to Kabal, but doesn't look at him. "I feel like killing someone. Not sure when I'll be back."

"Be my guest," was all Kabal said. With that, Bryan began his leave.

In his mind, Kabal wondered if the Black Dragon's influence was starting to rub off on the cyborg. Or perhaps his mindset was always like that.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

In the training room, Quan Chi found himself alone, which was what he preferred. Deciding to do some katas for a little bit, he took out his two broadswords, holding one in each hand by their hilts.

He raised them both above his head before swiping one down towards the ground, bending one leg up to his waist at the same time. He then swiped down the other sword to the same level as the other before spinning himself halfway around. He then positioned the two swords in front of him as though he was blocking an incoming attack.

He then spun himself twice once more, swinging the swords into he got down on one knee, jabbing the sword in his right hand forward as though he was aiming to stab at someone. Getting up again, he spun one more before getting himself in a fighting stance, leaning back a bit with one leg out.

Quan Chi stood in that position for a moment before straightening himself up. From there, he spun his swords in rapid speed to the point where they became nothing but blur. He spun a couple of times while doing this as though he was on a lookout for more enemies.

Then, as though two nemesis came upon him, he stopped spinning the two weapons. He stepped to his right, jabbing one forward in the air in that direction, then doing the same with the other to his left. He then got down on one knee again, raising his swords above his head as though he was throwing someone over him. He then brought them down again to chest level, crossing them over the other. Getting up after, he got into the same fighting stance as before.

After a moment, the sorcerer he moved his swords rapidly in different directions as he spun himself once more, then doing it again going back the other direction. Then, he jabbed his swords a few times as be backed himself away. He then moved his swords in front of him before performing a kick as though he was striking someone on the abdomen. He then did the maneuver once more.

Quan Chi was just about to finish up his kata training when he heard someone coming in to the room. A bit annoyed, he straightened himself up, turning to see who just came in. He was even more annoyed upon seeing his fellow sorcerer, Shang Tsung.

"You know, this isn't exactly the best place to meet up," the pale sorcerer mentioned.

"Relax," Shang Tsung began to assure him. "No one will show up here for a while. Many of the Emperor's minions are enjoying supper as we speak."

"I wish you wouldn't call him 'Emperor,'" Quan Chi admitted. "Especially with what we have in mind."

"All part of the plan, Quan Chi." Shang Tsung then began to pace around the room, keeping himself a few yards away from his ally. "Are you aware of the recent developments of the city of Lei Chen?"

"Only that Shao Kahn wants it taken care of as soon as possible."

"And it will be. As a matter of fact, the Tarkata Militia and myself were hoping to officially wipe out the city within the next seven days or less. By then, I will no longer be bound to this assignment."

"In that case, then we will move on with our own plans to overthrow him," Quan Chi said. "In the meantime, I've been simply waiting to see what Shao Kahn's plans are regarding Earth and Keisei. If I could be convinced that you and I will remain in Outworld when they invade either of those realms, it would be a great opportunity to… take care of him."

"It would be nice, but I wouldn't hold my breath," Shang Tsung said. "Besides, after this Lei Chen thing is over, I have… other plans for myself."

Quan Chi then gave him a suspicious look. "What kind of plans?"

Shang Tsung turned himself around and began to leave the room. As he did, a small smirk came over his face as he traced a finger near his neckline, which contained the beginnings of the long scar on his chest.

"Let's just say, when I'm through with that city, I plan to go on a little… vacation."

~~~

_The countless hail and rain fell upon his shoulders, but for some reason, they didn't bother him. Surrounded by countless trees and distant mountains, he found himself standing in a middle of a structure._

_A majority of it was gone with only the support beams remaining. A single tree, about a hundred years old, has since grown in the middle of it. One part of the structure still remained, an altar, he realized. A single statue, about thirty feet tall, was still mostly intact. It was of a figure with long hair sitting in a throne, holding a staff with a large bird at the end of it. A large amount of moss had since gathered over it. Behind the statue, a large, stained glass window was left untouched and unbroken even after many years of abandonment._

_He recognized this place instantly. It was a place of worship, a haunting place, yet it seemed to hold it's own beauty despite the long neglect. He had only been here once… aside from it's history, there was another reason he remembered this place so clearly._

_It was the last place he saw before…_

_The wind suddenly picked up, blowing rapidly into his face, causing him to shield his face with his forearm. This only lasted a few seconds before the wind slowed down a bit._

_Then, as he placed his arm back to his side, he found himself still as a ghostly spirit began to float in front of him. Somewhere inside of him, he found the figure strangely familiar to him despite wearing regal cloaks, the hoods completely covering their head and face, only their hands showing._

_The spirit floated until it was a few feet away. It started intently at him._

_"_ _Careful…" it uttered in barely a whisper._

_He looked at the spirit with confusion. "What…?" he barely said before the spirit began to fade away into nothing._

_Feeling more confused, he reached a hand out. "Wait!" he called out, but by then, the spirit was gone._

_Then, he heard a low, maniacal laugh behind him…. one that was eerily familiar…_

_Slowly, he turned around to face the person standing a few yards away from him. Even though the person was nothing but a blur to him, he immediately recognized him._

_"_ _Shang Tsung…" he said through clenched teeth._

_Another evil laugh escaped the sorcerer as he raised his own sword. "Die, mortal!" he called out as he charged towards him._

_Once Shang Tsung was close enough, the man pulled out his own sword, their weapons soon clashing. For a few seconds, they fought to overpower the other, the sound of steal hitting steal echoing around the shrine area._

_Then, to the man's surprise, his sword was kicked away from his hands. He was about to retrieve it, but was soon quickly kicked to the ground, landing hard on his back. He tried to get himself back up, but already, the sorcerer was above him._

_"_ _Die!" Shang Tsung called out once more as he jabbed his sword towards the man's stomach…_

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

His world went dark once more as Kenshi jolted out of the dream, drawing in a sharp breath as he came back to reality. Still lying on his back, he found himself catching his breath a bit. Instinctively, he felt his stomach, making sure that it had all been a dream. To his relief, it was.

It was a moment before the dream came back to him… well, it was more like a nightmare. It was the first time since he began suffering from insomnia that he actually dreamed. And of everything to dream about, it had to be about that bastard.

One thing started to bother him… he saw one of his ancestors in the dream, that he was sure of. And it warned him to be 'careful.' It all felt too real to him.

 _Has Shang Tsung returned?_ Kenshi suddenly thought. He clenched a fist. _No… I killed him with my own hands. He couldn't have come back… he shouldn't…_

He tried to get himself back to sleep, but after a few minutes, he realized that he couldn't. Besides, he knew that, within a couple of hours he guessed, his watch shift would begin.

Sitting himself up from the cot, Kenshi pushed the blanket off of him before rubbing his tired eyes in order to get himself more awake. He began to listen to the light wind outside of the large tent and guessed that there wasn't going to be a storm tonight.

Then, Kenshi slowly reached a hand over to his left, his fingers brushing over the upper arm of the woman lying on her side in her own cot next to him. He sensed that Alex was in her own deep sleep, so he was sure that he wasn't going to wake her up easily.

Quietly, he got out of his bed. Already wearing pants, he got himself in a black, long-sleeve shirt and his boots. Grabbing the scabbard containing his sword, he stepped out of the tent and into the cool night.

The light wind continued to whistle with the sound his boots stepping in the crisp snow being added to that. Judging by the direction of the wind and the position of the half moon, he guessed that it was about one in the morning… about two hours before his scheduled watch shift. His shift had since reduced from four hours to three hours since Cody arrived at the fort with the starting time at three o'clock instead of two.

Kenshi decided to head over to where the small campfire was set up. Sitting on the log, he retrieved the collected twigs that was in a bag nearby and placed them in the area that the rocks circled before starting up the fire with a match. Immediately, he felt the warmth of the fire as it grew in size. The smell of smoke coming from it became more prominent to him.

He was about to reflect on the dream he just had… then he heard a heavy set of footsteps coming towards him. Even before the person spoke, Kenshi already realized who was coming just by sensing their tall presence and the amount of weight he heard in the footsteps.

"Couldn't sleep either?" said Sagat, who was now standing a few feet away. He saw Kenshi shake his head in reply. "Me neither. Mind if I join?"

"Go ahead," the swordsman replied.

Sagat walked over to the log opposite of the one Kenshi sat before sitting down himself. For a while, the two were silent, keeping themselves warm as they found themselves in their own thoughts.

Then, without thinking about it, Sagat spoke. "How did you lose your sight?" he asked.

Kenshi sighed a little, even though it was a question he was very used to at this point in his life. "It's a complicated story, but let's just say it's due to the supernatural. I consider my blindness a curse."

"I see," Sagat said as he tugged a bit on the eye patch that covered his right eye. "I don't know if anyone told you, but I only have one eye myself. Lost that one in a fight."

"I didn't know that." Kenshi smirked a little. "Then again, if I could see, I would have known."

"Yeah. You know what's interesting? It's something I learned very recently. I found that some people, even myself with only one eye, are more blind than those who really are. They don't truly see what's in front of them, but it's more or so because they don't want to see the truth.”

Kenshi nodded. "I know what you mean. Losing my sight did make me humble… somewhat."

"That happens." Sagat then brushed a finger over the large scar on his chest, reminded of the fight he had with Ryu so long ago. "Though that isn't always the case. I guess it depends on who you are."

Sagat suddenly felt amused as he realized something. "Heh… you know, I have something to admit."

"What would that be?" Kenshi asked.

Sagat found himself looking up at the night sky. "I think this is the first time since the invasion where I'm talking to someone who is more, well, calm and rational. And with a good head on their shoulders. Not that the others here aren't, but they're not as… well…"

"Rational?"

"Well… it's nothing like that." Sagat thought about this for a moment before proceeding. "Let me put it this way, even though it's all none of our business. That Wagner kid tries, I know that, but he's still young and you wonder how long it would be before he loses his good senses. I don't know him too well, but that's what I'm getting from him so far."

"Apparently, his sister is supposed to show up here and his mentor, Guile, stayed behind during the invasion. I assume he's staying calm for them for the most part."

"I see," Sagat said. "As for Ken… I'm not going to judge him, seeing that he's worse off than the rest of us here. It'd be nice if his family did survive, but it's best to keep a watch on him. Especially if anyone from Outworld returns. Paul and Marshall… for middle-aged men, they haven't quite… grown up. Cody's somewhat in between, and there's also the fact that he has a promise to fulfill. I don't know about the cyborg, but he's a little odd to me. He has an… interesting humor for someone in his situation."

"I think it's his way of coping with what he is and what he once was," Kenshi explained. "As a former member of Special Forces, I've spent enough time with Cyrax to come to that conclusion."

"Hmm. Then there's Julia. She's another rational one, but again, she's young. Same with Juli. And Alex, well, you would know that."

"The first thing you'll know about her is that she's stubborn sometimes," Kenshi mentioned. "Either way, she only means well."

Sagat nodded. "Well… the point is, yes, we have our problems, but at a time like this, we can't let it consume us. Being as rational as possible is all we can do."

"We each have a unique situation," Kenshi said. "One will always have it worse than others. Each of us handles things differently than others. We can only do our best."

A sigh escaped Sagat as he once again stared up towards the sky. "We came here in hopes of preparing ourselves for Outworld to return. You think we'll have a solid plan by then?"

Kenshi turned his head towards the fire. "I'm not sure."

By the end of that conversation, Kenshi had since concluded that the dream he had earlier was nothing more than just that… a dream.

~~~

**Wu Shi Academy, China**

"I realized something," said Lei.

Chun Li looked at him. "What would that be?"

"Well… even though we've been here at the temple since we arrived, we… haven't really spent that much time together alone."

Chun Li sighed a little upon hearing that. "You know… you're right. I guess that's what happens when we sleep in separate areas of the temple due to our gender."

"True."

The two walked side by side as they strolled through a garden-like area. There were barely any flowers since it was winter, but Chun Li could only imagine how beautiful it would be in the springtime. There were a few willow trees scattered around the area and there was a small pond gracing the garden. A pair of magpie birds flew overheard as the couple made their way through the stoned walkway.

"You know," Chun Li said after some silence. "I was just thinking about something."

"What would that be?" Lei asked.

"Well… I was talking to Li Mei for a little bit while you and Bo' Rai Cho were sparring. She noticed the ring you gave me and I told here that you and I were getting married, but we're not sure exactly when. It made me wonder… with the invasion, do you…"

Chun Li found herself taking another deep breath before continuing. "Do you think… we'll both survive this chaos long enough to actually get married?"

Lei immediately stopped walking. Gently taking her upper left arm into his hand, he turned to her, and Chun Li noted the serious look in his brown eyes.

"Don't think like that," he said. "It will happen, no matter what. Even if it takes us a few extra years, we will get married."

Chun Li smiled a little. "I hope so, Lei. I really do."

Lei's face relaxed a bit, and he gave her a little smile as well. "You know… if it really gets bad to the point where we both think it'll be the end… well, if you want to, we can always go find someone to marry us quickly."

The young woman sighed a little. "I hope it doesn't come down to that. But… if it did, I'd accept it."

"I know you wanted a nice ceremony," Lei said as he leaned in to embrace his fiance. "But it may not happen, but as long as we're together, that's what matters most. It'll be all right in the end."

Chun Li returned the hug, leaning the side of her head into his shoulder. She almost laughed as a thought came to her. "Look at me… here I am wondering when we're going to get married when there are more important things to worry about. Every one of us has friends and family to worry about, and then there's the huge fact that the world may be ending and millions of lives will be lost. And the only thing I can come up with is, 'Am I ever getting married?'"

"It's only human nature to worry like that," Lei mentioned. "When any crisis hits anyone, big or small, we tend to think about a million things, even those that may be less important."

"Have you ever had that?" Chun Li asked. "When something was going down and your mind thinks of another that's less important?"

"Well…" Lei said. He pulled back a little, but still kept his arms around Chun Li. "There was this one time when I was at a scene with a few other cops in downtown Hong Kong. This poor guy about my age had been killed after being hit by a truck. He was hardly recognizable, that's how bad it was. We were there to block the civilians from seeing everything. So here I was, standing there, making sure everything went smoothly with a mangled body a few feet away, and all I think about was what I was going to have for lunch."

Chun Li raised an eyebrow. "How could you think of food at a time like that?"

Lei shrugged. "As you know, you get used to that after a while. It's like one colleague said… just another day at the office. But, um, you know what I'm trying to say, right?"

She nodded. "I do. Not a story I was expecting, but I do."

"Good." He leaned towards her to kiss her, which she returned. They were like this for a brief moment before Lei pulled back. "Let's head back inside."

"Sure."

As the two began walking again, Lei happened to look over to his right before spotting someone in the area. The person was sitting down in the grass and they were too far for Lei to recognize right away. However, the more he stared at the person, the more they were starting to become familiar to him.

Chun Li happened to turn to him, seeing him squint his eyes. She turned to where he was looking, only seeing a stranger. She turned back to him. "Is everything all right?"

Lei's eyes relaxed, turning to Chun Li. He smiled at her. "Yeah, everything's fine. But I can't help but wondering why that guy over there is so familiar."

"Let's not worry about it," Chun Li suggested after briefly looking back at the stranger. "Besides, even if we knew him, I don't think it's a good time to bother him. He looks like he's concentrating."

Lei nodded. "You're right." From there, the two began leaving the area.

Unknown to either of them, the person sitting far off into the garden area was none other than Feng Wei. His eyes were closed, keeping himself in full concentration during his meditation…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

A soft knock was heard at the door, catching Tanya's attention. A small growl escaped her lips as she wondered who was there. Just a split moment ago, she thought about taking a nice, long hot bath after spending nearly the entire day hand washing all of Ivy's clothes.

 _I swear if that's a Shadow Priest summoning me to shine her boots again..._ Tanya thought with annoyance as she got up from her chair to answer the door.

For a split moment, she thought about not answering, pretending that she wasn't here. However, that idea went out the window, having the feeling that the Empress would know she was in her sleeping quarters anyway.

Taking a deep breath, Tanya grabbed for the door handle before opening it. She had fully expected a Shadow Priest to be standing there. However, to her surprise, and a bit of relief, it was Rain who was standing at the door instead.

Rain raised an eyebrow upon seeing her. "Surprised to see me?" he asked, a bit amused by the wide-eyed look in her pale eyes.

Tanya immediately shook her head, regaining her composure. "No… I just thought the Empress would be summoning me to do her dirty work… again."

"I see," Rain replied as he folded his arms in front of him. "May I come in?"

She raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "What makes you think I want you to come in my room?"

"Because I prefer to deliver some news to you in private rather than out here."

Tanya sighed a little. "Well… if you put it that way… but not too long, or else I'll kick you out."

She stepped to the side to give him room. Unfolding his arms, Rain walked a few feet into the room. Once inside, Tanya closed the door behind them.

"What do you want?" Tanya asked, not feeling enthusiastic about what he was about to tell her.

"Well… it's about our fellow Edenian, Jade."

Tanya's eyes narrowed, feeling a bit of anger build up within her. She realized a while ago that even a mere mention of the Edenian General made her blood boil. "What about her?"

"Well… it's just a rumor, but something tells me that the rumor is true." Rain folded his arms once more. "It's highly believed that her… trial… is scheduled for tomorrow night in the throne room."

"This 'rumor' better be true." Tanya said, almost hissing. "Nothing would please me more than to see her die an agonizing death. And I would personally love to be the one to slowly kill her."

Tanya began to pace around as thoughts began to run through her head. "I swear, especially these past couple of days, I find myself more and more angry, knowing that witch is still breathing as I speak! I swear, she's so obsessed with Edenia and 'all that is good about it.' It's the only reason she wants to see me dead. And, oh, she's so loyal to _Princess_ Kitana, I wouldn't be surprised if those two were… more than just friends. And another thing-"

As Tanya ranted on, she hardly noticed Rain staring intently at her. He was hearing her, but was barely listening to exactly what she was saying. Eventually, Tanya stopped mid-sentence as she noticed his intense stare.

Also, there was the fact that he moved himself a few inches closer to her. No longer remembering what she was about to say, Tanya found herself staring into his dark eyes. She hated the fact that she was barely able to breathe with him standing too close to her. She hated the fact that her stomach suddenly felt twisted in knots. But more than anything, she hated the fact that she was able to feel her own heart beating rapidly against her ribs.

Quickly, the yellow-clad woman regained her composure, backing away a bit as she placed her hands on her hips. "Why the hell are you looking at me like that?"

He took a small step closer to her. "No reason. However, there was something I noticed."

"And what would that be?"

Rain leaned closer until his face was inches away from Tanya's. He whispered, "You're fascinating when you're angry."

For the first since she could remember, Tanya found herself speechless. She opened her mouth, trying to say something, anything to get back at him for saying something so… insufficient! Instead, she found herself struggling with her words, which frustrated her.

Before she knew it, Rain, amused by her reaction, backed away, taking the opportunity to leave the room while she was lost for words. She didn't realize what was going until she heard the door click and he was gone.

Tanya clutched a fist. "Damn him."

~~~

_Over A Decade Ago…_

_"_ _Listen," Raiden said, staring over at the three warriors he called his 'chosen ones' standing a few feet away. It was a quiet night as they rode on a boat in the middle of the sea. "What you're about to face is vastly more important than…"_

_He looked at the young Hollywood actor, Johnny Cage. "You're ego."_

_He then turned to the young Lieutenant, Sonya Blade. "You're enemy."_

_His eyes then shifted to the Shaolin Monk, Liu Kang. "Or even your quest from your fellow monks."_

_Raiden looked at all three once more before speaking again. "You have embarked on a sacred mission. You have been chosen to defend the realm of Earth… in a tournament called Mortal Kombat."_

_Sonya gave him a confused looked. "Defended from who?"_

_Raiden got up from the box he was sitting on and began walking towards the three. "Your world is one of many realms. One of them is a forsaken land called Outworld, ruled by an evil, powerful Emperor who seeks many realms to conquer and enslave."_

_Now it was Johnny's turn to be confused. "Wait a sec… if this guy is so powerful, then why doesn't he just invade us?"_

_"_ _To enter the realm of Earth," Raiden replied. "The Emperor's demon sorcerer, Shang Tsung, and his warriors, have to win ten straight victories in Mortal Kombat." He sighed a bit as he smiled. "They have won nine. This… will be the tenth tournament."_

_"_ _A handful of people on a leaky boat are gonna save the world," Sonya said without much enthusiasm._

_Raiden waved a finger at her. "Exactly." The Thunder God began to pace around the bit. "The essence of Mortal Kombat… is not about death, but life. Mortal men and women defending your own world ."_

_"_ _Why are you telling us all of this?" the young woman asked. "What about the others?"_

_He gave them a solemn look. "They are all great fighters… but I have looked into their souls… and yours… one of you three will decide the outcome of the tournament…" He looked at each of them, but in his mind, he already knew that it would be Liu Kang who had the best chance of emerging the victor of the tournament._

_"_ _The fate of_ _billions_ _will depend on you." When he said that last sentence, he couldn't help but chuckle a little. Realizing what he did, he regained his composure, clearing his throat a little. "Sorry."_

**Sky Temple, Asia**

Dark Raiden remembered that time so clearly. It was almost as thought it was only yesterday. The fate of the world was on the edge at that point. Their only hope was to win the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament.

Back then, Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade were three chosen ones he relied on amongst a small handful of others. While he was highly confident that it would be Liu Kang who would emerge the victor, the others would assist in seeing to the victory. They had succeeded for the most part.

For over a decade, Raiden had worked with the mortals to prevent the end of Earth from happening, no matter what kind of threat would arise. He always made sure to pick warriors who had the best chance of succeeding. And he would always guide them to victory.

Now things were different. It was nothing like how it was in the Mortal Kombat tournament. Both Liu Kang and Sonya were now dead, and he wasn't sure, nor did he care, what became of Johnny Cage. What he knew now was that, even though he picked the best warriors to help in the Blood Tournament, they still failed their mission, leading to the chaos that was going on now…

Dark Raiden had sacrificed himself to end the life of the Fighting God, Ogre. He had succeeded, but it was only a small victory. There were much bigger threats now. But no longer was he going to rely on the mortals. He was going to take matters into his own hands. And anyone who threatens Earth will pay with their lives.

In a way, he wondered where he went wrong when he let this chaos begin…

Meanwhile, miles away and hidden within the forest, the God of Wind, Fujin, looked up at the Sky Temple. Even from where he stood, he knew that Raiden was here judging by his essence. In a way, he wondered if the Thunder God knew of his presence.

 _What am I going to do?_ Fujin thought to himself. The fact that he was dealing with Raiden along with trying to figure out how to stop Outworld's reign was starting to get to him a bit. Over two weeks have passed since the invasion, and at this point, he starting to feel that he was wasting time.

Just as he finished that thought, Fujin heard footsteps coming from behind him. Not taking a moment to feel the person's energy, he immediately thought that the person coming to him was Scorpion.

 _I thought I sent him far from this place,_ Fujin thought. He turned himself around, expecting to face the spectre.

To his surprise, he found himself facing a woman wearing a cloak to conceal her identity. Despite that, Fujin instantly knew who it was…

"Mizu," he said, staring at the Elder God. "What are you doing here?"

"We have to be quick," Mizu said. "The other Elder Gods don't know I'm here."

Fujin nodded, understanding. "What brings you here to Earth?"

Mizu sighed a little. "Since you left us, I was starting to realize more and more how this threat to the realms are getting much worse than we anticipated. You were the only one who saw that, and I hope you accept my apology."

"You're forgiven," Fujin said. "But what about the others?"

She shook her head. "They are still firm about not interfering. Fujin… you are going to help the realms, aren't you?"

"Of course," he replied. "I couldn't let this just all happen."

Mizu nodded. "That's good to hear. I had a feeling your leave wasn't just about saving Raiden."

"Nothing will happen right now," Fujin mentioned. "In one of my last encounters with Scorpion, I sent him far away from Raiden. I know he's coming, but it won't be for a while."

"I see. Fujin, if you are to help fight for the realms, I have one suggestion for you."

"And that is…"

"… Seek out the one named Dhalsim. He is located in Kerala, India as we speak. He is the only survivor of his village who were massacred during the invasion."

Fujin nodded, but one question lingered in his mind. "What makes Dhalsim special?"

"He holds the key for humanity's survival. That is all I can say."

With that, Mizu's body began to be surrounded by water, her element. "Good luck, Fujin." Soon the water disappeared along with her.

Fujin gazed up towards the sky. Just moment ago, he was wondering how he was going to help with stopping Outworld. With this new information he just received, he at least knew now where to start.


	32. Chapter Thirty-One

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Standing alone in the training room, the Empress of Outworld, Ivy Valentine, decided to do some combat exercises for a little bit. She was grateful to have the room to herself as most of the other minions were off doing their own thing at this time.

Holding the hilt of her beloved sword, she moved herself about in the room for a few seconds, spinning herself a bit while performing a few kicks in the air. She let out a couple of small battle cries in the process.

Then, she lifted her sword above her head, feeling it's energy within the hand that held it. "My sword, dance!" she called out as she slashed it downward towards the ground. The movement caused her sword to break into eight small pieces, all connected to a string.

For a moment, her mind was completely cleared as she continued her sword dance. The more time passed, however, the more she started to think about her past… how peaceful her life was until the day her adoptive father's death due to the curse of Soul Edge… her adoptive mother soon following after. How she served under the demon Nightmare, only to learn about her true father and her bloodline involving Soul Edge. How she isolated herself in her own mansion until she vowed to remerged with a new resolve… wiping out Soul Edge once and for all…

How she received an invitation to the Blood Tournament in Outworld with full knowledge that the powerful _Chishio No Me_ would be there… unknown of it's connection to Soul Edge at that time…

How the Emperor asked her to be his Empress after she won the tournament…

And how, with new found power, Shao Kahn was able to completely shatter Soul Edge with his own hands, absorbing it's essence and gaining complete control of it.

Sometimes, she wondered if he still dominated the essence of the evil blade. As of now, it seemed so.

Then, Ivy found herself thinking back on the day she first met the Emperor…

_"You want to join me?" the Outworld Emperor asked. "Why so?"_

_Shao Kahn looked down at the female figure before him. He was already impressed by the fact that the platinum-haired woman was kneeling on the ground before him, her head bowed down._

_Ivy Valentine had her plans made up in her mind. She already knew what she was going to say to the Emperor, but whatever was to come, she would realize whether she would be telling the truth or a lie to him then._

_"I believe in your cause," she said. "You are a powerful Emperor, a great leader to look up to. I have confidence that whatever you plan in the aftermath of the tournament will prevail. If you let me, I pledge my services to you and promise to not fail you."_

_For a moment, Shao Kahn stared down at Ivy. Many times has he gotten people pledging their services to him. Ninety-nine percent of the time, they end up as their servants._

_But he felt something different about this woman. He could sense her strong fighting spirit and the darkness that plagued inside of her. After some more mental analysis, he felt that she was indeed worthy of her services not as a servant, but as one of his main minions alongside fighters like Baraka and even Shang Tsung._

_"Rise!" Shao Kahn commanded. Immediately, Ivy stood up. As she did, he noticed the sword behind her, one he had never seen before. "You are a swordswoman, are you not?"_

_"I am," Ivy replied. "My name is Ivy Valentine, the adopted descendent of the Valentine family of the Brittanian Empire in the realm of Keisei."_

_"The adopted daughter of Earl Valentine?" the Emperor questioned with interested. "This is indeed interesting. However, I do have one test, a test to prove that you will be loyal to me."_

_With that, the Emperor snapped his fingers. A single servant immediately entered the small light and bowed to Shao Kahn._

_Shao Kahn then nodded at Ivy. "Kill him quickly."_

_Horror suddenly came over the servant, but before he could react, Ivy had already taken her sword into her hand. She raised it above her before swinging it forward. The Emperor had expected her to easily decapitate the servant. Instead, the sword split into eight small pieces attached but a single one-inch thick string._

_Shao Kahn was surprised to see it and became much more interested by what was going to happen next. Ivy quickly wrapped the sword around the servant's neck. She kicked him then, sending him on all fours. This gave Ivy the opportunity to place her foot on her victim's back, slightly digging her heel into it. She then pulled him back towards her with her sword, tightening the hold on him._

_The servant tried to scream, but his oxygen was cut off at this point. Then, with a quickly jolt, Ivy managed to snap his neck, killing him instantly. She stood there for another moment before releasing her hold on him, letting his body fall like a rag doll. She then quickly threw her sword upward, returning her sword into one piece._

_Shao Kahn smiled under his skull mask. "Very impressive. You are indeed worthy of joining me."_

… It was a time that seemed so long ago to Ivy, but it was only months ago when that occurred. Now she found herself the Empress of Outworld, a title she had never even expected to receive, even while working under Shao Kahn.

Now, with them invading the realms, Ivy couldn't help but wonder at times how things would turn out in the end. Would they succeed in their plans? Would she and Shao Kahn still be standing as Emperor and Empress?

Her thoughts were suddenly cut off as the sound of footsteps were heard. Immediately, she stopped her training. Narrowing her blue eyes a bit, she turned to the person who came in the training room, soon recognizing Tanya.

"What do you want?" Ivy asked, adding a bit of annoyance in her voice.

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "You… asked to see me, my Empress."

Ivy's eyes relaxed. She had summoned Tanya to meet her here in the training room an hour ago. With her training and the thoughts that ran through her mind, she nearly forgot that she asked her bodyguard to meet her.

A smirk came over Ivy's lips. "Indeed, I did. I have some information to give you."

Tanya found herself not looking forward to it. "I already shined your boots just last night."

"No, not that, dear," Ivy corrected her. "This is something I think will intrigue you very much.” The Empress began walking over to the yellow-clad woman. "The trial for Jade will be taking place tonight."

A smirk came over Tanya's face. "I heard a rumor this morning, but I didn't think it was true."

"It's very true," Ivy informed her. "And I even have a little assignment for you before the trial begins."

"And what would that be?"

"I want you to… escort her to the throne room from the dungeon. Bring a couple of guards with you, just in case. I'm sure you won't disappoint."

The Edenian grinned with delight. "I sure won't. Besides, I've waited quite some time for this, ever since we captured her last week."

"Good," the Empress replied. "I will personally inform you when it's time to retrieve her. You may take your leave. I will give you the rest of the afternoon off until the time comes."

"Thank you," Tanya said. She briefly bowed to the Empress before turning around to leave the training room. Her grin returned to a smirk, feeling good about what was to come tonight. Even though it was a small task, at least she would be helping in seeing to Jade's death.

Secretly, however, Tanya hoped that _she_ would be the one to deliver the execution.

~~~

**Russia**

More than two weeks ago, Raven and Sergei Dragunov managed to escape capture from a group of criminals in their facility. This was all due to the invasion from Outworld. Both of them managed to get out of the facility and into the snowy terrain of Russia before losing consciousness.

Being the only two people for miles around, they were both forced to rely on each other for survival. Neither one of them were looking forward since they were rivals, but for both of them, it was better than being dead.

On this particular day, The snow underneath their feet was heavy, slowing their walk. However, despite the thick clouds above, their surroundings were clear, helping them to see up ahead as far as their eyes could see.

With the amount of time it's taken them to walk, Raven was starting to wonder in his mind if either of them were ever going to find his jet. And even if they do, he knew that the aircraft would be blanketed in heavy snow and would have to be removed, another hard work in itself.

Soon, the sun was starting to set for the evening, and the two men knew that they would have to find another place to rest for the night. Luckily, it didn't take long before they spotted another cave.

Raven sighed a little. He was really starting to hate caves… at least the abandoned building they ran into earlier was a welcoming change, despite the demons they ran into inside.

"Guess it'll be another restful night," Raven said with a bit of sarcasm. As expected, no reply came from Dragunov. In a way, he wished that the soldier would somehow talk back.

As the two continued to approach the cave, Dragunov suddenly stopped in his tracks. Raven proceeded to walk until he realized that the militant had halted. He turned to him, noting that he seemed to be staring at something, possibly far off into the distance.

"What is it?" Raven asked.

Dragonov lifted a hand, signaling the agent to keep quiet. He then took out a pair of binoculars, taking off the lens cover before peering through them. For a moment, he stared towards the same spot he was looking at. He raised an eyebrow as he removed the binoculars from his eyes.

He turned to Raven and only shook his head before shrugging a little. Raven got the message. The militant thought he saw something, but upon trying to get a closer look, whatever he saw, it was now gone.

"We'll keep an eye out during the night in case it wasn't your imagination," Raven suggested, unsure of what else to do.

Dragunov then pointed to himself before taking his index and middle finger, point each digit to either of his own eyes. He then pointed to Raven before pointing towards the cave.

Raven was a little confused. "So you want to go on watch duty first?"

Dragunov replied with a single nod.

The agent sighed a little. "All right then, but something tells me I won't be sleeping much tonight. Just wake me halfway through the night so you can get your own rest."

Once that was agreed, Raven began walking forward towards the cave. Dragunov stared at him for a moment before he began following him.

~~~

**Wastelands, Outworld**

After a couple of days of traveling with no incident, Ermac and Siegfried finally reached what was described as the beginning of the Wastelands. It was a land that once belonged to the realm of Edenia. When Edenia was freed, a part of the land remained, too corrupt to be back to normal.

But upon looking at the land, Ermac realized something… it was almost as though this was place was back in it's original form after Edenia's capture and merging process. He felt it in his blood… every single soul that was within him were all Edenians, their souls infused into his body when they refused to serve Shao Kahn.

Within his mind, he could hear the distant, anguish cries of the souls within. It was as though… Edenia was once more captured and merged.

 _It must've happened again,_ Ermac concluded in his mind. _This land expanded… Edenia must've been merged with Outworld once more…_

He turned his eyes to Siegfried, who too was staring at the large piece of land. His eyes showed that he was calm, but there was a hint of disturbance as he continued to look. It was as though he sensed something not right with this place.

Seeing this, Ermac decided not to mention his theory about the fate of Edenia. It was a piece of information that would not affect their mission, so there was no need to bring it up.

"How long did you say we'll be walking through here?" Siegfried asked.

"About three to five days depending on what we run into," Ermac replied.

"I see. Seeing this place now, I'm not surprised."

"Mostly, it's abandoned, but there are many dangers ahead. The best you'll run into is someone who managed to escape, but by then, their minds are beyond help. Then there are demons hunting for the thrill. And it would not surprise us if some of Shao Kahn's minions are here as well, hunting for anyone to either join them or kill."

Ermac turned to his ally, giving him a serious look. "In that case, if we do run into any of Shao Kahn's minions, none of them must be left alive."

Siegfried nodded. "I agree. The last thing we need is for one of them to report to him of our whereabouts."

"As for the portal we're looking for," Ermac continued. "It should be located near the other end of this place. If we remember correctly, it does lead to your home - Keisei."

Siegfried's eyes widened a bit upon hearing that. For the first time in a while, he felt a small pain in his heart upon thinking about his home. He wasn't exactly homesick, but he did miss his world after spending so much time here in Outworld. He wondered in his mind how the realm was holding up in this time of crisis.

He also thought of his mother for the first time in a while. Although he had no contact with her since his father's death… ashamed to face her after what happened… he could only hope that she was all right.

"What would happen if… somehow… the portal was deactivated?" Siegfried asked after some silence.

A small sigh escaped Ermac. He didn't want to think about it, knowing that this portal was their last chance to help the city of Lei Chen, but he knew that it was a reality they had to face if was indeed true.

"If that was the case… then we would have no choice but to return to Lei Chen empty handed. We will have to come up with another plan to protect the city."

Siegfried nodded, unsure of what else to say. He took a deep breath as the wind picked up a little, his long blonde hair swaying behind him. "I hope, for the people of Lei Chen, that this mission will be a success."

"As do we," Ermac agreed.

With that in mind, the two began to step forward, walking into the Wastelands, unknown of what they were going to face…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Within her cell, Jade was able to hear the faint footsteps coming towards the door. She listened to them for a moment until they stopped. Soon after, she heard the door to her cell unlocking.

Jade narrowed her eyes to get a better look at who just came in. She immediately noted two guards walking in. Following immediately after was her nemesis… Tanya!

Anger immediately boiled over her, remembering what had happened the last they met.

"Get yourself up!" Tanya ordered. "You're trial begins today!"

Without saying anything, Jade slowly got herself on her feet. As she did, she felt herself somewhat wobbly, blaming it mostly on lack of exercise for the past week. At least they gave her a decent amount of bread and water each day to sustain her. She imagined she would have felt much worse if they had hardly given her any nourishment.

Once on her feet, Jade kept her body straight, holding her head up high, refusing to show any small signs of weakness in front of her enemy. Tanya then snapped her fingers, signaling the two guards to stand next to Jade, each one grabbing an arm to make sure she didn't escape.

Tanya got herself closer to Jade until they were a foot away from each other. A grin came over the yellow-clad woman's face. "Since you've worked for the Emperor in the past, I'm quite sure you know how the procedure works."

"Spare me the details," Jade said sarcastically. "How about you take me to the throne room and get this over with."

An evil laugh escaped Tanya's throat, amused by Jade' words. "That's where you're wrong, my dear Jade. This trial process is going to be a slow one, much to my… delight. I'm especially going to enjoy the aftermath."

Once she was done, Tanya turned around and began leaving the room with the guards holding Jade on either side immediately following after. They exited the cell and into the long corridor, which had a little more light than the cell did.

For a few minutes, Jade found herself being 'escorted' through the hall, their footsteps the only sound echoing around them. Jade shifted her green eyes to Tanya, who kept her focus in front of her. Then, the green-clad woman shifted her eyes to the two guards who each had a firm grip on her arms. Neither one of them even attempted to look at her.

She saw her opportunity.

Quickly, and with silence, Jade jumped up and perform a backward somersault in mid-air. Her arms were still linked to the two guards, but by the time she finished the flip, it was _she_ who was now on the offense.

"What the-" one guard called out, but he never got to finish as Jade used all of her strength to smash the two guards head first, knocking both of them out cold.

Tanya heard the commotion behind her, but by the time she whirled around to take a look, it was all over. She saw the guards knocked out on the floor and Jade standing above them, ready to fight Tanya.

"Useless idiots," she hissed under her breath.

Jade narrowed her eyes at Tanya. "The only good thing about being one of Shao Kahn's former assassins is the fact that, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have been able to pull that move off."

Tanya growled a bit. "Even if you manage to escape, you won't make it out of Outworld alive, let alone getting out of this fortress!"

"We'll see about that, but first…" Jade clenched a fist. "I'll see to your death!"

"Not a chance in hell!" Tanya yelled before launching herself forward, ready to fight.

Jade was ready once Tanya threw the first punch at her, blocking it with ease. For a moment, Jade found herself on defense while Tanya was on offense. The yellow-clad Edenian hoped to break through the General's blocks.

Then, at one point, Jade managed to sidestep away from one of Tanya's attacks before delivering a palm strike just below Tanya's neck. Tanya back away to recover, but this gave Jade the opportunity to get herself on offense, throwing various punches and kicks at her enemy.

Eventually, Tanya avoided another one of Jade's attacks by stepping back a bit, then flipping backwards to create more room between them. This gave Tanya the chance to crouch herself low to the ground, jumping forward feet first Spinning herself rapidly, she feet became ignited with flames.

Seeing this, Jade immediately jumped above her, forcing Tanya to miss. Both women got their feet on the ground at the same time after. Tanya then immediately shot out a fireball from her hand. For a moment, she thought that the fireball would actually hit, but then she saw Jade glow in a green color, her body fading a bit as the fireball went right through her, leaving no damage.

Tanya cursed herself after, forgetting Jade's ability to go invisible at will.

Getting herself back to normal, Jade's body continued to glow in the green color as she jumped forward before attempting to deliver a high kick to Tanya's chin. Tanya managed to see this in time, duck underneath the foot. Once Jade recovered, she found herself on defense once more as Tanya attempted to attack with more punches and kicks once more. This went on for a few seconds.

Then, as Tanya attempted another punch, Jade quickly did a split as she crouched to the ground. Tanya never had the chance to pull back before she felt a hard punch from Jade's fist… right in the pelvic bone!

Tanya quickly back away, yelling out right before falling to her knees. She felt immense pain from the punch, making her wanting to kill Jade more than ever.

"You BITCH!" Tanya screamed.

Jade quickly got back on her feet. "Thank a friend from Earth for that move," she mentioned.

Just as she said that, Jade suddenly heard a commotion not too far from where they were. The Edenian General realized that more guards were coming their way, most likely hearing their fight.

Jade had hoped to finish off Tanya once and for all, but at this point, it looked as though it was going to have to wait, much to her disappointment.

"We'll finish this the next we meet," Jade promised right before making a run for it.

Tanya began cursing out loud as she attempted to get herself up. She was infuriated that Jade managed to escape. The fact that she would be punished for failing to bring Jade to the throne room for her trial didn't quite register in her head just yet.

By the time Tanya finally got on her feet, the guards appeared. She pointed towards where the green-clad woman ran. "Jade's escaped! Find her!" she ordered.

Tanya turned, hoping to get another glimpse of Jade, but by that time, Jade had disappeared into the shadows.

~~~

**Lei Chen, Outworld**

Sitting in the den of Lord Zeffeero, General Olek found himself pacing around the room a bit, feeling a bit overwhelmed over everything that's been happening for the past few months. He and the rest of the Lei Chen army have done nothing but resist the Outworld Forces' advances, doing all they could to not only protect the city, but also the citizens as well.

The fact that they had the likes of Ermac and Siegfried at their side gave them a good advantage to fight back. Both were strong warriors living up to the army's code of honor in order to protect the city. Olek felt that their assistance helped them to stand up against forces longer than any other city in Outworld… all since destroyed since Shao Kahn became stronger than ever.

Olek was so sure, since Ermac and Siegfried departed over two weeks ago, that the city would be left somewhat vulnerable. However, to his surprise, it was mostly quiet since the two left on their journey to find an available portal for the people of Lei Chen to escape to.

"Olek, relax yourself," Lord Zeffeero suggested.

"I can't," Olek said. "Things have been too quiet around here since Ermac and Siegfried left to find an open portal. It's been over two weeks now, and there's no sign of them. And the Outworld Forces have barely gone near us since they left."

Olek stopped pacing before turning to his overlord. "I just hope they return soon. I have a feeling that all this quiet is nothing more than a false sense of security."

"They said it would take about three to four weeks," Zeffeero mentioned. "Perhaps-"

His sentence was suddenly cut off as a guard came walking towards them in a fast pace. Olek took a deep breath as he straightened himself up, realizing that something came up.

The young guard approached him. "Sir, there's something you should be aware of."

"What is it?" Olek asked.

"Sir, I spotted a couple of tarkatans up on the hills nearby. It's the first time I've seen them in a while."

Olek and Zeffeero exchanged glances before the General turned back to the young guard. "My intuition was right… I knew they were giving us a false sense of security."

"Sir?" the guard asked, confused.

The General shook his head. "Never mind that. Go and continue to watch their activities, and make sure that the other guards are aware as well."

"Yes, sir," the guard said before turning on his heel to leave.

Olek sighed to himself. "It'll only be a matter of time…"

Outside the den, the young guard quickly made his way through the hall of the castle, intending on getting himself outside. He then walked behind a pillar… and a green light surrounded his body as he transformed…

Emerging from behind the pillar, Shang Tsung's eyes continued to glow in it's green eyes, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face. He had managed to infiltrate the city easily thanks to his shape shifting abilities.

And best of all, he was able to officially confirm that Ermac and Siegfried were indeed absent.

 _It will only be a matter of time before this city faces it's demise,_ the sorcerer thought with delight.

As he made his exit, shape shifting back to the guard once more, he began walking past the corpse of a young male guard. His body then disintegrated into ashes to hide the evidence of his death…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

In the throne room, Ivy Valentine scanned the area with her blue eyes, seeing many of the members of the Outworld Forces gathered around. All had been invited to witness the trial of the traitor, Jade.

No, Ivy wasn't even around when Jade betrayed the Emperor all those years ago. However, after hearing her story and how many, including Shao Kahn himself, felt about her betrayal, it was no wonder a special trial was being held for the Edenian.

She looked at each person in the room, especially noting the likes of Anna, Vega, Mavado, Hsu Hao, Donna, Guy, Kira, Rain, Reptile, and Quan Chi. She then raised an eyebrow, realizing who was still missing.

"Tanya better get here with that traitor soon," Shao Kahn said to her.

"She'll be here," Ivy assured him. "With the way she feels about her, I'm sure she won't make a mistake."

"She'd better not. The sooner we get this trial underway, the better. I especially want these… minions of ours… to witness what would happen to them if they ever double-crossed me."

Soon, the door to the throne room opened, catching everyone's attention. They had expected Jade to be taken in at that moment. However, it was Tanya who came in… and she was alone, stumbling a bit as she still felt pain in her body after her fight with Jade.

Seeing this, Shao Kahn immediately stood up from his throne. " **Where is she?** " the Emperor bellowed.

Tanya kept her composure, even though her body shook a bit from the Emperor's menacing voice. Halfway between the entrance and the two thrones, she fell on her knees, lower her head as though she was bowing to them. Before that, Ivy saw how calm she looked, but gazing into her eyes, she saw that hint of fear.

"Forgive me, my Emperor," Tanya began to say. "But Jade, she… managed to escape! I don't know how, but those two guards who were with me, they-"

" **FIND HER!** " Shao Kahn bellowed to everyone in the room as he pointed towards the door. "AND DO NOT RETURN TO THE THRONE ROOM UNTIL SHE IS FOUND!"

Everyone in the room began to quickly make their leave. Tanya had got herself back on her feet, but Shao Kahn quickly demanded for her to stay. She took a deep breath as she waited, wondering about her fate.

 _If I survive what's to come,_ Tanya thought. _I'll kill her if I find her again!_

Soon, the room was cleared, and only Tanya, Shao Kahn, and Ivy remained. Ivy stood up from her throne, standing next to the Emperor. "I'm disappointed, Tanya. You have a desire to see Jade dead, and yet, you failed to simply bring her into the court room so that she is properly executed… and I was thinking, too, that it would be indeed by your hands."

More anger flared within Tanya under this revelation, but at the same time, she wondered if this was Ivy's way to getting under her skin for her failure. She kept herself calm on the outside.

"As I'm sure you expected," Ivy continued. "You will be punished for your failure." She then turned her head to Shao Kahn. "If you don't mind, I'd like to deliver the punishment myself."

"Do what you please," Shao Kahn replied. "But do not kill her… yet."

A quiet sigh of relief escaped Tanya's lips, knowing that she was not going to meet death today. However, she was still going to be punished, by Ivy of all people, and she found herself wondering what was in store for her.

Shao Kahn turned to Tanya. "Be lucky that you'll live. You're still needed for our plans to dominate the realms."

Tanya took another deep breath. "Yes, my Emperor."

By then, Ivy had reached her and grabbed her arm. "I think a night in the dungeon will do you good."

~~~

**Meanwhile, in the Dungeons…**

Keeping herself in the shadows, Jade relied highly on her stealth skills to hide from the countless guards and demons hunting down for her. At times, she found herself holding her breath, hoping that no one detected even that.

At one point, she hid in one spot for an hour, hearing voices and footsteps all around her as they continued their search for her. She found herself praying as well, hoping that one of the demons didn't end up smelling her natural scent from even a mile away.

Finally, when she was one hundred percent sure that all was clear, she jumped out of the shadow. Keeping her heels off the floor to make minimum sounds, she darted through the dark corridor.

Jade knew what she was going to do at this point… she was going to find Kitana and Sindel and get them to safety. It had been her mission ever since Outworld first invaded Edenian many weeks ago. All she knew of their fate, as Ivy told her a few days ago, that they were both still alive.

She just hoped that her fellow Edenian Freedom Fighters were okay.

After a while, Jade found herself in an area filled with cells. There were a few noises coming from each cell… a few coughs from those who were ill… a few weakly cries for help that were losing hope… one person was heard vomiting in their cell. Jade found herself frowning, heartbroken for these people who were unfortunate enough to be captured and, most likely, enslaved for what could possibly be the remainder of their lives.

Jade wanted nothing more than to help these people and free them. However, now wasn't the time. With everything that was going on in the realms, freeing them would actually do more harm than good.

"Jade!" someone called out. She jumped at the sound, not expecting anyone to call her. Even so, she realized that the voice was familiar to her.

She turned around, and noticed a large cell filled with a group of her fellow soldiers, including her second in command, Zarek. She gasped a little, heartbroken that her own people found themselves in this situation.

Jade looked around for a moment, making sure that no one else was coming, before approaching the cell. "What happened?" she asked.

"They managed to capture most of us right after you were kidnapped," Zarek explained. "But half the Freedom Fighters… they didn't make it out alive…" He frowned. "I'm sorry, Jade. You asked me to help lead during your absence, and I failed."

Jade shook her head. "Don't blame yourself. You did your best, and what's done is done. With the way things were going in Edenia, it was only a matter of time before the Outworld Forces overcame us."

"Something tells me Edenia is gone," Zarek mentioned.

Jade nodded. "I believe that." She lowered her eyes. "You don't know how much I want to free you all, right now. But right now, it's impossible. I'll end up risking all of your lives if we all tried to escape right now."

"We understand, General," one of her other soldiers said. "None of us will survive if that happens."

"It's best that you go," Zarek suggested. "If it's possible, try to bring back as much help as possible. This way, only a few of us will die escaping rather than all of us."

Jade nodded. "I promise you all, I'll come back for you. I will not leave you all behind like this forever. Even if it takes a long time, I promise you, you will be free."

Zarek also nodded. "Oh! I almost forgot." Jade saw him bend down to get something out of one of his pant pockets. He then took out an object, a short, metal pole.

Jade immediately knew what it was. "I thought my staff was taken away when I got here!"

"No, you dropped it," Zarek explained. "I figured out how you shortened the length of your staff and I hid it until we saw each other again. I figured you would want it."

Jade took the small pole in her hand. "You don't know how much I appreciate it. At times, I don't feel right without it."

"I can only imagine." Zarek then sighed a little. "Good luck, Jade. And be careful."

"Thank you. And you all be safe. I know it's not going to be pleasant, but do everything they tell you to do and do it right. It's the only way you'll survive. And again, I promise you, I'll be back."

With that in mind, Jade backed up a little, looking at her troops one last time before departing, getting herself back in the shadows as she heard more footsteps in the distance. She just hoped that she would be able to keep her promise.

~~~

**Russia**

At least two hours have passed since Raven and Dragunov arrived at the cave to rest for the night. Beforehand, Raven had noted that Dragunov had spotted something in the distance. The Russian militant tried to get a better look through his binoculars, but whatever he spotted, it was gone.

Just in case, however, the two agreed to each go on watch duty during the night. Dragunov volunteered first, giving Raven the chance to rest until his time came.

However, the agent found that he couldn't get a wink of sleep. He couldn't help but wonder who, or what it was that Dragunov spotted. Could it be another one of those Outworld invaders? Could it be just nothing more than fellow travelers also trying to find their way through the snowy terrain?

Or could Dragunov have been expecting his fellow soldiers to find him this entire time?

If the last question was the case, what would happen to Raven? Seeing how, during most of his latest missions, he would run into Dragunov, could they take him back to their headquarters for some sort of questioning? Or what it all in his imagination and they will actually let him go?

For a while, Raven pondered over this. No matter what happened, however, he had the feeling that the chaos with Outworld was far from over.

Then, unexpectedly, Raven's head started to hurt him a little. He reached his hands up to his temples to massage them a little. He then felt the pain again, wincing a little as though a needle stabbed him right in the head.

At first, Raven thought he was getting hit it migraines. But then, suddenly, he started getting flashes of various images in his mind. It only lasted a couple of seconds, but the flashes almost seemed to go on for almost an eternity.

When it was over, the pain in his head subsided, but Raven barely noticed as he realized what he just saw… the blood red sky, the various corpses lying all around, the prominent smell of death…

He remembered now… it was the same vision the shaman Nightwolf had back in the tournament. He only remembered because he thought the vision came true when the battle occurred after the tournament.

 _If that's the case,_ Raven thought. _Then why am I getting the vision now?_

Before he was able to continue to comprehend the visions, he suddenly heard fighting from outside the cave. Realizing that they were being attacked, Raven got himself on his feet and quickly went towards the outside world.

Upon reaching the exit, Raven saw what was going on. He saw Dragunov defending himself against two tarkatans as they both tried to overpower him.

 _So this was what Dragunov thought he saw earlier,_ Raven thought as he ran towards the battle.

Once he was close enough, Raven immediately jumped up, kicking the head of the tarkatan closest to him. The mutant stumbled back, but still regained it's balance as Raven landed on his feet. He got himself into a fighting stance and waited until it was ready.

The tarkatan growled as it ran towards Raven, ready to fight. Moment before he reached him, the nomad's blades drew out from it's arms, ready to taste blood. Seeing this, Raven drew out both of his kunais and was able to block the mutant's incoming attack right on time.

For a while, the two weapons clashed, the sound of steel against steel heard all around them. Raven found himself on defense and was trying his best to find a way to overtake the nomad. Then at one point, after another clash, they both tried to lean their weapons against one another, both of them trying to overtake the other. Then, before Raven was able to do anything, the tarkatan managed to quickly spread both of their arms apart, forcing the agent's arms to be pulled back.

Raven suddenly realized that this maneuver left him wide opened. He attempted to recover, but it was too late as the tarkatan's blade stabbed through his left shoulder. Dropping his kunais, Raven winced in pain, clenching his teeth to prevent himself from screaming.

He then found himself being lifted up by the blade, the pain even more immense than it was a second ago. Still clenching his teeth, Raven stared at the beast, daring it to kill him.

The tarkatan laughed in delight as it pulled back it's other bladed arm, getting ready for the kill. "Prepare to die, human!" it announced.

Unknown to either of them, Dragunov had just finished off the other tarkatan, breaking it's neck with his own hands. Once that was done, he turned around to find the other mutant, only to see it with one blade embedded in Raven's left shoulder, lifting him slightly above it's head. It's other blade was pulled back, ready to kill the agent.

Noting the kunais on the ground, Dragunov quickly ran over to them and grabbed one in his hand. He took a couple of more steps before swiftly decapitating the mutant before it had the chance to finish Raven off. Naturally, the body stumbled back, releasing it's hold on Raven, who fell back to the ground with a loud thud.

The blood was pouring out of Raven's shoulder, and he tried to use his right hand to control the bleeding. Still, as the seconds passed, he began to shake a little as beads of sweat developed over his forehead. He tried to keep his eyes open, but they were starting to get heavy…

As he began to black out, Raven happened to look up and saw Dragunov standing a few feet away, staring at the dead nomads for a moment before he began turning to the agent. At that moment, Raven wondered if he was ever going to wake up again…


	33. Chapter Thirty-Two

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

Staring out from the watch tower, Juli watched as the sun in the distance continued to rise above the tall, snow-capped mountains. Soon looking at her watch, she noted that it was seven in the morning, halfway through her watch shift.

It was strange seeing the sight before her. It was filled with so much beauty and innocence in Juli's eyes. Yet, beyond those mountains and trees, the rest of the world was in chaos from the invasion. A part of her wondered if the chaos would eventually reach the fort she and her allies were hiding out in.

As she continued to watch, she found herself frowning a bit. The dream that she had during the night came back to her…

Juli had found herself sitting on a log in the middle of a bright green forest. Sun rays peaked out through the thick leaves and she was able to hear birds singing their own music in the distance.

At one point in the dream, Juli turned her head to her left. There, sitting on another log diagonally from her was a tall, muscular Native American man. She knew that most people would find him intimidating. However, even in the dream, Juli found herself unafraid.

She saw him outstretch a hand. The young woman looked down and saw a dove perched on top of his palm, the animal staring at her with curiosity. Smiling, she reached over for the bird, intending to pet it.

It was at that moment that the dream ended.

It was the first time Juli had such a dream. There was one thing she realized about it… it felt very real to her. Was it something that was part of her past? Or was it just nothing more than a random dream?

Her thoughts were suddenly cut off as she heard someone coming up the watch tower. Juli turned her head, smiling a little as she spotted Wagner coming up.

"You're up early," Juli mentioned, almost sounding surprised.

Wagner chuckled a little. "I partially blame it on those five AM jogs with Guile."

Juli raised an eyebrow. "Any other excuse?"

He narrowed his midnight blue eyes at her, but he still smiled. "Well… I do find myself wide awake every time you go on watch duty. Maybe I should join you on watch duty since my time is right after yours."

"Don't tell me you're worried about me," Juli said, sounding a bit annoyed suddenly.

Wagner's smile faded and he quickly shook his head. "If you think it's my way of keeping an eye on you, that's not the case. I just thought that, since I'm up once you leave anyway, why not?"

Juli sighed as she relaxed a little. "Well, you know how I'm trying to find my own way. I just need to do things by myself for once in my life. Ever since I became free from Shadaloo, I've done nothing but rely on people because I didn't know what else to do. I don't want that, anymore."

Wagner went over to her, placing his arms gently around her waist. "I know that, Juli, and I'm sorry if I offended you. I guess I'm just the type of guy who likes to be around people."

Juli frowned a little as she placed her hands over his own. "Well… I don't mind you coming up with me, but not all the time, okay?"

"It's a deal," Wagner agreed.

Once that was dealt with, Juli gazed her eyes to view the scenery in front of them again. "The sunrise is really beautiful from here. It's kind of something I look forward to every morning when I come up here."

"I bet it is," Wagner replied. He then thought of something. "Did you have any interesting dreams last night?"

For a moment, Juli wondered if she should tell him about the dream she had about the Native American last night. But then, quickly, she decided against it, believing that it wasn't important.

"I can't remember any dreams from last night," Juli replied. "What about you?"

"Nothing either," Wagner answered. "I found myself in a dark, snowy area, but I can't remember what else happened."

"I see."

He briefly kissed her on the cheek before speaking again. "Say, did you want me to make you something to eat?"

Juli shook her head. "No, I can wait until my shift is over." She then chuckled a little. "Besides… you're a bad cook."

Wagner gave her a faux, sour look. "Thanks a lot."

A couple of hours later, the small campfire was lit with Paul Phoenix, Marshall Law, and Cody Travers sitting around it, the large logs used as their 'chairs.' As Cody got the fire going, Marshall noticed Paul rubbing his eyes as though he was trying to keep them open.

"Still sleepy?" Marshall asked him.

Paul grumbled a little. "I'd still be sleeping too if it wasn't for that Sagat guy kicking and punching the crap out of the training bags."

"I'd like to see you tell him that," Cody said with a grin.

"I could if it wanted to… but I don't feel like it right now."

"I think it's best anyway," Cody agreed as he pulled out some playing cards he managed to pick up on his way over to the fort. "The last thing we all need is to have any sort of tension."

With that in mind, Marshall counted with his fingers for a moment before he widened his eyes. "You guys realize that the invasion happened nineteen days ago?"

"No kidding," Paul said, almost bewildered. "It actually feels more like three years and nearly six months or something like that."

Cody raised an eyebrow. "That long, huh? Those are some random numbers you pulled up."

"Yeah, really," Marshall agreed.

"Well, to me, it feels like it!" Paul called out. "So what kind of card game are we playing?"

Cody shrugged. "I don't know… poker?"

"That's not my kind of game," Marshall mentioned. "Blackjack?"

"I'm not that good at it. Go fish?"

"I lost that game every time back when we were in Outworld," Paul mentioned.

"Well, we have to play something."

It was at that moment that something was thrown and landed a few feet away from the fire. The three men were a little startled by the noise and looked over to see what landed. Their eyes widened a bit as they noticed two dead squirrels lying on their side.

Looking up, they noticed both Julia Chang and Alex Walker standing over them. They then specifically noted a large hunting knife in Julia's right hand.

"I, eh, see you girls managed to catch a couple of squirrels this morning," mentioned Paul.

Alex nodded. "It wasn't a pretty sight in case you were curious."

"I can only imagine," said Cody.

"Now if you boys don't mind," said Julia. "I'm going to be doing a little skinning."

"Right now?!" cried out Paul.

"Here?!" followed Cody, looking horrified.

Julia almost chuckled at their reaction. "Well, considering that we have a fire going, I have to discard the internal organs somewhere."

"I'm out of here!" Paul yelled out as he got up.

"Me too!" Cody followed.

Marshall quickly stood up. "I can't watch this."

"I thought you were a cook," Alex said to him, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but usually when I get the food delivered to me, all that… work… is all done by then. Um, have fun!" With that, Marshall began to follow the other two.

Julia giggled a little. "Well, so much for that. Oh, Alex, if you can, I just need you to help hold down the squirrel while I-"

Alex found herself swallowing a little. Usually, when she brought in the traps, she would hand them to Julia, who would do the dirty work after. It was the first time she was asked to help and, well… she was starting to get how the three guys were feeling.

She began to back away a little. "You know, um, I, eh, as much as I like to help, eh, I didn't eat before I went out, and I'm quite hungry."

Julia raised an eyebrow. "… I thought you already ate before you went out of the fort."

Alex laughed a bit nervously as she rubbed the back of her neck with her hand. "I, eh, could always use seconds, heh heh."

Before Julia had the chance to say anything, Alex was already running off towards the kitchen area. Despite that, Julia found herself chuckling a little.

"You guys are such babies," she giggled. From there, she bent down to her knees and began the skinning process.

Later on, in the training area, Cyrax finds himself doing a bit of maintenance in his mechanical system. It didn't take long before he was finished. Upon standing up from one of the few wooden boxes lying around the area, he heard a couple of footsteps nearby. Turning around, he noticed Jane and Amy Guile walking through the area and towards the large camp section.

Amy smiled as she noticed the yellow cyborg. "Hi Cyrax!" she called out happily as she ran over to him.

"Hi kiddo," Cyrax replied as he patted her on top of her head once she was in reach.

"Do you think you can give me another piggy back ride later?" she asked, still keeping her smile.

"Sure, right after lunch," Cyrax said.

"Amy," began Jane. "Why do you go in the tent and keep yourself warm for a little bit. I'll be over there in a few minutes."

"Okay, Mommy," Amy agreed before skipping away towards the small building.

Once the eight-year-old was out of earshot, Jane turned to the cyborg and smiled. "She really likes you," she mentioned. "Last night, she couldn't stop talking about the gadgets you showed her."

"Most kids find me intriguing," Cyrax replied. "I don't mind it. It's better than scaring them."

"How did you become a cyborg?" Jane asked him.

She noted that he seemed to sigh at that despite being a machine. "I can't really say much about it, but what I can tell you is that I used to be part of a secretive clan. A decade ago, they decided to turn their members into what I am now. It… wasn't exactly my choice. I was against the whole process. Before that, I was just a man from Botswana who was praised for his ability to fight with chi.

"I've since joined Special Forces. Although I've been given back my humanity, we haven't developed the technology yet to safely remove all this… metal… off of me. If they tried now, it would surely kill me."

"That's awful," Jane said with a frown. "I couldn't imagine living like that."

"It has it's advantage, once I learned to cope with it," Cyrax said. "But I hope, someday, I can be completely human again."

At that moment, they both heard footsteps walking through the area. Both Cyrax and Jane turned around and saw Ken Masters coming through the area. Jane noticed him wearing his red gi and brown fighting gloves (he had his sports bag in the trunk of the Porsche the night of the invasion).

Jane noticed something. "Aren't you cold without your shoes off?" she asked him.

Ken immediately shook his head. "I'll be fine. Master Gouken used to train us with no shoes on in blizzards."

Ken then noticed Cyrax next to Jane. He had seen the cyborg throughout their say, but never got a good look at him until now.

"You know," he began to say. "You remind me of an opponent I fought back in Outworld. Except he was red instead of yellow."

 _Sektor_ _,_ Cyrax thought bitterly. "Next time you see him and you find yourself fighting him, don't show him any mercy. He surely won't."

Ken raised an eyebrow with curiosity. "So you do know each other."

"I wish I didn't."

The blonde millionaire nodded as his eyes narrowed. "I'll tell you one thing… if I see anyone associated with Outworld, I won't show any mercy to those scumbag bastards… not after…"

Before anyone had the chance to say anything, Ken began his leave, walking over to one of sand bags to train. Cyrax only stared at him, unsure of what to think. However, Jane found herself worried for her brother-in-law. She knew, even if he never admitted it, that Ken was burying his emotions deep within himself.

Jane found herself afraid of what might happen if those from Outworld indeed showed up at the fort…

~~~

_He felt the energy charging in his hands, but he held himself in place. He knew that he would soon shoot the projectile out. He wanted to wait, however, at least until the energy started to become out of his control._

_"_ _Just… a little more…" he whispered under his breath. "And then… destruction…"_

_It seemed like hours, but it was actually a few seconds before he felt ready to let out the energy. His body surrounded by red electricity, he quickly outstretched an arm. Immediately, he noticed that his arm contained talon-like fingers emerging from his elbow-length red fighting gloves._

_He was not surprised._

_Just as he began letting the projectile out, he gasped. As the energy began flying, he saw a young woman standing there. He instantly recognized her school uniform, short dark brown hair, and the white bandana around her forehead, it's tail swaying behind her small framed body. To his horror, she stood right in the path of the projectile, unaware that it was coming towards her._

_"_ _NO!" he called out in desperation. But she didn't hear him, nor did she move._

_Then, a bright white light blinded him…_

**Yakushima, Japan**

A loud gasp escaped from Jin Kazama'a lips as he shot up from his bed. His eyes widened, he found himself catching his breath, his body slightly shivering. At first, he blamed it on the cold air, but in the back of mind, he knew the real reason for it.

It had been out of Jin's mind for some time since the invasion began. Because so much was happening here on Earth, he had been focused on not only getting his allies to Yakushima, but also prepare himself in case Outworld indeed found them here.

Now the memory of what happened to Sakura in Outworld haunted him once more. He barely remembered the fight he had with Ryu when they were both in their dark forms back in the cathedral-like building. However, he can clearly remember the moment he shot out a projectile aimed for Ryu, which instead killed the young woman.

Trying to shake the memories out of his head, Jin rubbed his eyes a little, hoping to clear his head. After a few minutes, he found that he couldn't. It was at that moment that he decided to get out of his bed. Wearing only his black and white slacks, he began heading out of his room and into the living room, being careful to keep quiet as he noted most of his allies sleeping either on the couches or the floor. He soon reached the front door and stepped outside into the cold night.

Unknown to him, Asuka couldn't get a wink of sleep herself. Some nights since arriving in Yakushima were like this, she realized, as she found herself worried about her father. Every night, she wondered whether or not he survived the invasion. And even if he did, was he badly hurt, or did he get out unscathed?

The fact that she was also sleeping on the wooden floor with only a pillow, sleeping bag, and a blanket for comfort didn't help either.

Asuka's thoughts were soon disrupted as she heard soft footsteps nearby. She shifted her brown eyes and soon noticed a shadow walking by, being careful not awaken anyone in the room. Asuka quickly realized that the shadow was actually Jin, and she raised an eyebrow as he heading outside.

 _What is he doing this late at night?_ she found herself thinking. For one thing, she knew that it was too cold to go bathing at this time, even in the hot springs. Also, she and the rest of the group recently fixed the long-broken plumbing in the small cabin, so he was definitely not answering nature's call.

Curiosity soon got the best of Asuka as she got herself up from the floor. Wrapping her blanket around her body, she quietly headed to the door and slipped outside. A light wind was blowing, and the air was moist, but at least it wasn't raining. Still, the ground was wet, and Asuka knew that she would be washing her bare feet once she got back inside.

It was a few seconds after stepping out that she noticed Jin standing by the pond, his back facing her. She walked over to where he was until she stood next to him just a couple of feet away. Jin noticed her then, but the two stayed in silence for a while, neither one of them sure of what to say.

Finally, Asuka decided to break the silence. "Can't sleep?" she asked.

Jin looked at her for a moment, not expecting her to speak. Eventually, he nodded and turned his attention back towards the pond. "You could say that."

Asuka raised an eyebrow. "Then I assume you had a nightmare?"

Jin almost sighed, hating that the young woman was able to guess right. "Yeah…" He turned to her again. "What are you doing out here, anyway?"

Asuka shrugged. "I guess I couldn't sleep. Then I saw you go outside and went to see what you were up to. If I was intruding, I'm sorry-"

"I would let you know if you were," Jin replied quickly. "At the moment, no, you're not intruding."

The young woman seemed to sigh at that. "Good. I admit, I'm kind of a nosy person at times. I guess I'm just the kind of person who wants to try to help others when they need it."

"I see."

More silence fell between the two, but it lasted a shorter time than the last. Then, something came to Asuka's mind… something that she tried to push to the back of her mind, but found that she couldn't, especially now since she was standing next to him…

"Do you still think of Sakura?" she suddenly asked as she stared up at him.

Asuka noticed Jin's eyes widening a bit, and she quickly knew that she brought up a sensitive subject. However, he quickly regained himself and turned to her as well. He had almost forgotten… Asuka was there the day Sakura died. She had tried to comfort him in the aftermath. Until the invasion, neither one of them saw each other since that day, let alone bring up the subject.

"Everyday," Jin replied after a few beats of silence.

Asuka frowned at that. Even to this day, she realized that Jin still carried a heavy guilt in his heart. She knew it wasn't his fault, and she remembered telling him that back in Outworld. Still, she was able to see that it still hurt him.

"I do too," Asuka finally replied.

She then found herself thinking back on a previous conversation she had with her father days before the invasion. Not knowing too much about her father's side of the family, Asuka asked him about it. In the past, he had been reluctant to talk about it, but finally gave in. He mentioned of having an older sister who he had not seen in over twenty years. She had been with child upon her departure, a child who was born four years before Asuka, leaving for an 'island.'

Asuka realized that Jin was around the same age her cousin should have been now. The fact that they both shared a last name was, at first, a coincidence to her. Then there was a fact that he grew up on an island. With all of this in mind, Asuka had a feeling that it was Jin who was, in fact, her cousin.

Now it was just a matter of asking him a couple of questions to officially confirm her suspicions.

Asuka was just about to speak, but the sound of footsteps caught both of their attention. Both she and Jin turned to see who was coming, soon recognizing Ryu. He wore only the pants of his white gi, seemingly not bothered by the cold air. However, Asuka immediately noticed the disturbed look on his face.

"Is something wrong?" Asuka asked, swallowing a little afterward.

Ryu stopped a few feet from the two, looking at each of them before replying. "I just had a dream… it was just too real…"

"The one with the blood red-" Jin began.

"No, not that one," Ryu immediately cut in. "This was a different one."

"Tell us about it," Asuka encouraged him.

The wind's speed picked up a little as Ryu took a deep breath. He walked closer to the pond, staring out at it. "I found myself at this place… it looked like a cathedral…"

Jin and Asuka immediately looked at each other the minute he mentioned 'cathedral.' Jin's fight with Ryu, Sakura's death… it all happened there…

"I wasn't sure why I was there…" Ryu continued. "But I remember it was mostly dark… and I just saw this demon surrounded by a red energy. That's all I really remember, but it all felt too real to just shrug it off. I'm… not sure what to think of the dream."

"Do you know who the demon was?" Asuka asked.

Ryu shook his head. "I'm not sure."

In his mind, however, Ryu knew who the demon was; Akuma. There was no doubt about it. He remembered fighting him the night before they were to leave Outworld. Ryu couldn't remember how the fight ended, however, as he blacked out right in the middle of it all.

Ryu knew that he had given in to the _Satsui No Hadou_. What happened during that time, he wasn't sure, nor would he ever know.

Meanwhile, in his mind, Jin wondered if Ryu was talking about his Devil form.

The young man couldn't take it then after thinking about it. "Ryu, I need to ask you… do you remember what happened on our last day in Outworld?"

Ryu turned to Jin before slowly shaking his head. "Not much. One minute, I was talking to you and Kenshi since none of us could sleep. Then just as quickly as I could comprehend it, I found myself on the ground being woken up by Ken and Julia." Naturally, Ryu didn't mention his encounter with Akuma, feeling that it was best neither Jin or Asuka should know about it. "Why do you ask?"

Jin sighed. He had hoped that, somehow, Ryu remembered that night at the cathedral. Perhaps somewhere in his friend's memory, there was something, but it was not enough for Ryu to realize that something had happened there.

"No reason…" Jin finally said as he began to walk away, disappointed at the answer. Behind him, Ryu looked at him with confusion, unsure of why he asked that question. However, Asuka found herself saddened by the conversation, fully aware of what went on at the cathedral that day…

Hours later, the sun began rising above Yakushima. No clouds were seen around, and the group guessed that the day was mostly going to be like this. Some were still asleep, but others like R. Mika had just woken up. She had just finished getting her blonde hair in pigtails before deciding to go outside to fetch some water. Taking an empty bucket in hand, she began heading towards the pond.

As she approached the area, Mika immediately noticed another figure sitting on one of the large rocks. Despite his back turned to her, Mika soon recognized King. She heard the sounds of splashing as King washed his face using his hands. Mika noted his famous leopard mask sitting beside him, his long black hair flowing freely behind him.

Curiosity got to Mika at that moment. _Hmm, I've always wondered what King looked like under that mask,_ she thought to herself.

Quietly, Mika walked over to where he was, hoping that he didn't notice her coming. However, just when she was a few feet away, King reached for his mask, taking it in hand before putting it back over his head, covering his identity once more. Mika frowned a little, disappointed that she didn't get the chance to get a glimpse of his real face.

Since she was here anyway, Mika decided to strike up a conversation. "Hi King," she said.

King had heard someone approaching, but didn't know who it was until they spoke. He turned to the young woman. "Hi. Fetching some water?"

Mika was confused by what he said at first, but then she chuckled a little as she remembered the bucket she was carrying in her hand. "Um, yeah. I though I could use some to wash some clothes. You know, since I'm out here, I could wash my face a little too. Mind if I sit with you?"

"Be my guest," King replied, patting the boulder next to the one he was sitting on.

Mika placed the bucket down before sitting on the small boulder. She bent down to the pond and spent a few seconds splashing water on her face, feeling refreshed once that was done.

"Despite the cold, it feels nice," Mika mentioned. "Say, do you ever take that mask off in public?"

"I do," King replied. "But I never let anyone see me take this off."

"I see," Mika replied. "I admit, I usually wear my mask just for fashion. My trainer originally gave them to me to wear around my forehead. One day, though, I thought it would be fun to cut two holes in them and turn it into a mask. I loved it ever since."

"How long have you been part of the amateur circuit?" King asked her.

Mika scratched her head for a moment as she thought back on her past. "Well… I immediately went to wrestling school after I graduated high school. My trainer, Yoko Harmageddon, saw potential in me and she was the one who got me in the amateur circuit thanks to her connections. It's been about four years now. Aside from that, I try to enter any fighting tournament available, mainly to get my name out there for the professional industry."

She turned her face to King once she was done with her story. "What made you become a wrestler?"

King sighed a little before answering. "I grew up in the orphanage the original King owned. I used to watch him on TV, imitating his moves, wanting to become like him, but I would find out the hard way that just merely watching wasn't very effective. After his death and after I took up the mantle, I met with an old friend of his, Armor King, who taught me everything I needed to know for four years.

"I don't wrestle just because I love it. I also wrestle to help the orphanage I grew up in back in Mexico. They need it more than I do."

"That's very admirable," Mika said.

King shook his head a little as a thought came to him. "But now I wonder what became of them… with this invasion. The orphanage was in a secluded area out in the country. The invasion seemed to aim at cities, but I can't help but worry for those kids."

Mika frowned a little. "We can only pray for their safety. It's all we can do for them. I know, for me, I can only hope that my parents are okay and safe."

"We want to help everyone, especially those we love," said King. "But some times, it's not possible because you are only one person in a big world."

"I hate to think that…" Mika admitted. "But you're right…"

The two fell silent afterwards as they both stared out towards the pond. By then, Mika had forgotten what brought her to this spot in the first place…

Meanwhile, Cassandra and Mi-na had just emerged from the hot springs after a long bath. Both fully dressed again, the two slowly began heading down the hill and back towards what they called 'the camp area.'

"You have no idea how happy I am that there's a place to take a bath," admitted Mi-na. "I don't know what I would do if we didn't."

"Probably jump in the pond," said Cassandra. "Then get our toes pinched by random sea creatures."

"Probably," Mi-na replied with a small chuckle.

Looking down at the hill, they noticed a few of their allies gathered at the camp area doing their own thing. Some were fishing at the pond while others trained or sparred together.

An idea came to Cassandra. "Say, why don't we sit down for a bit and watch our friends from here."

"Sure, why not?" agreed Mi-na as they both sat down on a fallen log. "I could use a break from flame-head."

"You mean Hwoarang?" Cassandra questioned with a smirk.

Mi-na spat her tongue out. "Who else?"

Cassandra leaned herself back a little, crossing one of her legs over the other. "You know what's interesting? Here on Earth, you meet a guy named Hwoarang, and meanwhile, back in Keisei, one of your closest allies is named Hwang."

"I noticed the similarities when I first met him," Mi-na admitted. "For the first few months I've known Hwoarang, I called him everything from 'jerk,' to 'flame-head,' to 'big baby,' everything except his actual name. All because it reminded me too much of Hwang."

"I see," Cassandra said with a small frown. "I assume it bothered Hwoarang when you called him all of that."

"Of course," Mi-na said. "But I had fun with it anyway. It's especially satisfying to see the frustrated look on his face. And whenever he asked me why I call him all that, I just tell him his name is hard to pronounce."

A chuckle escaped the young blonde's throat. "That's always a funny excuse."

"Well, partially, it was true. But again, it kept reminding me of Hwang… and Keisei…" The young brunette turned to Cassandra. "Do you ever miss Keisei?"

"Every single day," Cassandra replied. "I had hoped to go home almost as soon as I got here, but that didn't happen. I've been so grateful for the fact that Mika let me stay with her while I was here. But as much as I like it here, I miss Keisei… and I especially miss my family."

"As much as I appreciate Master Baek taking me in when I had no place to go, I miss Keisei too. I miss Hwang, and I miss my father. I can only imagine how worried they are for me, especially if they heard about the Earth invasion."

"My family probably thinks I'm dead," Cassandra guessed. "Being gone for so long, I can only make that assumption." She looked up towards the sky. "Do you think we'll ever get home?"

Mi-na found herself looking up towards the sky as well. "I hope so, Cass… I hope so…"

An hour later, Dan Hibiki found herself walking around for a bit after eating some fish for breakfast. He found himself bored as his other allies were mostly busy doing other things. For a while, he found himself walking around the natural forest, hoping to find something to do.

Instead, he found himself going in circles for a bit. A part of him wanted to train, but what he really wanted to do was spar with someone. The others were either not in the mood, sparring with someone else, or wanting to train on their own.

 _It's almost like being back in the tournament,_ Dan suddenly thought. _Only there's no match to look forward to…_

He then thought to do some meditating. But before he sat down, he spotted Maki not too far from him. She sat on a boulder looking out into the woods. To Dan, she looked bored, unsure of what to do.

Seeing his opportunity, Dan walked forward, not stopping until he was a few feet near her. "Hi Maki," Dan said cheerfully.

Maki shook a little, a bit startled by Dan's voice as she wasn't expecting anyone to come by. She stared at him for a moment before turning away to the same direction she was staring at a moment ago. "Hi Dan."

"You look like you have nothing to do," Dan said. "And it just so happens that I have nothing to do either. I would be honored if you accept my invitation to a little sparring session."

Without turning to him, Maki forced a smile. "Thanks… but to be honest, I'm not in the mood to spar with anyone right now. Maybe later."

Hear the sad tone in her voice, Dan frowned a little, realizing that something was bothering her. "Is everything okay?" he asked her.

Maki sighed. "It's nothing. There are much more bigger things happening in this world than my own little problem."

"My father once said that no problem is ever too big or too small," Dan said as he went over and sat next to her.

"You may be right," Maki sighed again. "But still, I don't want to burden anyone with my problems."

"Try me," Dan encouraged. "I'm willing to listen."

Maki took a deep breath, realizing that she hasn't really talked about what's been eating at her since the invasion happened, even to her closer friends here like Mika and Asuka. Her head turned to Dan, but she didn't look at him.

"I'm worried about a lot of our friends, especially the ones we met at the tournament," Maki said. "I know they are strong, but I wonder about their fate, especially since this invasion happened so unexpectedly. Are they still alive? Were they captured? Are they…"

Her eyes glistened a little as she turned to look towards the forest once more. "But most of all, I'm worried about Yang. My last contact with him was three days before the invasion and it was me telling him that I made it to Osaka safely. He replied to my message telling me to call him when I got the chance. I didn't, and… well… I wish I did… It's been almost a month since the invasion. And every single day since, I can only hold on to hope that he is safe. Not captured… not…"

A couple of tears fell from Maki's eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. She had done enough crying in private already, but she didn't want to break down in front of anyone, not now at least. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to-"

"You have every right," Dan said. "And I can only imagine how hard it must be worrying for Yang. My mentor, Nightwolf, once said during my training, 'even if all seems lost, you must always hold on to hope, for hope is what will get you through even the worst of times.'"

Maki had to smile a little after that. "I didn't know Nightwolf too well, but he seemed like such a calm and gentle man. I almost wish he was with us during this time."

"I do too," Dan said. "But the best I can do for him is honor him by continuing to train myself and live by his teachings. As for you, Maki, don't ever lose your hope. Even if things get really bad later, everything will be okay in the end."

"I hope your right… thanks Dan. I feel a little better now that I talked to you."

"No problem. If you ever need a friend to talk to, I'm here."

Not too far from them, Hwoarang found himself training in the middle of the forest, away from prying eyes. He preferred it this way for now as he wanted to have some alone time, especially with his thoughts.

Even now, almost three weeks after the invasion, he still had images of his master, Baek Doo San, falling off the bridge and into the water below as he fought with a four-armed monster. He had wanted to go find him afterwards, but Seong Mi-na had stopped him from doing so, convincing him that Baek would had wanted the two of them to get out of Tokyo while they still can.

Hwoarang was sure of one thing; he realized afterwards that, yes, Baek would have wanted him to get out of Tokyo alive, with or without him. It was only two years ago when something similar had happened. Baek told him beforehand that if anything was to happen to him, he requested not to be saved.

From an acquaintance of his master, Hwoarang was told that the Fighting God, Ogre, had killed Baek. Hwoarang had entered the King of Iron Fist Tournament to not only defeat his rival Jin, but more importantly, to seek revenge for his master's death.

However, it was not too long ago that Hwoarang received a letter from Baek while drafted into the South Korean Army. It turned out that Baek was only in a coma and recently awakened. Once Hwoarang was done with military service, he reunited with Baek. Mi-na showed up not long after.

Now unsure of his master's fate, Hwoarang could only hope that he somehow survived, just like how he survived Ogre's onslaught. That hope was what helped the young man keep going in this current fight for survival.

Unknown to him, as he continued to train, Karin Kanzuki was on her way to the hot springs, a towel in hand, when she noticed Hwoarang training nearby. With curiosity, she watched him for a minutes as he delivered a handful of kicks into the air, letting out a couple of battle cries every other time.

 _That must be the Tae Kwan Do style_ _,_ Karin guessed. Despite knowing her own style, the family-owned Kanzuki-ryu kakutojutsu fighting style, she only knew of a few other styles, mainly ones from opponents she fought against in the past. She only recognized Hwoarang's style due to the constant use of kicks, which the style was highly known for.

"Where did you learn to train like that?" Karin asked suddenly.

Hearing her voice, Hwoarang turned around and faced the young woman. However, Karin's way of 'proper' speaking would prove to be taken the wrong way by the Korean hothead. So when he spoke his next words, she was a bit taken aback.

"I've learned from the best," Hwoarang said in annoyance. "Anything else you want to ask me about?"

Karin didn't like his reaction, and replied with her own annoyance. "I don't know why you're giving me an attitude. I was simply asking a question."

"Your tone implied otherwise."

"I was actually being nice," Karin retorted as she placed her hands on her hips. "But I guess you commoners would take any proper speaking as an insult."

"This isn't about who's rich or not," Hwoarang said. "It's about one's passion for their fighting style." He raised his fists up, getting himself into a fighting stance. "I can show you a sample if you're willing to get your hair dirty."

Tucking her curly blonde hair behind her ears, Karin got herself in her own fighting stance. "Fine, if you insist."

Without hesitating, both Hwoarang and Karin jumped forward, beginning their sparring session. For a while, the two found themselves either blocking or parrying each others' moves, waiting for their turn to get on offense.

However, the more moves that were exchanged, the more angrier Hwoarang became. He found himself thinking over and over again on witnessing his master falling off a bridge and seeing the four-arm monster go after him.

 _Master,_ he thought to himself. _You survived Ogre last time. You have to be alive after something like that. You just have to be!_

Then, a kick to the chest from Karin sent Hwoarang stumbling back a bit. As he did, he ended up tripping back on a branch that had fallen from a tree sometime ago. He tried to keep his balance, but he wasn't able to as he fell to his side.

Karin placed a finger on her chin as she looked down at Hwoarang. "You know, you shouldn't be angry when you fight. Trust me, I know."

Hwoarang narrowed his brown eyes at her. "Well excuse me if I find myself wondering whether or not my master is alive after what happened in Tokyo!"

She was just about to open her mouth to say something when another voice cut in. "Don't think you're the only one with problems at a time like this."

Sitting himself up, Hwoarang turned his head and saw Marduk coming up to the two. Not too far, Marduk had witnessed the two of them sparring, only watching the last part of it. He was just about to take his leave when he heard Hwoarang mentioning about his master. But it was the way the young man mentioned it… it was as though _he_ was the only one with problems involving the invasion.

Hwoarang rubbed the back of his head. "What kind of problems do you have?" he asked the Vale Tudo fighter.

Without saying a word, Marduk reached a hand into one of his pant pockets. He then pulled his hand out, a picture in between his fingers. He turned it so that both Hwoarang and Karin could see the three people who were in the photograph. Immediately, they recognized Marduk. Standing in front of him, both smaller than him, were two older people, a man and a woman, both looking to be in their sixties.

Karin found herself frowning a little. "Are those your parents?"

Marduk nodded as he placed the photo back in his pocket. He then turned to Hwoarang. "Don't think you're the only one worried about someone." With that, the older man turned around and began to walk away.

Once Marduk was out of earshot, Karin turned to Hwoarang. "He's right. Last I heard from my parents, they were out on their yacht. And my butler, who took care of me for most of my life, was somewhere in Tokyo. I don't know whether they lived or not either…"

Beginning to feel tears stinging her eyes, Karin decided to take her leave, heading up towards where the hot springs were. After hearing from both Marduk and Karin, Hwoarang realized how he was acting, especially since they were both right about one thing… he wasn't the only one worried about loved ones and their own future.

 _Selfish once again,_ he thought to himself.

Unsure of what else to do, Hwoarang leaned himself back against a tree. He then hung his head down, feeling ashamed.


	34. Chapter Thirty-Three

**Earthrealm, Unknown Area**

The sky above slowly became dark as the sun began to set for the evening. In a mountain area, a lone fire was lit as three figures sat around it… two with four arms and one with four legs.

Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro were all sent to Earth by Shao Kahn to take care of any loose ends before Outworld invaded once more. In other words, they were to take care of any bigger threats to their plan, ones that managed to survive past the first attack on Earth.

"It's best to take care of this… Dhalsim first," suggested Motaro as he paced around a bit, his hooves heavily hitting the dirt ground.

"Of course," said Kintaro just before taking a bite of his meal. Earlier, as they settled down for the day, they had found a Sambhar deer roaming about and decided to kill and skin it for tonight's meal after they had rested. To Kintaro, he had better meat in Outworld, but this would do for now.

"The Emperor mentioned his location being in a place call Kerala, India," Sheeva reminded them.

"Too bad we're not sure of our current location," said Motaro.

Kintaro eyed the Centaur in annoyance. "If you had just stopped killing the humans we passed by long enough for us to ask that, we would have known by now."

"It's not my fault those inferior beings keep trying to kill me," Motaro mentioned.

Sheeva raised an eyebrow. "Then we'll have to find a way to keep them alive longer, won't we?"

"Fine then, but do not be surprised if they lose their life under my hands if it happens once more." With that, Motaro decided to put his distance between the two, walking away from the campfire and into the woods nearby.

Once he was out of earshot, Sheeva turned to Kintaro. "Those… humans are much more superior than _his_ kind. If only we can… get him out of the way."

"Our time will come, Sheeva," Kintaro replied. "For now, we are stuck with trying to please the Emperor as best we could. It's the only way that we'll retain our honor in his eyes. If we try to get rid of him now, it'll only prove that the Centaurs are indeed superior to the Shokans."

"I'm aware of that," Sheeva growled. "As a matter of fact, I had hoped Motaro would have attacked us by now. It would have been a great opportunity to bring him to Shao Kahn to face his punishment for treason."

"Something tells me the reason he hasn't tried yet is to prove what we're trying to prove for our race," Kintaro guessed. "Unless we get lucky, it's a no-win situation for either of us."

Sheeva sighed at that. "You're right. But I still don't like it, and you know I never will."

Kintaro looked up towards the sky. "The sun has completely set. It's best that we begin traveling again."

Sheeva nodded in agreement.

After packing their supplies and retrieving Motaro, the three of them began to move again, hoping to find the place called Kerala.

~~~

**Wastelands, Outworld**

For four days, Ermac and Siegfried trekked their way through the Wastelands, a nearly empty place where it seemed as though only they existed. A few dead trees were scattered about, statues that were seen were mostly shattered, and the stoned pavement in some places were cracked and broken with moss growing over it. The sky above was scattered with jet black clouds, and the purple sky during the day was darker than usual.

Siegfried had felt mostly uncomfortable throughout the walk, but remained calm and reserved. He blamed it mostly on the stories Ermac had told him along with the unsettling feeling about this dark place. Still, he knew that if trouble came, he had his large sword to defend himself with.

The duo had been lucky up to this point. They only ran into three tarkatans on three separate occasions during the journey, and the mutants were taken care of easily as though they were nothing more than flies. Various fruits they picked before coming here and the water they collected in canteens were their only food source, making sure to ration them in case they found themselves here for longer than anticipated. It was predicted by Ermac that they would be here for three to five days. Today was their fourth day.

After a long silence between the two, a thought came to Siegfried and he turned to Ermac. "I'm afraid to say that I am starting to lose my confidence," he admitted.

Ermac turned his attention to him. "Why so?"

Siegfried sighed a little. "It's just… during this whole journey, we've come up with nothing. None of the portals were active except one… the one I ended up destroying when we fought that demon-"

"It was not your fault," Ermac assured him. "The demon had interfered in our mission. If he had not shown up when he did, none of it would have happened. And do not lose confidence. Think about those waiting for us in Lei Chen."

Siegfried nodded. "I'm trying."

Once again, silence fell between them. For a while, the two found themselves deep in their own thoughts. During that time, Ermac thought of something he hadn't thought of in a long time…

_Over A Decade Ago…_

_A recently-deceased body laid naked on it's back on the slab in a dark room. The only light source inside the room were about six tubes large enough to fit a human body in. Some of the tubes already had bodies floating inside, all surrounded by blue liquid._

_Recently, Shang Tsung had been giving the task to create a new warrior for Shao Kahn. The Emperor had specifically requested the new being to be more powerful than ever imagined._

_For a while, Shang Tsung stared at the corpse, unsure of how to go about this. He tried many methods before, but many of them turned out to be complete failures. Even with those who did succeed, they weren't exactly… intelligent. This time around, Shang Tsung wanted to perfect his newest creation._

_Then, he heard heavy footsteps behind him. Knowing who was coming, the sorcerer resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he turned around to face the Emperor who just came down the spiraling stairs._

_"_ _Have you finished your new creation?" Shao Kahn asked him as he approached the slab where the corpse laid._

_"_ _Not yet, my lord," Shang Tsung replied. "I am still trying to work this out. I don't want this to be a failure as much as you do, but I would also like your new follower to be more intelligent."_

_Shao Kahn said nothing as he stared down at the body. "Who was this?" he asked._

_"_ _All I know was that he was an Edenian," Shang Tsung replied. "Most likely someone who had escaped us some time ago after we merged their realm with ours."_

_The mention of the body being of Edenian blood suddenly gave the Emperor an idea. "How many Edenian souls do you possess, Shang Tsung?"_

_Shang Tsung was confused by the question, wondering why Shao Kahn was asking this. Nevertheless, he answered. "Thousands. Mostly warriors."_

_"…_ _I want you to place every Edenian warrior within this corpse."_

_Shang Tsung looked at him, bewildered. "But my lord, that would age me greatly-"_

_"_ _Do not defy me Shang Tsung," Shao Kahn warned him with a growl. "I want every Edenian warrior placed within this corpse. Besides, didn't you recently obtain the souls of the ancient Warrior Kings on your last trip to Earthrealm? I'm quite sure that those souls will help retain your youth… somewhat."_

_As much as Shang Tsung wanted to protest, he knew that it would only mean death. "As_ _you wish…"_

_Reluctantly raising his hands, Shang Tsung chanted an incantation in his own language. Shao Kahn could only watch as the sorcerer's body began to glow green. Soon, his body was surrounded by the faces of countless souls._

_The Emperor watched with amusement as the souls began to scream in terror, unsure of where their fate would lead them next. Soon, Shang Tsung shot his hands out in the direction of the corpse, and all the souls he picked out were placed inside the body. Gradually, the sorcerer was aging with each passing second._

_One minute later, the final soul was placed inside. Shang Tsung quickly fell to his knees, looking much older than ever. His hair had turned completely white, his pupils and iris' faded, his face wrinkled with lines, and his body thinner and more frail-like._

_Shao Kahn ignored the sorcerer as he watched the corpse spring to life. It moaned, his voice echo-like, as it began to sit up. Soon, it opened it's eyes, revealing it's glowing green color._

_A thought suddenly came to the Emperor, and he nearly grinned at the sadistic though. In his quest to conquer the realms, Shao Kahn would also keep the most powerful souls within his own grasps. And with the idea that the Edenian warriors were within this one, he had a plan in mind._

_Raising a hand, Shao Kahn released a particular soul he had kept for thousands of years. The soul emerged from the palm of his hand, shrieking in fear like the others._

_A grin came over Shao Kahn's face. "You've long to rule your people once more, King Jerrod," he said. "Now here's your chance to do so."_

_Qucikly, the Emperor shot his hand out, releasing the soul which was delivered into the body to join the others. The body screamed briefly as it's skin glowed green, but it soon quieted as the king's soul settled in with the others._

_It soon noticed Shao Kahn and it bowed to him. "We are ready to serve you, your Emperor."_

_Shao Kahn nodded with satisfaction, seeing that the spell had worked. At least, at this point, the new being was willing to serve the Emperor._

_Unknown to him, however, Shang Tsung had indeed placed the spell to where it would immediately serve Shao Kahn… but at a price. The spell would only last for so long before it wears out. By then, the being will be able to think on it's own, realizing it no longer wants to serve Shao Kahn, and betray him._

It will be poetic justice for what you made me do _,_ _Shang Tsung thought as he looked down at his frail hands._

_"_ _You will receive orders soon enough," Shao Kahn promised. "For now, we will test you to see how worthy you are as a warrior. In the meantime, you shall be called… Ermac."_

Ermac sighed a bit as the memory left him. Even so, he still remembered most of the spell that was placed on him. Shang Tsung had placed a spell to where he would eventually betray the Emperor as he gained his own thoughts. That indeed happened.

Then, there was another spell that was placed… that upon the death of either Shang Tsung or Shao Kahn by a mortal's hand who was not a Mortal Kombat champion, Ermac would be completely free from orders and choose his own destiny. The sorcerer was apparently confident enough to believe that no mere mortal would ever defeat either of them.

Both spells had ended up being Shang Tsung's true downfall the moment a katana belonging to a mortal was sliced through his body.

"Ermac," Siegfried suddenly said, cutting into the enigma's thoughts. The Keisei native stopped in his place as he spotted something in the distance.

Ermac turned to where Siegfried was looking. Emerging behind some large statues, a small group of tarkatans showed themselves. Each of them had their blades out, ready to taste blood.

"Surrender to Shao Kahn alive!" one tarkatan demanded. "Or you soul will belong to him for eternity!"

Siegfried turned to Ermac. "Or we can always defend ourselves, of course."

Ermac nodded as he got into a fighting stance. "Do not leave any of them alive."

Siegfried drew out his large sword from it's scabbard behind him. "Sure."

Seeing this, the tarkatans shouted out their battle cries. All of them began to race towards their two enemies, ready to shed their blood.

~~~

**Keisei**

Surrounded by mostly forest and mountains, a particular secluded village would be an ideal place for those who wished for peace and quiet. It was a way for those to get away from the chaos that cities sometimes have.

For Heihachi Mishima, that was far from the case.

Currently while sitting on a wood lounge chair, he was barely able to see the forest and the mountain. In between the countless villagers who surrounded him, he could barely make out the blue sky above their heads.

Heihachi knew that it's almost been a month since he escaped Earth and found himself here in Keisei. At first, he had thoughts of using this realm to fight for control of Earth, more or so to spite his son, Kazuya, who he believed still remained on Earth and, most likely, had taken over the Mishima Zaibatsu for himself by now.

 _Hopefully, those computers manage to take care of him at the facility in Mt. Fuji,_ Heihachi had thought at one point. _And that's if he figured out my Pina Colada password._

Instead of going forth with his plans, however, Heihachi now found himself being worshipped by an entire village, praising him like a God… all because he was itching for a fight and accidentally saved them from destruction. At first, he highly enjoyed the attention and services, wishing that his followers at the Zaibatsu provided this kind of luxury.

However, the more days that passed by, the more he was growing bored of the services. And even when he declined their offerings, the villagers became more and more persistent.

At the moment, he was getting a manicure and a pedicure at the same time with each villager working on a single hand or foot. Someone was giving him a shoulder massage, another was giving him a massage on his temples, and two others were taking turns feeding him food and giving him drinks of all kinds.

For the first time in his life, Heihachi believed that he was developing claustrophobia!

"Could you _please_ let me breathe!" he suddenly demanded, clutching his fists.

The ones working on his fingers forced him to outstretch his fingers. "We need to finish, Mr. Mishima," a young woman somewhere on his right said.

"We want to make you happy and comfortable," another behind him said.

"I don't care if you finish or not!" Heihachi called out. "I want some breathing room!"

About ten seconds later, someone pushed between the crowd, and a large plant was suddenly in front of Heihachi's face. "This is a foxtail fern, Mr. Mishima. It provides great oxygen for those in it's proximity. It'll help you breathe better."

Heihachi's eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "That's not what I meant!"

Despite his protest, the plant was left next to him anyway and the person who left it there disappeared. Finding himself staring at the plant, Heihachi was beginning to plot his escape from this place. He realized that he wasn't going to get anywhere from here if he wanted to dominate the realm of Keisei.

He just had to wait for the right time.

~~~

_Two Years Ago, Lin Kuei Temple_

_A small tournament was taking place within the new temple that belonged to the Lin Kuei. The new Grandmaster, Sub-Zero, had decided to hold this tournament to recruit worthy warriors into the newly reformed clan._

_A few rounds would pass, and by the final round, only two warriors remained. One was a man in his early thirties with the power to control chi in his own way. The other was a woman in her twenties with ice powers like his._

_Her powers, of course, caught Sub-Zero's attention. Aside from himself, his brother, and his father, he knew of no one else who shared ice powers… until now._

_Seeing the two fighters in their stances, Sub-Zero called the fight to begin. Immediately, the woman jumped forward, quickly delivering various punches and kicks, forcing the male fighter to defend himself._

_As the fight continued for a few more minutes, Sub-Zero found himself impressed by the woman's fighting abilities. She delivered her attacks with near-flawless efforts, and her calculations were near perfect. He was able to see both her determination and dedication in the fight._

_A few times, she used her freezing abilities in the fight. Sub-Zero noticed it's lack of power. Most likely, she discovered her powers not too long ago, and she was only able to use them as best as she could._

_Before he knew it, the woman was able to knock the man out cold, emerging the victor of not only the fight, but also the tournament. She stared coldly down at her opponent, not caring about the damaged she just delivered onto him._

_A thought came to Sub-Zero then._ _Perhaps I can teach her to better her freezing skills._ _He noted her treatment towards her opponent at the end of the fight._ _However, I'm not sure if I'll be able to teach her humility._

_Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Sub-Zero stood up from his seat, staring at the woman. "Congratulations. You have earned your rightful place within the Lin Kuei clan, effective immediately."_

_The woman nodded before briefly bowing her head to her new master. Sub-Zero bowed his head to her as well. "What did you say your name was?"_

_She looked up at him. "Frost."_

**Himalayan Mountains, Asia**

Waking up from a nap, Frost sat up from the cot she was laying on. Looking out the window of the small fort she was staying in, she noticed that the sun outside was beginning to slowly set behind the mountains for the day.

Frost raised an eyebrow. _How long have I been napping,_ she wondered, knowing that she came into this room soon after lunch earlier today.

Nevertheless, she decided to go outside, feeling her stomach rumbling a little. She hoped that the other members of the Lin Kuei were at least starting to make dinner.

After adjusting her clothes and her light blue hair, Frost stepped outside into the cool weather. Immediately, she smelled a mix of meat and charcoal in the air, realizing that dinner was indeed being cooked.

In the middle of the small village they were staying in, Frost noticed a campfire lit and a handful of the Lin Kuei surrounding it. Soon, she noticed her sifu, Sub-Zero, and Smoke amongst the group. As she got closer, however, she soon noticed Sareena next to Sub-Zero's right side, eating a carrot as she stared into the fire.

Frost narrowed her eyes. _It seems as though anyone could get into the Lin Kuei these days,_ she thought bitterly. _I had to fight to earn my place._

Soon, Sub-Zero turned his head and noticed his student approaching the ground. He nodded her and she did the same. Frost then noticed a spot on Sub-Zero's left and decided to sit there.

At the moment, someone in the group was telling a story about one of his past adventures. Frost noticed the group listening intently, but she found herself not caring about what the guy was talking about. Instead, she scanned her surroundings in hopes of finding something of interest.

Eventually, she noticed the dragon medallion that rested on Sub-Zero's chest. She knew it was an artifact of importance within the clan, letting others know who was their leader. Still, curiosity got to Frost as she heard rumors of the medallion having powers as well.

"So sifu," Frost began to. "What else does that medallion do for you besides representing you as the Grandmaster?"

Sub-Zero looked down at his medallion before patting it a little. "You mean this old thing?"

"What else?"

"Well… it's given me powers beyond my imagination, that's for sure. It's also enhanced my freezing abilities. I don't think I would've had this must power for at least another twenty years."

A small grin came over his face as he brushed his fingers over his short hair. "It also managed to make me go gray sooner than I expected."

Frost raised an eyebrow at that. "Are you sure you're just not blaming your premature graying on the medallion."

Sub-Zero laughed at that. "Yeah, I'm quite sure."

At that point, another Lin Kuei member began to talk with Sub-Zero, ending the conversation between master and student. As he talked with him, Frost laid eyes on the dragon medallion once more, curiosity crossing her blue eyes.

 _If the medallion was able to give him such power,_ Frost began to wonder. _I can only imagine what it could do for_ me _._

_~~~_

**Wastelands, Outworld**

For a few minutes, both Ermac and Siegfried fought the small group of tarkatans who intended to either capture or kill either of them. Of course, the two weren't about to let that happen, just like with the others who fought them before in the Wastelands.

And just like the others, they took down the mutants easily.

Once they were done, Ermac turned to Siegfried. "Check for vital signs. We can't afford to leave them alive and give them the chance to inform Shao Kahn of our whereabouts."

Siegfried nodded in agreement. For a couple of more minutes, they checked on the tarkatan, making sure that each of them met their demise. They also took any necessary supplies, like food and weapons, that were on them. Once that was complete, the two didn't waste any more time and continued their journey.

Hours went by after their fight with the tarkatans. The sun above was just beginning to set for the evening behind the mountains. As it did, the two of them noticed something that they would they would never see until at least another day or two.

"Look," called out Siegfried. "There's a line of forest about two miles from here."

Ermac nodded, seeing this as well. "We're almost at the end of the Wastelands. The portal should be here somewhere."

Siegfried sighed. "Finally."

For the next two miles, they trekked forward, pacing themselves faster as they got closer to the end of the Wastelands. Both were relieved that they were finally leaving the forsaken place, let alone surviving the journey.

A little over a half hour later, they finally reached the forest area and immediately began searching for the portal. It wasn't long before Ermac found a circled structure nearby. A few seconds later, Siegfried spotted it as well.

"Is that the portal?" the Keisei native asked.

Ermac slowly nodded. "Yes… it _was_ the portal."

Siegfried's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"The structure may be completely intact… but… it's been deactivated. And like we mentioned before, only a God or a Deity can activate them, and at a time like this, it won't happen anytime soon."

Immediately, Siegfried shook his head, not believing what he was hearing. "No… then this journey… was for _nothing_ _!_ "

"We did what we could," Ermac assured his ally. "We knew that we were taking a chance when we first went on this journey. General Olek was going to inform the civilians that this journey may not go the way we planned it There was only a fifty-fifty chance that we would succeed. Even if we go home with nothing to offer, at least they would know we tried. It's better than not trying at all."

Siegfried nodded. Indeed Ermac was right, and there was nothing else that could be done. At this point, they had no choice but to return to Lei Chen empty handed.

"So… what now?" Siegfried asked.

"We'll return to Lei Chen. We'll come up with a new plan, but upon our return, we will continue with protecting the city against the Outworld Forces. That's all that can be done right now. We'll take the closest Dragonfly back. It'll be another four days before we return."

Siegfried looked up towards the sky. "Hopefully, the city is still intact upon our return."

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Sitting at a table while eating supper, Hwang, Maxi, Kilik, Xianghua, and Sophitia were talking mostly about their travels in the past and the many adventures they endured during their journeys. Each of them had their own unique tale to tell.

"Then, before we knew it, Kilik, Xianghua, and I were all invited to a new realm to compete in a tournament," Maxi added at one point. "I always imagined wanting to see everything Keisei had to offer, but I never imagined going beyond our own world."

"Me neither," agreed Xianghua. "Of course, if it wasn't for Kilik running into that… whatever they called those robed men-"

"Shadow Priests?"

"Um, yeah… well, if it wasn't for Kilik running into that Shadow Priest, we would've never received that invitation."

"And if Mi-na hadn't run off when she did," added Hwang. "Neither one of us would have found our way there."

The four of them then found themselves looking at Sophitia, and they all frowned as they realized what they had ended up discussing. Hwang placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry…"

"No, it's fine," Sophitia assured them. "The truth is, none of us were aware of what was going to happen in the end of the tournament. Had we known… I would've never given Cassandra my invitation…"

"And I would've never accepted it myself," said Kilik.

"And other things would've never occurred either," mentioned Maxi.

"Like what?"

"… Vega."

The mere mention of that name made Xianghua's heart jump to her throat. Even to this day, she could never forget her mistake in letting herself being lured into his room at The Palace. She found herself fighting the best she could when she realized that Vega was attempting to take advantage of her.

Had Maxi and Mi-na not shown up when they did, who knows whether or not she would have survived her ordeal…

"Who's Vega?" Sophitia asked.

Briefly, Maxi looked over at Xianghua, noting the frown on her face. Upon seeing this, he decided not to go into too much details to Sophitia.

"He was this bastard who I fought in the tournament. He wanted revenge on me just because I happened to beat him in that match." Maxi then turned to Xianghua. "Luckily, I witnessed his death during the chaos."

Xianghua resisted the urge to widen her eyes, not knowing anything about this. Kilik spoke next. "You didn't mention that."

"I know, I just didn't have a chance to with everything that's been happening lately. You remember Nina, who stayed with us at the tournament? Well, she was the one who did him in. He fell like a rag doll too, so he most likely met his end before he even hit the ground."

"At least he won't harm another person any more," Xianghua managed to say after taking a deep breath.

Before any more was said between the five, a guardsman suddenly came running towards them. The five stopped what they were doing as the guardsman approached Hwang, quickly saluting to him.

"Sir, there's an urgent matter at the docks. General Lee would like to see you right away."

Hwang turned to his friends, who all gave him a concerned look. He then looked back up at the guardsman. "I'll be there immediately." The guard nodded before quickly departing.

"What do you think it's about?" Xianghua asked out loud.

"I guess we'll find out in a minute," replied Kilik.

From there, the three ran out of the building and into the outside world, eventually leaving the Coast Guard headquarters. After what seemed like forever, the five finally made it to the docks, where a crowd had gathered already. Pushing his way through, Hwang searched for General Lee until finally spotting him at the edge of the pier. He made his way over to him.

"You called for me, General?" Hwang said.

Lee turned to Hwang. "I did." He pointed at the shore. "Take a look."

Hwang turned his head to the large body of water in front of him. Upon seeing the sight before him, his eyes widened in shock…

Scattered about in the water were various pieces of what Hwang realized was once a ship. Many of it's belongings and artifacts were spread around as well. One thing baffled Hwang… there was not a single body to be seen from his point of view.

"Was that… the ship we sent out to scout for portals?" Hwang asked, swallowing after his sentence.

"No, I can assure you, it's not," Lee quickly replied. "One of the civilians who was sailing the area found the ship's flag. It belonged to the Ming Dynasty Army. We also inspected some of the ship's remains and there were some burn marks on some of them. We'll be conducting further investigation, but my guess is that an explosion occurred. I've already sent a messenger to Ming Dynasty to let them know of our findings."

By the time Lee finished, Maxi, Kilik, Xianghua, and Sophitia had caught up with Hwang. The four of them got a clear view of the devastation in the ocean, shocked by what they were seeing.

Immediately, Hwang explained to them what Lee had just explained to him. When he was done, Sophitia was the first to speak. "Do you think… this might have something to do with Outworld?"

Hwang frowned a little. "I hope not…"

~~~

**Kerala, India**

Night had fallen as Fujin arrived on top of a tall hill overlooking the small village in Kerala. Just a couple of days ago, he had been advised by the Elder God, Mizu, to seek Dhalsim, who lived in this area.

 _He holds the only hope for humanity's survival,_ Mizu had said to him before she departed back to the Heavens.

"I wonder what that hope is," Fujin asked himself out loud.

The Wind God then took full notice of the village before him… soon realizing that the place had been in the invasion's path. He frowned, noting the devastation left behind, mostly buildings left burned to the ground. Nearly a month has gone by since the invasion… and there was still that faint scent of smoke lingering in the air.

"I can only imagine the suffering that was felt here…" Fujin said under his breath.

Then he remembered… Mizu had told him that Dhalsim was the only survivor of his village. Fujin felt even more sad by this thought, and he can only imagine the man's suffering over losing his family and friends.

Fujin wondered if Dhalsim knew that the spirits of his loved ones were currently within the grasps of Shao Kahn. Thinking of that, he suddenly couldn't decided which devastation was worse… this, or the last invasion some years ago.

Still, there was a battle to fight, and Fujin knew that was most important right now. Despite his own mission to stop Scorpion from harming Raiden, while also trying to get Raiden to snap out of whatever delusion he was suffering from, the wind God was willing to help in stopping Shao Kahn and the Outworld Forces from inflicting more suffering in the realms.

But first, he had to meet with Dhalsim and find out what key he holds in humanity's survival. At the moment, however, it was dark out, and Fujin decided to wait until morning to approach him.


	35. Chapter Thirty-Four

**Shaolin Temple, China**

At the break of dawn, all was mostly quiet at the Shaolin Temple, though many of the monks who resided there were most likely going to rise from their sleep within the next hour. In the meantime, a lone figure trained on the lei tai of the Wu Shi Academy grounds.

The Lei Tai itself, raised a few feet above water in a man-made hole, was held up by five massive statues, each statue representing one of the founders of the academy itself. It was mostly made as a place for students to be tested as their teachers watched from nearby towers. These days, it was still used for that purpose, but it was also used for those who wished to train alone, especially in the early hours or late evenings when it was mostly calm.

Waking up just an hour ago, Kung Lao decided to take the opportunity to train alone on the lei tai. There was a light wind that blew towards the northwest, and a couple of birds were chirping in their nests within the nearby trees.

Kung Lao picked to do some slow katas on this particular morning. He kept himself in a slow pace, turning his body when needed and moving his arms in different directions. His eyes closed, he kept his breathing in a slow, rhythmic beat through his nose, keeping his lips closed and firm.

Usually though, he would keep his mind clear of any thoughts, only keeping his focus on his katas. However, this time, he couldn't help but think about the events that took place for nearly the past month…

It all began when the invasion happened. Until Raiden showed up not long after, Kung Lao found himself baffled that the Thunder God hadn't warned him about the possible events. During the invasion, the temple only lost a handful of their monks… a much better result than the events after the first Mortal Kombat tournament when the Tarkata Militia were sent to destroy everyone there. Kung Lao was one of the few survivors that day.

Still, the temple knew that they had to expect the worst from then on.

Almost soon after, Rong Yuan (Feng Wei) arrived, and he was welcomed to stay for as long as he needed. Then, Lei Wulong, Chun Li, and Yang Lee showed up. Lei had known one of the monks who lived here and thought it best to seek refuge here. Unfortunately, that particular monk was one of the handful who died during the invasion.

Once things seemed a bit settled, and the entire temple was training for further attacks, Raiden suddenly showed up while Kung Lao was paying his respects at Liu Kang's sarcophagus. At first, Kung Lao had thought he had arrived to help once more. However, it turned out that when he sacrificed himself in Outworld during the tournament, something changed in him. It had changed him to the point where he had become completely obsessed with protecting Earth at any cost.

And for some reason, Raiden had come to somehow reanimate Liu's body in order for him to help him. Perhaps it was against the new threat. But still, wouldn't it be better to leave the Mortal Kombat champion at peace?

For a moment, Kung Lao was confused by the arrival of the ninja spectre, Scorpion. Soon after, Fujin followed, soon sending Scorpion away. Raiden ended up leaving on his own. With Fujin, Kung Lao and the others were able to learn more of what was going on, including what had happened to Raiden.

Raiden's fate had shocked Kung Lao. He was one of a handful of warriors who had assisted him in his quest to protect Earth for many years. The Shaolin monk never thought that it would come to this.

In the meeting he had with the Wind God, Fujin had promised to help in anyway possible with their fight against Outworld. There was some information that Fujin needed to retrieve for now, and he had promised to return to them when something came up.

Kung Lao didn't expect Fujin to return for at least another few weeks. In the meantime, he and the others were going to have to be patient until Fujin's return.

He just only hoped that it won't be too late.

~~~

**Kerala, India**

Throughout most of the morning, Ruby Heart worked heavily on fixing the propeller of her ship. A fire was lit nearby, a bucket of water was not too far, and most of the equipment that she needed laid neatly on the ground, ready to be used.

However, one thing was currently bothering her… this morning, she noted how windy it was. It was something that she was highly used to, but because of the fact that she was working and trying to focus on getting her task done as fast as possible, she wasn't exactly enjoying it at the moment. The fact that her eyes would tear up practically every second annoyed her to no end.

 _I'm not going to get anything done if this keeps happening!_ she yelled in her mind.

After wiping her eyes for what seemed like the millionth time, Ruby Heart opened them. About fifty yards away, she spotted a man coming towards her. Her eyes widened a bit, not expecting to see a single soul for some time. She noted his long white hair, which was tied back loosely behind him. He wore blue slacks with gold-colored boots, gold gauntlets over his wrists, a red sleeveless shirt with gold trims with a v dipping down in front of him, exposing part of his muscular chest, a gold belt around his waist, and he also wore a pair of gray shoulder pads which rounded out at the end.

At first, Ruby Heart wondered if he was a traveler looking for supplies of sorts. However, she quickly put that idea away, noting that he wasn't even carrying even a duffle bag on his back.

Then she noticed his pale eyes… and realized that one of Dhalsim's visions was now coming true. Not long ago, he predicted that a God would be in their presence.

Was this man approaching them truly the God in his visions?

Quickly, Ruby Heart turned her head to Dhalsim, seeing that he was meditating, his eyes closed, and he was levitating just a foot off the ground.

"Dhalsim-"

"I know," he quickly said. Only the wind was heard as the man approached and nothing was said until he stopped a few feet away from the yoga master.

"Are you Dhalsim?" the man asked.

Dhalsim nodded. "You must be the God I saw in my visions."

The stranger nodded. "Yes, I am a God. I wasn't aware that you were expecting my arrival. My name is Fujin, the God of Wind."

"That explains this weather today," Ruby Heart mentioned, shielding her eyes from the heavy wind once more.

Fujin noted this and he used his powers to calm the wind down. "My apologizes."

By then, Dhalsim opened his eyes, but kept himself in a lotus position in mid-air. A confused look came over him. "Strange… I had thought that the one who would arrive would be Raiden, the God of Thunder."

"Is it because he helped in the Blood Tournament?" Fujin guessed.

"Perhaps, but it was only my own guess, not because of my vision," Dhalsim explained.

"We do have our physical similarities," Fujin said. "Unfortunately, Raiden is not what he used to be…"

Briefly, Fujin explained to Dhalsim what happened to Raiden at the end of the tournament and what he has since become. He also explained some of the events that occurred with Raiden along with the Elder God's choice to eliminate him by sending their champion to assassinate him.

"There is one thing I managed to accomplish during my journey," Fujin said once he was finished. "While I went after Raiden, I managed to run into a few allies. Four of them had attended the Blood Tournament."

"Is that what brings you here?" Ruby Heart began to ask. "To gather warriors to stop this threat?"

"That's one of the reasons," Fujin replied. "However, I've come to you on the advice of one of the Elder Gods. She had only informed me that you held the key to mankind's only hope for survival."

Now Dhalsim was understanding his vision of Fujin's coming. He had seen Fujin standing next to the tablet where the legend of _Ano Sentaku Bou_ was written by his ancestors so many years ago. He realized then that it would be his job to show Fujin the tablet.

Slowly, Dhalsim raised himself up far enough to outstretch his legs, now standing on his feet. "Have you ever heard of the legend of _Ano Sentaku Bou_?"

Fujin's eyes widened. "The Chosen Ones… I have, but it's been so long…"

"Come with me," Dhalsim encouraged as he began walking forward. "I will show you the tablet that contains the legend."

Fujin let the yoga master pass before following him. For a few seconds, Ruby Heart wondered if she should stay back and continue her work on the propeller. However, without thinking about it, the young woman decided to go ahead and follow the two men.

Besides, she needed a bit of a break anyway.

~~~

_She found herself slowly walking through a lush forest area. The trees that surrounded her seemed to go up for miles, and the thickness of their trunks seemed to indicate that they were at least a thousand years old. The sun's rays barely managed to pass through the green leaves on the branches, and the ground below her seemed somewhat muddy, but manageable to walk through._

Where am I? _she asked herself._ What is this place?

_As she continued to walk further, she happened to notice a figure nearby and suddenly stopped. The young woman noted that his back was turned to her, his jet black hair combed back into a point just above his head. His muscular torso had no shirt on, and the woman was beginning to wonder why he seemed so familiar, even with his back turned to her._

_Then, she noted the tattoo on his upper left arm… and she smiled as she realized who this was._

_"_ _Jin." She felt her heart beating against her chest, a feeling she hadn't felt in quite some time. Wanting to meet with him, she began to run over to him._

_"_ _Jin! It's me!" she called out again as she got closer to him. However, at the same time, she felt perplexed, wondering why he wasn't paying any attention to her._

_Then, when she was about twenty feet away, Jin turned to her. She had expected to see his handsome face for the first time in months._

_Instead, she stopped in her track, gasping with horror as the young woman noted that she was looking at another face._

_It was similar to Jin's, but this one… she could already sense the evil within. There were a few tattoos on his forehead, surrounding what looked like a red eye in the middle of it. She looked at his eyes, and found herself more frightened by it's glowing white color. The pupils were still there, but that's what made it worse._

_"_ _No…" she managed to say. "What are you… what-"_

_"_ _Silence!" the demon called out, his deep disemboweled voice sending chills down her spine. She then noted the horns growing on his head, followed by large, black feathered wings that emerged from his back that were nearly bigger than even he was!_

_The last thing she heard before everything went black was the demon's howling roar…_

**London, England**

Cammy let out a loud gasp as she sat up from her bed, escaping herself from the nightmare she just saw. For a moment, she caught her breath. Even so, she swore that she could still hear the demon's roar.

 _What… was that?_ Cammy thought as she wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. _It felt so real…_

The image of the demon came to her once more. She remembered almost every detail of him. The most horrifying to her, however, were his eyes. The iris and pupils were there, but the iris was so bright, like crystals shining under a light.

The fact that he almost looked like Jin made it even more unsettling.

Cammy's eyes widened then, realizing how familiar the demon was. She couldn't pinpoint where she saw him before. Perhaps she dreamed of the demon before? At the moment, she couldn't remember.

Briefly, Cammy looked over at the window of her room, seeing that it was now daybreak. She then turned her head and saw Steve Fox fast asleep on his side, his bare back turned to her.

 _I'm surprised he didn't wake up after that_ _,_ she thought to herself.

For a moment, Cammy thought of waking him up, but quickly decided against it. Getting out of bed, she took off her white tank top and threw it on the floor, deciding to deal with it later. She then took the time to get dressed in her green leotard outfit, red gauntlet gloves, matching colored socks, and black boots. Normally, she would take the time to braid her pigtails, but quickly decided to leave them plain for now in two regular ponytails before placing her red beret on her head.

She was at least ready to go get herself some breakfast.

A few minutes later, Cammy was in the cafeteria, the last to be waiting in line for food. During that time, she kept thinking about the dream she had, still feeling disturbed by it…

"Morning, Cammy," a female voice suddenly said.

Cammy jumped a little, not expecting anyone to talk to her. She turned her head and took a deep breath as she noticed Juni now waiting on the breakfast line behind her. Cammy immediately notice that Juni was also wearing a green leotard similar to Cammy's with the exception of a single sleeve going down her left arm, leaving the other bare.

Juni was a bit startled by the way Cammy jumped at the mention of her own name. "Are you okay?" she asked her comrade.

Cammy sighed a little. "I'm all right. I… had a bit of a nightmare last night, that's all."

Juni frowned. "About our time with Shadaloo?" she guessed.

The blond-haired woman immediately shook her head. "No, not that. I get those dreams once in a while these days, but not as frequent as they used to be. However, that wasn't what I dreamed last night."

"I see." Juni managed to smile a little, which seemed a little forced. "Speaking of which, I wanted to tell you that… despite things getting better for me, and despite our current situation with this invasion, I… I still feel that I have a long way to go in my… recovery…"

"I know how you feel," Cammy assured her. "And it will take some time, but even with that in mind, you shouldn't let it drag you down. The best thing you can do, Juni, is to keep your head held high and be positive no matter how tough things get. I had to do that during my recovery, and I hope it works the same for you."

Juni's smile turned genuine. "Thanks for reminding me of that. It's something I need to keep telling myself. And thanks again, Cammy… for being there for me since day one."

Cammy smiled. "It's a pleasure."

Juni decided to change the subject. "So, what was the nightmare you had last night?" she asked curiously.

Cammy found herself frowning, seeing the demon's image once more. "… it's nothing."

~~~

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

The middle of the afternoon would normally be bright had it not been for the heavy, dark clouds that loomed over the sky. Rain fell steadily towards the world of Keisei, the droplets making various noises as they hit the ground and any other objects in it's path.

Because of this, Kazuya and Seiko's travel was forced to be delayed. Where they were, they were only surrounded by a handful of trees and the river they were following for many days. Seiko decided to set up the tent to keep herself dry. In the meantime, Kazuya decided to train himself, not bothered by the rain one bit.

Normally, his mind was usually clear from any thoughts… that is unless Devil decided to speak up, of course. He remembered a time where Devil seemed to always be in his presence, talking, or mocking, him every chance he got. The demon might as well be breathing down his neck if it was possible.

Thinking about those years suddenly, Kazuya found himself thinking about his past… particularly during the King of Iron Fist Tournament 2...

Back in the day, he ruled the Mishima Zaibatsu, believing that Heihachi was dead once and for all. He had avenged himself from what happened to him as a child so many years ago. He used the Zaibatsu for his own bidding, believing that 'power is everything' and nothing more.

What he never expected, however, was to run into Jun Kazama at the tournament he held all those years ago. She had sensed his struggle with Devil and had wanted to help him anyway she could…

He still remembered the day he saw her for the first time during the tournament he held. It was as though it was only yesterday…

_23 Years Ago, King of Iron Fist Tournament 2_

_Kazuya held his opponent by the throat, lifting him up in the air, holding him so that the opponent's face was in front of his own. The man was already beaten and bruised up from their battle, and the young man realized that he no longer had any more fight in him._

_Still, he was conscious, and did his best to look straight into Kazuya's dark eyes. A sadistic smirk came over his face as he pulled his fist back. He knew that this next strike would_

_The man saw this and he did his best to give him a daring look. "Go ahead… do as you wish… I already lost this fight."_

' **Go ahead, Kazuya,** **'** _the Devil within him said in his head._ _'_ **Kill him! You know you want to.** **'**

_Even before the devil spoke, Kazuya thought of doing just that. He clenched his fist even more and was just about to deliver the blow._

_Suddenly, he felt a wave of energy wash over him, confusing him for a moment. It was hard to not notice it, especially considering the fact that the energy felt… pure._

' **Ignore it,** **'** _Devil suggested, sounding annoyed. Kazuya wondered if the purity of the energy was bothering the demon._ _'_ **It's none of your concern anyway.** **'**

 _Kazuya ignored him as he shifted his eyes to the, right, where the energy was coming from. There, he spotted a young woman, just a few years younger than himself, within_ _the audience staring intently at him with her brown eyes. He quickly realized that she was the source of the energy._

What kind of power does she possess?' _Kazuya thought to himself._ And why am I… disturbed by it-

' **Like I said, you should ignore it and kill your opponent,** _'_ _the Devil said once more._

_Kazuya turned back at his opponent, who continued to stare intently at him. "What are you waiting for?" he asked._

' **Yes, Kazuya… what** ** _are_** **you waiting for?** _'_

_He decided then that enough was enough. The young man decided at that moment that he waited too long to deliver the last blow that would officially end their battle in the tournament. Slowly he lowered his arm, but his fist still clenched._

_"_ _You're not even worth killing," Kazuya said bitterly. With all his strength, he tossed his opponent aside, letting him hit the ground before rolling out of the ring._

' **You fool! You even said yourself that power is everything! Do you even realize that you showed mercy to your opponent? What would those watching you, those who fear your name, think of you now?** **'**

_Kazuya continued to ignore Devil's words as he turned to see the young woman once more. The energy was still there, but it wasn't as intense as it was a moment ago. Still, she continued to stare at him, more out of curiosity than anything. This confused him… he was used to seeing anyone who saw him feel at least uncomfortable around him. With her, however, there were no signs of that._

There's no fear in her, _Kazuya thought to himself._ And I'm very sure she know who I am. She's not even flinching at the sight of me.

' **It's best that you stay away from her,** _'_ _Devil suggested._ _'_ **There's something about her that I don't like.** _'_

_She seemed to narrow her eyes a bit suddenly… it was almost as though she had heard what Devil had just said. Deciding to take his leave, the young man turned his back to her and began to leave the ring._

'I didn't think you'd be so worried,' _Kazuya replied to Devil, almost amused._ _'_ Besides, I highly doubt we'll run into her again…' _He almost chuckled at that…_

"Kazuya?" a female voice suddenly cut in.

He stopped a punch in mid-air as he heard Seiko's footsteps approaching him from behind. Feeling somewhat annoyed by her presence, he straightened himself up and placed his arms back to his sides. Still, he kept his back to her. By this time, the rain that was pouring had stopped completely.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Well, I figured since the rain stopped, we can continue traveling again," Seiko replied cheerfully.

Kazuya turned his head halfway to the left, just enough to notice her. He knew that by turning his head in that direction that Seiko would notice his red eye. Once again, he noticed the similarities between Seiko and Jun, especially their shoulder-length black hair with light bangs over the forehead. At least Seiko wasn't wearing a headband like Jun had.

It annoyed him even more for some reason and his furrowed his eyebrows a bit. He immediately saw Seiko widened her eyes. He quickly sensed the fear slowly building up within her.

She may look like Jun, but Seiko sure wasn't as fearless as she was…

Kazuya folded his arms before turning his head, facing the river. "We'll go when I'm ready."

Seiko frowned at that, noting the tone of his voice. It seemed like every time she tried to talk to him, the young woman felt as though she was nothing more than an annoying presence to him.

Sighing, she turned her back to him and began heading back to the camp. _I hate that he's cold,_ she thought. _Why can't he be nicer…?_

~~~

**Kerala, India**

"In a time of universal war, four individuals within this universe have the power to eradicate the main source of the conflict. With the perfect balance of purity and sin within their souls, their energies, when together, could be used as a weapon against the enemy."

Dhalsim and Ruby Heart heard Fujin read the tablet out loud to himself after the yoga master took the God of Wind up to the mountains were many ancient tablets

"I remember when the tablets were placed here so long ago," Fujin replied. "The people who placed them here were a clan of psychics. They had written many of their predictions on the tablets and placed them here for safe keeping. A few of the legends managed to carry on for centuries after. Many were forgotten."

Fujin turned his attention to Dhalsim. "You're a descendent of these psychics."

Dhalsim nodded without hesitation. "Years ago, my father took me to this place just before his death. Throughout my childhood, he told me many stories that were passed down from my ancestors. One was that of a warlord from another realm who would someday make an attempt to rule the realms. It would occur when thirteen stars in the sky would align, though I wasn't able to determine that. I would have to go out to the ocean to view this.

"When he took me here, he specifically wanted to show me this tablet. He believed that it was the key in saving the universe and prevent total annihilation of the realms. I kept this in mind afterwards and didn't feel there was any use of it… at least until now."

"What about when he took over the realms the first time?" Fujin asked out of curiosity.

"I blacked out during those events, so I had not realized what truly happened until it was over. My visions of those events didn't occur until it was too late. At least, for this, I had much more time to comprehend it."

"I see," Fujin said.

"With the current events, I've been receiving more and more visions of the invasion. I even foresaw the results… a future of nothingness. I believe it would only happen if nothing is done to prevent it."

"But with the legend, something can be done."

"Precisely."

"Now here's the major question… who are the four chosen ones who can stop Shao Kahn?"

"This is the part where we run into a brick wall," Ruby Heart mentioned with a sigh.

Fujin raised an eyebrow with confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

Dhalsim sighed as well. "Unfortunately at this time, despite my abilities, I am unable to determine the four chosen ones' identities. However, I have seen visions of them standing before me. The only thing I'm able to see is their energies within. As of now, I feel that this is the one way for me to identify them. The major problem is that I need to actually meet with them in order to determine their identities."

Fujin frowned a little, disappointed by what he heard. "I see what you mean."

A thought came to Ruby Heart. "I wonder… you mentioned before that you were thinking of possibly gathering allies to fight against Shao Kahn and his forces. You also said that you met up with a couple of Raiden's 'chosen ones' during the tournament."

Fujin nodded. "That's right. I was actually the one who recommended Raiden to gather strong allies to help obtain the _Chishio No Me_ medallion while they were all in Outworld. I also suggested meeting with a psychic named Rose, who was planning to do the same thing. I've watched some of the matches from afar during the time, but that was it."

"Well," Ruby Heart continued. "I was thinking. Since you wanted to gather allies, and since we'll be needing to find the four chosen ones, I think it might be a good idea to meet with those who were chosen by Raiden and Rose to fight for their cause."

"I was just thinking that myself," Fujin mentioned. "Despite Raiden's… current views, he and Rose saw something in each of their chosen ones. Even if they had sinned in the past, they still retained a good heart."

"And the four chosen ones have the perfect balance of good and sin," Dhalsim mentioned.

Ruby Heart smiled. "Not to get my hopes up, but I have a very good feeling that we may be able to find at _least_ one chosen one who is part of this legend if we gather those who followed Raiden and Rose in the tournament."

"It's quite possible," Dhalsim replied. "We'll still have to expect disappointment, but finding these fighters wouldn't hurt, if it means finding at least one chosen one."

"From what I saw, many of those fighters were powerful in their own right," Fujin mentioned. "The problem is, however… I've only briefly observed the Blood Tournament, so I am not able to remember who exactly was there. That is with the exception of the four who I met in China."

"You don't think those four happen to be the four chosen ones, do you?" Ruby Heart guessed, even though she was very sure the answer was no.

"We'll have to see and find out," Fujin replied with a small shrug. "In the meantime, it seems as though I'll need to gather information on who will be joining us in our fight. I'll have to find… Raiden… in order to do that."

"Didn't you say he was corrupted?" Dhalsim asked.

"Yes, but he's so obsessed with making sure Earth is unharmed, I do not see why this would hurt since we are not only saving Earth, but the universe as well. Besides, if that doesn't work, then I'll just see the four I found in China to get that information, though there is a chance that they won't be able to remember everybody who was there."

"Must've been quite a few people helping out then," Ruby Heart guessed.

"Indeed there were." He looked at the young woman. "In the meantime, try to get the propeller fixed as quickly as you possibly can. I think it would be a good idea to gather everyone on the ship and make our journey beyond Earth to accomplish our mission."

"My ship has never traveled beyond Earth, but I am willing to give it a go."

"I assure you that there won't be any complications."

Ruby Heart nodded, feeling a bit more confident over the idea.

"I hope that your journey to gather all the information is successful," Dhalsim said.

"I hope so, too," Fujin answered. "I will return to the both of you as soon as I get what I need."

"Hopefully the ship is ready by then," Ruby Heart mentioned.

A huge gust of wind hit them, forcing Dhalsim and Ruby Heart to shield their eyes. It was a few seconds later that the wind died down, and when the two lowered their arms, Fujin was gone.

~~~

**Near Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Standing on top of a tall hill hiding amongst the trees, Havik gazed down at the city of Chili-san with amusement. He saw the citizens there going about their day whether they were working or playing, happy or sad.

 _Just wait until we go forth with our plans!_ the Cleric of Chaos thought to himself. _There's too much balance from what I can see… this place definitely needs a good shift towards chaos!_

A few days ago, the Black Dragon clan were beginning to… create ideas so that they can start spreading the chaos in Chili-san. As of now, they were trying to get the villages that stood between the city and their camp to bow to chaos, which was working for the most part, but Havik wasn't completely satisfied just yet.

There was one small problem he discovered during his current spying activities… he noted that there were quite a few Manji Clan members seemingly watching over the city for any intruders who might be a threat to the city. Then again, the Black Dragon did have an advantage over the Manji Clan…

They were currently in possession of their leader's katana. He could only imagine the idea of them seeing them with the sword sending them into a berserk frame of mind.

Indeed, it was perfect.

Havik's thoughts were soon cut off as he heard light footsteps behind him as they approached. He turned himself around and noticed Tira coming up to him.

Tira gave him a bored look. "When exactly are we going to get down there and create chaos?"

"Very soon," Havik replied. "We just have to get the villages out of the way before we go forth."

A sigh escaped Tira's lips. "I hate waiting."

"I do too, but it's what Kabal wants. Whatever."

"Then why don't we just get it done now?"

"Because we need that sword Bryan has to make things more chaotic."

The mention of Bryan's name made Tira cringe, still remembering the day she first met him when he tried to kill her. She still didn't get why Bryan was recruited to the Black Dragon, especially after that fight.

_I shouldn't have let him beat me so easily!_

Since then, Tira had made sure to avoid the Earthrealm native, at least for now. And it seemed as though Bryan wasn't interested in being around her either. As long as he stayed out of her way, Tira was fine with that.

"Plus Bryan has a chaotic nature," Havik continued. "… and the best laugh ever!"

Tira rolled her eyes after that explanation. She still didn't like the cyborg being in the clan, and she hoped that he would eventually choose to leave, preferably sooner than later. Still, if his presence made Havik happy, then she was willing to deal with it…

For now, of course.

~~~

_Twelve Years Ago…_

_Standing at the edge of a cemetery, Quan Chi scanned the area with his black eyes. He was looking for a particular area, and it didn't take him long before he found it… an area, towards the back of the cemetery, where he noted freshly-dug graves._

_He immediately headed over there, walking until he reached the area. Once there, he began searching for one particular grave. And once again, it didn't take him very long to find it, despite the large area._

_Quan Chi stood over the grave, staring down at it for a moment. He knew that a man was buried here, a man who had worked for him at one point. The man, a member of the now-extinct Shirai Ryu, had served as a backup in case a member of their rival clan, the Lin Kuei, failed to retrieve an amulet he desired for._

_The two rivals had ended up running into each other at one point. In an ensuing battle, the Lin Kuei member slew the Shirai Ryu member, killing him in cold blood._

_As a promise to the Lin Kuei, Quan Chi offered to have the Shirai Ryu exterminated if their member succeeded. Since he did, he personally saw to it that their rival clan was executed… that included the dead Shirai Ryu member's wife and son…_

_However, Quan Chi had a reason to resurrect this man. He had discovered that the man who retrieved the amulet, Sub-Zero, was planning to take the advice of the Thunder God Raiden and take back the amulet. The sorcerer wasn't about to let that happen._

_So came the plan to resurrect the man Sub-Zero killed. He would tell him that not only was the Lin Kuei responsible for his own murder… but also that of his family and clan. He knew that this was the best way to fuel the man's hatred, thus becoming more motivated to take care of his killer._

_The necromancer also realized that he would be good use for the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament as well._

_Quan Chi waved his hands, which were glowing in a green color as he chanted a spell. It wasn't long before the loose dirt that cover the grave was quickly pushed back. The sorcerer stared with curiosity as he noted the hand that emerged from the ground._

_For the next couple of minutes, the being emerged from the ground, push away the dirt that got in his way. He growled with every movement, seemingly frustrated. Finally, he managed to stand on his two feet, standing over his former grave._

_As the resurrected being looked down at his hands as though he was trying to comprehend what was going on, a smirk came over the sorcerer's face. "I've resurrected you because I want to make you an offer involving redemption."_

_Hearing that, the being gazed up at him with his pale eyes with immediate interest. It was exactly what the necromancer had hoped for._

_"_ _Fight for the Netherrealm in the Mortal Kombat Tournament, and in return, I will help you find Sub-Zero, the killer of your family and clan. Avenge your wife… your child… and your fellow Shirai Ryu, and I will assure that you will find peace. Will you do that… Hanzo Hasashi?"_

_The being narrowed his eyes before speaking. "I am no longer Hanzo Hasashi. I am… Scorpion."_

**Earthrealm, Unknown Area**

Within a forest area, Scorpion clenched a fist as memories of his resurrection came to him, something he hadn't thought of in some time. It was so long since that happened, and yet, despite all the suffering he had endured since that day, the events of his re-emerging seemed as though it was only yesterday.

It made Scorpion more angry that he let himself be manipulated by Quan Chi, especially for so long after. The sorcerer managed to make him believe that Sub-Zero, the elder, was responsible for the death of his family and clan, even showing him images of the event during the Mortal Kombat tournament.

Sure, Sub-Zero may have been responsible for his own death. He at least avenged himself in that area. Still, Quan Chi had made him believe that the Lin Kuei were responsible for everything else that happened to his family and clan.

 _I will never allow myself to be fooled again._ It was something he repeated in his head every time he thought of what happened in the past. Some have told him to not cling to the past, but Scorpion felt that it was his way of honoring those he lost. It was something that those who said otherwise would have to accept.

Still clenching a fist, Scorpion looked up towards the night sky. _Someday… Quan Chi will see his end._

Briefly, the spectre thought of his wife and son. The more happier days, when he was alive, were mostly far and gone, but he still retained some memories of those times. He could still feel the silky locks of his wife's long black hair, which sometimes contained a single red rose that was placed above her ear. He could still remember the bright smile on his son's face despite being just a small boy still learning to walk.

"Jubei…"

Quickly, however, Scorpion shook the thoughts out of his head, the memories fading away. Sure, he admitted to clinging to the past, but right now, however, there was a duty to fulfill. His fist relaxed for once as he began to walk forward into the night.

As Champion of the Elder Gods, he had a duty to fulfill… to assassinate the Thunder God Raiden. It had not been an easy task so far, but the ninja spectre wasn't about to give up just yet. A rare opportunity was offered to him. The Elder Gods had promised to reunite him with his family and clan once the task was completed.

And perhaps then, he will finally, after so long, feel the silkiness of his wife's hair and see the bright smile on his son's face…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to note that I've kept the names for Scorpion's wife and son as Kana and Jubei from the MK Legacy series. This was, of course, written before Mortal Kombat X gave them the names Harumi and Satoshi.


	36. Chapter Thirty-Five

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

For the past couple of days since escaping the grasps of Shao Kahn and his minions, Jade found herself mostly hiding in any dark corner she could find within the fortress. Normally, if this place had been the way it was back when she one of the Emperor's bodyguards, she would have been able to maneuver herself around more easily.

However, because this place was recently rebuilt ever since, Jade had noted the improvements that were made, making it more difficult for someone like her to make her escape. The fact that many of his minions were also hunting for her didn't quite help the matter either.

During the last couple of days, Jade had two goals in mind… one was to find Sindel and Kitana. The other was to make her escape. So far, she wasn't having much luck in finding the Queen and the Princess. Although Ivy had informed her during her own captivity that they were both still alive, the green-clad woman wondered if they were even in the same building as she was.

Or if the Empress was even telling the truth at all.

During her search, Jade kept herself within the darkness, or in high places. Sadly, she also ran into more victims of Shao Kahn's enslavement, begging her for help. However, Jade knew that she couldn't help them, at least not right now. Freeing them now would only complicate their situation and place them in more danger than they already were in.

 _You will all be free soon,_ Jade thought to herself nearly every time she heard someone cry for help. _Just try to hang on._

At one point, there was a clearing, and she walked around for a bit, making sure to not make a single sound. It only lasted a couple of minutes before she heard a couple of footsteps nearby. Jade quickly scanned her surroundings, noting a beam with a large black shadow above it.

 _A good hideout for now,_ she thought before leaping up to the bar.

Jade's attention had been brought to the footsteps that were heading in front of her. However, unknown to her, a guard coming from behind her, also trained in the art of stealth, managed to spot her leaping up towards the beam just before disappearing.

He smirked to himself. ' _Bingo_ _._ '

The guard thought of going after her himself. However, just earlier today, he had been told to report to the Emperor or Empress if she was spotted. He didn't know why, and he would rather revel in the glory of succeeding in finding her.

He could do that… if he wanted to meet death and have his soul enslaved.

Sighing a little, he backed a little before turning around and headed towards the throne room.

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

In a meeting room, many members of the Coast Guard gathered inside. All had been told by letter sent to each of them to meet here earlier in the morning as they had some announcements to make.

Among them were Kilik, Maxi, Xianghua, and Sophitia, all who sat in the back row behind the all-male Coast Guard members. Also there were a few members representing the Manji Clan, including their second-in-command leading during Yoshimitsu's absence, Akio.

Hwang stood beside Admiral Lee, who gazed at everyone in the room before speaking. "I'm sure many of you have been wondering about what happened with the ship from Ming Dynasty."

The older man paced himself a bit before proceeding. "After many hours of investigating and interviewing those on ships near our ports, we've come to the conclusion that what happened on the Ming Dynasty ship was nothing more than a mere accident. It's highly believed that an explosion occurred as there were many burn marks on what was left of the ship. A couple of bodies were also found, all badly burned. Had the attack actually been from Outworld, I'm quite sure that the other ships would have been attacked as well, including our own.

"Speaking of ships, our own have not seeing anything unusual as of late. However, they are still keeping an eye out on anything unusual and will continue to look for the portal that leads to Outworld."

As the Admiral continued to speak, a thought came to Hwang, one that was bothering him. He found himself thinking about his comrades currently on that ship. Turning to Lee, he waited until he finished his briefings before speaking up.

"Admiral, if I may…" Hwang began.

Lee nodded to him. "Go on."

"About our men on the ship. Even though it was discovered that what happened to the Ming Dynasty vessel was an accident, I still find myself concerned for our comrades at sea. Say that this wasn't an accident, not that I'm saying it wasn't. If something like this happens again, would it be wise to bring them back to shore?"

"If it gets too dangerous out there, that would be the best decision," the Admiral answered.

Another thought came to Hwang. "And the Black Dragon?"

"We'll continue to keep our eye out for them," said Akio. "It's highly important for us to keep tabs on them, especially since they currently have possession of our master's katana, an important relic in our clan which is capable of much damage than many realize."

"Just keep updating us on anything you notice," Lee suggested.

A few minutes later after more minor briefings, the meeting ended. Immediately, Hwang walked over to his friends towards the back. He found himself shrugging a bit to them, realizing that this meeting hadn't brought too much to the table.

"Well, my friend," said Maxi. "I guess according to this meeting, there's nothing much we can do except keep looking out for anything unusual and helping the Manji Clan fight against the Black Dragon."

"That sums it up perfectly," Hwang agreed.

"I'd say let's all go outside and spar for a little while," suggested Xianghua. "We can all try to relax that way."

"That sounds like a good idea," Kilik agreed.

"I agree," said Sophitia.

"I'm afraid I won't be joining," Hwang mentioned. "I have to help out with training a few new recruits who volunteered to join in our cause. I probably won't get done until sunset."

"That's fine," said Maxi. "I'm sure we can spar another time."

Hwang then found himself sighing a little. "I know it doesn't seem like too much is going on right now… but I ask all of you to be careful. My soldier senses are always telling me that anything could happen at any time."

"We will," Xianghua promised.

From there, the five friends left the meeting room with Hwang soon parting ways.

~~~

_It was now mid-afternoon as Yang headed towards the beach area. He had just finished helping with cleaning the dishes and his hands became dirty in the process. Being that the water at the beach area was the only source of water they had (not counting the hot springs which, obviously, was meant for taking baths), this was where they went to clean their hands._

_It was a five minute walk to there and Yang felt like it was taking longer than that. Eventually though, he reached the area, much to his relief. He then saw a figure on their knees right in front of the water._

_Yang recognized the thick blonde hair and realized that it was Maki, who was cleaning her own hands as well. The young man felt his heart flutter a bit upon seeing her. His crush on her was still there. They've hung out since arriving here in Outworld, but they_ _never actual had any alone time since either Maki was with her friends or Yang was with his own friends or brother._

_Yang came over to Maki and got on his knees. Maki heard him rustle about and turned her head to him. "Hey Yang," she said with a warm smile._

_"Hey Maki," Yang replied. "Some tournament this has been, huh?"_

_"Yeah," Maki shrugged. "Ever since I lost, the only time I've been going there was when I was cheering on for anyone I knew. Other than that and hanging out with the girls, things have been a bit dull around here." Though she didn't mention it, she had been feeling down ever since Ibuki's death. She didn't want to mention it to Yang because she didn't want to break into tears._

_"You're telling me," Yang replied. "Since I lost, aside from the different environment, things seem more like at home. And sometimes, I find myself bickering with Yun over stupid things."_

_Maki laughed a little. "That's family for you."_

_"I'll admit… I feel a bit better knowing that Yun and I both lost the tournament. I wouldn't know what to do if Yun was still fighting. It would've made me wonder if I was still any good of a fighter."_

_Maki wasn't sure how to comment on it. She figured that there seemed to be a bit of competition amongst the Lee brothers, the two of them competing to see who was the better fighter._

_"Well," Maki finally said after a brief pause. "Since we both lost the tournament, it looks like we're in for the long haul."_

_Yang laughed. "That's true. We're still in round three too. If I remember correctly, this thing is going to round eight so it's definitely going to be a while."_

_"Let's enjoy it while it lasts."_

_Maki and Yang found themselves looking at each other when Maki spoke. Yang didn't know what made him do it, but before he realized it, he found himself claiming Maki's lips with his own. Though Maki was caught by surprise, Yang was even more surprised that he made this move. Thoughts rushed through his mind. Does she see him the way he does? If not, would this jeopardize their friendship?_

_Not long after these thoughts, his fears were put aside when Maki leaned herself closer to Yang and wrapped her arms around him, letting herself sink deeper into the kiss. Feeling more relaxed, Yang wrapped his arms around her as well._

_They stayed like this for some time before Maki pulled away and a smile spread across her face. Yang opened his eyes to see this and he too smiled._

_Maki couldn't help but giggle a little like a child. "If I knew you liked me to begin with,_ _I_ _would've kissed you sooner."_

**Shaolin Temple, China**

Alone in a garden area, Yang found himself practicing some katas. It was something he hadn't done ever since his grandfather, Gen, had trained him when he and Yun were kids. He almost forgot how relaxing the exercise was.

It was Bo' Rai Cho who suggested practicing katas, more or so to relax him than anything else. The older man had shown Yang some maneuvers and even a few breathing techniques.

"Not only will it relax you and cleanse your soul," Bo' Rai Cho mentioned a few days ago to the young man. "But it will also help clear your mind from any problems you might have."

Yang wasn't sure about the cleansing the soul part, but he did feel much more relaxed than he had been in the last few weeks. There was only one problem; his mind was nowhere clear from any thoughts, especially over the things he was worried about.

At the moment, Maki was heavy in his thoughts. Mostly, he was remembering all the times that they spent with each other ever since they got together back in the Blood Tournament in Outworld. Both were participants, of course, and both were chosen to help Raiden and Rose in their cause to retrieve the _Chishio No Me_ medallion.

 _Heck, if it wasn't for her, I would've never even attended the tournament,_ Yang thought, chuckling a little at that.

He actually met Maki in a previous tournament. It was the first tournament Yang ever attended as a participant. Maki was a contender as well. Although the two never faced each other at the tournament, they became friends. It was during that time that Yang developed a crush on her, admiring not only her fighting spirit, but also her outgoing personality and her sense of humor, let alone being pretty.

The fact that she was seven years older than him didn't bother the young man one bit. Age was just a number for all he cared.

After the tournament, they parted ways with Maki going back to her home in Japan and Yang returning to Hong Kong. He had forgotten then to get her contact information and, believing that he would never see her again, moved on.

But, nearly a year later, he would see her again… while she was boarding the ship that would take them to Outworld. Originally, Yang wasn't going to attend and just let Yun have all the glory, but the moment he saw Maki, he immediately changed his mind, not wanting to miss the chance to interact with her once again.

Wasn't it lucky that Yun's other suitcase already had Yang's clothes in it?

Yang was able to express to Maki how he felt about her just by a simple kiss during their time in Outworld. And luckily for Yang, Maki liked him as well. And they found themselves even more lucky to find each other during the chaos after the tournament since they were apart when it all began.

After returning to Earth, Yang and Maki visited each other whenever one of them could afford to, which did happen a few times. Yang managed to visit her last two months ago before the Earth invasion. His last contact with her was three days before, when Maki informed him that she was in Osaka, the last place he knew she was at…

Despite trying to think positive, there were times that Yang wondered if Maki was even still alive. A part of Yang wished that he had tried to make it over to Japan to find her after the invasion ended. Instead, he was here hiding out at the Shaolin Temple, more or so waiting of the God of Wind to show up with some sort of news… one that would signal that he would leave this place.

Yang was grateful to have Chun Li and Lei with him during this time and reuniting with Li Mei. He had also had the pleasure in finding friendship with both Kung Lao and Bo' Rai Cho, so at least he had a few people with him helping to keep his sanity intact. Still, he only wished that both Maki and Yun were here with him.

Continuing with his katas, Yang turned himself a little. In this view, he spotted the blue and yellow cap that he carried with him since the end of the invasion… the cap that belonged to his twin brother, Yun.

 _If only that female Shokan hadn't thrown me to the side during the invasion,_ Yang thought grimly. _Then Yun would be with us right now…_

Yang had tried to find Yun after being tossed, but only found his hat and a couple of drops of blood. Thinking back on that, Yang wasn't sure if that was even Yun's blood at all, even though it looked fresh. Still, the fact that Yun went missing didn't help Yang at all.

From the moment the two existed… practically since the day their mother conceived them, they've been almost inseparable. Sure, they had their differences, with Yang being the more quiet and calm one, and Yun being the more outgoing and brash one, and having arguments over petty things and who was the better fighter. Still, neither one of them wouldn't know what to do if something had happened to the other. Even when Yun was doing something Yang didn't like, the latter always found himself tagging along anyway, whether he wanted to or not.

The invasion had changed that, keeping the brothers apart for the longest time. Yang only wished he knew what happened to his brother. Had he been kidnapped and enslaved, or became one of those brainwashed fighters like Guy? Was Yun able to escape during the frenzy, perhaps trying to find Yang as well and getting himself lost in the city?

Was Yun even still alive?

Feeling suddenly tired of the kata training, Yang decided to sit himself down in a lotus position. He found himself staring at the small pond nearby, his mind clear for just a moment. During that moment, all was quiet around him with the exception of the light wind that blew gently against his face.

Thinking of the both of them once more, Yang bowed his head. He found himself praying for the safety of both his brother, Yun, and his love, Maki.

~~~

**Somewhere in Japan**

On a trail, Yoshimitsu continued to ride on horseback with a handful of members of his Manji Clan following close behind on their own horses. The sun above them was high in the sky and clouds were scattered about. Yoshimitsu guessed that it was possible that it could snow or rain later tonight depending on how cold it'll get.

As of now, they were more than halfway through their journey to Yakushima Island, that they were sure of. Still, they had a bit of ways to go before even reaching the closest port that would take them to the island.

There, the Manji Clan leader hoped that somehow, someway, Jin Kazama would be there during this time of crisis. It was currently the only place he could think of to search through, hoping that the young man would help fight against the invasion.

After all, Jin was the one who made it further than anyone else on Earth in The Blood Tournament.

Yoshimitsu remembered the day Jin fought in the final round of the tournament, facing off against Ivy Valentine, who Yoshimitsu knew was working for Shao Kahn. He had watched from afar, keeping himself hidden from those who may find him. He had previously infiltrated Shao Kahn's fortress while looking for the _Chishio No Me_ medallion, but with no success.

The night before, Yoshimitsu approached Jin, more or so to see what the young man wanted to do with the medallion. Jin had told him that he would hand it over to his leaders, Raiden and Rose, immediately after his win so that the artifact would be destroyed.

However, he knew better.

In the past, Yoshmitsu had attended the King of Iron Fist Tournaments, which included the very first one held more than twenty years ago. In the first tournament, he used himself as a distraction so that some of his clan members infiltrated the tournament and steal the funds unobserved. He would use those funds to give to those who truly needed it most.

It was during that time that Yoshimitsu got to know the Mishimas and the Zaibatsu, even learning some of their history. He also knew of the demons within both Kazuya and Jin, seeing them both transform before in the past, though he never let that knowledge be known to anyone.

Yoshimitsu knew, even though he was never told, that Jin wanted the medallion to get rid of his devil gene. So when Jin lost the tournament, he knew that the loss was more of a big deal than the young man let on, knowing that he had lost his one chance to getting rid his curse for good.

 _Even if I tried to ask him, he would never admit it,_ he thought.

After a few hours of traveling, Yoshimitsu noted that it was getting dark. He turned to his clan members. "Let's rest for the night."

"Good idea," one of the members said. "Hopefully it doesn't get too cold tonight."

"We'll have to see about that."

Meanwhile, still keeping far away on a tall hill in order to not be detected, Shin Akuma watched the group, his eyes glowing a bit. Next to him, Dark Sakura watched as well with her own emotionless eyes, the light breeze causing her short hair to sway a little and the tail of her white bandana to flap a bit behind her.

Shin Akuma folded his arms as he continued to stare at the clan. He had sensed their strong fighting spirits and noted how much they were traveling towards the south, and the demon wanted to see where they would go before making his appearance.

"We'll soon make our move when the right time comes," he said out loud. He turned to Dark Sakura. "And if you're lucky, we'll run into those friends of you so that you can test yourself. Only then will you be worthy of being a successor of the Satsu No Hadou."

The only reply from Dark Sakura was a blink of her eyes.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

A guard quickly enters the throne room, immediately catching Shao Kahn and Ivy's attention. Sitting on their thrones, the two waited, staring at the guard as he approached them.

Soon, he stood a few steps away from their thrones before getting on his knees to bow to them. "My lord, I've located the traitor you've sent us to search for."

"You mean Jade?" Ivy asked, knowing that there were a few traitors besides Jade who had slipped through their fingers as of recently.

"Yes," the guard replied. "I've spotted her at the dungeon halls. I managed to spot her jumping up to hide within the ceiling beams. I'm reported to you just as you requested."

Ivy nodded to him. "Good. You may take your leave. We'll take care of the rest."

The guard nodded as he stood himself up. The Emperor and Empress only watched as the guard turned around and began leaving the throne room.

Once the guard was out of sight, a small smirk came over Ivy's lips as she turned to the Emperor. "Now that we know where Jade is… what do you want to do?"

Shao Kahn's red eyes seemed to glow a little. "I think the time has come. I think that a… reunion is in order."

"The one that we've been talking about for some time?"

"Yes."

Ivy smirked even more. "Do you want me to do the honors of… helping out?"

Shao Kahn turned his head to the Empress. "Yes… I would like that."

Without saying another word, Ivy stood up from her throne. Grabbing the hilt of her beloved sword, she began to take her leave, going forth with their plan.

~~~

_Eleven Years Ago, Mortal Kombat Tournament_

_The thunder in the background rumbled in the background as a man dressed in blue and black garb entered a throne room. Upon staring at the man dressed somewhat similarly to him, only in yellow and black, his cold eyes narrowed at him._

_Scorpion stared at the man he believed killed his family and clan. "You!" he growled aggressively as he met Sub-Zero half way, not stopping until the two were a foot away from each other._

_"_ _The Shirai Ryu are dead," Scorpion reminded him. "And you will suffer as they did."_

_"_ _To hell with you clan!" Sub-Zero spat._

_Scorpion shook his head. "No… TO HELL WITH YOU!"_

_Quickly, the two were engulfed in flames as Scorpion grabbed his nemesis by his shoulders before pulling him down through the floor. Sub-Zero was unsure what was going on, at least until the fire cleared from his vision. Gazing at his surroundings, he found that he was no longer in the throne room… but he quickly realized where Scorpion had taken him._

_"_ _The Netherrealm," he uttered, not the least bit intimidated._

_Scorpion raised his hands up a bit. "This was where I was reborn." He narrowed his pale eyes at Sub-Zero. "This is where YOU will PAY!"_

_Tired of talking, Sub-Zero quickly shot out an ice ball, which Scorpion moved away from immediately. While the ice ninja attempted to recover, Scorpion took the opportunity to deliver an uppercut, catching his foe's chin and sending up flying up. In mid-air, Sub-Zero quickly caught himself before flipping back and landing both feet on the ground._

_Scorpion rapidly covered the distance between the two before throwing various punches and kicks at him, forcing Sub-Zero to go on defense. This went on like this for a moment before Scorpion jumped back. His hands surrounded by flames, he raised his hands up. Sub-Zero wondered for a split second what he was doing… before feeling an immense heat below his feet. He jumped out of the way just as a handful of flames shot up from the ground, missing their chance to set the ice warrior on fire._

_Annoyed now, Sub-Zero crouched down and slid forward, aiming towards Scorpion's legs. However, the spectre saw this and side-stepped. He waited until Sub-Zero was close enough before lifting a foot and kicking him in the face, knocking him back to the ground. Scorpion lifted his foot again, aiming for his throat, but Sub-Zero rolled out of the way, forcing Scorpion to slam his foot on to the ground instead._

_Sub-Zero got himself back on his feet before shooting another ice ball at Scorpion. This time, the spectre disappeared in a burst of flames before reappearing behind Sub-Zero. Sensing his presence behind him suddenly, Sub-Zero quickly turned around, but was soon met with a couple of punches to the face before a kick to the chest sent him stumbling back._

_For a moment, Scorpion found himself getting the upper hand as Sub-Zero attempted to block his moves. Then, his feet surrounded by flames, Scorpion flipped himself back , hitting Sub-Zero square in the chest and sending him flying backwards and landing hard on his side._

_As Sub-Zero got himself back up, Scorpion slowly approached him once more. "You… you were responsible for not only my death… but also that of my family! And you will suffer for it!"_

_A confused look suddenly came over Sub-Zero's face, though he tried not to show it. One thing was for sure… he was the one responsible for Scorpion's death._

_But what made him think that_ he _anything to do with his family's killing?_

 _"_ _That was_ not _me!" Sub-Zero yelled out. "Yes, I was the one who killed you, but I did NOT kill your family."_

_Scorpion quickly ripped off his mask, showing his skull which was surrounded by flames. "Quan Chi had shown me the images of the massacre of my people! I had witnessed their deaths at your hands from the Netherrealm! And I had witnessed the death of my wife and son by your own hands!"_

_"_ _Quan Chi is manipulating you! He-"_

_The last words never reached Scorpion's ears, and Sub-Zero never had the chance to finish his sentence as the spectre opened his mouth, releasing a line of flames towards him._

_Then, everything went black…_

**Himalayan Mountains, China**

His mortal death… it was a memory Noob Saibot had not thought of in what seemed like ages. It became the day Scorpion managed to avenge himself of his own murder.

But as far as Noob was concerned, the spectre was foolish enough to believe, from Quan Chi, that he was also responsible for his family's murder.

It turned out, however, that Quan Chi had sent his own minions to kill the Shirai Ryu, disguising them with his sorcery as Lin Kuei members, more or so done in case there were any witnesses. Noob would learned this after his transformation and joining the Brotherhood of Shadow.

Knowing that Quan Chi pretty much had a hand at his own death, Noob distrusted the sorcerer almost immediately, and he always planned to overthrow him once he gained enough power. At least now, he reached that goal, even though the sorcerer was still running around somewhere in Outworld.

Since his transformation, Noob found that he was now even colder and more malicious than he was back in his mortal days. In a way, he considered it an 'improvement' from his former life.

With that, he became a fearsome ruler of the Brotherhood, he's name well-known around the Netherrealm. For now, he was the leader of the Brotherhood… but someday, he would achieve his ultimate goal to rule the Netherrealm.

All he had to do was bide his time, knowing that only Quan Chi stood in his way.

Noob's thoughts were soon disrupted as a member of his clan approached him. The wraith narrowed his eyes at him. "What is it?"

"I wanted to inform you that we're just a few days away from Sub-Zero's current location."

Noob stared at him for a moment before replying. "I want to bide my time. Meanwhile, continue to search for remaining corpses until we reach the village."

The follower only nodded before departing.

Briefly, Noob thought of his younger brother. He narrowed his eyes as he thought of the fact that he had taken the Sub-Zero name upon the elder's own death.

 _He should have remained as Tundra,_ Noob thought to himself. _He is undeserving of the Sub-Zero mantle._

Turning his head, Noob looked up at the seven-foot black scythe he held in his hands, a gift from his clan. The six blue jewels on the weapon gleamed in the sunlight, but Noob didn't pay any attention to them as he brushed a finger over the blade.

Aside from holding it, Noob has yet to have the chance to actually use the scythe in battle. But knowing that he was getting closer to Sub-Zero's location, he was highly looking forward to putting it to use.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

In her room lying on her bed, Donna snapped her eyes opened, waking up from a dream. For a moment, she thought that she had been fast asleep for hours, she looked over at a nearby window and noted that the sun was just beginning to set for the evening.

"Hmm, I must've napped longer than I realized," Donna muttered to herself as she slowly sat herself up.

As she moved herself and began to place her boots on, she briefly thought about Hsu Hao. A few hours ago, he had mentioned to her that he and Mavado would be discussing certain plans that he wouldn't go into, and suggested that she rested for a little bit while she had the chance. Despite him not mentioning what the discussion was about, Donna had a feeling that it was about their rival clan, the Black Dragon.

The brief thought of the Black Dragon suddenly sent a bit of a headache, and she quickly began massaging her temples with both hands. Taking a few deep breaths, Donna did the best she could to get the thoughts out of her head.

"I have to stop thinking about that clan," she said to herself as she stood up. "I'm just going to end up making these headaches worse."

No longer wanting to be cooped up in her room, Donna decided to take a walk around the fortress for a little while, unsure of what else to do. As she locked her door with a key, she heard a pair of high-heeled footsteps walking towards her direction. Donna turned to see who it was… and found herself frozen in her place upon seeing one of Ivy's bodyguards, Kira.

She had only seen Kira a few times since arriving in Outworld. Even so, Donna found that there was something about her that she didn't like, but couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.

Kira had noticed Donna's stare and found that she didn't like the way the young woman looked at her. Either way, the red-haired woman decided to stop walking and place a hand on her hip as she stared back at her.

"What are you up to?" she asked.

Not liking the question, Donna narrowed her eyes at her. "Who wants to know?"

Kira smirked a little. "I should've expected such an answer from a wench like you."

Donna opened her mouth and was about to protest, but a male voice stopped them. "I see you two are getting along quite well," he said almost sarcastically.

The two women turned to see both Mavado and Hsu Hao coming up to them. Donna was almost relieved at the intervention and she smiled at them. "How did the discussion go?"

"Just fine," Mavado replied.

"I think it's best to get something to eat," Hsu Hao suggested to Donna.

Almost immediately, Donna approached Hsu Hao and wrapped an arm around his waist. "Good, I was just about to suggest that myself." With that, Hsu Hao wrapped his own arm around her shoulders before the two departed.

Once the couple was out of earshot, Mavado turned to Kira, who noted the suspicious look written on his face. The smirk on Kira's face faded at that point. "I'm not getting in the way if that's what you think. I just simply asked the girl a question and she got offended for some reason."

"Donna doesn't trust anyone very easily except anyone in the Red Dragon," Mavado mentioned. "Even if you two found yourselves locked in the same room, it's best for you to leave her be."

Kira folded her arms. "I'll keep that in mind, but I won't hold back if she starts anything with me." The red-haired woman decided to change the subject then. "So tell me… what was your discussion all about this afternoon?"

"Just about our plans for the Black Dragon," Mavado replied. "Mainly, we're trying to figure out their location. As far as we know, they're not on Earth, or else we would've detected them some time ago."

"All I know is that they were last here in Outworld, but I assume they've escaped… maybe to that Chaosrealm place. That's where Havik is from."

A smirk came over Mavado's face as a thought came to him. "Maybe if we find them, you can infiltrate them. See if they would accept you back into the clan. This way, we will figure out their own plans."

Kira immediately scowled at that. "I'd rather slit my own throat than go anywhere near them again. The only way you can get me near them these days is if I was going to kill them with my own knives."

Mavado folded his arms. "I admit, I don't blame you. And again… you would make a good Red Dragon yourself. Too bad about your FBI records."

"I'm not worried about it. You shouldn't either."

Mavado stared at her. "Touché."

Deciding to take her leave then, Kira turned her back to him before walking forward. As she did, she spoke one more time. "Just let me know when you've got the Black Dragon in sight. I'll be more than happy to help you eliminate them."

Mavado stood in his place, not saying another word as he watched Kira walk away. Once she had turned a corner and disappeared, Mavado straightened himself up before turning the other direction and walked away.

Meanwhile, in the dungeons, Jade continued to hide out within the darkness. For a while, she hid on top of a beam near a ceiling, the darkness above it keeping her concealed.

There was one thing she noticed as she waited… it had begun to get too quiet around her. Normally, she would hear voices or footsteps in a far distance, or the occasional dripping of water. Now, however, it was _too_ quiet… and the green-clad woman didn't like it one bit.

 _I'm going to have to use caution for a while,_ Jade thought to herself as she jumped down.

Once she landed, she ran forward, keeping her heels up so that she didn't make any noise. For a few minutes, she made her way through the halls, making sure to be careful with every corner that she turned, almost expecting a handful of guards to be waiting for her.

Then she turned a corner… and stopped upon seeing two figures suddenly in front of her.

Keeping her grip on her staff, Jade narrowed her eyes in order to get a better view. Upon seeing who was there, her green eyes suddenly widened as she recognized the two women standing before her.

"Kitana! Sindel!" she called out, feeling a heavy weight lifting off her shoulders for the first time in months. Jade began to approach them, letting her guard down. "I'm glad you're-"

Jade suddenly stopped as she noticed something. She didn't noticed right away when looking at Sindel, but upon gazing at Kitana, she noted her white eyes. Jade felt her heart clench in her ribcage, enough for her to lose her breath. Kitana's white eyes told her exactly what was wrong…

Both mother and daughter were under Shao Kahn's brainwashed control!

Jade gripped on her staff tightly in anger. "I should've know Shao Kahn would have done this to you…"

Then, she heard another pair of footsteps behind her.

"What now?" she muttered as she turned her head to see who was coming. Expecting a guard, Jade turned her head, but not too much so that she still kept her eye on Kitana and Sindel just in case they attacked her.

"Is that you, Ivy?" Jade called out. "If so, come out and face me!"

It was a minute later when the person stepped into the light. Upon seeing who it was, Jade's eyes widened more than ever, finding herself in total shock and disgust as she never expecting to ever see them again.

"No… you were killed! I saw them carry you after you died!"

Standing before her, well and alive and under Shao Kahn's control, was Sonya Blade!


	37. Chapter Thirty-Six

**London, England**

In a more quiet area of the MI-6 Headquarters, Cammy White found herself sitting down amongst her fellow comrades, including Lita and Juni, as their General was going over future plans in case another invasion occurred. She had heard of the possible plans before, but it was the first time she was truly hearing this in full detail.

"As a country mostly surrounded by water, many of us realize that it would make perfect sense for us to evacuate into Europe's mainland," the General said. "France has already granted permission for a limited amount of us to enter their land and we are currently looking into doing the same in other nearby countries. However, an evacuation is only necessary when the fight against our enemies in Outworld starts to become overwhelming not just for our unit, but for all the units in England. Naturally, our first priority would be the safety of the civilians. At the moment, it's just a deciding factor of how we will be choosing which ones would be taken to the mainland first."

"You mentioned France willing to help us out," a Colonel spoke up nearby. "Would the Channel Tunnel be one of the few ways for us to evacuate?"

The General sighed a little. "It's an idea. However, there's a rumor going around that it may have been partially destroyed during the invasion. Since you mentioned it, however, I will look into that."

The meeting continued on for another hour, mainly discussing different ways of evacuating including using any ships, helicopters, and airplanes that can still operate. Soon, the meeting ended, with another one to come up in two days. As Cammy began to make her way out, she noted the Colonel approaching her.

Stopping a couple of feet away from each other, Cammy saluted to him before easing herself. "You need me for something, sir?"

"Just a small favor," the Colonel replied. "If you run into Nina Williams, could you ask her to see me or the General? We want to discuss with her about the progress of her gun lessons to the civilians."

Cammy resisted the urge to make a face that showed her distaste. As cooperative as Nina had been lately, especially since getting the cast on her wrist removed, she still found the woman to be cold and preferred to not be around her.

"I'll do that, sir," Cammy said.

The Colonel nodded. "You may take your leave."

Cammy saluted him one last time before turning on her heel and began taking her leave. Getting outside the meeting room, she saw Lita and Juni talking to each other as they waited for her.

"I'm not sure about the whole civilian arrangement, however," Lita said to Juni. "It's kind of like the whole women and children first deal on the Titanic… but then again, no matter how we go about it, it'll turn into a disaster."

"How so?" Juni asked curiously, having no experience in crowd control before.

"Usually, one person pushes everyone else so that he can go first, then that makes everyone else want to do the same," Cammy mentioned as she approached the two. "Then people trample each other, starting beating each other up, and sadly, at least one person loses their life."

"I see," Juni replied as the three of them began walking through the hall. "That suddenly makes me wonder which side is worse… us soldiers, or the crowd."

"Either way, it's not so great," Lita said.

When they turned a corner, Cammy managed to spot Steve waiting for her just a few feet away. A smile was on his face as he saw her.

"Well Cammy, I get the feeling you'll be parting with us," Lita said with a grin.

"That you're right," Cammy answered. "I'll see you two later."

They said their goodbyes before Cammy approached Steve. "How long were you waiting here?" she asked before kissing him.

Steve briefly returned the kiss before pulling back. "Not long. One of the Lieutenants mentioned that these kinds of meetings usually last about an hour."

"Not always," Cammy mentioned. Then, an idea came to her as she looked at him. "I don't usually break tasks ordered by my superiors, but it's so small that I don't think it'll effect anyone. Want to do me a favor?"

"That all depends."

"Well… you know how I've been feeling about Nina lately. The Colonel asked me to tell her to see either him or the General because they wanted to know her progress on her gun lessons."

"And let me guess… they want you to deliver the message."

Cammy nodded.

Steve sighed a little. "Well, okay. But only because I owe you for all the times you've been my bodyguard."

"Oh, thank you," the young woman said with relief.

Steve laughed at her reaction. "It can't be any worse than getting in trouble by your mother after staying out too late on a school night."

"Something tells me it's worse than that," Cammy said. "But look on the bright side… at least she's not your mother… or my mother for that matter."

"I don't think I could see her ever being a mum," Steve mentioned. He began to pull back a bit then. "I'll see what I can do and I'll report back when I'm done."

"Just make sure she doesn't throw daggers at you."

Steve laughed a little as he began to walk away. "I doubt that'll be a problem."

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

Climbing up the ladder to the watch tower, Cody swore that he was going to fall off with the amount of wind that was blowing at the moment. He felt his dirty blonde hair being pushed around in different directions, and his eyes were beginning to water a little as the wind stung them a bit. He was at least grateful to have a jacket on, but he could still feel the chill despite that.

"Tonight's watch is not going to be fun," he mumbled. "I can tell already."

Soon he reached the top, getting into an area of the tower where he could at least get some relief from the wind. He looked up and noticed Alex watching him as he arrived. He noted that her hair was tied into a bun, through some strands managed to get out because of the winds, and her eyes were covered with sunglasses despite the fact that the sun had already set a little over two hours ago.

"It's just about 8pm," Cody announced as he straightened himself up. He found himself shivering a bit. "Damn, it's fucking cold out tonight."

"Being in the mountains around this time of year can do that," Alex replied.

"Why couldn't the invasion happen in the summer or something?" Cody said with a small chuckle. "Course, if that was the case, we'd probably be hiding in the Arizona desert or something."

Alex took off her sunglasses before outstretching her hand. "Do you want to wear these? It'll help to protect your eyes against the wind, though you'll, of course, have to take them off every once in a while to see your surroundings better."

"You know, that's a good idea, thanks," Cody replied as he took the sunglasses in his hands. "Hopefully it doesn't snow like crazy during my shift."

"It probably will now that you said that," Alex laughed as she walked over to the ladder. She then found herself yawning just as she finished that sentence.

"You look pretty tired," Cody mentioned.

"Just a little. I'm more hungry than anything else."

"I think Jane was cooking something when I walked by the kitchen on my way over here. I'm sure whatever she's cooking, it's almost done."

"Thanks." Alex began to climb down, but stopped after two steps. "Do you want me to bring you up something?"

"Nah, it's cool," Cody replied, waving a hand. "I can wait until my shift's over. Thanks anyway."

"No problem." From there, Alex began climbing down the ladder, not stopping until she felt the bottom of her black boots hitting the snow-covered ground.

Feeling her stomach rumble a bit, Alex began heading over to the kitchen, smelling whatever Jane was cooking the closer she got to the small building. Over the building, there was smoke emerging from the small chimney, through it was barely seen as it spewed up into the darkened sky.

Soon, she reached the door, opening it before quickly getting inside and closing it behind her. It was a small room with just a few wooden tables and chairs with a couple of stoves off to the left. There, she noticed Jane and Julia cooking something while Amy was sitting at one of the tables reading a book. The only source of light in the room were a few lit lanterns.

Hearing the door close, Jane and Julia both turned to see who came in and soon noticed Alex walking over them. "Hello," all three said almost at once.

Alex walked over to the table where Amy was sitting. "What are you cooking?"

"Just some of that deer we found yesterday and some beans," Julia replied. She smiled a little. "Nothing special."

"Better than no food," Alex said. She then looked over at Amy, who gazed up at her and smiled. "What are you reading?" Alex asked.

Amy held up the book to show her the cover. " _Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing_. Have you read it?"

Alex shook her head. "No I haven't. Is it good?"

"I guess. I really wanted to bring my Harry Potter collection with me, but Mommy said they were too heavy to bring here. I did bring _The Sorcerer's Stone_ with me." Amy stared down at the current book she was reading. "I like reading, especially now because I can imagine myself as one of the people in the book and be at other places."

Alex found herself frowning a bit. "I see."

She then happened to look over to where Jane and Julia were and noticed Jane sighing a bit. Julia noted this as well and frowned a little. "Are you all right?" she asked.

Jane forced a smile. "I'm fine. It's just, well… I can't help but thinking about what happened to my sister and my nephew. Every day, I keep wondering where they are and whether or not they survived. Despite what Ken had seen, I still hold on to that hope… but then I worry about Ken as well because something tells me he's thinking of the worst."

Jane then looked over at Amy, who's attention was still on the book she was reading, before going into a whisper. "I've been trying so hard to be strong for Amy and Ken. Heck, I've been trying to be strong for everyone here because I find myself wanting to take good care of all of you. But, dear God, I wish Will was here with us more than anything. I was so confident that the three of us would get here safely… I never imagined Amy and I would be separated from him."

Jane found herself getting misty-eyed, and she turned away from Julia, who placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know it's been three weeks, and there must be a reason why Guile is being held up. I can only imagine that he'll try to get here as soon as he can. I don't think he would just leave you and your daughter here. And when he gets here, he'll be proud of all of us… not only have you taken care of all of us, but he'll also know that we took good care of you and Amy."

The older woman smiled a bit after hearing this. "I hope you're right, Julia."

Hearing this whole conversation, Alex found herself feeling more depressed. Ever since the invasion began, she tried to stay as positive as possible, even though she was fully aware that not everyone was going to feel the same.

But then again, Alex knew that her situation could have been much, much worse. Both her parents had died years ago, and she was only expecting her aunt to arrive. However, before the invasion, her aunt had mentioned a possible Florida state lock-down if the invasion happened, and a part of her realized that might have occurred, hence why she hadn't shown up yet.

Depression wasn't the only thing, knowing that many lives were destroyed in a single day… there was also the stress of wondering whether or not Outworld would invade once more to finish off the rest of them, and even then, how long will the wait be? There were the constant thoughts of how to prepare and how to fight back if they were to return. Then there was the wondering of how long they would be here and whether or not they really did have enough supplies to last here for a while. Being in the Rocky Mountains in the dead of winter didn't help either as everyone had the fear of someone contacting an illness that might kill them.

And then, there was the somewhat feeling of abandonment. Everyone knew of Rose's death, but what about Raiden? Where was he and why had he not summon the chosen ones to help fight against Outworld? Was it because of their failure to obtain the _Chishio No_ Me medallion in the tournament that the Thunder God had chosen not gather them any longer?

With all this in mind, Alex realized that she no longer had an appetite.

Standing herself up, she decided to take her leave. The scrapping of the chair legs against the concrete floor caught Jane and Julia's attention, seeing Alex starting to exit the kitchen.

"I thought you were hungry," Julia said.

Alex stopped in her tracks and looked over at her, giving her a weary smile. "I, um, just realized I'm not as hungry as I thought I was, but thanks anyway. If Amy is still hungry after the first plate, go ahead and give her my plate."

"Thank you," Jane replied with a smile.

Seeing them turning their attention back to the food, Alex quickly grabbed a MRE bag, just in case. Leaving the kitchen, she found herself once again out in the cold, windy fort and began heading over to her tent.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Throughout much of her life, Jade had seen many things that would shock her. After many years of it, however, she mostly became immune to it, almost to the point where anything shocking no longer garnered a reaction from her.

Standing in the dark hallway of the dungeon, she found herself feeling that shock for the first time in ages. On her left, Sindel and Kitana stood in their places. Sindel always had pale eyes ever since her resurrection, so the green-clad woman didn't realize until she gazed at Kitana that they were now brainwashed soldiers. Jade had hoped it didn't happen, but in a way, she had expected it a little.

But despite that, it was the person on her right who gave her the shock she hardly ever felt anymore. With the same pale eyes as the two Edenians, Sonya Blade stood in her spot as well. Like everyone else at the end of the Blood Tournament in the cave, Jade thought that she had died at the hands of Kira. Jade had even watched her being carried to her room, no longer breathing, in the cave.

Now, however, Sonya was resurrected and was being used as a brainwashed soldier just like Kitana and Sindel.

"Do you like your surprise?" a woman's voice suddenly said. Hearing it from the direction near where Sonya stood, Jade turned her head just in time to see the Outworld Empress herself emerging from the shadows. A side smirk played on her lips and it was almost as though she was mocking the former assassin.

Anger took her Jade, but she did her best to remain calm even through she was clutching tightly to her bo staff. "Shao Kahn _would_ brainwash them and use them for his own gain!"

"But at least they're alive," Ivy mentioned. "You should be at least grateful for that."

Jade shifted her green eyes to Sonya. "Speaking of being alive, I see that you resurrected a friend of mine from Earth."

"Hmm," Ivy said. "Shao Kahn mentioned you knew each other, but I wasn't really sure. I guess your words confirm it. Of course, as you can see, she was indeed resurrected. One of a handful of Raiden's warriors who managed to stop Shao Kahn from merging Earth with Outworld the first time he tried to invade. When our guards found her body in a cave, which we didn't know was ever inhabited during the tournament, Shao Kahn couldn't waste an opportunity to bring such a strong warrior to his side."

Ivy then turned her head to Kitana and Sindel. "The same with your fellow Edenians as well." She smirked even more. "And if you cooperate, my dear, we'll let you live… and you'll get the chance to reunite with them once more."

Jade narrowed her eyes. "You know my answer. And hear this… no matter how long it takes, my friends _will_ be free from your dark magic!"

"I expected you to say something like that," Ivy said. "But just so you know… trying to 'talk' them out of it will not work. It may have worked for Sindel when Kitana freed her, but it won't work this time. The hold on them is much stronger now than it was then."

"I see Shao Kahn is trying to learn from his past mistakes."

"Of course, my dear. He swore to never let his mistakes happen again, and so far, he's kept his word. You _could_ free them… but I have a feeling the only method available to you will not be to your liking."

Jade knew immediately what she meant. "We'll see about that."

Having enough of talking, Jade attempted to launch herself towards Ivy, but she barely took three steps before she found herself blocking an incoming kick from Sonya.

"Damn it," Jade muttered as she also noted both Kitana and Sindel surrounding her now.

As much as Ivy wanted to fight Jade herself, she knew that this was what Shao Kahn requested. Turning her back and walking away from the scene, she said aloud, "We'll see how long it'll take for you to survive."

For a couple of minutes, Jade found that she was defending herself from Sonya's attacking, noting right away how fast the blond woman was. Whether it was from the brainwash or was something she had prior, Jade wasn't sure.

Eventually, however, Sonya managed to land a kick on Jade's stomach, causing her to stagger back a little. This gave Sindel the opportunity to grab Jade and get her in a headlock behind her. As Jade struggled to get out of the hold, Kitana stepped in, landing a few punches to Jade's face before grabbing her arm and pulling her forward. Finding herself flying forward, Jade was then suddenly kicked by Sonya's boot, the force of it knocking her to the ground on her back.

Jade shook her head, trying to get rid of the suddenly dizzy sensation that was trying to overtake her. However, she saw Kitana standing over her, raising her leg up to kick down at her. Jade managed to roll out of the way in him just as the foot slammed down.

"Ugh," she uttered as she tried to get herself back up on her feet, feeling a bit dizzy from the recent attacks.

Finding herself surrounded by all three again, Jade realized that this was going to be a losing battle. Even if she did attempt to try to free them from the brainwash, who knows how long it would take, especially with three of them beating her nearly at once.

The last thing she wanted to do in the meantime was kill any of her allies. That _was_ the method Ivy hinted at after all…

"Sorry to leave you," Jade said as she grabbed a small handful of sand from a pouch she carried. "But I can't let it happen this way. I'll come back to free you."

Quickly, she threw down the sand and an explosion occurred, creating a heavy green smoke. Kitana, Sindel, and Sonya found themselves coughing and backing away a bit. However, by the time they stared back up and the smoke dispersed, Jade was gone.

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

_Scanning current location of superior,_ a voice in a control system said.

Hiding amongst the trees and using her night vision, Matrik scanned her surrounding area and beyond. For countless days, she trekked along the area, seeing nothing more than trees, snow, and mountains.

Her system knew what she was looking for… the Lin Kuei clan, specifically Frost, her 'superior.' When she awoke back at the Lin Kuei temple, she received a message to find Frost's location. From there, she would follow further instructions.

Using her technology, she was able to closely track areas where Frost walked through earlier. During her journey, she noted members of the Brotherhood of Shadow and overheard that they, too, were looking for the Lin Kuei. Since she was under other orders, she went ahead of them while they were scouting for corpses left in the snow.

Then, in her scans, she spotted a village in a very far distance. Locking in on it, it gave her brief detail on the village, a isolated area.

_Current superior location confirmed. Time of travel: about three days._

Hearing this and knowing that she was close to Frost, Matrik began moving forward, not wanting to waste another minute…

~~~

**London, England**

Sitting at a desk in a computer lab, Nina found herself checking out files she had been putting off for quite some time. Originally, she was there to check on Steve's file, considering how it was MI-6 who's job was to protect him from those out to kill him from winning a match they wanted him to lose, costing them money.

And during her last search, she found the file. What really caught her interest, however, was the fact that there was a folder with the Mishima Zaibatsu's name written on it. Having… dealt with the corporation in the past, Nina was curious to know what Steve's connections were with them.

She didn't have enough time then, knowing that she had to get into the file with a password. She managed, just yesterday, to figure out a Colonel's password while she was standing over him as he checked on a civilian status. She had been simply waiting for him to finish that before they discussed her gun knowledge.

Typing the Colonel's name and password, Nina was able to easily gain access to the folder. She then found herself sighing a bit with annoyance, noting even more files, some she realized, not related to Steve.

 _This will be fun,_ she thought as she read through them.

Then, she noted one in particular; Cryogenetic Research.

Naturally, having been in cryo-sleep for nineteen years in the Mishima Zaibatsu facility, Nina was curious as to what the file held. Clicking on it, she was somewhat relieved to know that she didn't need a password for it.

There were only two folders. One said, 'Subject 1: Nina,' the other; 'Subject 2: Anna.'

Reading that second name always left a bad taste in her mouth.

After clicking on the one with her name on it, Nina read through all the research done while she was in cryo-sleep. Many of them she knew was done, but there were a few she never even thought could possibly occur, leaving her somewhat annoyed.

 _The least they could've done was inform me of their projects upon my awakening,_ she thought.

Then, Nina found one, at the very bottom, that made her blue eyes widen in surprise, a rarity for her. Shock came over her, for a moment.

She found herself reading the research name out loud. "Invitro-Fertilization…"

Until reading that word, Nina had no idea that anything like this was done to her. After the brief shock went over her, she soon felt anger. During her sleep, she had been violated. It was bad enough that the sleep itself was done against her will, being captured after failing an assassination assignment.

"Just wait until I get my hands on whoever had decided to do this," Nina growled.

Forcing herself to calm down for a moment, Nina then noted that there was a link below, realizing that a drop-down menu would give her more information…

That's when she heard footsteps starting to come into the lab. Realizing that this would have to wait, Nina quickly pressed the escape button a couple of times, getting herself out of the files before anyone saw.

"Nina?" a male voice said. The young woman turned to see Steve stepping a couple of feet into the room.

"What do you want?" she asked, a bit annoyed.

"Um… sorry to interrupt, but I was told to inform you that the General wanted to see you as soon as possible."

Nina stood up from her seat, her face still retaining her cold expression as always. "What does he want?"

"Just about your progress on your gun lessons, but that's all I know."

Without another word Nina began to take her leave, pacing herself as she did. Steve felt a chill run up his left arm as she walked by, not liking the feeling.

 _Cammy was right,_ Steve thought to himself. _She_ is _cold._

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

The tents that were used at the fort were thick and strong enough to withstand harsh winds and heavy snow, only moving slightly like waves in an ocean on a cool, breezy summer day at the beach. It also helped to raise the room temperature inside, through it still felt a bit nippy. The heavy blankets that were provided for each tent truly helped with keeping the occupants warm.

To Alex, it was better than being outside. Sitting on her cot, she had taken off her leather jacket, but had a heavy blanket wrapped around her arms. A single lantern was lit, the only source of light in the tent. She had since let her hair down and had just eaten some of her ready-to-eat meal. However, still heavy with thoughts of hers and everyone's futures an hour after leaving the kitchen, she wasn't able to eat everything.

Wrapping the remaining contents back in the bag, she placed it underneath the cot, more than likely to finish the rest either in the middle of the night or in the morning. At times like this, she was glad for her military training. All the times of rationing food and dealing with hunger during basic training was paying off.

Thinking of the military made her frown even more, as she thought about her demotion from first to second lieutenant after leaving for Outworld without permission… all because she followed a potential intruder who got on a ship without anyone knowing. She never even caught the guy, who was not human anyway.

She knew she deserved the demotion, but at the same time, it made her feel somewhat degraded and shameful as Special Forces had her focused more on local work rather than international work like in the old days. It was most likely coincidence that this kind of work came up, but she still couldn't help but think it all came with her demotion.

"Have I gone delusional?" she whispered out loud.

Alex's thoughts were soon cut off as the flap of the tent was pushed back, and she noticed Kenshi walking in. As he walked in, he removed the scabbard containing his katana from his torso before placing it at a corner of the tent. She briefly looked at the time on her watch and noted that he had another six hours before his watch shift.

For a couple of minutes, there was silence between them, a normal occurrence since Kenshi became a vigilante. Usually, when he came in the tent after a day of training, something that kept him busy, Alex was asleep by then. If not, she would be getting ready for bed. It was practically the same back at her apartment as well, more or so while he was getting ready to leave for the night.

After taking his boots and gloves off, Kenshi spoke. "You're bothered by something."

Alex sighed a little. "I hate it when you figure something out."

"Would you rather I was quiet about it?"

She stared at him. "Depends on what it is."

"That doesn't help."

Another sigh escaped her lips. "I've just been mentally exhausted over a lot today."

"About the invasion?"

"That especially. Then there's the wait for the next one, the health and well being of our allies, not just here, but also those we knew during the tournament."

Alex got herself off the cot and paced around the room a bit. "Then I worry for my aunt too. I know there's the possible lock-down in Florida, but I still find myself wondering if she lived through the initial attack. And at times, I wonder if our failure at the tournament made Raiden turn his back on us-"

"We didn't fail," Kenshi mentioned. "We were planning to retrieve it even if Jin Kazama lost the tournament. Unfortunately, circumstances beyond our control occurred and we were forced to return to Earth before we all lost our lives."

As he spoke, Alex noted his calm demeanor, which reminded her that the swordsman had been mostly like this since the invasion. She knew there wasn't much for him worry about since his own parents also died years ago. Also, there was the fact that the sorcerer Shang Tsung had been 'taken care of' by his own sword, so there was no worry over that.

"Despite everything that's happening around us, you don't seem a bit worried, at least you're not showing it," Alex mentioned. "After Sagat, you're the calmest one around here, and I almost wish I was able to feel that."

"You have to be," Kenshi said as he stood himself up, standing a foot in front of her. "However, even with that in mind, I'm still getting that dark feeling… it's that feeling I can't explain."

"… The feeling you mentioned back in Utah."

Kenshi nodded. "I'm thinking it's just the changing environment from the invasion."

"Probably," Alex agreed.

"Still, I want you to be careful. I don't think there's much to worry about yet since the invasion wasn't all that long ago. Still, I imagine there are a few leftovers from Outworld hanging around, if anything."

Alex stayed silent, knowing why Kenshi was making this request. During their time in Outworld, she found herself captured a couple of times, one by Shang Tsung, and one which nearly killed her. She looked down at her wrists, noting the light scars around them from one of her ordeals, and can only think of the ones on her back.

She then looked up at Kenshi before closing the space between them. Without saying another word, she leaned up towards him before pressing her lips against his. Alex had only expected to do this for a couple of seconds, but as she started to pull away, she felt him wrap one arm around her waist and another around her shoulder, resting his hand behind her head before adding more fervor into the kiss.

For a while, they were like this, and both found that they hadn't been this close, not even remotely, since before the invasion. As she placed her arms around his shoulders, Alex realized how much she needed this right now… to be able to clear her mind from any thoughts, to just pretend that everything that was now happening around them wasn't occurring… just for a few minutes.

It was almost like reading a book, drowning yourself into something just to escape for a little while. Obviously, what was happening now was much, much different, but at least it would have the same results.

Alex pulled back a little, briefly breaking the kiss. She found herself catching her breath as his lips traveled down some of the more sensitive areas of her neck. She arched herself closer to him in reply.

After a minute, Kenshi decided to move himself so that they were closer to the cot nearby, lifting Alex a bit before laying her down on her back. He then moved himself so that he was top of her before leaning back down to lock lips with her once more.

For once, Alex was grateful for the harsh wind outside, which concealed the sounds of her heavy breathing as the two consummated.

~~~

**Lei Chen, Outworld**

"Hey!" a member of the Lei Chen Army called out to a fellow comrade. He had noted his friend leaving the city walls and out into Outworld's open land.

The younger man stopped in his tracks after hearing the soldier calling out for him. The latter stopped a couple of feet away. "Where are you going?"

He didn't turn around, but spoke anyway. "The General asked me to do some scouting to the North. He wanted to see if there are any tarkatans up in that area."

"I see… but usually they send two of us on a mission like that."

"He wanted someone to go alone so that it's easier to not be detected. Don't tell anyone I told you, however. The mission was supposed to be classified."

"I see. Well, carry on, and don't get yourself killed."

"I won't."

With that, the young man began leave. He got himself towards a mountain area mostly surrounded by rocks and boulders.

After emerging, Shang Tsung approaching the tarkatan campsite. He immediately noticed Baraka waiting for him with Mileena standing a couple of feet behind him.

"Well?" Baraka said.

A smirk came over the sorcerer's "I can officially confirm that neither Ermac nor Siegfried are currently present at the city."

"Just in time," Mileena replied. "Because while you were gone, we received a message from Shao Kahn."

Baraka continued for her. "We are to attack at dawn. Now that we're sure that those two inferior pests are not there, it'll be much easier for us to wipe out the city once and for all."

"All those bodies for us to feast upon!" Mileena cried out with excitement.

 _And all the souls I could obtain_ _,_ Shang Tsung thought to himself. _And when all is done, I will be taking a… brief leave from Outworld to take care of my own agenda! That wretched swordsman better be prepared for my arrival!_

The sorcerer managed to smirk. "Yes… all the bodies for you to feast upon. That's for your army to enjoy, of course."

Baraka and Mileena resisted the urge to stare at each other. They still planned to 'take care' of the sorcerer, feeling that he's more of a nuisance to the Emperor than anything else. They just have to keep themselves on their toes, just in case he had his own plan up his sleeve.

"Until then," Shang Tsung continued. "We'll prepare for dawn."


	38. Chapter Thirty-Seven

**Shaolin Temple, China**

"Has it only been three weeks already?" Li Mei found herself saying out loud at the breakfast table.

It had been mostly quietly until she spoke, so naturally, it caught the attention of both Bo' Rai Cho and Kung Lao. Even though it was all she said so far, they knew what she was referring to.

Li Mei shook her head a little, finishing the thought out loud. "Three weeks since the invasion… maybe a little more than that… I'm not sure, I already lost count."

Bo' Rai Cho nodded, feeling a bit grim. "It doesn't seem so very long, does it?"

"Actually, I find that it seems like months to me," Li Mei replied as she placed her chopsticks down on the table. "Plus, I had hoped that Fujin would come back soon with some news about anything. Preferably good news, of course."

"The best you can do is to be patient," suggested Kung Lao. He chuckled at that. "Of course, I shouldn't really be speaking about being patient. I was never really good at that myself."

"But you have been getting better at it," Bo' Rai Cho mentioned, laughing a bit as well. His smile faded then and he turned back to the young woman. "But Kung Lao is right. It's all you can do."

Li Mei sighed a little. "I guess it's because I've been thinking of all the people suffering because of Outworld. I also can't help but think about people like Yang, someone who is worried for both his girlfriend and his brother." Li Mei shook her head. "It's almost like returning to my village of Sun Do all over again… the day I found all of my people slain. Before that, we were enslaved by Shao Kahn and his forces. I managed to escape just before the Blood Tournament, hoping to enter. I was foolish to think that if I won the tournament, then maybe I could help free my people with the medallion."

She chuckled a little. "When I met Raiden and the others, I admit, I was a bit of a nervous wreck. It was my first time meeting people from other realms and I had all these hopes and doubts. I kind of acted a little funny, speaking in run-on sentences… I felt really silly then.

"But that's not the point, of course. During my absence, Shang Tsung took the opportunity to orchestrate the massacre of my village. I'll never know why it was done to this day. All I know is that something inside me changed the moment I went into the village and saw what I saw. There were a couple of guards left there and I managed to kill them all without really thinking about it.

"I remember just feeling depressed, empty. Because I felt that I failed my people. I escaped because I tried to help them. Instead, they died. I blamed myself for a while, but I came to terms with it towards the end of the tournament. I realized that it could've happened even if I was there. The massacre just happened to occur at a time I wasn't there. But sometimes, I wonder if it was just Shang Tsung's way to get to me, a way to make me suffer.

"With Shang Tsung gone now, I feel that my people were avenged and I can know peace once more. I think, when we start to fight back against the Outworld Forces, it'll be a way for me to help. I feel as though it's a tribute to my people."

Kung Lao placed a hand on her shoulder after she finished. "I have a feeling, with just your words alone, that your people are proud of you already."

Li Mei smiled at that.

It was then that a monk came into the room, catching their attention. Bo' Rai Cho stood up. "Is there something you need?"

The monk briefly bowed to him before replying. "I thought you should know… some of us noticed that one of the people staying with us, Rong Yuan, is snooping around the private quarters. We tried to approach, but he was a bit aggressive."

"Did he try to hurt anyone?" Kung Lao asked.

"Not yet as far as I know. But the way he was snooping, it's as though he's looking for something."

Bo' Rai Cho turned to Kung Lao and Li Mei. "I think it's best for us to see what's going on. After all, it was the three of us who invited him to stay here."

"That would be best," Kung Lao agreed.

With that in mind, the three of them began to follow the monk to the outside world.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Walking into the throne room, Ivy approached the two thrones, going up the three steps before heading to her own. Before she sat down, she turned to Shao Kahn, who was already in his seat. She noted his red eyes gazing at her as though he was waiting for her to say something.

She knew what he was waiting to hear. "The attack on Lei Chen is starting as I speak," she informed him.

The Emperor nodded. "Good."

Seeing that he was in somewhat of a descent mood, Ivy decided to walk over to where he was before sitting herself down on the arm of his throne. Slowly, Shao Kahn's hand shifted a bit before placing it on the small of her back, sending a bit of a chill up her spine.

Despite feeling her shiver under the palm of his hand, Shao Kahn was able to ignore it as he proceeded. "I still haven't heard a word from Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro on Earthrealm. I assume they had yet to find and eliminate Dhalsim."

Ivy leaned back a bit, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "I wonder... besides him and Raiden, who else on Earth is a threat to our plans." She then looked back down at him again. "What about the Elder Gods?"

Shao Kahn almost laughed at that. "It's their nature to not get involved with conflicts. They wouldn't get involved unless I decided to physically enter any of the realms I've taken over. They masquerade as dragons, but are mere toothless worms."

"I see," Ivy said. "Too bad, it would've proved quite a challenge."

After saying that sentence, an idea came to Ivy. She didn't know why she didn't think of this person before because it was very obvious.

 _It's… almost perfect,_ the young woman thought.

As the Empress stared at Shao Kahn, a smirk came over her face.

~~~

**Near Lei Chen, Outworld**

As the sun began to rise, lighting up the purple sky of Outworld, a Dragonfly landed at a port with only two passengers in tow. Once it had landed completely, the two figures got off, both glad to be back on land.

The wind picked up a little, and Siegfried found himself gazing up towards the sky. "At least it's light out now."

Ermac nodded in reply. "And we just have another two hour walk before we return to Lei Chen."

Siegfried turned to him. "Do you think the city is still doing okay without us?"

"We can only hope."

Silence fell between them as they began walking forward. It didn't last very long before the Keisei native spoke once more. "What will we say to them when we get there? They had been relying on us in finding the portals, and yet we failed to do just that."

"We can only tell them the truth," Ermac replied. "Even Lord Zeffeero had his doubts about our mission, but was willing to give it a try. The best we can do is figure out a new plan." He turned to his ally. "Try not to think about it until we return to the city."

Siegfried nodded. "I'll try not to. But to be honest… I can't help but get a strange feeling about something. I can't really describe what it is, maybe it's just my imagination. But something's telling me that we need to get back to Lei Chen as soon as possible."

"Again, we're just two hours away," Ermac reminded the young man. "We'll be there soon enough."

Siegfried nodded, taking a deep breath as he tried to get himself relaxed. The truth was, however, with everything that's happened during their journey, along with their failed attempt to find an available portal, all he really wanted to do now was to return to Lei Chen and get the explanation and seeing the disappointment of it's citizens' over with.

For the next two hours, Siegfried and Ermac trekked across the land towards the area where Lei Chen was located. About three weeks ago, the two had left on a journey in hopes of discovering an available portal that would lead to a safe haven for the Lei Chen citizens. The possibility of a portal still working was very small, but it was better to try to find one than doing nothing at all.

Unfortunately, the journey was in vain as every portal they found was either deactivated or destroyed. With that, the two found themselves returning to the city empty handed.

For those two hours, there was nothing but silence with the except of the winds that was blowing rapidly against their faces. As they got closer, there was another noise, but it was one that neither of them were able to recognize. It was constant, but not consistent.

It wasn't until they were less than a half mile away that the noise became recognizable.

It was Ermac who spoke first. "Sounds like… a battle is taking place at the city!"

Siegfried immediately grabbed the hilt of his sword and drew it out. "Hopefully, we arrived just in time."

Ermac took out his axe and the two ran the rest of the way back to Lei Chen. It seemed like forever before they reached one of the hills overlooking the city. There, they saw a horrifying sight.

Buildings were on fire, creating a large, black cloud above Lei Chen. Weapons clashed as enemies fought against one another. Battles cries were heard all around, along with the terrified screams from those trying to get away from the madness. Even from a distance, they could see the shed blood on the ground and some of the tarkatans were already feasting upon those who had met their demise.

Siegfried's eyes were widened with horror. "We're too late!"

Ermac knew this even before it was said. "We'll have to save whoever is still alive and what's left of the city. Let's go!"

The two quickly began running down the hill to join the fray, not wasting a single second the moment they reached the battleground. Two tarkatans noticed them and, with their blades out, ran towards them, but were quickly taken care of as a sword and an axe sliced through their bodies, instantly killing them.

For the first couple of minutes, Siegfried slashed his sword at any enemy who went near him. Those who didn't see it coming were immediately killed, their blood covering the blade. There were those, however, who did get lucky, noting the weapon coming at them. They were able to jump out of the way, but would soon try to fight him from another angle, but they were soon taken care of as well.

After slicing another tarkatan through the torso, Siegfried stared up at his blood-covered sword. "It's worse than I thought," he said aloud about the attack on Lei Chen.

That was when he noticed one Tarkatan in particular. _The biggest of them all_ _,_ he remembered Ermac saying some time ago. As the mutant stared at him, Siegfried knew who this was.

"Baraka."

Baraka immediately growled at him, a few sprays of saliva spewing from between his Tarkatan teeth. "You! I figured one of you would show up in this battle!" He spread his arms out, his blades quickly emerging out with a _shing!_ "I will cut your heart out!" With another roar, he ran forward towards the human.

Siegfried got in his fighting stance, waiting for the beast to reach him. "Let's do this."

Soon, Baraka slashed his blades with Siegfried blocking them, beginning their battle…

Meanwhile, Ermac was also taking care of any enemies who went near him. Using both of his axe and telekinetic abilities, he was able to defeat them easily. At one point, a lone tarkatan ran towards him, blades out. They briefly fought with Ermac defending himself with his axe before he found an opening and kicked the mutant in the stomach.

Then, using his powers, he lifted the tarkatan in the air, it's body glowing green. He then spreading his hands apart, making all four of the tarkatan's limbs rip apart. It's blood spewed everywhere as it screamed in agony. Ermac turned him upside down and then, using both hands again, moved them quickly downward. This made the tarkatan slam headfirst into the ground with so much force that, before it's torso fell over, there was almost nothing left of it's head.

Ermac then turned around, just in time to see a pair of pink energies shaped like sais coming towards him. He quickly raised his hands up and, using his powers, managed to stop the projectiles. He then noted two other tarkatans coming towards him. Using his powers once more, he moved each projectile quickly at them with enough force to knock them back far once they were hit.

Standing not too far, Mileena was a bit surprised by the move, but she managed to keep her composure. She began to move, almost skipping, towards the Enigma, a sai in each of her hands.

"Ah," she said almost gleefully. "Not only did I find myself a new playmate, but I managed to find the traitor!" She then got into a fighting stance. "In that case, let us dance!"

Ermac raised his axe. "We are many. You are but one."

Mileena narrowed her eyes at him. "You will be _nothing_ once I'm through with you!"

With a battle cry, Mileena ran towards Ermac, her sais raised above her head. Ermac waiting until she was in reach before blocking her attack with his axe. From there, their own battle started…

~~~

**Shaolin Temple, China**

About ten minutes ago, Bo' Rai Cho, Kung Lao, and Li Mei received word from a fellow monk that one of those staying with them, Rong Yuan, was snooping around the private quarters for whatever reason. There were those who tried to go near him, but he was reported as 'aggressive.' He hadn't hurt anyone, at least not yet.

Once they were at the private quarters, it didn't take them very long to find him just coming out of one of the empty rooms. It was Bo' Rai Cho who decided to step forward.

"Is everything okay?" the older man asked him.

Rong Yuan immediately looked up at him, his face void of any sort of emotion. As he looked at Bo' Rai Cho, Kung Lao began to have a strange feeling about him, one that he couldn't explain. Just in case, however, he looked at Li Mei, giving her a brief nod before moving forward. Li Mei got the message and moved as well until Rong Yuan found himself surrounded by them.

At least they left him some breathing room.

"I'll only fight if I have to," he said, knowing why he was being surrounded. "I… had lost a scroll not long after I came here. I've been trying to find it for some time and I thought maybe it ended up here."

"What kind of scroll is it?" Bo' Rai Cho asked.

Before Rong Yuan was able to answer, the clicking sound of a gun's hammer being pulled back was heard, catching everyone's attention. They turned to where the noise was, only to see Lei Wulong and Chun Li standing there with Lei pointing a gun straight at Rong Yuan's head.

"I finally found you!" he called out. "With this invasion, you have nowhere else to go."

Naturally, the other three were confused by this. "What is this about?" Bo' Rai Cho asked.

"This is Feng Wei," Lei replied without hesitation. "He's wanted by Interpol for crimes that include destruction of property and multiple assaults on those who owned those properties. We've been looking for him for quite some time. I'm not sure how he ended up here, but that doesn't matter. He'll be under arrest."

Kung Lao sighed a little. "Seems like we heard a slightly different story. We actually let him stay with us just before you came along."

Chun Li's eyes widened a little. "You mean to tell us that Feng Wei was here the whole time?"

"He's mostly kept to himself and we didn't realize he had any sort of connection with Interpol, though apparently not a good one," Bo' Rai Cho mentioned.

"I'm sure you had good intentions when you let him stay here, Master Bo' Rai Cho," Lei said. "But this man is wanted for his crimes and must be punished."

Li Mei found herself stepping forward. "I know what Rong-um, Feng Wei did was wrong but… can't we call some sort of truce for the time being?"

Lei looked at her with confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"What I mean is… I know what he did was wrong and I know you want him arrested for his crimes, but I think fighting this invasion is more important. We need to put our conflicts aside because despite what he's done, I'm sure Feng Wei wants to survive as much as the rest of us. Despite what he's done, we need to all work together to fight a common enemy. That if, of course, unless he committed murder. Then I'd say do whatever you want with him!"

Feng Wei tried not to raise an eyebrow at that. If this woman only knew about his master…

"Besides Lei," Chun Li chimed in. "Where are you going to hold him until this is all over? In a tree?"

Lei turned to his fiance, a sheepish smile on his face. "Well… I suddenly recall saying something like that to you when you tried to arrest Kira."

Sighing a little, Lei placed his gun back in his holster. "Okay… Li Mei's right. We all have a common enemy and must stick together." He turned his attention to Feng Wei. "But under one condition. When this war is over, you're coming back with me to pay for your crimes."

Feng Wei stared at him. "I'm willing to fight alongside with you only because, yes, I do want to survive as much as the rest of you. But you'd be fooling yourself if you think the condition will be met."

"We'll see about that in the end."

With that, Feng Wei turned around and began to walk away. There was silence between everyone until Chun Li spoke. "I figured he wasn't going to try to make it easy."

Lei sighed again. "I thought so too. But we'll see…"

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

As a distant thunder was heard from outside, Emperor Shao Kahn entered a small room. It was a room with a single window, the walls made of concrete. There was only a single table covered in red velvet material, a clear ball on top of it. Sitting in a chair, a Shadow Priest sat as though it was waiting for him.

Shao Kahn moved until he was a few feet away. He pointed at the ball. "Show me the one Ivy speaks of."

Just a few minutes ago, Ivy mentioned a person who may possibly be a threat to their plans to completely take over Earth. Shao Kahn realized who she was talking about and decided to head here to visit the same Shadow Priest who showed him the location of Dhalsim.

After giving his command, the Shadow Priest waved their hands, revealing their long fingernails. The ball activated and it soon revealed an image of the person Ivy spoke of.

Shao Kahn figured as much once he instantly recognized the mortal. He folded his arms. Even he himself wondered why he didn't think about this person in the first place. It _was_ almost perfect… almost to the point of nearly forgetting about them.

A grin came over the Emperor's face. "When the time comes, I will send a couple of my Generals to seek this one out. I will see to this one's elimination!"

For another moment, Shao Kahn stared at the ball, seeing the person in question - the runner up of the Blood Tournament, Jin Kazama!

~~~

**Lei Chen, Outworld**

With a roar, Mileena jumped in the air as she approached Ermac, raising one of her sais above her head. As she fell back towards the ground, she made an attempt to stab him, but Ermac saw the maneuver, managing to jump sideways and out of the way.

As Mileena attempted to get herself back up, Ermac took a moment to float himself up in the air, a green energy containing faces of the souls within surrounding him. He didn't wait for the Tarkatan woman to even turn to face him before he slammed himself down on the ground back first. The impact caused a slight earthquake in their proximity, making Mileena lose her balance.

As she attempted to get up, Ermac teleported himself behind her, landing a punch once she tried to search for him. She let out a cry as she stumbled sideways. She was able to regain herself just in time to note the enigma approaching her once more.

Not giving him a chance to get closer, Mileena threw another projectile at him, the pink energy shaped like her sai. Ermac quickly sidestepped away from it, but wasn't able to recover before Mileena jumped forward, aiming a low kick to his shins. The kick landed, forcing Ermac to stumble back before she flipped herself forward, delivering another kick to his face. Straightening herself after, she landed one last kick to his stomach, sending him back and landing on his side.

Mileena ran forward, getting ready to attack again, but she barely took a few steps forward before Ermac sat himself up and shot out a green projectile at her. The speed of the energy didn't give her enough time to move out of the way before it hit her in the torso, sending her flying back with a demonic-like cry.

This gave Ermac enough time to get back on his feet and go after her. By the time he reached her, Mileena was on her feet as well, just in time to block an incoming attack from Ermac's foot with her forearm. Mileena found herself on defense for a few seconds, blocking all of Ermac's attacks.

At one point, Mileena pushed his arm back a bit, leaving him open. Taking the opportunity, she delivered a high spin kick, but the enigma was able to duck under it. From there, she tried a low kick, but once again, Ermac avoided the attack by jumping over it. By the time he landed back on his feet, Mileena delivered one last kick to the stomach. This time, she successfully landed the blow, causing Ermac to keel over in sudden pain from the kick.

A small chuckle escaped Mileena's throat as she used her other leg to knee Ermac right in the jaw. The force was enough for him to fly back a couple of feet before landing on his back.

"You know," she said almost innocently. "I haven't had this much fun in a while. It's almost a shame that it will end very soon." She then went into a sing-song voice. "You'rrre going to diiiie."

In reply, Ermac placed a hand out, his body once again surrounded by the green faces of his souls. Then, to Mileena's surprise, she was surrounded by a green energy before finding herself floating up in the air.

"What? AHHH!" she screamed.

Ermac got himself back on his feet, still keeping his telekinetic hold on his opponent. Once he was ready, he threw his arm down, causing Mileena to slam hard into the ground with enough force to bounce her back up. While she was still in the air, Ermac took the opportunity to kick her in the back, sending her airborne a few feet before landing on the ground.

Ermac stood where he was, giving Mileena the chance to get herself back up. Feeling the new pain coursing through her body, she struggled a little to get herself up. However, once standing, she turned to Ermac, her demon-like eyes glaring at him.

"To think," she said almost bitterly. "You were created by sorcery, like myself. You're nothing more than a flawed creation and a traitor to the Emperor!"

"At least we are no longer Shao Kahn's puppet," Ermac replied. "And we have no flaws, even from the beginning."

That last comment only served to remind Mileena of her own flaw as she placed a hand over her tarkatan teeth, which were covered by her veil. Anger suddenly took over her as she drew out her sais again.

"Die, traitor!" she shrieked as she ran towards him with a roar.

Ermac simply waited until she was close enough to be a few feet away. As Mileena attempted to stab him, Ermac disappeared in a green burst before reappearing behind her. Mileena didn't get the chance to comprehend what just happened before a pair of hands glowing in a green color grabbed either side of her head. She tried to struggle out of the grip as her vision saw nothing more than green. A loud noise suddenly pierced her ears and a sudden pain hit her within her head, causing her to scream for a split second before losing consciousness, her sais dropping to the ground.

Once Ermac was done, he tossed the female half-tarkatan to the side. By then, more tarkatans were coming towards him. Turning in their direction, he got into a fighting stance, ready to battle once more…

Meanwhile, not too far from where Ermac was, Siegfried found himself on defense, blocking most of Baraka's blades with his sword. Ever since he began to help fight against the Outworld Forces, the Keisei native had fought many tarkatans. Some were nothing more than lackeys who he took care of easily. Some were more tough and gave him a bit more of a challenge, but they too would eventually fall to his blade.

Now fighting Baraka, Siegfried could see why he was not only the General, but the leader of the Tarkatan Militia… he was actually more vicious, faster, and stronger than the others he led. The more he attacked, the more Siegfried realized that he was most likely the one tarkatan who was going to give him the best challenge yet.

Eventually, as he blocked another attack from Baraka, Siegfried managed to find an opening. Taking advantage of it, he manages to knee him in the stomach, causing the Tarkatan to stagger back. Aiming the flatter, non-sharp part of his sword, Siegfried swung the weapon down, succeeding in knocking Baraka flat on the ground. Pulling his sword back a little, he waited until the General began to get up. Once he started to, Siegfried tucked his sword underneath, flat side facing Baraka's chest, before pushing him upwards, sending him flying in the air.

In mid-air, Baraka caught himself by flipping back and, as he fell back towards the ground, shot out a blue projectile at Siegfried. The young man saw this in time and ducked underneath, moving himself a couple of feet forward in the process.

As Siegfried got closer, Baraka quickly extended his arms out to the side and began to spin rapidly. Seeing this, Siegfried managed to stop himself just inches away from the blade, his blue eyes widening a bit as he realized how close he was. He ached his back a bit until Baraka stopped spinning. As the mutant turned to face the human, he was suddenly met with a head butt to the face, sending him staggering back once more as he yelled in pain.

Baraka quickly shook the pain despite the fact that he could now feel his nose starting to bleed. "You'll pay for that, human!"

Siegfried ignored his statement as he ran towards him, swinging his sword downward once he reached him. Baraka quickly blocked the moved, forced on defense as the Keisei native delivered more attacks. At one point, he managed to use the flat side of his sword once more to catch Baraka's legs before swinging upwards, sending him flying in the air. As the mutant fell back down, Siegfried kicked in the side sending him flying back.

From there, Siegfried ran back towards him to attack again. Baraka simply waited until he was close enough before digging his blades into the ground and, once the human was close enough, jumped up, using his blades for support, and kicked him in the chest with both feet. This send Siegfried backwards before landing on his rear. Once that was done, Baraka straightened himself up, removing the blades from the ground before he began to walk forward towards his enemy.

Baraka seemed to grin at his opponent as he stared at him. "You're one of the better humans I've fought as of recent. But that doesn't mean that I intend to let you live through this fight!"

Standing himself on his feet, Siegfried clenched his teeth as his grip on the hilt of his sword tightened. "My life is not for your taking!"

It was at that moment when someone came from behind and landed a kick to Baraka's back, causing him to stumble a couple of feet. The tarkatan managed to keep his balance and, with a growl, quickly turned around to face whoever attacked him. Siegfried soon got a clear view of who it was.

"Olek!" he called out as he recognized the Lei Chen General. Just as he did, Baraka began to attack Olek, who immediately defended himself using a naginata. As they continued to clash, Siegfried began to get himself up, hoping to join Olek to fight again the Tarkata General.

However, just as he got back on his feet, Baraka managed to knock the naginata out of Olek's hands. Before the Lei Chen General was able to move, Baraka managed to grab him by the shirt with both hands. Olek struggled to get out of the mutant's grip, but was never able to before Baraka's blades quickly extended out and embedded themselves through his chest.

Siegfried could only watch with wide-eyes as blood spewed from Olek's severe wounds. Baraka stared at him for another moment, let out a low, maniacal laugh before letting his blades retract into his skin. That released Olek, who immediately dropped to the ground like a rag doll. By then, another member of the Lei Chen army jumped in and began to fight Baraka.

Seeing how Baraka had now forgotten about him, Siegfried took the opportunity to check on Olek. The older man was still alive, but he knew that he didn't have much time before death came to him.

The General noted the younger man as he got down on his knee. "Siegfried… you made it back…"

Siegfried frowned. "Unfortunately, not on time…"

"… It… would've happened… at anytime… do not blame yourself… but… please… I don't think there's… hope for Lei Chen… anymore… it's best for you… to leave… while you can…"

Before Siegfried had a chance to reply, he noted Olek drawing in one last breath before closing his eyes. His head moved slightly sideways as his life ended. Siegfried stayed on his knee for another moment, bowing his head briefly to Olek in respect before getting himself back on his feet.

At that moment, he noted Ermac approaching him, and Siegfried was able to see by the tearing of his clothes and the scratches on his body that he had been through quite a bit in battle.

"General Olek," he began. "He's-"

"We know," Ermac replied. "We saw what happened to him. And Lord Zeffeero… we just witnessed seeing his head on a tarkatan's blade."

As they spoke, they noted that the battle was starting to quiet down a bit. There were still some members of the Lei Chen army still fighting, but they were clearly outnumbered by this point. Even if Ermac and Siegfried continued to assist, they knew that it would be in vain… whoever would be left would surely not survive another day anyway whether they met death or became imprisoned by the Outworld Forces.

At one point, Ermac turned his head, noting a strange, fire-like energy beginning to form nearby. As it grew bigger, he soon noticed a figure standing in front of it, waving his hands. A few seconds later, after noting the long black hair that was tied back, the pointed beard, and even the glowing green eyes similar to his own, Ermac recognized the figure;

Shang Tsung!

Ermac quickly turned to Siegfried. "Shang Tsung's nearby!" he called out as he pointed to where he was.

Siegfried followed where Ermac pointed and soon saw the sorcerer as well. "What is he doing?"

"It looks as though he's forming a portal. Let's go! We can't let him get away!"

The two soon began running, hoping to reach Shang Tsung before it was too late. As far as they knew, the sorcerer never noted their presence, not even turning around to see his surroundings before jumping through the portal. Not long after, a small group of tarkatans went through it as well, all having seen the sorcerer going through it.

"I wonder where he's going!" Siegfried called out as they were a few feet away from the portal.

"We'll find out soon enough!" Ermac answered.

They soon reached the swirling vortex with Ermac jumping forward as he entered through the energy. Siegfried following just seconds later. With the portal closing completely immediately after, the two found themselves within the vortex, not knowing where it would lead them…


	39. Chapter Thirty-Eight

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Sitting at his throne, Emperor Shao Kahn gazed up as he heard high-heeled footsteps walking into the throne room. He noted Empress Ivy Valentine approaching the thrones, a side smirk playing on her face. That smirk was always a good sign to him.

Once she began going up the three steps, Ivy decided to speak. "I came to tell you that we are going to have a celebration."

"What do you mean?" Shao Kahn asked.

Ivy sat herself down on the armrest of the Emperor's throne. "My dear… Lei Chen is finally ours. Destroyed and secured."

"It's about time," Shao Kahn replied, feeling satisfied. "Were they able to get rid of their King and the General?"

Ivy's smirk faded then. "Yes, we were able to eliminate both Lord Zeffeero and General Olek. However… Baraka and his troops are currently searching for Ermac and Siegfried."

The Empress noted Shao Kahn's eyes widening in annoyance, his fingers starting to tap on top of the other armrest. "Why were they there?! Shang Tsung himself confirmed to me that they were absent just before they went in to take over!"

"They _were_ absent according to a soldier we captured," Ivy mentioned. "But wherever they went, they had returned just as the battle raged. Speaking of Shang Tsung-"

"What now?!"

Ivy sighed, not liking his sudden outburst. "No one has seen him since the battle began."

The young woman was able to hear a small growl within Shao Kahn's throat. "He'd better return by sundown _and_ have a good reason for his disappearance. If not, I'll have some of the Generals go out and search for him. He'll have a lot of explaining to do upon his return."

At the moment, however, Shao Kahn knew that there was something else he wanted to discuss with Ivy. Now that she was here, he knew that it was a good time to do so.

The Emperor leaned himself back in his throne. "Now that we completely rule all of Outworld, it's time to move forward… I think now is a good time to start invading Keisei, don't you think?"

Ivy tried not to react over hearing this. "Already? We haven't even finished invading Earth yet," she said calmly.

Shao Kahn stared up at Ivy with his red eyes. Ivy could only stare back, but in her mind, she knew that she didn't like the way he was looking at her… it was as though he was suspicious of her in some way, and she kind of hated it.

An idea came to Ivy then, almost sighing of relief as she felt thankful for being able to gather her thoughts quickly enough to even think. She got herself to raise an eyebrow. "Really, my dear. We shouldn't be hasty just yet."

Ivy stood up from the armrest before proceeding. "The last time you invaded the realms, you never had the chance to even touch Keisei, let alone hold a Mortal Kombat tournament there."

"The… issue with Earthrealm got in my way at the time."

"With that in mind, wouldn't it be best to explore the realm more? I mean, I know you have me, but I haven't traveled all of it. Besides, something tells me that you would feel most confident if you sent some of your troops to explore the strongest points of Keisei. This way, when the time comes to invade, you'll know the perfect places to strike in order to weaken them tremendously."

She heard Shao Kahn exhale a bit before he replied. "It will delay the process. However, you have a point."

"I'll personally get your guards together," Ivy offered. "And I will have them leave within the next day or two."

"You do that. While you're at it…" Shao Kahn drew out a scroll that was resting next to him. "If you happen to run into Quan Chi, deliver this to him. It's about an upcoming mission."

Ivy nodded as she took the scroll in her hand. "Yes, sir."

As she began to leave, her back turned to him, Ivy almost sighed with relief. At least, for now, she was able to delay the Keisei invasion.

~~~

**Unknown**

In the middle of a snowy area, a swirling, fire-like portal appeared out of nowhere, growing bigger within seconds. Soon after the formation was completed, two figures fell from the portal before landing face first into the snow.

"Ugh," Siegfried found himself mumbling after the landing. Coughing a little, he slowly got himself on his knees, pushing himself up. After brushing the snow out of his face, he looked at his surroundings, noting the snow, mountains, and trees around. The other thing he noticed… it was cold. Very cold.

Meanwhile, Ermac got himself up as well, keeping himself on his knees for the time being. By then, a light snow was beginning to develop… which actually baffled the enigma somewhat as he gazed up towards the sky, the snowflakes settling against his face.

"What is this?" he found himself saying as he put a hand out, letting the white flakes fall on his gloved hand.

Siegfried turned to him, noting how confused the enigma was as he looked at the snowflakes. At first, the young man was baffled by Ermac's reaction… then he remembered something; Outworld only had either sun or rain and it hardly got too cold for this weather.

"We call it snow," Siegfried replied. "Just happens when it gets cold enough for rain to freeze a little."

"We see," Ermac said. "Forgive our ignorance."

"It does occur in Keisei," the blonde mentioned as he stood up. "It's actually possible that we might be in my world… but for all we know, we might be in another realm, hopefully a welcoming one."

"And one that wasn't taken over by Outworld yet," Ermac said as he got himself on his feet.

"At least we're no longer in Outworld."

"Yes… but wherever we are, Shang Tsung is here. Whatever he is planning, we have to find him."

Siegfried took notice of his surroundings again. "We were right behind him… he shouldn't have gone too far." He looked down at the ground, but then became confused. "The footprints are there, but barely… it's as though time passed."

"Portals tend to do that," Ermac explained. "Even though we followed immediately after, time passed between his arrival and ours."

"I see."

"But at least we have an idea of where he's heading. We'll start by going downhill where he was going. It's all we can do right now."

As they both began walking forward, Siegfried found himself sighing a little, a line of vapor escaping through his lips. "Like a needle in a haystack…"

~~~

**Sky Temple, Asia**

A few days have passed since Fujin visited Dhalsim and Ruby Heart in Kerala. There, they were able to talk about the invasion and the legend of Ano Sentaku Bou.

Raiden and the chosen ones from the Blood Tournament was a high subject as well. During the Kerala visit, it was agreed that they would gather those chosen ones to join in their fight against the Outworld Forces.

And maybe, just maybe, they will be able to find at least one of the chosen ones from the _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend.

However, there was one little problem… because Fujin hadn't truly been able to watch the tournament from the Heavens, he was not able to fully determine who was there. He did know, however, that the mortals, Lei Wulong, Chun Li, Yang, and Li Mei, all who were currently at the Shaolin Temple, were some of Raiden and Rose's chosen ones. He also knew that both Kung Lao and Bo' Rai Cho would also contribute greatly in their fight, so they would have six warriors on their side at this point.

So at least he had them for now. Fujin planned to visit them soon enough to get information about those at the tournament.

But first, he would attempt to get that same information from Raiden, knowing that he would remember everyone faster. Despite his now-dark nature, Fujin knew that Raiden had to at least give the names of those who served under him in Outworld. After all, they were going to help with Earth's survival along with the rest of the universe.

With the legend of _Ano Sentaku Bou_ in mind, Fujin knew that their chances for survival went up a bit.

Fujin was just approaching the base of the Sky Temple, where Raiden mostly had been staying since returning to Earth. The Wind God was just about to speak when…

"Why do you keep pestering me?" Raiden called out in annoyance.

Fujin sighed before turning around to face his friend. He gave him a serious look. "I've come to discuss something with you."

"Be quick about it. My time is limited."

"If you truly care for Earth, then you will listen to me." Fujin folded his arms as a light wind began to increase. "What I'm about to discuss is important and I only wish for your cooperation."

The sound of thunder was heard in the distance. "… very well."

~~~

_Some Years Ago, New York City…_

_The city streets were filled with chaos and destruction. To the horror of those in the city, multiple creatures and mutants of different kinds went on their rampage, terrorizing those who were in their proximity._

_Two cops stood on a bridge, shooting at the creatures who came near them. Both were geared with as much ammunition as they could each carry. Eventually, it came to a point where no one went near them, and the two were able to take a quicker breather._

_"_ _This… is not happening," the first cop uttered._

_"_ _Already I'm losing count on how many of these guys have gone after us," the second cop mentioned. "What do you exactly think is going on around here?"_

_Suddenly, a loud roar was heard, catching the attention of the two cops. Turning their heads, they noted a tiger-like creature with four arms starting to walk in their direction._

_The first cop turned to his partner. "Spread out! Give him multiple targets!" he suggested. The second cop moved a few feet away, aiming his gun at the new creature._

_Before either one of them could do anything else, however, the tiger-like creature suddenly opened his mouth before blowing a large line of fire in the direction of the second cop. He tried to back away, but the flames came at him too fast and he soon found himself screaming in agony as the fire burned him, falling to the ground._

_The last thing the cop remembered hearing was the mutant saying, "Humans… less ugly when they burn."_

**Keisei**

Kabal sighed to himself as the memory left him, staring at the burn scars that still remained on his arms. Even to this day, he could barely remember what happen between the time he was burned to the time he woke up on a slab, getting his mask and oxygen tank permanently strapped on to him.

Before the first Outworld invasion, and before he was a cop only briefly, he had been living the life of crime in the Black Dragon clan. He originally became tired of the lifestyle and decided to use his fighting skills for positive use.

After the invasion was thwarted, Kabal made the decision to become a vigilante, fighting mostly whatever was left over from the first Outworld invasion. For a while, it became the only life he knew.

However, his reputation as a former Black Dragon would come back to haunt him as one member of their rival clan, the Red Dragon, would go after him. He fought Mavado for quite sometime before the Red Dragon finished him off by stabbing him with his own hooksword. Mavado would end up taking his hookswords as a trophy.

Kabal truly thought it was the end for him… until the cleric, Havik, came by and aided him in his recovery. During that time, Kabal had mentioned the Black Dragon to him. The clan, by that time, had disbanded as many of it's members either were killed or missing. It was Havik who convinced him to revive the Black Dragon to it's former glory. The more the cleric talked about it, the more Kabal came to realize that becoming the clan's new leader was his calling.

His first act was to 'take care' of Mavado and reclaim his hookswords. Whether or not Mavado survived their last encounter, he wasn't sure, and he had since regretted not making sure that he was truly dead.

One year later, the Black Dragon, currently in the realm of Keisei, was growing. It was a clan of anarchy and chaos. Kabal's ultimate goal was to make the clan a universal one. Having a mix of those from Earthrealm, Chaosrealm, and Keisei was a good start as of now.

Getting these thoughts out of his head, Kabal stood up from the log that he had been sitting on before making his way out of the cave, the clan's current hideout. Outside, he saw the clan members doing various things… training, chatting, singing random songs around the campfire… obviously, it was a night of relaxation without any care in the world.

And nearby, Havik was watching all of this while hanging upside down from the tree. Although Kabal always found him peculiar from the start, he was always grateful for the fact that Havik was responsible for saving his life and helping him to realize his true nature.

It was then that Kabal heard footsteps nearby. He turned his head and saw Bryan Fury approaching. The two Earth natives stared at each other for a moment before Bryan spoke.

"So… when exactly are we going on that mission to 'that city?'"

"Whenever we all feel like it," Kabal replied without missing a beat.

Bryan raised an eyebrow before turning his attention to the scene before him. "That's… interesting."

Kabal nodded. "We are aware that this is the way Havik wants it. He wouldn't have it any other way."

Bryan almost laughed. "That guy's loonier than me if you ask me… and I almost never say that."

Kabal nearly grinned underneath his mask. "And he would consider that a compliment."

"I'm not surprised you said that. Well, it's official… I'm starting to finally see the pattern this clan follows."

"And like Havik has said plenty of times… you are more than free to leave the clan at anytime you wish. No one will stop you."

Bryan thought through it for a split second before shaking his head. "Nah…. At least not yet. I still have my agenda to attend to. Until then, I'll be sticking around."

"Whatever you want to do."

Bryan then pulled out the infamous katana that belonged to Yoshimitsu. "Don't mind me, I'm going to leave for a bit… smoke a cigar if there are any more… perhaps kill a wanderer or two if I feel like it."

With that, Bryan began leaving. Kabal folded his arms as he continued to stare at the scene before him.

"You're starting to become one of us, Bryan… you just don't know it yet."

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Emerging from a private bath area, Anna Williams took a moment to tighten the rope around the silk red robe, a gift from Ivy, which covered her nude form. She briefly brushed her chin-length brown hair a little with her fingers, feeling that it was still slightly damp from her bath.

Entering her room, Anna looked over at her bed. Sitting there was Vega, which didn't come as a surprise to her. Seeing the window behind him, Anna saw that the sun had set for the evening and there was nothing but a dark blue sky which somewhat glowed due to the bright moon.

She then stared at Vega again… then frowned as she noticed something. "You know I don't like it when you wear your mask when we're alone. It blocks your handsome face."

Vega reached for the mask, taking it off before placing it on the nightstand. "Sorry, my dear."

Anna approached him then. Standing above him, she reached over to him to brush a few strands of his long blonde hair, being careful not to touch his flawless face. "As I said," she whispered. "You're too handsome to wear that mask around me."

As she spoke, Vega's eyes scanned up and down at her figure. He almost wanted to reach up to undo the rope of her robe just to see underneath once more.

"How did I managed not to meet such a beauty like you sooner," Vega said.

Anna then moved forward before sitting on Vega's lap, wrapping her bare legs around his waist. "Is anything going on at the fortress tonight?"

Vega shook his head. "No… I've been informed before coming here that we both have the night off."

Anna smiled sweetly at that. "Good." She leaned forward, moving her face to his side in order to whisper in his ear. "I was hoping we'd have a night… together."

"I like you're thinking, my dear," he whispered back as his hands snaked up her back.

Anna was just about to move to kiss him before a knock was heard at the door. She growled a bit as an annoyed look appeared on both faces.

"This better be good," Anna mumbled as she got off of Vega and began heading to the door. Vega laid himself on the bed, placing his hands behind the back his head as he watched the Irish beauty approach her bedroom door.

After turning the knob, Anna opened the door and peaked through the cracks, noting a guard standing there with a rolled up note in his right hand. "What is it?" she asked.

"I have a message here from the Empress," he said as he handed her the note.

Anna looked down at it briefly before turning to the guard again. "You can go now." The guard bowed his head to her before departing.

Closing the door, Anna rolled up the letter, which was short and brief. A sigh escaped her lips after finishing the letter, which Vega noted. "What is it?" he asked.

"Apparently, they're going to be sending some guards to scout Keisei in preparations for the invasion there. She wants the both of us to help get them ready in the morning, even though we won't be accompanying them. Sounds boring…"

"At least it's in the morning rather than, say… now," Vega mentioned, motioning Anna to come to bed.

A playful smile came over her face as Anna approached the bed, getting in it before moving to get herself on top of the Spanish matador. "That's true."

Vega wrapped his arms around her waist. "We have the night all to ourselves. Let's not worry about the sunrise until then."

In reply, Anna leaned down to claim a kiss, which Vega returned eagerly. Once more, the two shared their passion within the darkness of the room.

Meanwhile, in a lower level of the fortress, Quan Chi had just received word from Ivy herself of a new assignment that was underway. They were to go to Earth to find and retrieve, or kill, Jin Kazama, who was a possible threat to their plans to dominate the Earth.

"And what do you expect me to do?" the sorcerer asked.

"I want you to pick out three guards worthy enough to go to Earth and find Jin," Ivy informed him. "The Emperor had mentioned in the past that he trusts your instincts. I'm sure this assignment won't be a problem. Make sure it's done within three days."

It took a lot of energy for Quan Chi to not make an annoyed face at her. Instead, he bowed his head to her. "As you wish, my Empress." Ivy returned the nod before departing.

Once Ivy was gone, Quan Chi found himself clenching a fist. The idea of such an assignment frustrated him, knowing that this kind of job should've been done by someone of lower standards than him. Despite his plans to eventually get rid of Shao Kahn and take over Outworld for himself, Quan Chi remained loyal and allied with the Emperor… it was the best way to deceive him.

Speaking of allies, where the hell was Shang Tsung since Lei Chen was destroyed?

As Quan Chi thought through this, he noticed Reptile coming down the hall. Previously, the saurian had complained about not doing much since he return from securing the realm of Edenia. Although he knew who Reptile was; he had even worked for Shinnok at one point after all, Quan Chi didn't really converse with him much, so he wasn't sure how he was as a warrior.

But one thing was for sure… Reptile remained loyal to Shao Kahn for many years. And after all these years of serving the Emperor, Quan Chi knew that Reptile had to be good for something.

Reptile noticed the necromancer staring at him, and he narrowed his eyes. "What do you want, ssssorcerer?"

Quan Chi smirked. "Something's come up… Shao Kahn is planning to find and capture a mortal in Earthrealm and needs three Generals to help. I've been assigned to choose three of those Generals and, since you've complained about not doing much since returning from Edenia, I thought this might do you good."

"It'sss about time sssomething interessssting came up," Reptile replied almost in delight. "I wassss almossst getting bored waiting around to invade the realmsss once more. I look forward to finding thissss mortal."

"I'll inform you with more information in a couple of days. You can go now."

With that, Reptile walked away from the sorcerer. Quan Chi then decided to head towards the training room as another person came to mind. He knew that if he wanted to find this particular person, all he had to do was look in the training room.

Going down another level in the fortress, Quan Chi was already able to hearing someone yelling as they punched and kicked at what he guessed was a stuffed dummy. Once he entered the room, Quan Chi spotted the person he was searching for; the brainwashed Guy Hinato…

The sorcerer waited until Guy noticed him. After kicking at the dummy, cutting it's neck area enough for sand to start pouring out, Guy turned to Quan Chi, his pale eyes staring at him.

"There's a mission coming up on Earth," Quan Chi began to say. "Shao Kahn wants a particular mortal to be captured and brought here in order to get him out of our way… something tells me he'll be a… brainwashed fighter as well."

"And you want me to help," Guy guessed.

"Precisely. You and two other Generals will head down to Earth in a few days to find him. I will inform you with more information as they come."

"Very well," Guy replied.

As Quan Chi began to exit the training room, Guy spoke once more. "Who are the other Generals besides myself."

"Reptile, and…" That's when Quan Chi thought of the last person. "… Myself."

As he walked forward, Quan Chi was almost proud of himself. After all, he was a worthy warrior himself for such a task like this. If Ivy could trust him in gathering Generals for something like this, why not actually help in the task?

Quan Chi then found himself thinking about Shang Tsung once more, finding himself somewhat annoyed. "I should've known he would actually go on that… vacation."

~~~

**Sky Temple, Asia**

"Once again," Raiden began to speak. "Be quick… my patience these days is wearing thin."

Fujin sighed a little. "So you've said before. Need I remind you that there is a war between the universe… including Earth… and Outworld?"

Raiden folded his arms. "Yes. I'm quite fully aware of what is happening in the universe. Earth does need to be taken care of, which is what I'm here for. Someone has to do it since the rest of mankind doesn't seem to care anymore."

Ignoring that statement, Fujin proceeded. "I recently discovered that there is hope for Earth after all. It's part of a legend in a tablet located in India. It's called, _Ano Sentaku Bou_. It-"

"I remember the legend," Raiden quickly said before Fujin could finish. "… but I do not believe _that_ is the key in saving Earth."

"What makes you believe that?"

"Because not even a large group of mortals can defend the realms together. They couldn't even work together to retrieve a single artifact. Four individuals? Ha! That's laughable!"

With that statement, Fujin quickly realized that obtaining information about the chosen ones from the Blood Tournament was going to be no use, not through Raiden. Still, he was going to ask anyway… it was the sole reason he was here to begin with.

"And who are these chosen ones exactly?" he asked, even though it would be in vain. "I'm sure they can-"

"Why? So you can cause even more harm than good?"

Fujin found himself somewhat taken aback by those words. _It's as though he doesn't even trust me anymore, even with the chosen ones gathered…_

"Not even a year ago, you and Rose believed in the ch-"

"Do not mention that name again in my presence!" Raiden barked, his eyes filled with electricity.

There was no use… Fujin knew that they were just going to go back and forth, doing nothing but waste time trying to argue their points. It was over, he knew it.

"It seems as though despite your concern for Earth, you no longer care for the people in it, let alone in the universe. Very well… I guess I'll be the one to take on the mantle you held all those months ago." Fujin narrowed his eyes. "Someone has to do it since Earth's own protector doesn't seem to care."

Raiden clenched his teeth at that. "You DARE use my own words against me?"

"Because it's the truth! I'll find out who your warriors are! And I'll even help figure out the four chosen ones if I have to! And we'll stop this threat… with or without your help!"

"Do as you wish, but be warned… if you as so much as pull a patch of grass from Earth's grounds, I will show no mercy!"

A large gust of wind blew afterwards and Fujin soon faded from Raiden's view. After the wind died down, and he was sure that the Wind God was gone, only two words spewed from Raiden's lips…

"Good riddance."


	40. Chapter Thirty-Nine

**Outworld**

After what seemed like an eternity, Jade finally managed to escape from Shao Kahn's Fortress. It had taken her three days since escaping her cell to do so along with knocking out, and killing if necessary, those who got in her way. Placing a two mile distance between herself and the fortress, she sat herself down and leaned against a tree, quickly eating one of the handful of Outworld berries she picked moments before. Until now, she didn't realize how hungry she was.

Despite making it out of the fortress alive, however, Jade realized that she found herself a bit reluctant, somewhat guilty, to escaping from that dark place. Inside were countless prisoners, including those of the Edenian Freedom Fighters she had led back in Edenia before it was captured once more. They had encouraged her to go, and she promised to return to them once she was able to get help.

Then there were those who were brainwashed to fight for the Emperor, including her allies Kitana, Sindel, and Sonya. One of the reasons she stayed behind for a while was to search for Kitana and Sindel, both who went missing after Edenia was first invaded over four months ago.

Once she saw that they were brainwashed, Jade knew that it was no use to try to save them… at least for now. The fact that Sonya was there shocked her, believing that the soldier had died after the Blood Tournament. Instead, Sonya was resurrected and brainwashed due to her contribution as one of Raiden's warriors to fight against Shao Kahn when he first tried to invade Earthrealm years ago.

Just like she promised her soldiers, Jade promised her friends that she would come back for them. She would find help somehow and come back to free her allies.

She was going to need that help big time just by the amount of civilians and other brainwashed fighters who were going to need saving.

Thinking about this, Jade thought of her other allies from the tournament. Many of them were from other realms, mostly Earthrealm and Keisei. She wasn't sure of those realms' current standing concerning Outworld's invasions, but… if she could find a way to travel to there and seek help from there, perhaps it would be a decent start.

 _But the question is,_ the green-clad woman thought. _How?_

A half hour later after sitting down, Jade finished the last of the Outworld berry that she picked after getting outside. She then turned her head, she began to see movement amongst the trees. Whatever it was, Jade wasn't taking a chance. Getting on her feet, she jumped up into the high branches of the tree she had been leaning against. She then kept herself hidden amongst the leaves, peering down through them.

Moments later, she began to recognize the uniforms of the Outworld guards as they came closer. They were soon close enough for her to hear their conversation.

"So, you think this is going to work out?"

"Of course! This scouting business is going to be a piece of cake!"

"I wonder why the Empress isn't coming along with us? After all, she is-"

"Nah, I think it's better anyway. She's just better off doing nothing but sit on that throne of her just like the Emperor."

"I still wonder why the Emperor decided to make her an Empress."

"I was wondering that too! I mean, if I was Emperor, I would've just had nothing more than my personal slaves. I think that sounds more fun!"

"Gentlemen, the answer is simple. All you have to do is look at her."

"… That is very true."

Jade couldn't help but smirk, roll her eyes, and shake her head nearly at the same time over that conversation. _Typical guards… no wonder you all almost never survive the first year._

As the guards continued to walk, Jade noted that many of them were carrying bags with them, making her realize that they were going somewhere. Whatever they were going, they were going to travel to accomplish whatever was asked of them.

 _Scouting business_ _,_ Jade thought, remembering part of the conversation she heard. _I wonder what they'll be scouting._

She knew it had nothing to do with Outworld. During her escape attempt, she heard that the last standing city, Lei Chen, was recently destroyed and claimed by the Outworld Forces. So if there was nothing more to scout in Outworld, then where were they exactly going?

_Only one way to find out…_

She waited a bit after the last guard passed under her. Once the coast was clear, Jade jumped down and landed gracefully on the ground. Using her stealth skills, she began to stalk the group of guards, still wondering in her mind where they were exactly going…

~~~

_Nine Years Ago…_

_Walking along a wasteland in a beach area, Smoke scanned the surrounding area. Something had taken place here recently, he realized, noting the decaying corpses lying along the sandy beach area. At the moment, however, it wasn't his concern._

_Smoke turned his attention to the blue-clad ninja who stood a few feet away. "We should stay together, Tundra," he suggested. "Assuming your brother's identity will certainly draw attention." He put emphasis on his next words. "Not all of it welcome."_

_The blue-clad ninja sighed a little, walking forward a bit towards where the light waves crashed. "You are right, Smoke," he answered. "But assuming Bi-Han's identity is the best way to honor him."_

_Smoke realized then how important it was to his friend. "Let us proceed then… Sub-Zero."_

_For a moment, there was silence between them, and Smoke noted the appreciation Sub-Zero gave through his blue eyes. His friend gave him a slight nod before pacing once more._

_"_ _We should separate," he suggested. "Our fellow Lin Kuei will not be far behind once our absence is discovered." He stopped walking._

_Smoke followed him a bit, stopping once he stood next to him. "If only they had been more forthcoming with the details of your brother's demise… We will find Shang Tsung. He_ _will_ _tell us all he knows."_

_Sub-Zero looked down at the sand below them. "If he killed Bi-Han… he will die," he vowed. A sigh escaped his lips, a line of vapors emerging out through his mask._

_Smoke could only stare at his friend with concern. He just couldn't imagine the pain Sub-Zero was going through… to not only lose his older brother, but to not receive any details from those who were supposedly there the night Bi-Han died._

_Sub-Zero then turned to Smoke, place a fist over his own chest just in front of his heart before slightly bowing to him. "Be stealthful as the night…"_

_Smoke followed the same procedure, a tradition of the Lin Kuei since it's existence. "…And deadly as the dawn," he finished._

_From there, Sub-Zero began walking away, heading towards a wooded area nearby. Smoke watched his friend. He truly hoped that they would find the answers they needed, all the while keeping their distance from the Lin Kuei, who were out to change them into souless cyborgs._

_Neither one of them were aware that it would be the last time they would see each other with both of them in their human forms for many years…_

**Himalayan Mountains**

Within his system, Smoke finished some maintenance, something he rarely did. It was something he preferred not to do… it made him less human. Then again, whenever he did delay, the process would take much longer than he cared for.

Thinking about the last time he saw Sub-Zero while still in his own human form, he remembered going into another part of the forest. He did run into Shang Tsung and fought him along with saurian Reptile and a mercenary named Kano, but eventually, Sektor showed up with other Lin Kuei cyborgs, interfering with the battle. Despite's Smoke's abilities to evade capture with his powers, he found himself immobilized by the other cyborgs, not being able to get away before they transported him back to base to 'improve' him.

Between that day and the Blood Tournament, with the exception of the brief time Sub-Zero reprogrammed him along with some bits and pieces of his time serving under Noob Saibot, Smoke had no memory of those years.

Smoke hoped to someday return to his human form. With the way he was built… with wires going through his major arteries, Sub-Zero said it was too risky and that it would kill him. He knew that his friend didn't want to take that chance himself, and he understood. Still, if he could find someone with the skill to take on a complex challenge like this one, Smoke was willing to risk his life if it possibly meant become human once more.

 _But at a time like this,_ the cyborg thought to himself. _I may remain a machine for the rest of my life._

Currently on watch duty just outside the village he was staying at, night had fallen with a full moon shining down, it's small source of light making the snow shimmer. The trees were darkened into shadows and the outline of the Himalayan mountains were barely seen.

Since the Lin Kuei arrived here, all had been mostly quiet with not a single enemy in sight. Still, it was best to be on a lookout just in case a foe did come around to attack.

Smoke soon heard steady footsteps coming from behind. He turned around and saw the Lin Kuei Grandmaster approach. He had taken off his mask, revealing his gray hair and the long scar that went down the right side of his face.

"Is everything all right here?" Sub-Zero asked him.

"All is well for the time being," Smoke replied. "Is everything all right within the village?"

"I believe everyone is resting for the night. I suggested to both Sareena and Frost to rest for the night and worry about watch duty in the morning."

"At the same time?" Smoke asked a bit bewildered. "With the way those two get along, that's not exactly the brightest idea."

Sub-Zero laughed a little. "Of course not. Actually, I'm going to have Frost go first at 6am sharp." He eyed his friend. "And you know I've had worse ideas."

"Like the time you suggested throwing snowballs at Bi-Han and Sektor during their training when we were kids?"

"Heh, yeah, that's one of them. Sektor's father wasn't exactly happy with us when we did that."

"Of course not. He made us wash dishes in the Lin Kuei kitchen for three days." Smoke chuckled. "Those were good times."

Sub-Zero frowned a little, thinking about Sektor's father, who was the Grandmaster before him. "I still wonder to this day what made him decide that trying to turn us all into cyborgs was a good idea. I know he was trying to find ways to make us stronger, more powerful, but why that way?"

Smoke stared down at the snow below them. "I don't know. I think I remember someone saying something about eliminating insubordination. You know… I had hoped that Sektor would be against the idea. His influence may have help changed the Grandmaster's mind. Instead, he was actually completely for it, and it only encouraged his father even more."

"Sometimes," Sub-Zero began to say. "I think Sektor would please his father just to make it that much easier to kill him and become Grandmaster himself."

"It's a good thing you intervened and fought for the position," Smoke said. "The Lin Kuei name would have turned for the worse. Then again, he now has the Tekunin. I wonder what their current position is during his invasion."

"Probably in hiding," Sub-Zero guessed. "More than likely biding their time."

Smoke then found himself looking at his cybernetic arm. "If only I can get out of this shell…"

Hearing this, the Grandmaster placed a hand on Smoke's shoulder. "Someday, you'll be human again. We just have to find the right person to do the job."

"I hope so too…"

It was then that Smoke noticed something in the distance. Using his technology, he got a closer look in the area he saw the movement at. Then he saw it… a shadowed figure with glowing red eyes.

"Look," he said pointing. "About a half mile away. Something's out there."

Sub-Zero squinted his eyes, trying to get a good look himself. Soon, he noted the small red dots in the distance moving about. "What is it?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, I can't quite make it out."

"Then we'll have to investigate," Sub-Zero suggested. He turned his head to the other Lin Kuei members who were on watch duty. "Stay still. There's something out there. Smoke and I will return momentarily."

"Be careful, sir," one of them said.

Sub-Zero turned to Smoke and nodded at him, which the cyborg returned. They then began to walk up the hill towards the direction they saw the figure at…

~~~

**Yakushima Island, Japan**

A few yards away from the camp area, Asuka found herself practicing her fighting style for the first time since before the invasion. The area she was in was mostly quiet, which she appreciated for the time being.

As she practiced, Asuka did all she could to keep her mind off her current situation… the invasion, wondering low long she would remain here on Yakushima Island… wondering whether or not her father made it out of the chaos alive…

Asuka found herself frowning, but she refused to let her thoughts get to her.

 _It could be worse, I suppose,_ she thought to herself. _I could've been captured by Outworld and possibly not even have the chance to even think these thoughts. But still, I can't help but-_

She then attempted a high kick, but nearly lost her balance. "Aah!" she cried out, managing to get herself to stand before she ended up falling over.

"You call that a kick?" a male voice suddenly said with a bit of arrogance.

Annoyed by the arrogance, Asuka turned her head and saw Hwoarang approach. He had been on his way to find some more food for them to eat when he saw the young woman practice.

Hwoarang lifted his leg up. " _This_ is a kick!" he called out before extending it upward with ease.

A smug look suddenly came over Asuka as she got herself into a fighting stance. "I'd like to see you put that kick to actual use."

Seeing this as a challenge, Hwoarang got in his own fighting stance. "You're on!"

With that, Asuka covered the distance between them, delivering a punch which Hwoarang blocked with his own leg. For a moment, the two went back and forth, mostly blocking each other's moves… at least until one of Hwoarang's kicks managed to connect to Asuka's side, sending her flying a couple of feet before she landed on her back.

A grin on his face, Hwoarang cracked his knuckles as he approached the fallen Asuka. "Now then, shall-"

Suddenly, Hwoarang tripped before Asuka had the chance to even move. She was just going to move, but by the Hwoarang had landed right on top of her with his face planted right in her breasts!

Once she realized what was going on, Asuka's eyes widened in shock at first… then, as Hwoarang straightened himself up, his face burned red, she was suddenly filled with both annoyance and anger.

"What do you think you were doing?!" she yelled out, clenching her first.

Hwoarang was baffled by the outburst. "I… eh… well, you had every chance to push me, you know!"

A growl came out of Asuka…

_Five seconds later, back at the camp…_

"So basically… all you do is jump backwards?" asked Cassandra.

"With your… rump facing the opponent?" questioned Mi-na, feeling confused.

Mika laughed a little. "That's right. My trainer told me the _Flying Peach_ is a very effective move."

"I… see," said Karin.

"And I wouldn't call it a rump either," Mika mentioned, eyeing Mi-na.

Mi-na gave her a nervous smile, shrugging a little. "Sorry."

Even King, who had heard the conversation while walking by, chimed in. "Well, the move sounds a bit unorthodox, but if you believe it's effective, then by all means-"

He was then suddenly cut off as they quickly heard someone screaming. They turned to see where the scream came from, only to noticed Hwoarang come flying out of the forest and landed back first into the pond with a _splash!_

The scream had also caught the attention of Dan, who was trying to fish, Maki, who was eating lunch, and Ryu and Jin, both who were sparring nearby. Moments later, Marduk emerged from the cabin with only a towel wrapped around his waist after he finished showering. He looked on at the scene a bit confused with a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth.

"You pervert!" Asuka screamed out as she came out of the woods. By then, Hwoarang was swimming out of the pond. Everyone noticed the red mark on his face and realized that he had been punched quite hard.

"Who do you think you are, treating a lady like that?! I oughta slug you again for that, that's how mad I am!"

Hwoarang pointed at her as he began walking back towards the cabin. "You're crazy, you know that? You're fucking insane!" he yelled out. Soon, he reached the cabin door before slamming it shut, locking it after.

Hearing the lock, the confused look on Marduk's face suddenly turned annoyed. "Hey! I need my clothes, you know!"

A couple of seconds later, the door opened again before a pair of pants were tossed at Marduk's face. Once it landed on him, the door closed and locked again.

Marduk resisted the urge to slam the door down. "Damn punk," he growled before leaving the scene to find a more private spot to get dressed.

Asuka took a deep breath after that. "Hmph… I give up," she uttered before walking away.

The scene had still left the others confused, not know what happened to make Asuka angry, other than the fact that it was something she considered perverted. And the way he retaliated, even Mi-na, who always liked to tease him, was feeling a bit bad for him even if he most likely deserved it.

It was Jin who broke the long silence. "What was that about?" he asked aloud.

Ryu only shrugged in reply.

~~~

**Somewhere in India**

" **Dhalsim is your first priority,** " Shao Kahn had said through the thoughts of Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro as they continued to trek across what seemed like an empty land. " **Worry about everything else at another time, preferably at my command.** "

For days since arriving here, the two Shokans and the one Centaur did noting but travel during the night and rested during the day. Their main source of food was mostly crisp-fried humans and whatever other species came their way.

Recently, they had learned that they were in a 'country' called India. If they wanted to find Kerala, they had to head west 'where the sun would set each night.' On foot, it would most likely be three weeks before they arrived in Kerala.

Once they received the information, they went ahead and ate the one who told them all of that.

Enjoying their latest feast, Motaro was a bit frustrated by the information. "If he wanted to get the job done faster, the least he could've done was bring us _a lot_ closer to this… Kerala place."

"He only likes to plan ahead," mentioned Kintaro after munching on a leg. "Just in case something comes up."

"You'd best not question the Emperor's orders," Sheeva advised.

Hearing this made Motaro want to kill the two Shokans then and there. However, he swore to himself, for the sake of his Centaur race, that he would not be foolish. In a way, he had hoped that the two Shokans would fight him first, but he eventually realized that they, too, were trying to hold back from killing him as well.

Eventually, Motaro turned around and left the camp, just as he mostly did during their resting period.

"Doesn't seem so long ago when the Shokan sword allegiance to Shao Kahn," Kintaro mentioned.

"We were very young at that time," Sheeva mentioned. "When King Gorbak swore his oath to serve Shao Kahn."

"I remember that day, I joined his ranks and became his bodyguard," Kintaro mentioned. "Myself against a Centaur, the usual tradition. When I slew him, I wanted more of their blood. That alone left Shao Kahn impressed even before the other Centaurs jumped after me, but I slew them as well."

"I remember that day well," Sheeva mentioned. "You left quite an impression on the Emperor. It was no wonder he entrusted you in take care of business in the Netherrealm during the Blood Tournament."

"I did wish to attend the tournament, but you did well yourself."

"Yes… even if I did lose to a human, at least it was the current Empress rather than some lower classed human." Sheeva nearly hissed at the last three words.

As he bit into more of the leg he was eating, Kintaro found himself thinking about their fellow Shokan, Goro. Not long before the tournament, Goro died a mysterious death, later realized that he had been poisoned. The other Shokans had pleaded to have him resurrected, but Shao Kahn had refused for reasons he never stated.

_If only I could find his killer. They will pay for slewing a great member of our race._

"We'll rest until sunset as always," Sheeva suggested. "Then we will continue towards Kerala."

Kintaro turned his head over to where Motaro had walked. "Something tells me that resting will not be easy again."

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

About ten minutes after spotting a shadowed figure outside the secluded village, Sub-Zero and Smoke reached the area where they had spotted the figure. It had begun to snow heavily when they were halfway there. By the time they reached the area, whoever was here was now gone, only leaving behind footprints that were starting to disappear.

Smoke crouched himself low to get a better look at the footprints. Sub-Zero noted his friend studying the prints and waited a minute before speaking. "What do you make of them?" the Grandmaster asked.

Smoke shook his head a little. "I'm not sure, to be honest. It's not an animal, that's for sure. It does look human, but I recall that even tarkatans wore shoes."

"That's true," Sub-Zero replied.

"There is a slight pattern to the prints," Smoke continued. He then began to straighten himself up. "But unfortunately, the fresh snow is covering most of it now."

"What direction was it going towards when you spotted it?"

"Northwest. Not quite heading straight to the village, but somewhat heading to that direction."

Sub-Zero turned his head to face the village that was still in their view. He gazed around for a moment, but at this point, he didn't see anything unusual.

"Even if their intended destination is not the village," the ice ninja began to say. "They can still easily spot it from here, like we can right now. And since it's nighttime, whoever it was could choose to rest here for the night… if that's their intention, of course."

"Should we head back to the village then?" Smoke asked.

"At least one of us should. I'll head down there just in case. You head Northeast and see if you can follow it's path."

"At least we won't be too far this time around… just in case anything goes down."

That comment brought memories back to Sub-Zero, remembering the last time they separated while Smoke was still human. Even to this day, Sub-Zero always felt guilt and regret for managing to escape the grasps of the old Lin Kuei while Smoke wasn't as lucky…

"…That is true. If you don't find anything in ten minutes, return to the village."

Smoke nodded placing his right fist over where his heart was located. "Be stealthful as the night…"

Sub-Zero did the same. "…And deadly as the dawn."

From there, the two separated, neither one of them looking back. Immediately, Smoke used his night vision to get a better look at his surroundings. At least there were a few benefits in being a cyborg…

For about two minutes, Smoke checked the area, keeping himself at a slow pace as he continued heading Northeast. He kept checking the ground for the footprints, but as the heavy snowflakes fell towards the Earth, it made it impossible to track them. Eventually, they disappeared altogether.

"Too bad," Smoke said.

Then… a pair of footsteps were heard very close to him, catching his attention immediately.

"Not too stealthy, are we?" Smoke uttered before turning around, just in time to block an incoming attack from someone's fist. He soon found himself blocking more attacks at a fast rate, eventually forcing himself to jump back.

Jumping back gave him a better look at who his attacker was. Once he got a good view, he was almost shocked by who it was.

"Matrik…" he said out loud. He quickly noted her glowing red eyes, realizing that it was she who he spotted in this area from the village. The red eyes also told him that she wasn't herself. There was one other question that came to him;

"How are you activated?" Smoke called out.

Matrik ignored the gray cyborg as she ran towards him. "Target confirmed. Attack mode engaged."

" _Sakra_ _…_ " he uttered in his native tongue. He knew that at that moment that she was under some control somehow. Who had done it, he wasn't sure, but at the moment, he didn't have much time to even guess.

Immediately, Smoke was forced to counter another of Matrik's punches. The moment she began lifting up her feet to kick, Smoke knew he had to be careful as the sound of buzz saws reached his hearing. He noted the gleaming saw underneath Matrik's feet with each kick that she attempted to deliver in hopes of inflicting damage.

Once again, Smoke jumped back, leaving plenty of room in between them. He got himself into a fighting stance. "There's no use in convincing you to snap out of it," he said out loud. "I'm sorry, Matrik, but you've given me no choice but to defend myself."

As Matrik ran closer to him, the gray cyborg quickly disappeared in a puff of smoke, teleporting himself behind her. Matrik briefly looked around in confusion and, when she turned around, Smoke delivered a couple of high kicks, knocking her back. Despite that, Matrik was able to keep her balance.

Quickly, Matrik placed a hand out, a compartment opening on the palm. Smoke knew exactly what was going to happen even before five round objects that looked like golden golf balls came flying out towards him. Smoke managed to dodge and maneuver out of the way and, as the balls made impact on either the ground or the trees, they exploded.

As Matrik ran towards him again, Smoke shot his hand out, a large cloud coming out of it. The cloud landed right in front of Matrik's feet, and the impact delivered enough force to send her flying airborne. He then waited until she began to fall back down, which then he threw another cloud which hit her directly, sending her flying back.

Matrik landed hard on her side, but managed to recover and got herself back up on her feet. She then turned to face her opponent and got into a fighting stance, waiting for him to attack again.

Before Smoke had the chance to jump forward, he suddenly saw a pair of arms tackling her, barely giving the green cyborg the chance to fight back. A few buttons were pressed before Matrik stumbled forward a bit, her red eyes beginning to dim to black. Realizing what happened, Smoke moved himself forward, catching Matrik in his arms before she fell into the snow.

Smoke turned to the other person who had deactivated her. "Right on time, Sub-Zero," he said.

He noted the surprise look on his friend's face as he stared down at the now-unconscious Matrik. "I don't understand. We left her alone back at the Lin Kuei temple. I wonder who reactivated her."

"It wouldn't surprise me if Sektor was behind this," Smoke guessed as he adjusted Matrik a little before he placed her body over his shoulder. "If I remember correctly back at the tournament, Sektor had wanted to either capture or kill her. After all, she was one of his first recruits of the Tekunin."

"And she escaped the clan not too long after with no memories of her life beforehand," Sub-Zero reminded him. "Since we shut her down again, I think it's best to take her back to the village. I don't think she'll cause any issues anymore. At the same time, it gives me the chance to continue the repairs on her."

"That sounds like the best idea," Smoke agreed.

The two began heading down the hill back towards the village. After the first few steps, Smoke spoke once more. "There is a bright side to it. During our fight, I noted that her mechanics work excellent. You did a great job."

Sub-Zero had to smile a little at that. "It's a shame that sort of test was used against you."

"I've experienced worse," Smoke said. "Even as a human, avoiding Sektor's missiles were not easy during training."

"That we can agree on."

Silence fell between the two once more as they continued back towards the village.

~~~

**Yakushima Island, Japan**

A few hours later after what Asuka would deem 'the ta ta incident,' Mi-na decided to be the first person to try to confront Hwoarang in the cabin. Since the incident, Hwoarang hadn't emerge from the cabin. At first, she thought it was locked, but upon turning the knob, she was surprised to see that it was open.

 _Must've been too mad to remember to lock it,_ she thought to herself before entering.

Closing the door behind her once inside, Mi-na soon noticed Hwoarang sitting on the settee in the living room area. He didn't bother turn around to see who it was even as Mi-na began to approach.

"What do you want?" he asked with a growl, still not bothering to check who came in.

Mi-na huffed a little. "Gee, is it suddenly a crime to see how you're doing?"

Hwoarang turned to her, his brown eyes narrowed. "I don't need you sympathy. It was a stupid misunderstanding."

Mi-na placed a hand on her hip. "Falling face first into a girl's, um, assets, isn't exactly a… misunderstanding. Especially when you lingered there too long."

"I assume she told you her side of the story. Did she tell you that she had every chance to push me off her at anytime, but instead let me linger there until I couldn't breathe?"

Mi-na scratched her head, moving herself a bit before sitting down next to him. "Hm… she didn't tell me that part. Well, in the case, you are both to blame."

"I should've expected that kind of saying from you," Hwoarang said.

"Hey, all I came in to do was see how you were. I could've taken Asuka's side completely, but I thought it would be nice for once to hear your side of the story to get a better understanding of what happened. That incident left us all confused, you know."

"Whatever."

There was a long silence between the two of them with only the sounds of the light wind outside. After a while, Mi-na couldn't stand it and said the first thing that was on her mind. "You're like a brother to me, you know."

Hwoarang was somewhat taken aback by the confession. "What made you say that all of a sudden?"

"Because it's the truth," Mi-na admitted. "And… I'm sure you've been wondering why I've been teasing you all this time… aside from the fact that it's just plain fun, of course."

Hwoarang smirked at that. "I think the latter sounds more appropriate."

Mi-na gave him a serious look. "I've told you about my father before. But you know, I really did have a brother."

"You never told me."

"He was older than me, and I was too young to really have that many memories of him. It's the same with my mother. I only could remember their faces. There was a small plague that went around Chili-san, the city I grew up in. My father and I were spared, but… my mother and brother weren't as lucky. They both died within days of each other, so you can imagine the toll it took on my father."

Mi-na sighed a little. "I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to grow up with my brother still here. Would we have got along well? Teased each other relentlessly? That's something I'll never know."

"I never knew my family," Hwoarang said once she was finished. "I was mostly in foster care for a while until I ran away. I eventually ran into Master Baek and he offered me not only a place to stay, but to also learn from him. Until now, I never really appreciated what he's done for me… I just hope he survived this invasion despite what we saw."

"Just don't give up hope," Mi-na suggested. "It's been said so much, I know, but it's all we can do."

A look of determination came over Hwoarang's eyes. "When we get the chance to get off this island, I'm going to try to find him. And… you can help too if you want."

"Of course I will. He took me in as well when I needed it the most. It would be my way for paying him back."

A sudden smirk came over Hwoarang's lips once more. "Heh… we actually agree on something for once."

Mi-na had to chuckle a little. "Master Baek would've liked to have seen that, I'm sure."

"Yeah… he would've liked to have seen two 'siblings' get along."

Mi-na sprung up from the settee, getting herself on her feet. "Let's go out an spar. I really need to brush up on my Tae Kwan Do, and I think you need it, too."

"… if I hadn't know better, I'd say Master Baek put you up to this." Hwoarang stood up. "I could imagine the conversation. 'Mi-na, if there ever was an invasion, make sure Hwoarang keeps practicing his kicks because practice makes perfect!'"

"Well… he did say the practice makes perfect part, but the rest of it just in your imagination."

"Har har. And just for your own peace of mind, I won't trip and land on you. And if I do, push me off _fast_."

"Faster than a jack rabbit running away from his terrible courtship," Mi-na said while grinning. "You got it."

With that, the two began heading out of the cabin to spar.

~~~

**Outworld**

For a long while, Jade continued to spy on the group she had been following not long after escaping the confines of Shao Kahn's Fortress. Back in the forest, she heard that they were going on a scouting mission. From there she began to follow them to see where they would go.

While she was stalking them, Jade heard more of the guards' conversations;

"So, what do you think this new realm is like?"

"Not sure, but I heard it's kind of like Earth, but the life there is much different."

"Great… I hated going to Earth, even when we invaded. I'm sure this place won't be any different."

Soon, finding herself at the edge of a forest near a beach area, Jade was able to see a ship that was currently being boarded. The rest of the conversation she heard didn't hold much importance. She was saddened to hear that Earth was invaded not too long ago, especially since she knew plenty of Earth natives from both the first invasion and during the Blood Tournament.

However, she knew that they were heading off to scout another realm that was like Earth. She only guessed that this particular realm wasn't invaded yet, but Outworld was planning to soon enough.

 _Perhaps I can find help there,_ she thought. _Maybe even warn them of Outworld's eventual coming._

Even if she doesn't necessarily find any of her allies from the tournament, at least the green-clad woman could get the chance to find help.

It was an hour later after arriving that she noted the ship was beginning to get ready for it's voyage. Jade knew that she now had to make her move.

Quickly, she headed towards the waters, being careful not to make too much noise as she got in. Once she had enough room, she took soon deep breaths before plunging completely under.

For a few minutes, Jade swam towards the ship, only stopping a handful of times to take a breath of air, barely peaking her face out in order to continue to be unnoticed. The closer she got to the ship, however, the less frequent her stops were. By the time she finally grabbed on to a rope as the ship set sail, she was gasping for breath.

Hanging on to the rope, Jade waiting until the ship was far enough from shore. Once she was confident enough, and finally caught her breath, she began climbing up the rope, not stopping until she got to the main deck, the area empty, much to her convenience.

Once on the deck, Jade took off her boots, knowing that the water that seeped in would make enough noise to give her away. After being down with that, she turned her head… and noticed a guard wandering around alone. Quickly hiding herself behind a wooden pole, she gazed at the guard, seeing that he hadn't noticed anything amiss.

An idea came to Jade. While the guard had his back turned, she slowly approached him, but only managed to get herself a few feet away from him before he suddenly turned around and saw her.

"What the-" the guard barely uttered as a foot met his head. He then fell to the ground as he lost consciousness.

"You make this too easy," Jade uttered as she bended down to undress the guard.

A few minutes later, Jade finished adjusting the mask that was now over her face. She then made sure that her long black was still neatly placed in a low bun. The baggy clothes she was now wearing was big enough to disguise the fact that she was female for the most part.

Now she can walk around the ship without running into too much trouble.

Jade began to place her unrestricted staff in her pocket when she felt a small bottle of liquor. Raising an eye, she took the bottle out of the pocket and read what kind it was.

" _Vaikea Viini_ _?_ " Jade uttered. "You sure have bad taste for wine."

She opened the bottle, taking a smell of it for a second before her faced screwed from it's bad smell. She then looked down at the unconscious guard before pouring what was left of the wine over the guard's face before dropping the now-empty bottle near his hand.

"For once, that wine is good for something," Jade said before turning around to walk away.

She barely got ten feet before she heard a voice from another guard. "Damn it, it's too early for you to get drunk already! And where are your clothes?"

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

A commotion outside was what woke up Sareena from her slumber. She heard constant footsteps and people talking as they walked past the hut she was sleeping in. Deciding to see what was going on, she got herself in her cloak before getting outside.

Both the villagers and members of the Lin Kuei began to gather near the entrance of the village. Sareena hung back from the ground, deciding it was best not to join in the crowd.

Unknown to her, Frost also woke up from the commotion. Wanting to know what was going on as well, she left her own hut and kept herself a few feet away from the crowd.

"Make room!" someone called out as the crowd began to move apart. They soon moved enough for Sareena to notice Sub-Zero, who had no emotions on his face.

"What's going on?" Sareena asked.

But a second later, her question was answered as she looked over Sub-Zero's shoulder. Smoke was behind him and, to her surprise, had a familiar green cyborg over his shoulder.

"Isn't that…" she started to say.

Sub-Zero nodded. "I'm not sure how she was activated myself." He turned to Smoke. "Take Matrik to an empty hut and stand guard until morning."

"Will do," Smoke replied before he began to leave.

Sareena turned back to Sub-Zero. "I thought she was deactivated when we left the temple."

"I did too," Sub-Zero replied. "But someone, I don't know who, activated her, most likely after we left. We think it may have something to do with the Tekunin, but we have no proof of that."

Sub-Zero then gave her a weary smile. "What are you doing up this late?"

Sareena shrugged a little. "The commotion woke me up. I couldn't help but come out and see what was going on."

"Well, there's not much else to see, so it's best you get back to sleep."

"You should go to sleep, too," Sareena mentioned. "You look like you're ready to fall asleep yourself."

"I'll wait until dawn," Sub-Zero replied. "That's not too long for now."

He then began to walk away, heading towards the direction Smoke had went. Sareena folded her arms as she stared at him. "The other Lin Kuei weren't kidding when they said he can be stubborn…"

Meanwhile, not too far from where they had stood, Frost found herself clenching her fists, feeling anger boil up within after seeing Smoke carrying Matrik into the village.

 _Damn it!_ she yelled out in her mind. _My plan to have Matrik attack the Lin Kuei backfired! Sub-Zero meddles in once again!_

Frost knew then, now that her plan was foiled, that she would have to find other means of following her goals… to overthrow Sub-Zero and become Grandmaster herself…


	41. Chapter Forty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Potential Trigger Warning ahead in this chapter.**

**Unknown**

"Damn, it's cold," Siegfried said as he felt a heavy chill going through his body. He shifted his blue eyes towards his ally, Ermac. "Do you think it might have been better to stay another day at that cabin we found last night?"

"Unfortunately, we have to keep moving if we are to find Shang Tsung," Ermac replied. "It's already a risk taking rests each night, but our own survival depends on it."

As they spoke, the two continued to trek through the snowy terrain, surrounded mostly by tall mountains and a handful of trees. At this point, they found themselves in a wooded area, the wind blowing heavily against their face.

Siegfried sighed a little as he quickly brushed away strands of his long blonde hair out of his face. "The wind is insane, but at least it's not snowing… yet. But I'll tell you one thing… if there's a blizzard, we'll have to find the closest shelter we can find. They're usually brutal."

"Thank you for the reminder," Ermac said.

Siegfried almost laughed. "Sometimes, I wonder if we ended up in an empty realm. Either that, or a realm that was invaded."

"It's possible. Then again, we haven't seen a single soul since we arrived here."

"Three days' worth."

Silence soon fell between them, unsure of what else to say as they trekked the area. At one point, Siegfried pulled up the collar of his tunic from underneath his armor and pulled it over his nose, hoping to at least keep that warm. He almost envied the fact that Ermac was already wearing a full face mask, though it was more like a long, black bandage wrapping around his head.

A few minutes later, Siegfried noticed Ermac stopping in his tracks. He seemed to have been staring at something for a moment before asking, "Have we been in this area already?"

A perplexed look came over the young man's face. "I don't think so… unless we went in circles without realizing it. But we haven't been in the woods for very long. Why do you ask?"

Ermac pointed at a spot nearby. "Take a look."

Siegfried followed where the enigma was pointing and soon noted a group of footprints within the snow. He raised an eyebrow. "Looks like they haven't been here very long. Perhaps there is a civilization nearby."

As he spoke, Ermac saw something strange in the snow. He went to investigate it, bending down to pick up the object before straightening himself up again. The enigma soon recognized it.

"You know how tarkatan's have some of their bones sticking out of their arms?" Ermac asked Siegfried.

The young man nodded. "I remember."

That's when Ermac showed him the object… a piece of tarkatan bone. "It was just on top of the snow next to the footprints… it would have been buried had it been here longer."

Siegfried's eyes widened. "Then… they're not far. And if they're not far…"

"Neither is Shang Tsung." Ermac then placed the bone in his pocket, just in case. "Seeing that the footprints have gone in different directions, it's best that we split up to find them. You head up this hill, we'll go straight ahead. Meet back here in an hour whether you find anything or not."

Siegfried scanned his surroundings, soon noting a tree that had fallen over. "Okay. We'll meet in an hour. You be careful."

"Same to you," Ermac replied.

From there, the two allies separated, both wondering what they were going to run into…

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

As the sun rose above the mountains, both Wagner and Juli found themselves huddled together, keeping themselves warm from the cold weather. It was just around the time Wagner's watch duty began, but as they both got up around the time of Juli's watch, they agreed to go up the tower together this morning.

"I told Guile we should've had two places to meet up," Wagner mentioned as he sipped some hot water from a cup to keep himself warm. "One like this, and one in, like, Texas. That way, we could've met up someplace where the weather is right. Winter time invasion, head to Texas. Summer time invasion, head to the Rockies."

"At least we do have a place to go in a time like this," Juli replied. "Besides, I prefer the cold over heat, even though a part of me is wishing for a cabin with a real heater right now."

Wagner laughed a little. "I was born and raised in California. Warm weather is my best friend." He went to hold Juli's hand, which was bare like his, both of them wishing they had gloves with them to wear. "Any dreams lately?" he asked.

Juli shook her head. "Nothing last night, at least not anything to write about. I think my mind has been on our current situation lately… wondering whether or not we'll live through this…"

Wagner placed his arms around her from behind before pressing his lips on her neck briefly. "Try not to think about it right now," he whispered. "As a matter of fact, I want you to forget what's going on for just one day. That's-"

"Hey lovebirds!" a female voice called out from below the tower.

Wagner chuckled a little as he turned his head, looking down towards the ground where Alex was standing. "Yeah, Alex?"

"It's 8am. You know what that means."

"You mean besides his watch duty," Juli mentioned, laughing a little.

Wagner grinned, already knowing what Alex meant. "Checking the traps again?"

"You know it. I swear, the job is getting more disgusting by the day, but it has to be done."

"Could be worse… you could find yourself digging out mutated termites from the sewers."

"Ew. Well anyway, it should take me the usual thirty to forty minutes. I'll be back."

"All right," Wagner called out. "Have fun, and don't try to come back with blood smeared on your shirt again."

Alex laughed as she knew what the young man meant. "I'll try not to. And I swear, if you make fun of me about it again and I do have blood on my shirt, I'm going to hug you."

"Nasty! Well, get going already!"

"I'm going, I'm going!" With that, Alex began heading out of the fort.

Juli raised an eyebrow at Wagner. "What was that about?"

Wagner chuckled. "Remember that deer we found the other day? Well, Alex got Sagat, Paul, and Marshall to help her carry it over here and, as they did, I guess she got too close to the wound area and it wasn't quite drained yet… let me tell you from experience, that stuff is not easy to get off."

"Must've smelled horrible too. Good thing we have extra shirts here."

"Very true."

Wagner then found himself nuzzling Juli's neck, who leaned in closer to him in reply. "Anyway… I'm serious. Just today, let's forget about this invasion. When my shift is over at 10am, we're going into our tent, and we are not coming out for the rest of the day except for food and bathroom breaks."

Juli raised an eyebrow. "Did you have to mention bathroom breaks?"

"Yes… I just had to."

She spat her tongue out. "You're nuts."

He grinned. "Nuts about you."

"Nice try, but that kind of charm isn't going to work. However," Juli turned around to face Wagner. "I like the idea of staying in the tent for the rest of the day… no worries… no invasion…"

Wagner kissed her. "Just you and me, babe."

The young man then moved his arm to look at his watch. "It's still around 8am. This next two hours are going to be long…"

Meanwhile, in his tent, Kenshi found that his insomnia was taking over once more. His watch duty had ended two hours ago. And during those last two hours, he tried to get some sleep, but he soon realized that it was to no avail.

He opted to just stay in bed and do nothing, but he soon was restless, eventually sitting at the edge of the bed, his bare feet resting on the cool ground. Not long after, he took his sword in his hand and began to clean it a little with a spare towel.

At the moment, Kenshi was alone in the tent with Alex leaving to check on the traps not too long ago. He had heard her getting ready, and he guessed that she assumed he was asleep as she didn't say anything to him before leaving the tent.

As he continued to clean the sword, Kenshi thought of perhaps getting something to eat, knowing that breakfast was usually made around this time. At the thought of food, however, he found that he didn't really have much of an appetite.

 _Perhaps I'll be hungry in a couple of hours,_ the swordsman thought to himself.

Just as he was getting his sword back in it's scabbard, a sharp pain suddenly hit his head. Slightly inhaling, Kenshi began to rub his temples, at first thinking that he was perhaps getting a headache from lack of sleep, a recent occurrence.

But then the headaches got a bit worse, and he found himself lying back on the cot. Just as his head hit the pillow, he suddenly saw the infamous vision… the blood red sky, the decaying corpses, the prominent smell of rotting flesh and blood…

The images flashed in his mind for a few seconds, but it nearly felt like an eternity to him. Eventually, however, he saw nothing but darkness, and the headache subsided. He knew what had happened… it was the same thing that was happening to half of those staying at the fort. They were all seeing a common vision for some strange reason.

Only he was seeing the vision for the second time, the first being before the invasion.

"I wonder what this all means," he whispered as he sat himself up again.

It was then that Kenshi heard a whisper coming from his ancestral sword; "Careful."

Kenshi raised an eyebrow, his head turned towards where he placed his sword, even though he couldn't see it. "What do you mean, Sento?" he asked, calling his sword by its given name.

The only reply he received was silence.

At this point, Kenshi wasn't feeling exactly comfortable. Knowing that he wasn't going to sleep anyway, he got himself dressed in his form-fitting armor before getting his boots and gloves on. After getting his crimson-colored blindfold over his mostly pale eyes, he strapped on his scabbard containing his sword over his back.

He wasn't even sure why he was doing this, but after the warning Sento had given him, Kenshi felt that it was necessary to make sure that all was well outside the fort. It wasn't the first time he did this, even when it wasn't during his watch duty.

It was a way for him to be sure that all was good, especially since it wasn't the first time he got this uncomfortable feeling…

Meanwhile, back at the tower, Wagner found himself looking at his watch once more. "8:30am…"

Juli raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you going to look at that watch of yours every five minutes."

"Yes… yes I am," Wagner replied before spitting his tongue out at her.

"It'll be ten o'clock before you know it," Juli said.

Now it was Wagner who was raising his eyebrow. "You say that every five minutes as well."

Juli sighed. "All right, I'll admit it. I'm looking forward to getting in that tent." She then narrowed her eyes as she noted the smirk on her boyfriend's face. "And it's because I'm cold! Nothing else!"

"Hey, I wasn't thinking what you think I was thinking!"

"Sure you weren't." She then sighed to herself. "Well, before we forget about the invasion, I want to ask you… what do you think we're going to do when it's all over? And that's if we both survive."

"I know one thing," Wagner answered. "I'm going to find myself the closest In 'n' Out joint and get myself ten orders of the double, double cheeseburger."

"Sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen," Juli mentioned.

"Hey, it's better than… well… I can't think of a place right now but-"

Wagner then stopped mid-sentence as he noticed Juli's brown eyes widening a bit as she looked out beyond the fort. She then squinted her eyes as though she was trying to see something.

"What are you looking at?" Wagner asked.

"I… I'm not sure," Juli said as she grabbed the binoculars that were with them. She adjusted it's settings a bit before peering through them, trying to get a better look. "I swore I saw something moving out there."

"You sure it wasn't a deer or something?" Wagner asked

That was when they both spotted it… something a little over a mile away… whatever it was, there were at least a few moving in what looked like a pack.

"Can you get a good look at it?" Wagner asked.

"I can't. They keep going behind the trees, but the way they're moving, I'm not sure what it is. What do you think it is?"

"Hopefully, someone we know." Wagner then grabbed one of the rifles that was with them and began heading over to the ladder. "Whatever it is, I'm going to investigate."

"You can't be serious," Juli said, almost frightened at this point.

"Someone has to see. I'm sure it just animals, but hey, we can get some game in the meantime."

"What if it's something else?"

Wagner found himself frowning a little, seeing how worried Juli was suddenly. He touched her cheek with his hand. "Try not to worry. Just stay here and keep a look out, and get your gun ready just in case. I'm going to head out there."

"Are you going by yourself?" Juli asked.

"Yes, only because I don't want to alarm anyone else just yet." Wagner kissed her forehead. "Here, I'll make a plan. If I fire two gunshots, it's an ally, so stay put. If I fire three or more shots, it's definitely an enemy. If it's the latter, send the others out right away."

Juli nodded. "Okay, that at least makes me feel better. But please be careful."

Wagner kissed her lips briefly. "I will. Just stay here for me, no matter what happens."

With that, the young man began to go down the ladder with Juli watching him with a worried look still on her face…

~~~

"Looks like there's nothing today," Alex said to herself out loud as she adjusted the last trap she was inspecting for the day.

The fact that she didn't find any new game today somewhat disappointed her. Because of the invasion and wondering how long they'll be at the fort, she wanted to collect as much food supply as possible for everyone to survive on.

"Maybe Julia will have better luck than me later in the afternoon," she said to herself, knowing that Julia checked on the traps after her own watch duty.

Alex then was reminded of how it was Julia who took care of what she called 'the real dirty job.' That pretty much meant that she would skin the animals and cut up the useful meat before discarding the organs and bones in the fire to burn. It left an unpleasant smell that Alex was sure wasn't going to leave her for a while.

She almost laughed at the thought. "Good thing Julia is here. I don't think I could ever do that myself. Collecting is good enough."

Just as she finished that sentence, Alex suddenly heard footsteps crunching against the snow. Instinctively, she moved her hand over her gun, which rested in a holster tied around her jeans. She continued to listen out for the footsteps, but soon noted that it was moving slowly. It was as though whoever was coming was trying to be cautious.

"Shit," she uttered as she slowly took the gun out, pulling back the hammer with her thumb. _Now I remember why I hate the woods_ _…_

"Don't shoot," a male voice suddenly called out. Instinctively, Alex whirled around and pointed her gun at the person who had been behind her. Briefly, she held her breath, her finger on the trigger ready to shoot, just in case.

"It's only me," Kenshi said as he held his hands up.

Seeing the swordsman now, Alex sighed with relief, releasing the hammer before placing the gun back in the holster. "Good job scaring me," she said. "I hate it when you do that, you know."

"Sorry," Kenshi replied.

Alex then realized something. "I thought you were asleep when I left." She then frowned a little. "I guess your insomnia was getting to you again."

Kenshi nodded. "I… came by to see if you needed any help here."

"No point, unfortunately," Alex answered. "This was the last trap for the day. Maybe we'll have better luck in the afternoon."

As she spoke, she felt Kenshi wrap an arm around her, his fingers lingering over her own arm. "How are you?"

Alex raised an eyebrow at that at first, knowing it wasn't really something he would ask. Then again, however, she realized what he meant. "You mean about my outburst the other night? I admit, I was a bit irrational, but I guess the invasion can do that to a person."

Kenshi then place his other arm around her, getting her in an embrace as she faced him. "You have every right to be."

Alex noted his embrace, and she almost smiled. In the six months she had been with Kenshi, he would only be forward with her like this once in a while, and it was a kind of turnaround that she didn't mind, even now.

The wind began to blow more, making their surroundings more colder, causing Alex to shiver a little. "We should head back."

Kenshi then leaned his face towards her. "Not just yet." And with that, his lips locked with hers, which Alex found herself eagerly returning. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, their kiss became more passionate, and the cold that she had been feeling was suddenly gone. Eventually, Kenshi moved them a couple of feet before Alex found herself leaning her back against a tree.

Suddenly, Alex heard some footsteps nearby. It came from a far distance, she realized, but it didn't sound like any sort of animal. She found herself starting to become concerned the more she heard them.

She did notice one thing that was odd... Kenshi's keen senses would have definitely picked up on the noise, yet there seemed to be no sign of him noticing, and he seemed to be only focused on their kiss.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Alex pulled her face away from him, breaking their kiss. "Do you hear-" she was starting to say.

Upon opening her eyes, however, she realized that she was no longer looking at Kenshi's blindfold. One could guess that it would had fallen off… but the fact that she was now staring at glowing green eyes instead made her gasp in shock.

Before she could react any further, Alex suddenly felt a hand wrap around her throat, and she felt herself being slammed further back into the tree, causing her to cry out. At this viewpoint, she was finally able to get a better look at her attacker, seeing that she was no longer looking at Kenshi.

Instead, to her horror, she was staring at a grinning Shang Tsung!

"It's good to see you again, my dear," he said to her.

Alex shook her head in disbelief. "No… no… we killed you! WE FUCKING KILLED YOU!"

She suddenly felt the sorcerer's hand tighten around her throat, slowly cutting off her oxygen. "Resurrection is a beautiful thing, in case you were curious."

He then quickly reached over with his free hand to unbutton the upper portion of his own shirt, revealing part of his bare chest. Alex noted the large scar going down the middle of it, and quickly realized that it was Kenshi who left that there when he killed sorcerer back in Outworld.

"Remind me to thank the swordsman for that," Shang Tsung said with a growl.

Alex attempt to struggle out of his grip, but it only made him cut off more of her air, and she found herself gasping at this point. The sorcerer grinned even more at her, and Alex was beginning to wonder if she was even going to be alive one minute from now.

"Kenshi got his revenge," Shang Tsung continued. "Now I shall have mine. First, however…" He began to reach for Alex's head. "It seems as though a certain memory in that mind of yours was locked away. Allow me the favor to reopen it for you."

Alex tried to pull her head away, but eventually, the sorcerer managed to get a good grip on it. Almost soon after, Alex was starting to see visions, finding herself in a dark place. She suddenly began to feel a sheer, burning pain on her back, and a heavy feeling in her wrists. She quickly saw images of a large, zombie-like monster, a bloody whip in his hand.

It was then that she realized that Shang Tsung had unlocked a memory that she remembered was buried by Rose back at the tournament… the twenty-four hour ordeal she endured at the dungeons when she was captured and tortured by the monster, Berserk. The visions continued to flash, and Alex was beginning to feel all the pain she had endured in that dark cell, and she could even hear her own screams even then.

"I still remember that day," Shang Tsung said as he noticed her clenching her teeth, her face withered in pain, and her voice moaning in panic. "When I found you in the forest then, I thought of you as nothing more than a just another woman. Had I known your connection to Kenshi at the time, things would have been quite different."

Alex soon managed to snap out of it after hearing that, getting herself back to reality. " _ **NO!**_ " she screamed out. Quickly, she raised both hands and smashed them on either side of the sorcerer's ears. He had not expected her to do that, so when it did happen, he found himself rearing back, letting her go as he heard the ringing in his ears, the pain quickly hitting him.

"Damn it!" he yelled out as he shook his head to get rid of the ringing.

Although still gasping for breath, Alex knew that she had to get out of there right away while the sorcerer was distracted. However, it meant moving away from the fort, knowing that he would follow and she didn't want to unwillingly risk the lives of those who were there. Turning right, she began to head down the hill in hopes of reaching the road and drawing him further away from the fort.

Even though his ears were still ringing, Shang Tsung looked over to see Alex making her getaway. Another smirk came over his face as he noted this.

"I guess you want to play cat and mouse," he said. "So be it."

~~~

At the fort, Wagner was checking his rifle to make sure that it was loaded. He then zipped up his brown jacket as the wind picked up even more, stinging his eyes.

"I'm so moving to the tropics after this is over," Wagner said.

He then heard footsteps near him. Turning his head, Wagner soon spotted Kenshi walking towards the exit of the fort, his sword packed away in it's scabbard behind him.

"Hey," the younger man said. "Your watch duty ended over two hours ago. Where are you going?"

"Just out for a walk," Kenshi replied.

"Can't sleep again?"

The swordsman shook his head in response.

Wagner then made a decision, more for Juli's peace of mind than his own. "You know what, I think I'm going to need your help after all."

"What do you mean?"

"Well… just a couple of minutes ago, Juli and I spotted something about a mile from here. It looked like a pack of… whatever it was."

"You sure it wasn't a pack of wolves or something along those lines?" Kenshi asked.

"It's the way they were moving… I can't describe it, but I'm going to check it out. I wouldn't mind if you came along, just in case it turns out to be trouble."

Kenshi nodded then. "All right. I'm sure it's just some wolves, but it's better to check it out than do nothing."

"Thanks," Wagner said before the two began heading out.

The first ten minutes were silent with the exception of the bottom of their boots crunching in the snow with each step and the heavy wind that was blowing. Nothing was seen from Wagner's view for that time.

"Sense anything?" Wagner asked Kenshi.

"Not yet," the swordsman replied.

"Good to know. Hey, maybe if we're lucky, the sky will turn red suddenly just like visions the others have been getting. I'm kidding of course." He turned to the older man. "Can you see that kind of vision?"

"I can," Kenshi replied. "As a matter of fact, the vision came to me just about twenty minutes ago. However, this was the second time I've seen it. None of you had asked me about it."

Wagner sighed a little. "Damn. Lovely to know…"

"Wait," Kenshi suddenly said, holding his hand up to signal Wagner to stop walking. "I think I hear that pack you mentioned approaching."

Wagner stayed quiet as the swordsman continued to listen out for the noise. Eventually, Wagner was starting to pick up the noise as well. "I can hear it, too."

He then heard Kenshi sniff the air a couple of times before listening in even more. Then suddenly, to Wagner's surprise. Kenshi quickly raised a hand and grabbed for the hilt of his sword. "Tarkatans… and there's eight of them."

"...Well... shit."

It was then that the eight tarkatans suddenly began to appear before Wagner. He quickly raised his rifle as Kenshi used his powers to teleport closer to the mutants, soon getting into battle with two of them.

Two tarkatans noticed Wagner and immediately jumped towards him. He shot his rifle once, the bullet managing to hit one in the shoulder, causing it to slow down. The other quickly jumped forward, and Wagner pulled the trigger again. However, the tarkatan managed to block the bullet with it's drawn-out blade, sending it in another direction, before it used the same blade to slice the rifle in half.

" _ **CRAP!**_ " Wagner yelled out as he jumped back. _Just great, only two shots, so now Juli thinks it's an ally!_

The rifle was now useless... almost. When the tarkatan was close enough, Wagner quickly bashed what was left of the rifle on it's temple, the force sending it flying a few feet sideways as it yelled in pain. Seeing the tarkatan that was shot a moment ago coming towards him, Wagner threw the gun at him, but it ended up ducking underneath it.

Wagner then tried to charge up his ultra energy, but didn't have the time before the tarkatan quickly swiped it's blades at him, forcing him to dodge the attacks. The attacks were in fast speed, and Wagner was finding it almost nerve-wracking. Eventually, he quickly rolled himself back, leaving some distance between himself and the tarkatan.

The mutant growled in annoyance before jumping forward once more. This time, Wagner was more prepared and wait until the nomad was close enough. Once it was, he moved himself so that he ended up behind it. Noting the bullet hole in it's shoulder, Wagner took a finger and quickly shoved it into the wound.

Immediately, the mutant screamed in pain, the sound almost demon-like. As it did, the Air Force sergeant took the opportunity to snap the mutant's neck with his free hand, killing it. Once he was sure it was dead, Wagner released his hold on him, ignoring the blood that now covered his finger.

"One down, seven to go," Wagner said as he noted another tarkatan coming after him…

Nearby, Kenshi found himself still fighting the first mutant he went after, their blades clashing against each other. Kenshi immediately noted it's speed, which wasn't too much of a problem for him at the moment.

Eventually, the tarkatan pushed him a bit, causing him to stumble a few feet back. As the tarkatan jumped towards him, Kenshi threw his hand forward, which was now glowing a light blue color. A mirror image of himself, barely visible, flew out in lightning speed as it rammed it's shoulder into the tarkatan, sending the mutant flying back in fast speed. Soon, the image disappeared.

Another tarkatan approached, shooting a projectile at Kenshi, who reflected the move with his sword. The mutant saw it on time and ducked quickly underneath it before jumping forward. Before it had the chance to go near him, Kenshi put it hand out again, using his powers to grab a hold of it before sending it flying into a tree head first with enough force to crush it, flattening half it's head and instantly killing it.

The tarkatan he rammed into earlier approached him once more, it's blades still out. Kenshi blocked it's attacks with it's sword, the metal clashing together for a few moments before Kenshi landed a hard kick to it's chest, sending it flying back once more.

He then heard another takatan approaching. Quickly, he threw his sword forward, sending flying until it embedded itself through the mutant's abdomen. Hearing that, Kenshi then teleported, getting himself close enough to grab on to the sword's hilt and pulled it out.

Not giving the nomad a chance to fall, Kenshi turned his sword so that the hilt was facing forward. Then swiftly and in high speed, he smashed the hilt into the mutant's face with enough force to crack the skull in different places. Once that was done, he then backed away before swinging his sword upward, cutting the tarkatan in half. He heard it stumble for a moment before it fell back, splitting in two, it's blood and internal organs staining the snow on the ground.

Meanwhile, Wagner found himself still fighting the second tarkatan. At least this one didn't have it's blades out yet and was trying to fight the young man hand to hand. Again, Wagner was on defense and mostly dodging as he noted the sharp bones on the nomad's arms, not wanting to get cut by those things.

Eventually, however, Wagner was able to find an opening and delivered a high kick to it's face, knocking out a few of it's razor sharp teeth. It yelled in pain, stumbling back a bit.

"You needed some dental work anyway!" Wagner called out.

However, he was suddenly kicked in the back of the head by another tarkatan, knocking him flat on his face into the snow. Ignoring the pain in the head that suddenly hit him, Wagner turned himself on his back, but he soon found the two tarkatans above them. Both of them had their blades out, and they were raised high, ready to strike down the human at their feet.

It was then that a sword went right through both of their torsos in such a speed that it almost looked as though it was at the same time. Blood splattered all around, and Wagner quickly backed away as the mutants' torsos fell off their hips.

Wagner then raised an eyebrow as he noted a blonde-haired man around his age standing there, his large sword stained with the fresh blood. His attire reminded him of medieval times judging by his silver armor.

"Oh great, is this what all the girls meant when they wanted to be saved by a 'knight in shining armor?'" Wagner said out loud.

Another tarkatan attempted to slice down the stranger, but he managed to block the maneuver with his large sword. The two fought for a bit, their weapons clashing against one another. Wagner started to get back on his feet. Meanwhile, he found himself impressed by the stranger's sword skills. The weapon he carried looked heavy, but the young man seemed to be handling it as though it was nothing more than a feather.

Soon, the stranger managed to get on offense, eventually slicing the mutant's head off. Wagner then scanned around to find Kenshi, eventually seeing him breaking the neck of the last living tarkatan.

The sergeant turned his head to the armored man, nodding his head to him once the stranger noticed him. "Thanks a lot. I would've been dead if it wasn't for you."

By then, Kenshi was approaching the two. Wagner noted his head slightly turned to the stranger, and he realized that the katana wielder knew of his presence. To Kenshi, the stranger's aura was somewhat odd. He knew that he was on their side considering the fact that he just help them, but the swordsman couldn't help but note the more tainted side of his energy. He would ask about it later, if possible.

"He just saved my life," Wagner explained.

Kenshi nodded, acknowledging his ally before speaking to the stranger. "Who are you?"

"My name is Siegfried Schtauffen. I need to ask… what world is this?"

"Welcome to Earth," Wagner said. "It's usually not this cold, but the Rocky Mountains tend to be like this around this time of year."

"I see," Siegfried replied.

"Is anyone else with you?" Kenshi asked.

"My ally Ermac is here with me, but we split up almost an hour ago searching for the Tarkatans," Siegfried answered.

Kenshi's head seemed to lift up a little. "Ermac's here?"

Siegfried raised an eyebrow. "You know him?"

"We helped each other back at a tournament six months ago. I helped free him from his former master."

That's when Siegfried realized who he was talking to, especially once he noted the blindfold. "You must be Kenshi. Ermac told me about you."

Though Wagner was confused by the whole thing with Ermac, having no idea who they were talking about, there was one question he knew had to be answered. "How did you and… Ermac get here?" he questioned.

Siegfried turned to Wagner. "We went through a portal back in Outworld. We were following a sorcerer named Shang Tsung here, but it's been three days now."

Recognizing the name, Wagner's eyes widened in shock. _I thought Guile said he was dead!_ "Wait, what?!"

Hearing that name, Kenshi's hand tightened around the hilt of his sword and shook his head a little, not believing what he had just heard. "...That's impossible," he mentioned, raising his katana in front of his face. "I killed him with this very sword."

Siegfried turned to Wagner, a bit baffled by what he just heard. Wagner could only shrug in reply before Siegfried spoke again. "Well… whatever the case, I'm afraid that's the truth. I saw the man with my own eyes."

"You lie."

Siegfried was somewhat taken aback by Kenshi's accusation, but remained calm. "Why would I lie about something like that? If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't even be here right now. We would most likely be on the run in Outworld if we were still there."

"Eh, Kenshi, I think he's telling the truth," Wagner cut in.

Kenshi's nostrils flared, feeling anger building up within him. "More than ten years ago," he began to tell Siegfried. "He blinded me and stole the souls of my ancestors. I managed to avenge myself when we were in Outworld over six months ago. My ancestors' souls were freed when I killed him. But now…” His free hand formed a tight fist. His next words were said through clenched teeth. "Damn whoever resurrected him! He doesn't deserve to live!"

"Most likely, Shao Kahn did the deed," Siegfried guessed. "But at the moment, my guess is that he's somewhere in this area, more than likely not too far from where we are. The tarkatans we just fought followed him seconds after he went through a portal back in Outworld."

Kenshi sighed a little, his head tilted slightly downward. "If that's the case, then we have to find him before he reaches the-"

Wagner then felt confused as the swordsman, who suddenly snapped his head up, stopped mid-sentence. The young man was baffled to see a change in Kenshi's face as though a sudden thought came to him, even with his blindfold over his eyes… and Wagner also swore that Kenshi went paler than the snow under their feet.

"Kenshi? Are you-" the young man started to say, but he never finished as Kenshi suddenly turned around and began running in a speed Wagner swore he never saw before.

Siegfried was confused as well. "What was that about?"

Wagner shrugged. "Maybe he wants to get to Shang Tsung before-"

But then suddenly, it hit Wagner and he gasped in horror. _Alex is still out there checking the traps!_

" _ **SHIT!**_ " Wagner screamed before he began running in the direction Kenshi went.

Siegfried started running behind him, but wasn't sure why. "What's going-"

"One of the girls who's with us is out there by herself!" Wagner screamed. "Damn it! I hope it's not too late!"

~~~

Despite being tired and out of breath, Alex ran with everything she had, refusing to stop unless she dropped dead right then and there. Minutes ago, she ran into Shang Tsung, believing not even a half hour ago that he was dead, killed by Kenshi's own sword.

Somehow, he was resurrected, and she knew that he was after Kenshi. Alex knew that she needed to steer him away from the fort for the sake of everyone there. She especially didn't want anything to happen to Jane and Amy. She hoped to eventually reach the main road in hopes to getting away for perhaps a few days until she was sure he wouldn't follow her back.

 _Damn it!_ she screamed in her mind. _He's fucking alive! How the fuck… damn it, this can't be happening! Don't look back, don't look back! Oh God, this is just like in Outworld when that monster chased me! Kenshi, where are you?!_

Suddenly, Alex tripped over a fallen branch, crying out as she fell forward. After landing on the ground, she found herself quickly rolling down the steep hill, not stopping until she crashed into a tree side first.

" _AH!_ " she yelped upon impact. For a few minutes, she laid there, recovering from the pain from her crash, her breathing heavy as she tried to catch it after all that running. Beads of sweat covered her face, and she imagined that it was also beet red.

Then she realized something as her eyes drifted around her surroundings… there was no one else around but her.

 _Where did he go?_ she questioned as she slowly got herself back on her feet. _I don't think it could be that easy to get away from him… but no… what if he did go to the fort after all?_

Alex began to walk backwards a little, reaching for her gun, but to her dismay, she found that it was gone, most likely fallen out after she tripped over the branch. She then looked towards the direction where she knew the fort was located. _It would be like desertion… great, that might as well be on my record, and-_

Alex suddenly bumped into something behind her. Crying out, she turned around, expecting Shang Tsung to be there… only to see that she had bumped into a young tree instead.

Alex took a deep breath, shaking her head in disbelief as she backed away. "For Christ's sake, I might as well be going-"

Suddenly, she bumped into something else, but this time, she quickly felt a pair of hands grabbing a hold of her leather jacket. Yelling out again, Alex quickly got herself out of the jacket, freeing herself from the hold. Turning around, she felt her heart pound in terror as she was once again faced to faced with the sorcerer!

"About time I caught up with you," Shang Tsung replied as he tossed the jacket aside.

Even though she knew that fighting against him alone would be in vain… after all, even herself and Li Mei couldn't take him down together last time… Alex made the attempt by delivering a couple of kicks at him, which Shang Tsung blocked with ease. He then quickly got in closer and managed to knee her right in the stomach.

The sheer pain she suddenly felt caused her to scream out. She struggled to gasp for breath after as she fell to her knees. The sorcerer then grabbed a chunk of her hair, pulling it with force to make her look up at him. He was then beginning to pull forward, but Alex then grabbed on to the hairs closest to her scalp, twisted herself a bit before landing a foot to his stomach.

It didn't hurt, but it caught him off guard as he stumbled a couple of feet back, letting her go. She then got on her feet again and tried to kick again, but Shang Tsung managed to grab on to it before spinning around and tossing her, sending her crashing into a tree.

Alex tried to get herself up, but then Shang Tsung was over her, trying to pull her back up by the front of her shirt, but as Alex struggled backwards, she heard the shirt rip on the front. Shang Tsung then let go, giving her the chance to go back. Her bra was showing now, but she ignored that fact as she jumped forward.

However, when she got closer, Shang Tsung saw an opening, immediately punching her in the gut again with more force than last time. She let out another cry in pain, louder than before. When he pulled his arm back, Alex found herself falling to her knees again, tucking herself in a fetal position as she held on to her stomach, and ended up coughing almost violently. She didn't miss the fact that the white snow in front of her was now covered in small, crimson droplets.

Tears started to fall down her face as she realized that she was about to die, more than likely to get her soul taken and trapped within his grasps at any moment... and worse, she was alone and powerless. It was definitely not a good fate…

' _Just… please… don't let him find the others_ _…_ ' she prayed. ' _I'm sorry, Kenshi… I-_ '

Alex then suddenly felt a hard kick to her face, hearing a crack upon impact, and the force caused her to roll back. Her nose began to throb and she realized that it was most likely broken. Shang Tsung then landed a few more blows with his feet as he thought about the day Kenshi did him in, her pained screams heard with each impact.

Realizing what he was doing suddenly, he stopped and looked down at Alex. The tears were there, but she wasn't hysterical… that was impressive in itself, though she did moan in great pain, natural for a weak human in his opinion. Bruises were starting to develop and her nose, lower lip, and one side of her head were bleeding and dripping down her face.

A sadistic thought suddenly came to Shang Tsung, a grin forming on his face. He got down on his knees, keeping himself over her before grabbing on to her throat before pulling her up. Using a free hand, he finished tearing her shirt so that her front torso and her bra were completely exposed.

Alex gasped more at the sudden cold than anything. However, she knew what this signified… and she found herself more terrified than she was the moment he first appeared to her.

"No… no-"

"Don't flatter yourself!" Shang Tsung called out bitterly, his grin disappearing. "It's only to get back at that lover of yours! You're nothing else to me!"

Before Alex could react, Shang Tsung quickly leaned down and kissed her with such force that she thought her teeth were going to break. She tried to wither out of his grip, but realized that it was in vain. Even if she did try to get away, it was no use considering her fresh injuries.

Soon, he released the kiss and threw her back into the snow. The back of her head ended up hitting on a fallen branch, causing her to cry out in the process. The sorcerer then got himself on top of her. She tried to fight back again, screaming with all she had, but then he shut her up by roughly kissing once more, his hand now roaming the bare portions of her torso.

From there, she found herself dizzy, but was feeling what was going on. He felt his hands continuing to roughly roam her, soon tearing the middle fabric of her bra, exposing her more. To her, his hands felt as though she was in a snake pit, making her shiver in disgust.

She eventually felt him starting to undo her jeans and she tried to struggle out of his grip again, but found that sheer pain from her injuries was starting to settle in to the point where it became too much. Feeling colder than ever now, Shang Tsung touched her more, and she realized that perhaps it was better being dead than having this happen to her.

He leaned down to her as he cupped one breast in his hand. "It'll be over before you know it… if you're cooperative," he whispered in her ear before licking it, making her shiver in disgust again.

It was then that footsteps were heard… and Shang Tsung was just about to see who it was when he was suddenly kicked in the face with enough force to send him flying back. Growling, he turned around to see who had done it, soon facing the familiar enigma who was now floating a couple of feet in the air.

"Ermac…" he growled.

"Coward!" he called out as he approached him. "You _dare_ to take advantage of those who can't fight back?! Even the scoundrel Quan Chi has more honor than you!"

That struck a cord within the sorcerer and he quickly began to approach Ermac. "YOU'LL DIE FOR THAT!" he roared before running towards him.

From there, the two engaged in combat…

~~~

Not far from where they were, Wagner and Siegfried both still found themselves running as they followed Kenshi. Minutes ago, it was learned that Shang Tsung was still alive and was somewhere in this area.

It was bad enough that Kenshi, who was using his senses to figure out Shang Tsung's location, was faced with the fact that the sorcerer was alive even after he killed him. The fact that he was somewhere in the area really got under his skin. But the fact that Alex was somewhere in the area at the same time… that was unacceptable.

Wagner found that, with the exception of running out of his house the day his parents were killed by a madman, he never ran so fast before in his life. _Hold on Alex!_ he yelled out in his mind. _We're coming!_

It was a good ten minutes of running by the time Wagner spotted something in the distance. Soon, he noted two figures fighting at the bottom of a hill… one he figured was Ermac… the other was definitely the sorcerer himself.

With his sword raised, Kenshi jumped forward, ready to strike down. By then, Shang Tsung had just pushed Ermac back. He then grabbed on to his own sword before blocking an incoming attack from Kenshi, barely making it on time as the sounds of steel clashed together.

Wagner stopped running then with Siegfried doing the same not long after. As they both caught their breaths, they found themselves watching the duel before them as steel clashed against steel in fast speed.

It lasted a minute before the weapons slammed into each other again. From there, both fighters attempted to overtake the other as their leaned their weapons in with enough pressure to causing their arms to shake.

Shang Tsung grinned at Kenshi, even though he knew he couldn't see it. "It's about time you showed up. I was just beginning to get bored with your little wh-"

" _Basutādo! Watashi wa futatabi jigoku ni anata o hensō shimasu!_ " Kenshi growled in his native tongue. Wagner had heard this and, even though he didn't understand a word he said, he knew that reverting to his primary language at a time like this was a sign of pure rage.

The duel continued on as the weapons clashed once more. The longer this went on, the more Ermac realized where this was going. He turned to Siegfried and Wagner. "We need to help him! He's too irrational and he'll end up getting himself killed!"

Siegfried agreed to this as he raised his sword to join the fray, Ermac following immediately after. Wagner was just about to follow when something caught his eye. He turned to get a better look, soon frowning as he noticed Alex. By then, she managed to move, covering herself up with her clothes the best she could, and was sitting up and leaning sideways against a tree, her knees drawn to her chest.

Wagner immediately ran to her, getting down on his knees once he reached her. Her faced was turned away, her messy, damp hair covering it. He went to touch her shoulder, but it made her jump, a small cry escaping her throat. At the same time, he felt her shaking almost violently like a leaf.

"Hey, it's me, Scott," he said in a soft voice.

By then, Alex turned to him, and Wagner nearly gasped upon seeing her bloody, bruise-covered face. He also noted her nose didn't look right, but it was hard to tell by the bruising around it.

Still, he remained his composure even as he began to take off his brown jacket, the one that once belonged to his father. "You're going to be okay," he said as he placed the jacket around her. "I'm going to get you out of here. You'll be safe soon, I promise."

Knowing it was best to get out of here, Wagner scooped Alex into his arms and, while no one noticed, he made a run for it…

Shang Tsung had hoped to finish Kenshi off right then and there. However, he eventually found himself surrounded by Ermac and Siegfried as well. He growled in frustration, remembering how even just two enemies working together ended up.

"I think my job here is done anyway," he said as he stared at Kenshi. "And I would stay to kill you, but I think I will let you suffer for a while. Until then…"

He shot out a fireball towards the ground. It exploded on impact, causing Kenshi, Ermac, and Siegfried to be pushed back by it's force. Before any of them could recover, Shang Tsung took the opportunity to open a portal and escape back to Outworld.

Soon, the three were on their feet. Kenshi placed his sword back in it's scabbard before turning his head slightly to Ermac. "How is he alive…?"

"We can only guess that Shao Kahn resurrected him," Ermac replied. "It's the only way he would be alive. When we chased him out of Outworld, we were unaware of his reason to escape here. We didn't know he was after you, most likely seeking out revenge for killing him…"

Kenshi tilted his head towards the sky. "He surely didn't want to wait for orders, did he?"

"We're afraid not."

Siegfried realized something. "That woman… the other guy said she was with you."

"Yeah…" Kenshi sighed. "She's my…" He then seemingly try to search for something with his senses, turning his head a couple of times.

The blonde-haired man noted this. "Your friend got her away from here during the fight, I think."

Without saying another word, Kenshi began to walk forward, heading in the direction where the fort was. Not knowing what else to do, Ermac and Siegfried began to follow…

~~~

…It was beginning to snow, thought the wind had now somewhat died down. Wagner was grateful for that at least as he carried Alex up the hill and back towards the fort. A grim look appeared on his face, more or so trying to figure out how he was going to explain what happened once the others took notice.

Wagner gazed briefly down at Alex, who rested her head on his shoulder. She was still wearing his brown jacket, leaving him in his sleeveless green shirt, but he managed to ignore the sheer cold that pierced his skin.

A thought came to him then… remembering the morning Sonya died right next to him. He had gone to search for her when it was realized that she went missing. He found her leaning against a tree, seemingly fine… but she had been stabbed and was actually dying. For some reason, she had chose not to tell him about it, so he didn't know it until moments after she took her last breath.

Thinking of this now, Wagner was almost afraid that Alex would suddenly die in his arms before he could get her to the fort. _Just hang on,_ he thought. _I don't know the extent of your injuries, but please, don't-_

"Scott…" Alex began to say.

Wagner sighed with some relief. She was talking at least… that was somewhat of a good sign. "You'll be all right," he assured her. "We're almost back at the fort."

"Let me down… I need to-"

She was cut off as Wagner heard her choke back a bit while reaching up to cover her mouth with her hand. Realizing what she was going to do, Wagner got down on his knees, pulling back Alex's hair as she turned away and began to vomit. This only went on for a short time with her mostly coughing before she found herself trying to catch her breath, her body shaking and her face covered in a sheen of sweat.

"Are you all right?" he asked with concern.

Alex then turned her head, leaning her head into Wagner's shoulder before nuzzling her face into his neck. "Please… let's not go yet… I, I need to… to talk."

"That can wait until we're back," Wagner highly suggested. "We really need to get you help!"

"No, please… if I don't talk now, I'll never talk about it…. While it's fresh in my mind." She continued to speak before Wagner had the chance to protest, moving a bit more so that her lips were near his ear, a hand clutching on to his shirt. "He… Shang Tsung… he wants revenge on Kenshi… I think he was after him… but he found me first and… he… tricked me… he shapeshifts, you know… I thought… I thought it was Kenshi… he… even opened up that memory… the one Rose buried for me in Outworld… I remember it now like it was yesterday… I tried to get him away from the fort… keep you all safe… I… I…"

"Did he… do what I think he did…?"

"You mean… rape me? …No… thank God… but he had… full intention to… but I think what's… happened to me already… is enough to…"

It was then that footsteps were heard behind them and Wagner knew that Kenshi, Ermac, and Siegfried were coming. Wagner turned to Alex. "Don't be alarmed, we have a couple of new guys with us. And don't worry… it's definitely him or else he wouldn't be walking with the other two right now…"

"…Get me… on my feet… please…" Alex begged. "Don't refuse, just… do it… please…"

Wagner, knowing that Kenshi was near, realized that this was important to her. Though he didn't want to, he helped Alex on her feet, even though he felt her struggling to do so. He decided to help her stand until the others reached them.

He turned his head and saw the three approach. He especially noted Kenshi, realizing that the swordsman didn't need to see in order to know what had happened to Alex.

 _Be glad to be blind for once, my friend,_ Wagner thought. At least he knew that the swordsman would be spared from seeing the physical damage.

Ermac and Siegfried hung back a few feet as Kenshi continued to walk. Alex kept her head up, though she was struggling. When the swordsman was three feet away, Wagner decided to let go of Alex and step a few feet back to give them room.

The first thing Kenshi did was silently reach his hands out to touch either side of her arms, feeling her trembling from both the cold and the trauma she had just endured. That one touch triggered Alex, Wagner realized. She quickly fell into Kenshi, burying her face into his right shoulder as she began to sob uncontrollably.

For a while, all that was heard were the soft, blowing wind, the light snowflakes falling towards the ground, and the muffled sounds of Alex's sobs against Kenshi's shoulder. Her hands held on to him for dear life, making her knuckles turn white against his back. Kenshi had his arms around her as well, but not as forceful. He remained a calm demeanor, but the frown on his lips said otherwise… Wagner couldn't imagine what was going through the swordsman's mind at that moment.

The sobs soon subsided, and Wagner's eyes widened as Alex began to fall. Kenshi managed to keep her up a bit before getting one arm behind her knees and lifted her up. Her head leaned into the shoulder she cried in almost lazily, and Wagner realized that she had passed out in exhaustion.

Kenshi then spoke for the first time since they left the area they found the sorcerer. "A tarkatan did this. Do not mention that _bastard_ to anyone at the fort. Is that clear?"

The other three were silent, but it was enough of an answer for Kenshi. He soon began to walk forward, and the others went soon after.

When the fort was in view, Wagner chose to run forward, wanting to get there first. When he reached the entrance, he saw Juli standing by the bottom of the ladder that lead to the tower, a worried look on her face, though relieved to see Wagner at the same time.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I'll explain later. Do me a favor and get Jane right away. Alex is hurt and it's looking bad."

Juli quickly nodded and began to run to find Jane…

~~~

More than an hour later, Wagner found himself sitting by the tent where Alex was being cared for. No one else had seen them come in, and he had briefly helped with getting Ermac and Siegfried settled into their own tents, knowing that they would be staying with them. Jane had asked only for Kenshi to be in the tent with her and no one else.

So he waited…

He looked at his watch… 10:30am.

Soon, he noticed Juli approaching and she bent down to his sitting level. Silently, she took his hand into hers. She frowned more as she felt his hand shaking a little.

"It all happened on my watch," Wagner quietly said. "I should've looked out for her…"

"Don't blame yourself," Juli said. "It could've happened to anyone."

It was then that the flap of the tent opened, catching their attention. They both turned to see Kenshi emerging from the tent.

"How is she?" Wagner asked.

"… I don't know," Kenshi replied quietly. He slightly turned his head to them. "If anyone asks, I'll be doing some scouting."

Wagner said nothing as the swordsman began to leave, making Juli confused. "Kenshi!" she called out.

"Leave him alone, Juli," Wagner highly suggested. "If that was me, I wouldn't want to be bothered by anyone right now either."

Juli then saw something and her eyes widened. Wagner noted this and saw that she was staring down at him. Wondering why she was like that, he down at his chest area… only to see his shirt stained with Alex's blood…


	42. Chapter Forty-One

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

In the training room, Quan Chi was practicing his katas, taking advantage of his night off. He kept his mind cleared from the most part, deciding not to think about anything at the moment.

However, it was no soon after that thought left him that he heard light footsteps coming into the room. Stopping his katas, Quan Chi growled a little, wondering who dared to come in the training room now while he wanted to be alone. He turned to see who came in, only to be surprised when he saw the sorcerer Shang Tsung walking in almost confidently, a smirk on his face.

It had been a few days since the events at Lei Chen. Everyone in the fortress were aware of Shang Tsung's missing presence. Quan Chi knew that he had planned a 'vacation' of sorts, and he always had the idea of exactly what that was.

Once Shang Tsung was closer, Quan Chi was the first to speak. "You managed to kill the blind man who did you in all those months ago, did you?"

Shang Tsung's smirk widened and Quan Chi swore that a gleam came over his glowing green eyes. "Actually, I didn't."

"Oh? Then why the smirk?"

"Because rather than kill him right away, I accidentally found a new means of exacting my revenge. Let's just say that he'll be… quite irrational the next we meet."

Quan Chi raised an eyebrow in a bit of confusion. "How so?"

Shang Tsung paced around the room a little as he proceeded. "The fact that I took the souls of his ancestors was enough for him to seek vengeance that lasted for more than a decade. I sincerely doubt that he would get over the violation of a woman, especially one so close to him, any time soon…"

A sadistic smirk came over Quan Chi's face, getting what he meant. "I see."

Shang Tsung decided to change the subject then. "So, did anything interesting occur during my absence?"

"Not too much, but we have a couple of things that are coming up," Quan Chi explained. "For one thing, we'll soon we going after Jin Kazama, the runner-up of the Blood Tournament."

The name alone clicked in Shang Tsung's head. "Interesting. It's a wonder none of us thought of getting rid of him in the first place."

"It's the Empress' idea," Quan Chi continued. "Reptile, Guy, and I will be leading a few guards to take care of him once Shao Kahn gives the orders. Also, a few scouts have been sent out to explore the realm of Keisei. I have a feeling we'll be invading that world soon enough."

"And once we do," Shang Tsung said. "Then our biggest obstacles will finally be out of the way."

"Indeed," Quan Chi agreed. "Other than that, it's been mostly quiet around here aside from the fact that we're still looking for the traitor, Jade."

"I see. In that case, I will be heading off to my quarters then." Shang Tsung then turned on his heel and began to head out of the training room.

As he left, another smirk came over Quan Chi's face. There was one thing he left out in their conversation… the fact that Shao Kahn wasn't exactly happily about Shang Tsung's departure without informing him of where he was going. At one point, Quan Chi thought of telling him how the Emperor felt, but had quickly decided against it. After all, he wanted to see how Shang Tsung would react to Shao Khan's wrath.

~~~

**Keisei**

After what seemed like a long journey, Kazuya and Seiko finally reached a village. There, their stagecoach would take them straight to the city of Chili-san, their destination. They had been traveling for nearly a month, seeing nothing more than countless trees and the river that lead up to the quiet village.

"We finally made it!" Seiko called out in a bit of excitement. She stretched her arms out a little before speaking again. "Well, the stagecoach office shouldn't be too far from here if I remember correctly."

"Uh huh," Kazuya mumbled as he forced himself to follow the young woman.

A few minutes later, they began to head towards a wooden, one-floor building painted in red with a sign saying 'Stage Coach Station' hanging above a porch. Kazuya saw a small boulder nearby and decided to sit down on it as Seiko approached it.

On the porch, an older man sat on a rocking chair smoking a pipe. He had mostly been staring off into space, but he soon noticed movement nearby. Turning his head, his dark eyes seemed to gleam upon recognizing the young woman.

"Seiko!" he called out as he stood up from his rocking chair. "I didn't expect you back so soon!"

Seiko waved to the older man. "Hi, Hyun!" she replied. "Yes, I am back earlier than expected."

"What brings you out here?" Hyun asked curiously.

"Well," Seiko began to explain. "I'm acting as a travel guide for someone from Earth. He's hoping to somehow find his way back home, and we're trying to get to Chili-san in hopes of him accessing the portal out at sea, you know, the ones that were used for that tournament some months ago."

"I see," Hyun said, scratching his chin a little. "Well, in that case, there's something you should know. There's a rumor going around here that any portals that exist in this realm are closed off by the armies more or so for safety measures than anything. I don't think anyone is going to be leaving Keisei anytime soon as far as I know. I would let your friend know that getting home might be easier said than done, but at least it's worth a shot."

Seiko nodded. "It's not surprising. But yes, we'll give it shot. When does the next stage leave for Chili-san?"

"I'm expecting another stage to arrive in about twenty minutes or so. Of course, we'll be doing the horse changing, which will take a little time. I'd say you should be heading to Chili-san within an hour after the stage arrives. I'll fix you two a little something to eat until then."

"Thank you Hyun," Seiko said. As the older man headed inside, the young woman walked over to where Kazuya was sitting. He had heard her footsteps, but didn't bother to look up to see her.

"What do you want?" Kazuya grumbled.

"Well," Seiko began. "I was just told about the portals, and-"

"I heard everything," Kazuya said in annoyance.

The cheerfulness that Seiko had been feeling since arriving at the village was now quickly fading away. She placed a hand on her hip. "You know, ever since we started traveling together, you've been nothing but rude to me. All I was trying to do was help you, and all you can do is-"

Suddenly, to her surprise, Kazuya quickly stood up from the boulder he was sitting on. By standing, he was now practically towering over her, and he stared down at her in some sort of anger. For the first time, Seiko was truly noticing his eyes, the right one being brown, the left one being red. She unexpectedly felt some fear creeping within her, but she did all she could not to show it in front of him.

However, Kazuya already noted the fear building up within her just by looking at her green eyes. He almost laughed, thinking how weak and pitiful she was.

"There's something _you_ should know," Kazuya began to say, his voice low and nearly filled with malice. "I never wanted a travel guide to begin with. The only reason you came along was because it was all it took for me to not smite your pestering father. I would've easily found my way to Chili-san just by asking other locals before going on my way. And I bet I would've been there sooner if you hadn't slowed me down. You said the trip would only take three weeks. It's been nearly a month and we're not even there yet! I've been hinting at you this entire trip that I wanted no part in any sort of conversation unless it was very important and involving the journey at hand, but your little mind didn't get that. It's a wonder you managed to survive all the traveling you've claimed to have done."

There was silence between them once Kazuya was finished. The young woman wanted to say something back, something that would put him in his place, but to her dismay, she found that she couldn't.

Seiko soon spoke, her voice somewhat cracking. "You'll only have to deal with me until we get to Chili-san. After that, you never have to deal with me again." She soon walked away and began heading to the stage office. Kazuya sat back down on the boulder, glad to have finally got that off his chest.

An hour later, as promised, the two of them, along with a couple of other passengers, left the village on the stage coach. Within a week, they would finally reach the city of Chili-san.

~~~

**Kagoshima, Japan**

After what was a very long journey, Yoshimitsu and some of his Manji Clan members finally made it to a port. There, they would finally take a ship which will lead them to the island of Yakushima.

Some minutes ago, the clan left their horses at a nearby stable, where the owner was taking in horses that survived the Outworld invasion. Yoshmitsu had left the owner some extra food and a little bit of money before departing.

As they walked through the port area, one his clan members, Zivis, spoke. "It's a good thing I used to be a shipman before joining your clan. I doubt anyone would want to give us a lift to the island."

"Especially at this time," Yoshimitsu said as he looked up towards the evening sky. The sun had set behind the mountains a few hours ago, but the moon above was bright, almost full, and they knew that they would at least see in the dark tonight.

Yoshimitsu then spotted a ship in particular. "That small ferry over there," he said as he pointed to it. "I think that will be good to use."

"Let's just hope there's enough gas to get there," one clan member said. "The last thing we need is to get stuck in the middle of the ocean, and-"

"Hold it!" someone called out suddenly, forcing the clan members to stop in their track. They turned their heads to where the voice came from and soon noticed a middle-aged man approaching them.

Yoshimitsu raised his hands. "We're not here to harm you," he said.

"I'm sorry," the stranger said. "But at this time, no one is allowed to leave this port by water. That is an order."

"I understand that you are doing your job," Yoshimitsu mentioned. "But my clan and I need to get to one of the islands as soon as possible."

"I'm sorry, but I've been ordered by my superior not to let anyone leave by water," the stranger repeated. "It's for the safety of everyone."

A quiet sigh escaped Yoshimitsu and he slowly nodded. "Very well. We're sorry that we bothered you." With that, he began to turn around.

At first, the rest of his clan members were surprised by their leader's sudden change of mind. Did they really come all this way just to turn around and go back?

But then, however, Yoshimitsu stopped in his tracks and looked at his clan. He then pulled out an object from his traveling pouch, and they soon quickly realized what he was up to.

"I'm sorry," Yoshimitsu said quietly before straightening his head up. "Now!"

He threw down the smoke bomb to the ground, which immediately exploded upon impact. This gave him the chance to go in invisible mode as the rest of the clan scrambled off and found the closest hiding spots around them. The stranger was forced to cough and back away from the smoke, which also slightly blinded him as his eyes stung.

He barely heard the footsteps that came behind him before Yoshimitsu took the butt of his sword and hit the stranger in the back of the head to render him unconscious. Soon, the smoke cleared, and the other clan members began to emerge from their hiding places.

Yoshimitsu went through his other travel pouch as he got himself out of invisible mode. Zivis gave him a curious look. "Was that necessary?" he asked.

"Only at a time like this," Yoshimitsu replied as he pulled out another object from the pouch. "Besides, no one will ever know it was us." With that, he dropped the object on the ground just a few feet away from the stranger. It was a tarkatan bone that they found about a week ago during their journey.

"At least if a tarkatan was blamed for this, he won't lose his job," Yoshimitsu said. He then turned around and began heading to the ferry. "Let's go." With that, the rest of his clan followed.

Unknown to them, Shin Akuma and Dark Sakura, who had been following them since leaving the outskirts of Mt. Fuji, stood on top of a nearby roof. They watched as Yoshimitsu and his clan members began to get on one of the ferries. Hearing past conversations, Shin Akuma knew that they were heading to Yakushima Island.

All this time, he had been biding his time, waiting for the opportunity to challenge Yoshimitsu to a fight, believing him to be a great warrior. But the opportunity never arose on the mainland, and he knew it would have to wait just a little longer.

"The time will come," Shin Akuma said. "In a few days, we will follow them to Yakushima Island. There, I will challenge the clan leader." He turned to Dark Sakura. "And you will test yourself by fighting the others rather than going forth with our original plan to find your friends. This may be a better opportunity after all."

The only reply from Dark Sakura was a single blink of her red eyes.

~~~

**Asia, Unknown Area**

In the middle of a forest area, Scorpion sat on a boulder during what was one of his rare breaks while pursuing the Thunder God, Raiden. It had been a while since he had last seen him back at the Shaolin Temple. He had come so close to finally assassinating Raiden, but the Wind God, Fujin, had intervened and sent them both away from there and into separate areas.

How many times did he curse Fujin since then?

As he rested, he knew that he would rather have his mind cleared from any thoughts with the exception of the mission at hand. However, the more time passed, the more memories of his former life as a mortal came to him. One in particular kept playing over and over…

_15 Years Ago, Japan_

_A young man kneeled in front of a low table as a bowl of broth was served in front of him. For a moment, he found himself staring at the bowl, watching as hot steam emerged upward from it, slowly dispersing the longer it lingered in the air._

_The older man that served him the bowl soon kneeled opposite from him, placing his own bowl of hot broth down on the table in front of him. For a while, neither one of them spoke, the only sounds being heard were the chirpings of crickets coming from within the darkness outside of the small home. Earlier, the younger man had shared some news, and the older man had been silent ever since. He knew that wasn't exactly a good sign to him._

_Finally, the older man spoke. "So, Hanzo… you wish to join the Shirai Ryu, am I correct?"_

_Hanzo took a deep breath before answering. "Yes, father. That is my wish."_

_The older man briefly took a sip of his broth before speaking again. "For years, I have done everything I could to persuade you to never join the clan. Your mother, rest her soul, had agreed with me so many years ago."_

_"_ _I'm aware of that," Hanzo said._

_"_ _I know you are old enough to make your own decisions, my son. But I must beg you, do not make the same mistake I had all those years ago. They will only leave nothing but memories that will haunt you day and night. Think of what you will put your wife and son through."_

_"_ _Kana and Jubei are the reason I wish to join."_

_His father was surprised to hear this. "Why put your own family in the middle of such a decision?"_

_"_ _Because we're desperate," Hanzo explained. "I'm barely making enough money to keep a roof over our heads. We have no food, little water, and hardly any means to pay our bills. It is my responsibility to care for them, and I cannot just sit there and watch them starve."_

_Thinking about what he had just said, the young man felt more determined about his decision than ever. "I have chosen. I will become a Shirai Ryu."_

_The older man only looked at his son in shock. Realizing at this point that there was no other way to change his mind, the parent rose up and walked towards a small shrine in the corner of the room. Once he reached it, he kneeled in front of it before bowing his head._

_"_ _You have no idea what you've done by making such a decision," the older man quietly said._

_Hanzo was shocked when he heard this. He stood up. "But Father-"_

_His father quickly raised a hand up, silencing him. For a moment, Hanzo stood where he was, not knowing what to say, but wanted to find the right words to assure his father that everything will be all right. However, the more he thought about it, the more he realized what anything he said would be of no use._

_Unsure of what else to do, Hanzo turned around and left the house._

_Neither father nor son would ever see nor hear from each other again…_

It was a glowing blue light that drew Scorpion away from his old memories of his mortal life. Looking up from where he sat, he soon quickly noticed the three Elder Gods, Daichi, Hinote, and Mizu, standing before him.

"Scorpion," spoke Daichi. "How is your hunt for Raiden?"

Scorpion stood up from the boulder he had been sitting on. "Not so well, actually," he admitted. "I had not seen him since I last ran into him back at that temple. I am still searching."

"But not fast enough," said Hinote.

Scorpion quickly got angry at his words. "It's not my fault the Thunder God is one step ahead of me!"

"First of all, Scorpion," Daichi quickly said. "It is not wise to speak to us in that manner. All we ask is that you get the mission done as soon as possible."

"You are not to waste any time," added Hinote.

Those last words only annoyed Scorpion more. "It seems to me that you are taking your time over this Outworld invasion as well."

"Need we remind you of your reward?!" Hinote called out.

"Please, Hinote," Mizu spoke calmly as she stared at the fire God. "Try to restrain yourself. He is only doing the best he can."

Daichi nodded, agreeing with Mizu. He then turned back to Scorpion. "But please, try to find Raiden as soon as possible. Just remember… if you do not assassinate Raiden, then you will not be reunited with your family and clan."

Before the specter had the chance to say anything more, the three Elder Gods soon disappeared, the glowing blue color vanishing along with them. The meeting only left Scorpion more frustrated.

~~~

**Keisei**

Night had fallen, and all was quiet in the secluded village where Heihachi Mishima was currently located. Sitting on his goose-feathered bed in the darkness of his hut, thoughts ran through his head.

It had only been a few weeks since he arrived at this village, more or so on a whim. He had heard fighting and he was itching for one and got it (for the most part). Because of that, the villagers here believed him to be some sort of God and pampered him to no end. For a while, he enjoyed it, only wishing that his employees back at the Mishima Zaibatsu were able to provide this kind of service.

However, the more time passed, the more Heihachi got bored. Also, the more he wanted to just be alone and breathe, the more the villagers became persistent in their services to him. All he wanted to do now was to go forth with his plans to become the new ruler of the realm of Keisei.

Tonight, he would finally get to do that… as soon as he escaped from his village.

He wasn't sure what time it was at the moment, but it didn't matter. All Heihachi cared about was the fact that it was dark. Being outside in the early evening, he noted that there was no moon, so it was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the dark.

Slowly getting up from the bed, Heihachi tip-toed over to the entrance of his hut. The older man was fully aware that there were two guards who always stood in front of it. He listened in to see if he could hear the guards talking, but he soon realized that he couldn't hear anything. Curious as to why all was quiet, he peaked through the flaps of the hut entrance… only to see his two guards sleeping on the job.

Heihachi raised an eyebrow. _What a convenience,_ he thought. From there, he quietly stepped out of the hut and began walking forward.

The older man took his time, making sure to stay quiet as he possible can so that he didn't wake anyone up from their slumber. It nearly seemed like an eternity before he finally reached the end of the villager, and he began to taste freedom.

"It's about time," he uttered, but then he stopped. He nearly forgot about the tall cliff.

"No matter," he said to himself. "I once climbed a cliff bigger than this. This will be a cinch."

But before he had the chance to move, Heihachi suddenly head footsteps behind him. He whirled around, getting himself ready to fight off the villagers if he had to. To his surprise, however, he noticed four young women approaching him.

The first thing he noticed about the women was the fact that their outfits left little to the imagination. Still, Heihachi quickly ignored it and clenched a fist. "What do you want?!" he demanded.

The women began to approach, and they all smiled at him. Soon, one of them replied. "Why are you leaving us already, Mr. Mishima?" she asked in a soft, innocent voice.

"We really hate to see you go," another said in the same kind of voice.

Heihachi realized the women were beginning to try to tempt him, but he managed to ignore it. "Out of my way!" he demanded.

"Please Mr. Mishima," a third girl said. "You must stay."

A fourth spoke. "You haven't even participated in the deflowering ritual."

"I don't care what you want!" Heihachi yelled out. "But I'm not going to sit around here and-" The last two words the woman said suddenly sank in. "… Come again?"

"We have a ritual in our village, Mr. Mishima," the first girl that spoke mentioned. By then, the four of them were barely inches close to the older man, surrounding him with one of them lightly playing with his hair.

"When one such as yourself stays in our village, young women like us offer you our virtues. It is only proper."

After hearing this, Heihachi began to realize something… it has been a while since he bedded a woman. Despite wanting to get out of this village right away, the older man knew that this was definitely an opportunity he didn't want to miss, especially with four young, beautiful women.

Heihachi slowly began to smile. "Well… if you put it that way, I guess-"

He never got to finish his sentence as something smashed the back of his head. Heihachi never had the chance to figure out what just happened before he fell forward, his world turning black.

A fifth person, a man, had hit him in the back of the head with a stick. "Phew! That was close," he said. "Our plans would have been ruined had he managed to escape."

The four women quickly backed away from Heihachi, their beautiful smiles now faded. "Ugh, and to think he fell for that whole 'deflowering ritual!'" one cried out. "What an old pervert!"

"What if he wakes up and still wants to do it?" another replied, looking at Heihachi in disgust.

"We'll just say he already did so and had too much to drink," the man said. "Luckily, I still have some of that Outworld liquor stored at my hut."

"Good idea!"

"Now… let's get him back to his hut."

"Sure, as long as he doesn't wake up."

With that, the man and the four women began to take the unconscious Heihachi back to the village.

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

A member of the Coast Guard headed to a training area, the place where he knew that Hwang and some of his friends who were helping out were currently at. Upon reaching the training area, he noted the two women, Xianghua and Sophitia, training together with their respective swords as Hwang, Maxi, and Kilik watched.

 _Perfect,_ he thought as he began to approach the group.

Hwang had turned his head at one point and noticed the guard coming towards him. He gave his full attention as the guard neared. "Is there anything you need, Hyo?" he asked him.

Hyo nodded his head. "Yes, sir. I came to inform you that someone had arrived at headquarters. They came here specifically to speak to Sophitia Alexandra."

"Sophitia?" questioned Maxi. "I wonder why someone out here would want to see her."

Hwang shrugged. "I'm not sure."

By then, Xianghua and Sophitia had approached as well, noting the guard that came to them. "What's going on?" asked a curious Xianghua.

Kilik turned to her. "Apparently, someone's here to see Sophitia."

A perplexed look came over Sophitia's face. "Who would want to see me?"

"That's what I was thinking," said Maxi.

"Do you know why they want to see her?" Hwang asked Hyo.

Hyo shrugged. "Unfortunately no, only that he wanted to see her."

Hwang nodded. "We'll all go together, just in case."

"That's a good idea," Xianghua agreed.

From there, the five of them began to follow the guard back to the main building of the Coast Guard headquarters. Throughout the walk, all was silent between them, each of them wondering who and why someone wanted to see Sophitia.

Soon enough, they reached the building and went inside. They continued to follow Hyo until he took them to one of the private rooms. Once the door was open, they saw a male stranger just beginning to stand up from a settee, and he soon turned to see those who just walked in.

Sophitia's eyes widened with surprise as she immediately recognized the stranger. "Rothion!" she cried out as she ran over to him. A smile appeared on his face just before welcoming her into his embrace, wrapping his arms around her waist as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

Upon hearing his name, the others knew exactly who this was. "He came all the way over from the Ottoman Empire to see her," said Xianghua with a small smile on her face. "How romantic."

"I think it's best to leave them be," suggested Hwang. The others agree and they soon left the room, closing the door behind them.

The couple continued to embrace for a moment longer before Sophitia moved her head a little to look at her husband. "Roth… what are you doing here?"

"I had to come here," Rothion admitted. "With everything that's going on in this universe lately, I just found myself mostly sick and worried about you."

"Where are the children?" Sophitia asked.

"They're with your mother. As a matter of fact, she was the one who suggested that I came to Lee Dynasty to be with you."

Sophitita's eyes widened at that. "Why would she do that?"

"She was just as worried as I was."

"She never worried before. I wonder-"

Suddenly, Sophitia stopped mid-sentence as a thought came to her. She came to realize that the reason she was worried was because, after what happened to Cassandra, the last thing her mother wanted was to lose another daughter.

A frown came over the young woman's face. "I see now. She thought she would lose me just like we lost Cassandra…" She placed a hand on her cheek. "Suddenly, I feel awful for leaving our village so quickly."

"Don't be," Rothion replied. "You came here because you wanted to help protect Keisei and prevent a possible invasion. You felt that it was your duty, and it didn't surprise any of us when you chose to go. Sophie, your family is proud of you, and something tells me, somewhere, Cassandra is proud of you as well."

A smile appeared on the corner of her lips. "I'm glad to hear that."

A thought came to her then, and she felt like sharing her thoughts out loud. "You know, it didn't seem so long ago when I was approached by Hephaestus to help in destroying Soul Edge. Back then, no one believed my story except Cassandra. She always had supported me in everything I did and helped me in any way I could. Something tells me that if she was here right now, she would be here with me helping out in our fight."

Sophitia placed a hand on Rothion's face. "I'm glad you came. I made some friends here and I enjoy their company very much, but it does get lonely here without you and the rest of the family. I miss you all terribly. Hopefully, we'll be returning home soon."

"I hope so too," Rothion agreed. "Speaking of home, I promised your mother that I would have you write a letter to tell her of my arrival and that you're okay."

"That's a good idea," Sophitia said. "I think it's best that we get the letter written out right away."

With that in mind, the couple began to walk out of the private room.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Another meeting was taking place in the throne room of the Emperor and the Empress of Outworld. Generals, tarkatans, shokans, centaurs, guards, and others alike gathered there, waiting for their leader to speak.

Shao Kahn stood in front of everyone with Ivy standing a few feet next to him by his right side. "Things are starting to turn for the better in our favor," he soon announced. "As we speak, we have some guards who are scouting the realm of Keisei. Once their task is completed, it will not be long before we invade that world."

The group began to talk amongst themselves in excitement, but they quickly quieted down upon noting the Emperor's glare. Soon, he proceeded. "And soon enough, Quan Chi, Guy, Reptile, and other selected guards will be leaving for Earthrealm to retrieve the Blood Tournament runner-up, Jin Kazama, dead or alive. With how far he came in the tournament, we cannot afford to let him run loose within the realms."

"In the meantime, Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro are still searching for the one named Dhalsim." He then turned to where Mavado, Donna, and Hsu Hao stood. "I want you three, along with the other members of your clan, to watch over the dungeons through the night."

"As you wish," Mavado replied.

"For those assigned to hunt for the traitor, Jade, continue to do so. Something tells me that she's no longer within the fortress. However, I highly doubt that she escaped Outworld any time soon."

As he continued to discuss other things, Shang Tsung kept himself hidden within the group, not wanting to be seen by the Emperor right away. He had experienced enough humiliation during the many years he served under Shao Kahn. The last thing he needed was for him to call the sorcerer out in the middle of the room… not that it hadn't happened before, but he still hated it.

 _It was at least worth it this time around,_ he thought to himself with a sadistic smirk, thinking about what he did on his last trip to Earthrealm.

"Shang Tsung!" a booming voice suddenly called out, almost scaring the sorcerer out of his wits. He turned to face Shao Kahn, only to see him starting directly at him.

 _Great…_ he thought in his head.

"Step forward," the Emperor ordered. Not having much else of a choice, the sorcerer pushed his way through the group that surrounded him before getting to the front, only stopping once he was just inches away from the first rising step to the thrones.

"Yes, my Emperor," Shang Tsung said as calmly as possible.

Shao Kahn's red eyes seemed to glow, which was definitely not a good sign. "It seems as though you went missing after the Lei Chen massacre. You best be explaining yourself, and it better be good!"

As the Emperor spoke, Quan Chi found himself smirking as he stared at the sorcerer. He had secretly hoped that Shao Kahn would call him out in the middle of the meeting. Now, he would get to see Shang Tsung try his best to explain why he went missing for a few days.

Shang Tsung barely missed a beat before explaining. "Just before the end of the massacre, I noticed the traitor Ermac and his ally Siegfried making their escape. I went after them in hopes of taking care of them myself, but after a few days, I realized it was no use as they were too far at that point, so I returned here."

There was silence for a moment, and everyone in the room wondered what was going to happen next. Most expected the Emperor to punish him right there and now.

Instead, however, Shao Kahn seemed to relax a little. "I'm disappointed that you weren't able to kill those two imbeciles. They were nothing but flies that got in the way since the beginning. I assume they still remain in Outworld. No doubt they will not survive very long.

"But if you go off like that again without my orders, I will be sure that you are severely punished for it."

Shang Tsung nodded. "Yes, my Emperor."

After hearing that, the smirk on Quan Chi's face faded. He was highly disappointed because not only did Shao Kahn let him go easy with barely a slap to the wrist, but Shang Tsung barely faltered at his explanation.

 _He planned his move all along,_ the necromancer realized.

The Emperor then turned his attention back to the others in the room. "You may take you leave," Shao Kahn ordered. With that, everyone began to depart from the room, all talking amongst themselves.

Once everyone had left the room, Shao Kahn sat down and leaned himself back against his throne, leaning an arm against the armrest. "Sometimes, I wonder why I keep that wretched sorcerer alive."

"It's because you need him for this invasion process," Ivy reminded him. "You brought him back from the Netherrealm months ago just for that purpose."

"I almost regret it at times, but one thing is for sure… he does get his assignments done in a timely matter… most of the time."

He then leaned forward a little. "The guards we sent out to search around Keisei... they better hurry with their scouting soon. The sooner they return, the sooner we will have the opportunity to invade Keisei."

In reply, the Empress stayed silent.


	43. Chapter Forty-Two

**East China Sea**

The trip through the water had taken just a little more than four hours. This was mainly due to the dark, something the Manji Clan always took advantage of whenever possible during their missions.

Soon, to their surprise, they spotted a lighthouse that was still flashing its beacon for all boats and ships to see. Zivis, who had been controlling the steering of the ferry, looked at it with curiosity.

"I'm surprised the lighthouse is still operational," he said. He turned his head towards his leader, Yoshimitsu. "Especially with the invasion and all."

"Perhaps it was turned on just before everything went to hell," another Manji Clan member suggested.

"Which is strange," Yoshimitsu cut in. "It was the middle of the afternoon here in Japan when the invasion occurred."

"Then the only other conclusion is that there are still people on that island," Zivis concluded.

Yoshimitsu shook his head a little. "I would imagine they wouldn't want the enemies to know of their presence."

"Unless it's their way of calling for help from our allies."

"Maybe. Either way, we need to find out whether or not Jin Kazama is on that island. How far are we now?"

"Just under one mile," Zivis replied.

An idea came to Yoshimitsu then. "When you dock the ferry, I want you and the others to stay put while I explore the island. If anyone is still there, they most likely will expect any outsides approaching as enemies. I'll try to talk to them and convince them that we are allies… unless they are Shao Kahn's minions of course, though there's a very small chance that will happen. Once I get everything sorted out, I will return and we'll go forth from there."

Zivis nodded. "Okay. Now it won't be too long before I get this ship to dock and-"

Before he could finish his sentence, he became a bit startled as Yoshimitsu suddenly ran out of the control room and to the deck outside. Taking out his sword with his right hand, he leaped into the air, soon activating his mechanical arm which spun rapidly. With the sword above his head, he looked like a human helicopter as he hovered over the dark waters. Once ready, he began to go forward towards the island.

Zivis sighed once Yoshimitsu was out of sight. "I hate it when he does that…"

~~~

**Yakushima Island**

Sitting on a boulder alone, Hwoarang found himself staring at the lit campfire a couple of feet away from him. He was mainly here to keep himself warm, but he also took advantage of the fact that no one was over here doing the same, wanting to be alone at the moment.

In his mind, Hwoarang thought about the events that took place this past month. Just before the invasion, he had thought of the rumors as nothing more than the delusions of many. Of course, unlike those who had attended the Blood Tournament, he hadn't witnessed firsthand what the realm of Outworld was capable of. Then again, he did dismiss Jin Kazama's words as nothing more than 'loony.'

The moment the invasion happened, he realized how wrong he was to call people crazy over the whole deal beforehand. He was grateful for two things… one, to have been able to survive the ordeal, and two, to know enough Tae Kwan Do to fight his way through those who tried to take him down.

Upon the thought of Tae Kwan Do, Hworang found himself frowning a little, thinking about his master, Baek Doo San. The last time he saw him, they were on Eitai Bridge back in Tokyo and, to his horror, he had watched his master get thrown off the bridge and into the river below. He had tried to go after him, but with Mi-na's persistence, he eventually realized that Baek would have wanted him to get out of Tokyo while he had the chance.

Whether or not Baek survived was a question that was bothering Hwoarang ever since.

It didn't feel all that long ago to Hwoarang when he was just a punk surviving off the streets of Seoul. He was a teenager then and he at least knew enough street fighting to get by.

A few years ago, he had been alone as five other adolescents from a rival gang surrounded him in an alleyway, seemingly away from potential witnesses. For a few moments, Hwoarang had been doing well with defending himself. Eventually, however, he started to become overwhelmed by the combination of the five teenagers who used cheap tactics to get the upper hand in the fight. Eventually, one of them whipped a chain at him that knocked him down to his side.

As Hwoarang was on the ground weary from the battle and knowing that defeat was at hand, Baek had shown up. Hwoarang would later learn that he was on his way back to his apartment after picking up a few supplies from the market. Baek had called them cowards because the five of them had ganged up on the youth.

Not a group to take criticism well, the five teens went to attack Baek, but the older man was able to take them down with ease. Realizing what they were facing, the teens ran off, giving Baek the chance to check on Hwoarang to see if he was all right. By then, the younger male had lost consciousness.

Hwoarang would wake up later in Baek's apartment, who explained what had happened. He also had taken him to the apartment mainly because the older man had heard police sirens soon after the other five youths had escaped. He had felt that the young man would have been blamed for the fight if he had been found.

Back then, Hwoarang didn't find himself grateful for Baek's efforts to protect him from the police. He was more frustrated at the fact that he had been defeated and wasn't given much of a chance to win the battle. Also, the fact that he was around an adult didn't sit too well for him. For as long as he could remember, he didn't trust any kind of authority figure.

That evening, Baek had offered to teach him a more traditional fighting style as opposed to street fighting, Tae Kwan Do in this case. Hwoarang didn't say yes, but he didn't say no, only a simple 'maybe.' Turned out Baek was a teacher at a locale Tae Kwan Do school.

A week later, Hwoarang showed up at the school.

For the next few years, Hwoarang would become the best student Baek had ever taught. Despite the young man giving him a few extra gray hairs on more than one occasion, he was always willing to learn something new with each lesson he was given.

Thinking through all of this, Hwoarang found himself frowning more, once again thinking about the last time he saw his master. He only wished to be able to tell Baek how grateful he was for everything he did for him… to take a teen going down the wrong path and do everything possible to lead him down a better road to the future.

At this point, he wasn't sure if he would get that chance again.

His thoughts were soon disrupted as he heard footsteps near him. Hwoarang turned his head and saw Karin beginning to settle herself on the long log that he was sitting on, keeping herself a few feet away.

There was silence between them for a couple of minutes as they both stared at the lit campfire, which was starting to get low. Hwoarang took a moment to place a few new twigs into the fire, making it light up even more.

Suddenly, Hwoarang found himself turning his head to her direction. "Listen… I'm sorry about last week," he managed to say.

Karin had been in her own thoughts, so she was a bit caught off guard when she heard him speak. Blinking a few times, she moved her head so that she was facing him. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well… you know… what lead to our spar last week."

Karin remembered then. The two had been sparring just off the campsite, a spar that showed that Hwoarang wasn't in the right frame of mind as he thought about his missing master. At the time, Hwoarang was only thinking of himself and his problems and not that of those who were pretty much in the same situation as he was.

Karin soon nodded to him. "Its fine I suppose. Of course, I didn't realize what you were going through at the time… so I apologize, too."

Hwoarang nodded, accepting her own apology. "I was selfish during that moment," he admitted. "I wasn't thinking about what everyone else was going through, only whether or not my master was still alive."

"I guess sometimes you can't help but think about your own problems," Karin said. "For me, I keep wondering if my parents are okay, not to mention my butler, Ishizaki, who practically raised me. It's funny how you don't appreciate someone until something like this happens. Then you wonder if you would ever have that chance again. Don't you agree?"

Hwoarang nodded. "I guess so."

"What are you two up to?" a female voice suddenly said. The two turned around to the person who just spoke, soon noticing Mi-na sitting herself down on the other side of Hwoarang.

"Not much," said Karin as she stood herself up. She stretched her arms out above her head as a yawn escaped her lips. "Wow, I'm tired. I think I'll go and get some rest. Good night, you two."

"Goodnight," Hwoarang and Mi-na both said at the same time before the blonde-haired girl turned on her heal and began leaving.

Once Karin was out of ear show, Hwoarang turned to Mi-na. Almost right away, he noticed the smirk that developed on her face as her brown eyes stared at him with what looked like innocence.

Hwoarang suddenly became annoyed by this. "What?"

"Oh nothing," Mi-na replied, her smirk turning into a grin. "I was just thinking-"

"Well, don't think!" Hwoarang said with a warning.

The smile disappeared from Mi-na's face. "What? All I was going to say was-"

"If you want to talk about me and Karin, forget it! There's nothing going on between us!"

A shocked look came over Mi-na face. "Actually, all I was going to say was that I was thinking about collecting more firewood from the fire. I just noticed we were getting low."

Hwoarang became flabbergasted by her words, realizing that he had jumped to conclusions. Taking a deep breath, he stared back at the fire. "Oh… well… have fun."

Mi-na stood up. "Thank you." She began to walk away, but only went a few feet before suddenly stopping in her tracks.

"What now?" Hwoarang asked with curiosity.

"I'm not sure, actually," Mi-na said. "I was thinking about this song I remember hearing during the tournament, but I forgot how it went."

"What song?"

Mi-na turned her head, grinning. "Something about you and Karin kissing in a tree-"

Hwoarang suddenly shot up from his seat. "That's it!" he yelled out. "I'm gonna get you for that!"

Mi-na suddenly began running just before Hwoarang started to chase her. "I'd like to see you try!" she called out while laughing at the same time.

"Get back here!" Hwoarang yelled out.

The two began to run around the campsite. Eventually, they ended up running past the small group consisting of Mika, Asuka, Maki, and Cassandra. All four had witnessed what had transpired from the boulders that were placed by the pond in front of them, and all couldn't help but find themselves in a fit of laughter.

After what felt like a minute, Mika managed to stop giggling, wiping a tear that developed in the corner of her eye. "I don't think I've laughed this hard in quite a while."

"Same here," agreed Cassandra as she tried to catch her breath.

"I wondering what that was all about?" wondered Maki.

Asuka giggled even more. "Whatever Mi-na might've said, it definitely got Hwoarang's panties in a bunch." That comment caused the girls to laugh even more.

"Oh!" Mika called out. "I need to stop, my side is hurting! I don't think I've laughed this much since we were all at the tournament."

"I think you're right," said Asuka. "And I'm pretty sure we kept half the cave up with our fits of giggles in the middle of the night."

"Probably," guessed Cassandra. "But no one's ever said anything."

"You know," Mika began. "We did have some pretty good times at the tournament. Like the time we were all spying on some of the good-looking guys at the hot springs."

"Before the fence broke and we all fell in the water," added Asuka.

"And to think that's how I met all of you," said Cassandra.

"I remember feeling really embarrassed when it happened," mentioned Maki. "But now when I think about it, I can't help but laugh."

"Then there was that time when we played that one game where one of us came up to the guy and flirted with him," said Asuka. "And then we picked Cassandra to go when Maxi came by."

"Of course, that was before we realized she was just going to end up bonking him over the head with her shield," added Maki.

"Hey!" called out Cassandra. "He _was_ trying to walk away and ruin the game after all."

A thought came to Mika then and her smile became softer. "Remember when we were all on the ship and got transported to meet with Raiden? Poor Ibuki was in the middle of getting into her pajamas when we were all transported and she was left in her bra and panties in front of everyone."

"I remember that," said Maki.

"And remember when Sakura brought her karaoke machine with her?" asked Asuka. "Poor girl forgot the batteries to the machine, so we never had the chance to use it. I think it would've driven everyone in the cave crazy anyway."

"Yeah, I think you were right," agreed Mika.

The girls fell silent then after the mention of Ibuki and Sakura, both who they had lost during and after the tournament. In their minds, they each thought of their own good memory of the two girls.

"Even though I only knew them for a short time," said Cassandra. "I felt like I knew them all of my life. I miss them."

"Me too," agreed Maki.

During that time, Asuka happened to look up and, a few yards away, noticed Jin Kazama walking through the forest, more than likely heading off to the hot springs nearby. In her mind, she thought about trying to talk to him about their possible bloodline, but never really having the chance to do that.

She realized that now was the time to talk to him.

Asuka suddenly stood up. "I'll be back," she announced.

The other girls looked at her with confusion. "Where are you going?" asked Cassandra.

"I realized that I need to do something. I promise I'll be back."

"You better," said Mika. She then grinned at her friend. "And when you do, you're going to tell us all the details."

Asuka smiled. "I'll think about it." With that, she took her leave.

Meanwhile nearby the small cabin a few yards away, Marduk found that he couldn't sleep and decided to step outside for a few minutes to get some fresh air. He paced himself around a little in front of the door of the cabin.

As he did, Marduk found himself thinking about a memory he hadn't thought of in quite a while… a night in an Arizona bar that would end up changing the course of his life.

The night the famous Armor King was killed by his own hands.

Before that night, Marduk had been an undefeated Vale Tudo fighter who competed in the professional circuit. He was respected and feared by those who knew him.

That was until a minor scandal plagued him all because he had spent a night with a woman he didn't realize was the daughter of the owner of a rival wrestling company. Because of that, he was expelled from the professional ring.

Fighting was pretty much all Marduk knew and, after being expelled, he fell into a deep depression and became bitter against his peers and society. He mostly wandered aimlessly, mainly getting himself drunk at whatever bar he ran into.

One night, he found himself in an Arizona bar sitting alone at the bar stand, a bottle of whiskey in hand. At some point, Armor King and a couple of friends had arrived at a bar to celebrate a new contract Armor King had signed that day for a wrestling company he was a part of, at least that was the report Marduk had read long after the incident.

Marduk was mainly left alone up until a few rowdy bikers came into the bar. They had sat themselves close to where Marduk was sitting, which was annoying in itself aside from the fact that they were loud and obnoxious.

Eventually, one of them noticed Marduk and immediately recognized him. "Hey, aren't you Craig Marduk, the Vale Tudo fighter?" he remember the biker asking.

Marduk's only reply at the time was another swig of his whiskey, his way of ignoring them.

The next comment was what would set Marduk into a frenzy. "Forget him. He's just nothing more than a has-been."

A loud crash was heard as the whiskey bottle was shattered against the floor, startling everyone. By then, Marduk was on his feet, giving the bikers a deathly glare. "Say that again!" he demanded.

Surprised by his reaction, the bikers backed away quickly as Marduk ran towards them. "SAY THAT AGAIN!" he screamed before he began to destroy the bar, letting his pent up rage consume him.

The bartender had immediately called the cops at that point as Marduk destroyed everything in his path and fought everyone who got within an arm's reach from him. His raging screams were heard all around as he yelled various profanities to everyone who listened.

At one point, Armor King had stepped in to try to stop Marduk, trying to be rational and calm to him. But Marduk would have none of that and the two began their own brawl.

It was a blow to the head that would knock Armor King down to the ground, his head beginning to bleed profusely. By then, the cops had arrived. It took them some time to subdue Marduk, but eventually, a taser was used and he was promptly arrested.

Armor King was taken to the hospital, but would die from his injuries later that night. Marduk was convicted of second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to ten years in an Arizona state penitentiary.

However, Marduk would only serve two years of his sentence. One day, he was suddenly released from jail, much to his surprise at the time. Someone had paid a large sum of money for his release. Once he was out of his cell, an envelope was handed to him. In it contained a plane ticket to Tokyo along with a newspaper clipping that talked about the King of Iron Fist Tournament.

Marduk took the offer, mainly because it was literally his ticket to freedom.

Later at the tournament, Marduk would discover why he was released so soon… so that Armor King's student, King, would have the chance to give him a proper revenge for his master's death. Marduk was more than happy to take on the challenge.

However, King's own rage consumed him enough to send Marduk to the hospital for a month. After recovering, the two had been going at it in nearly every wrestling competition they attended. The fans who watched ate up their rivalry and it seemed to satisfy the stock holders, but it didn't matter to either one of them.

One day, the two would settle the score.

It was then that he heard footsteps nearby. Marduk immediately turned around and saw King just coming from the side of the cabin. The latter managed to see him and stopped in his tracks.

The two stared at each other for a moment. During that time, Marduk was able to hear the low, deep growl coming from King.

The Vale Tudo fighter was about to speak first, but King ended up doing that first as he pointed at him. "As of now, I'm willing to put our differences aside, especially considering that there are more important things to worry about."

Marduk folded his arms in front of his chest. "I highly agree," he replied.

"But don't expect me to forget about what you've done to my master," King added.

Marduk shook his head a little. "I don't expect you to… but then again, even after all this time, something tells me that you haven't heard my side of the story."

"That doesn't matter!" King called out. "No matter what happened, Armor King died by your hands."

"In a drunken bar fight in case you forgot."

"That doesn't excuse anything!"

After that outburst, King took a long, deep breath in order to calm himself down. Once he felt a little better, he spoke once more. "We'll settle our score when the invasion is over."

Marduk unfolded his arms before pointing his right thumb at his own chest. "And when that time comes, I'll beat you fair and square." With that in mind, the Australian turned on his heal and walked away, leaving King alone.

Meanwhile, leaning himself against a tree some yards away from the campsite, Ryu had been sitting in a lotus position, his eyes closed as he meditated. His mind was clear as he focused on his rhythmic breathing.

However, the sudden sound of footsteps broke his train of thought. He listened to the sound more and, once he realized how close they were, his eyes snapped opened. By then, a figure stepped into the small clearing from behind the trees and Ryu soon recognized the Saikyo fighter, Dan.

Seeing Ryu looking at him, Dan kneeled down a couple of feet away from him. This caught Ryu's curiosity and he spoke first before the latter had the chance. "Is there anything you need?" he asked.

Dan seemed to gaze at their surroundings for a moment before speaking. "Well, I didn't want to alarm anyone just yet, but I was walking around and I heard a noise."

"What kind of noise?" Ryu asked.

"To be honest… I think someone else is here besides us. The noise sounded like footsteps to me. So rather than wait to see who it was, I can back here. I happened to see you first, so here I am telling you about it."

Ryu raised an eyebrow a little. "Are you sure it wasn't one of the others from the camp?"

"I saw everyone at the camp," Dan replied. "Plus I saw Jin heading in the direction where the hot springs were. I heard the noise from the opposite direction."

"It might've been just an animal then," Ryu concluded.

Dan straightened himself up. "I don't think it was-"

Before he could finish his sentence, a scream was suddenly heard from the campsite. Dan quickly turned to that direction as Ryu immediately stood up from where he sat.

"I just hope that's just one of the girls playing a joke or something!" Dan called out.

"There's only one way to find out," Ryu said as he began to run forward with Dan following him.

It only took them a minute to get back to the main campsite. By then, the others there got themselves into a fighting stance as they all at the same person in front of them. Ryu turned to the person and saw someone he could only describe as being dressed unusual from what he was used to.

Karin looked at the stranger in horror. "What is that?" she cried out.

Hwoarang pointed at the figure. "I don't know, but one thing is for sure… we're not letting another one of those Outworld goons defeat us!"

The male stranger slightly cocked his head a little at that. "What are you talking about? I'm not an Outworld goon!"

"Don't lie to us!" called out Mi-na. "Why else would you be on this island?"

"Forget asking questions!" suggested Marduk as he cracked his own knuckles. "Let's just kill him while we have the chance!"

Before any more was said, Marduk jumped forward with the others closely following him. Ryu found himself practically in the back of the line as the others took their turn attacking the stranger. However, the more he watched the fights, the more he noticed that the stranger was more or so defending himself than attacking. Ryu also noticed the sword strapped in a hilt on his belt, and not once did the male figure try to reach for it.

 _If he wanted to kill us,_ he thought to himself. _He would've already used that weapon against us._

Ryu realized that this stranger was most likely an ally, not here to hurt anyone at all.

"Wait!" he called out as loudly as he could. "I don't think he's here to-"

He stopped mid-sentence as he realized that the others didn't hear him. As the group continued to fight the invader, Ryu stood there as he tried to think as quickly as possible over how to snap everyone out of their frenzy…

Not too far from the campsite, Asuka mostly found herself following Jin, realizing that they were going towards where the hot springs were located. In her mind, she knew what needed to be done. Before the invasion during a conversation with her father, Asuka had begun to believe that Jin may possibly be a relative of hers. The thing was, she just had to ask him a couple of questions to confirm her suspicions.

However, due to the invasion and other things that had happened, Asuka was forced to put off talking to Jin, eventually deciding to wait until the right moment to approach him. Now was the time and nothing was going to stop her, at least she hoped.

She was just about to start catching up to him when Jin suddenly stopped in his tracks and slightly turned his head a little. "What do you want?" he asked without much emotion.

Asuka also stopped in her tracks just a few feet away from Jin. Realizing that it was now or never, she took a deep breath. "Well, I admit… I wanted to ask you something for some time, and I felt that now was the time to do so."

Jin's head turned away as though he was slightly annoyed by her persistence. "If it's about what happened in Outworld, forget it. There's no use in talking about it. What's done is done and I have to live with it."

Hearing that made Asuka a bit frustrated mainly because what happened with Sakura was far from what she wanted to discuss. "It has nothing to do with Outworld, or the invasion for that matter."

"Then what is it about?"

"… Jun."

That single name got Jin's full attention as he turned full to face Asuka. "What about my mother?" he asked her.

Asuka took another deep breath before proceeding. "Did she ever tell you about her family? A younger brother perhaps?"

There was some silence between them for a few moments. In her mind, Asuka was becoming more frustrated that he wasn't answering right away. She almost wanted to yell out and tell him to hurry up with his answer.

Finally, Jin spoke. "We're cousins, aren't we?"

Asuka was a bit taken aback after hearing that, not expecting him to come to that conclusion right away. She nodded to him. "How did you figure that out so quickly?"

Jin gazed up towards the night sky. "At first, I thought our last name was nothing more than a coincidence. I had my suspicions from the moment you gave me the same advice my mother had given me years ago. Do you remember what you said to me back at the Cathedral during the chaos after the tournament?"

Asuka tried to think through her past memories. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't figure out what she said to him that was so important. Then again, it had been a chaotic day and so much had happened then.

Jin ended up answering for her. "Never blame yourself for your mistakes… if your heart is truly regretful, then you will be forgiven."

Hearing that suddenly triggered a memory in Asuka's brain, now remembering that she did say that to him. It was something she had said to try to comfort him when he blamed himself for Sakura's death.

The young woman suddenly realized something. "If you had your suspicions about our bloodline, why didn't you say anything back at the Cathedral?"

"By then," Jin began to reply. "Cammy and Lita had shown up and we had to leave quickly."

Hearing Cammy's name reminded Asuka that Jin had spent a significant amount of time with the British woman during the tournament. During that time, the two had become somewhat of a pair in her point of view, and she realized that he had not mentioned anything about her once since they came to this island.

Asuka was about to ask about Cammy when a loud scream was suddenly heard, catching hers and Jin's attention.

"That sounded like it came from the camp!" Asuka gasped.

"Let's go," Jin suggested as he began running back towards the camp with his long-lost cousin following him.

Meanwhile, Ryu continued to try his best to get everyone's attention, but it had been to no avail. He could only watch at this point as the stranger defended himself against everyone who attacked him. He would mostly block moves until the opportunity came to toss them aside.

At one point, the strange man was defending himself against Marduk, who was very determined to take him down. Eventually, Marduk was able to break through his defenses, landing a few blows before grabbing him by the neck. With his teeth clenched, his drew a fist back, aiming for his head.

Before Marduk had the chance to throw a punch, a hand suddenly grabbed his forearm. Annoyed, the Vale Tudo fighter turned to see who had grabbed him, only to see that it was Jin Kazama.

"What the hell?!" the Australian yelled out. "What are you doing?!"

"You and everyone else are making a mistake," Jin said.

"What are you talking about, Kazama?" asked Hwoarang.

By then, the stranger had straightened himself up as Jin turned to his direction. "This is Yoshimitsu. I can assure you that he's an ally."

"Yoshimitsu?" piped King as he cocked his head, realizing who he was from the past King of Iron Fist Tournaments. "I didn't realize it was you. Forgive me for attacking you."

"I tend to change my attire quite often," Yoshimitsu mentioned. "And you and everyone else are forgiven."

By then, Ryu had joined the front of the group. "What brings you to this island?" he asked with curiosity.

"I'm the leader of the Manji Clan," Yoshimitsu began to reply. "Ever since Outworld began to invade the realms, my clan has spread themselves amongst the universe to put an end to their reign. Aside from that, we have many goals to stop the invasion. One of them was to gather worthy fighters to help in our cause."

He turned to the young man next to him. "Jin, you were one of the fighters I chose to help us considering your status in the Blood Tournament. It took me a while to find you, but a… certain source led me to this island."

Hearing 'certain source,' Jin could only guess in his mind that Yoshimitsu somewhat infiltrated one of the facilities of the Mishima Zaibatsu. How else would the Manji clan leader figure out the place he lived at for the first fifteen years of his life?

Yoshimitsu continued. "What brought you all to this island?"

"Mainly in hopes of figuring out a plan to fight back," replied Mika.

"All you can do is be prepared for another invasion round," Yoshimitsu mentioned.

This confused Maki. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"From my clan's experiences in other worlds, Outworld will usually invade more than once before completely merging the realm with theirs. Sometimes it's just one last time. Sometimes, it's another two tries, but it depends on the strength of that realm."

"So… they will come back…" sighed Asuka.

"When do you think round two will occur?" asked Dan.

Yoshimitsu shook his head. "I'm not sure. It could be days and it could be weeks from now. Again, all that can be done is for us to prepare."

Cassandra suddenly stepped forward then. "There's something I need to know," she said. "I'm from the realm of Keisei, and… I… I need to know what's become of my world."

Hearing that made Mi-na jump up from where she was sitting. "Yes! I'm from there too, and I've been worried about my family and friends there."

Yoshimitsu nodded, understanding. "As of four weeks ago, before the Earth invasion, Keisei was untouched. Whether it's been invaded since, I'm not sure. You see, I usually carry a sword which would help me find out that kind of information. However, the sword was stolen from me during the invasion. The one I carry now is only temporary until I get it back."

Cassandra nodded. "Thank you."

"I just hope everything is still okay," Mi-na said before sitting down on one of the boulders.

A thought came to the clan leader. "After hearing all of this, and seeing many of your fighting abilities, I highly believe that all of you are worthy to fight against the Outworld Forces. Therefore, some of my clan members and I will stay on this island with you."

"Thanks, but it's not really all that necessary," said Jin.

"I insist," Yoshimitsu replied. "Besides, we will protect you all for as long as possible once the second round of the invasion occurs. My other clan members are all assigned to their tasks, so that is all taken care of."

"Well," began Karin. "I guess a few extra people around won't hurt, especially ones as strong as you are."

"My other clan members are on a ferry by the lighthouse," Yoshmitsu mentioned. "I'll retrieve them and return to you before sunrise."

With that, the Manji clan leader jumped up before activating his mechanical arm to make it spin rapidly. Holding the sword above his head with the same hand, he looked like a human helicopter, bewildering everyone watching as he flew above the tall trees and disappeared into the night sky.


	44. Chapter Forty-Three

_The blood was pouring out of Raven's shoulder, and he tried to use his right hand to control the bleeding. Still, as the seconds passed, he began to shake a little as beads of sweat developed over his forehead. He tried to keep his eyes open, but they were starting to get heavy…_

_As he began to black out, Raven happened to look up and saw Dragunov standing a few feet away, staring at the dead nomads for a moment before he began turning to the agent. At that moment, Raven wondered if he was ever going to wake up again…_

**Russia**

The darkness that had taken over seemed like just a mere moment, at least that was how it felt to Raven. As he slowly opened his eyes, he found that he was actually warm rather than cold. He could hear the crackling of the fire somewhere, but he wasn't sure where it came from. Once his eyes were opened, he blinked a couple of times to clear his vision. He had expected to find himself staring up at yet more rocks in some cave like he had previously.

To his astonishment, he found himself staring up at a wooden cathedral ceiling.

Feeling surprised, Raven attempted to sit up, but a stabbing pain suddenly hit his shoulder, forcing him to lie back down as he drew a sharp breath. He placed his hand over his wounded shoulder, noting that it was bandaged. He slowly shifted his eyes down, seeing that he had no shirt on. He also noted the heavy blanket that covered him from the stomach down and the fact that he was lying down on a couch.

He then slowly turned his head, now seeing where the fire was coming from. A few feet away stood a lit fireplace. In between the fireplace and the couch was an old wooden coffee table with only a single bowl sitting on top of it. A foot away from the table was a single wooden chair. Aside from that, the cabin looked mostly abandoned.

Raven turned his head again, facing the ceiling. "Where the hell am I?" he uttered to himself.

It was then that he heard footsteps coming towards his direction. Seconds later, Raven noticed Sergei Dragunov approaching, soon sitting himself on the chair next to the coffee table. A small bowl with the handle of a spoon sticking out was in his hand, and Raven noticing the hot steam coming out of it. He then could smell the bowl's contents and realized that it was some sort of broth.

Raven stared at Dragunov with curiosity. "You had every chance to kill me, and instead you saved my life. Why?"

Despite leaving the last word as a question, Raven knew that he wasn't going to get an answer, not from a mute like Dragunov. However, he knew of one question that could be answered even by the Russian militant.

"How long was I out?" he asked.

Dragunov slowly placed the bowl down on the coffee table. Turning back to Raven, he raised both of his hands in front of him with all of his fingers and thumbs extended out. He left it up for a moment before placing his hands back down on his lap, having given Raven his answer.

"I see… ten days?" Raven asked.

Dragunov nodded.

Raven stared down at his wounded shoulder. "I'm guessing that we'll be here in this cabin for another week so that I can recover a little more, am I right?"

Dragunov shook his head as he raised his right hand. This time, he only held up his index and middle finger, leaving it up for a moment before placing them down again.

Raven sighed. "Two weeks? I guess the journey will be delayed a little longer… just great…"

By the time he finished his sentence, Dragunov picked up the bowl of broth with both hands from the table. Turning back to the agent, he extended his arms out a bit, offering the soup.

Raven adjusted himself so that he was sitting up a little before taking the bowl in his hand, being careful not to spill it. He peered down at the bowl's contents. He wasn't exactly sure what kind of broth it was, but at least the smell was somewhat decent to him.

As Dragunov got up and walked away, Raven took a small sip of the soup. He felt true warmth for the first time since the invasion.

~~~

**Kerala, India**

"How long has it been since Fujin came by this place?" Ruby Heart asked.

Next to her, Dhalsim counted the days in his head before replying. "Just over a week," he replied.

"Feels longer to me," said Ruby Heart.

The sky above them was dark, blanketed with countless and a half moon that gave off a decent amount of light in their surroundings. Ruby Heart stared up at the sky, lying down on the ground with her heavy jacket made into a pillow behind her head. Her large tricorn hat was taken off and placed just next to her. A few feet away, Dhalsim warmed himself by the lit campfire, his eyes admiring the dancing embers.

Ruby Heart found herself sighing a little. "I guess it's been feeling longer to me because fixing the propeller is taking much longer than I expected. I feel like I'll run out of resources before I'm close to even completing it."

"The only thing you can do is to be patient," suggested Dhalsim. "I don't know much about modern technology, but from what I've witnessed, it seems to be a delicate task that requires attention to detail and plenty of time and dedication."

"You're sure right about that," Ruby Heart agreed. "And yet I can't help it."

"Worrying about it will only make the task seem longer."

The two fell quiet as she returned to admiring the stars and he admiring the fire in front of him. Both of them found themselves in their own thoughts.

Dhalsim soon broke the silence. He turned his head in her direction. "You've been here in Kerala since the invasion, and there's one thing I realized you haven't mentioned yet… your family. Not your crew… I mean your blood family."

Hearing this caught Ruby Heart off guard, not expecting the yoga master to ask such a question. Now that she thought about it, it was a subject rarely brought up, at least in the last decade.

Dhalsim noted the silence and frowned a little. "I apologize if I'm being intrusive."

"No, it's fine," Ruby Heart assured him. "It's just been a long time since anyone asked me."

"I see."

Ruby Heart continued to stare up at the sky as she spoke. "To be honest, I haven't seen my parents ever since I left France to become a pirate. As far as I know, they're both still alive. I grew up an only child. My parents didn't believe in the school system, so everything I've learned growing up was from my tutor. I think, because of that, I developed a desire to see the world. At the same time, I had learned about my ancestral linage and discovered that a couple of my ancestors lived the pirate life, which fascinated me. From there, I would read more about pirates and found that I wanted to live that life despite its flaws. Once I was old enough and had enough money, I pursued my dreams. Naturally, my parents didn't want me to go down that path. I guess that's why I didn't contact them for so long because I wouldn't hear the end of it.

"My parents really were good people. They did everything as best as they humanly could for me. The more I thought about it, the more I came to terms that I never really saw eye to eye with them. I desired to see and do much more than what was offered to me. Plus, I think they were afraid of me in a way because I was a medium. I tried not to show my powers to them, but sometimes, it couldn't be helped."

Once she was finished, Dhalsim spoke. "If you don't mind… may I make a suggestion?"

Ruby Heart was curious more than anything, especially noting his calm, quiet demeanor at the question. "Sure. What is it?"

Dhalsim was quiet for a moment before proceeding. "If you survive the invasion… and if a time comes when you are ready, you should return to France to visit your parents."

Ruby Heart nodded. "I've thought of doing that during the last few months… at least before Outworld decided to invade Earth." She sighed a little. "But I'm not sure… my parents and I had too many disagreements in the past."

"All families have their disagreements," Dhalsim replied. By then, he got himself in a lotus position, the back of his hands resting on his knees with the tip of his index and thumb touching on both hands. He closed his eyes. "But they should not draw them away from their loved ones. Family is too important to fall apart by disagreements."

Ruby Heart took a deep breath as she heard this. She turned her head to them and was about to say something. By them, Dhalsim had begun to meditate, his body floating a foot above the ground.

A frown came over the young woman's face as she turned her head, staring up at the night sky once more. In her mind, she wondered about Dhalsim's family. With his words of wisdom and his outlook on life, she imagined that he was the kind who loved and was dedicated to his wife and son. His love had even extended to the villagers who once lived on this land.

Thinking about this, Ruby Heart felt tears stinging her good eye, but she managed to quickly blink them away, refusing to shed them. Now wasn't the time to give in to emotions.

_Why did someone like him have to lose his own family? He's the last person to deserve that…_

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

The sky above was partially cloudy with the morning sun just rising. The lone fort in the middle of the national forest of the famous Rockies was mostly quiet, at least for most of that morning.

It was eventually disrupted as Cody Travers began to kick and punch at the training bag in the exercise area. His hands were taped up with white bandages, the only way he figured would protect his hands from the beating he was about to deliver. He grunted and yelled out with each powerful punch and kick he delivered.

Nearby, Paul Phoenix and Marshall Law sparred together, something they both had been doing almost every day for the past week. Because they've known each other for years, they were able to predict each other's moves, so they would both try new moves on each other to make things interesting.

Eventually, the training had stopped unexpectedly, and the three found themselves staring at each other. All three were quiet as they took a moment to catch their breath from their training.

Paul was the first to speak. "What the hell is wrong with us?" he asked. "Have we all been pretty shitty in our training lately, or is it just me?"

"It's not just you," mentioned Cody. "It's every single one of us in the fort."

Marshall had to agree with the young man. "I think we've all just been on high alert ever since Alex was attacked three days ago. With us being on high alert, I think it has made us all lose plenty of sleep."

"That reminds me," Paul said. "Who took over her watch shift for the time being?"

"That new guy, Siegfried," Cody replied. "It was weird that first day because when I came up to the tower to start my first shift, I saw him there and was thinking, 'What the hell?' I heard from Ken that day that there were a couple of new guys at the fort, but I didn't realize what happened until my shift began. Siegfried ended up telling me everything."

Marshall sighed a little. "Yeah… things have been pretty grim around here… not that it wasn't to begin with."

"I know what you mean," Paul agreed.

"What were those… things called again? The ones who attacked Alex according to Wagner?"

"Tarkatans," Cody mentioned.

Marshall nodded. "Okay, now I remember. As a matter of fact, Paul and I briefly fought one in Nevada on our way over here."

"Fun times," Paul said. "But let me tell you, I'm a handsome guy to begin with, but I'm practically a pretty boy compared to those things."

Marshall smirked as he shook his head. "Actually, the one I saw was better looking than you were. At least it took care of its teeth."

"Very funny. And my teeth are not that bad!"

Cody chuckled at that a little, but quickly became serious. "I fought a couple of them during the chaos after the tournament in Outworld. I can barely remember how many times I dodged their blades before I even had a chance to punch their heads in."

"That's true," Paul said, rubbing his chin as a thought suddenly came to him. "You know, I just realized something."

"What's that?" asked Marshall.

"Well… in my experience with tarkatans, each one I fought always seem to want to do nothing but kill. And damn, those fuckers are fast when they're determined."

"And?"

"And… well, I'm not sure how good of a fighter Alex is on a normal day, but something tells me that, if she had the same experience as I had, she would've been killed, possibly in seconds if she had no experience fighting them."

"What are you getting at?" Cody asked.

Paul folded his arms a little. "Wagner, Siegfried, and Ermac all said that it was a tarkatan that attacked her. However, the injuries described to me were countless bruises, a busted lip, cuts on her face and head, and the worst one is a broken nose. Every tarkatan I fought attacked with blades coming out of their damn arms… and yet, there are no major lacerations that would indicate that she fought one. To me, it doesn't sound right."

"Are you saying that you think whoever attacked her wasn't a tarkatan?" asked Cody.

"Maybe this tarkatan was different from the others," suggested Marshall.

Before more was said, the three heard footsteps coming by. They turned their heads and saw Ermac walking by the training area.

To Cody and Marshall, it was interesting to them to meet the enigma, especially once they got to know him and discovered what kind of powers he possessed. One thing did baffle them; the fact that he and Paul seemingly knew each other.

To Paul, it was a huge surprise to him when he discovered that Ermac was here. It was Ermac who had rescued him from the dungeons of Outworld during the tournament and helped him escape. The last time he saw him, they were trying to defeat the Fighting God, Ogre, but Paul had lost consciousness during the fight before he found himself in the cave where the chosen ones were staying.

Until now, he was unsure of Ermac's fate. It was after eating lunch in the small cafeteria when Paul literally bumped into him. For the first few seconds, Paul was downright thrilled to see him. It was after asking what brought him here when he found out what had happened outside the fort walls that morning…

That night, Ermac and Siegfried told most of those at the fort what was going on in Outworld. They had also explained how they both managed to escape, mentioning a 'portal they found' and went through, not knowing where they were until they ran into them.

Now the two strangers were a part of the fort contributing to what had to be done here, all the while preparing for more attackers.

"Hey, Ermac!" Paul called out, waving to the enigma. "Did you want to spar? I wouldn't mind a good challenge right about now."

Ermac shook his head as he looked at the Judo fighter. "We'll have to decline for the time being. We had planned to mediate for a while today, but tomorrow will be a good time."

"All right then. In that case, I'll see you around."

Ermac nodded before departing.

Marshall rubbed his chin a little. "You know Paul… I can't help but be intrigued over how you know that guy."

Paul found himself looking at his bare arm, which contained one of the countless scars on his body from his ordeal in Outworld. "Well… that's because he saved my life."

Cody raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Paul nodded. "Well, it's a long story, but…"

And for the first time since the tournament, Paul told his story…

~~~

**Outworld**

It had been days since Jade managed to make her escape from the dungeons of Shao Kahn's fortress. By now, it was believed that the traitor had managed to escape the fortress and was not too far from the grounds outside. The Emperor had specifically sent selected members of his forces to hunt her down.

Tanya was one of the searchers hunting for her. She guessed that she was about three miles away from the fortress. During her search, she specifically combed through the high trees, knowing that it was one of the places the Edenian would hide if she had to.

In her mind, Tanya growled a little, remembering how Jade managed to escape under her own watch. She and a couple of other guards were responsible for bringing Jade to the throne room for her trail. Tanya had hoped that she would be the one to execute one, wanting that opportunity for so long.

Instead, Jade outsmarted them, knocking the guards out cold and, to Tanya, using a 'cheap shot' to buy enough time to escape. Thinking about that made the yellow-clad woman want to punch a hole into the tree she was now standing next to.

_I'll kill her when I get the chance!_

After looking through yet another large tree, Tanya let out a frustrated sigh. _I wonder if that bitch is even still in Outworld_ _,_ she thought to herself. Indeed it wouldn't surprise her if Jade was no longer in the same realm.

It was then that Tanya noticed a figure walking in the area just a few feet away. Tanya turned her head to them, soon noticing the familiar male Edenian in purple.

"Anything?" Tanya asked, catching Rain's attention. Rain stopped in his tracks, soon turning his attention to her.

"Nothing, not even one small evidence," Rain replied, sounding disappointed. "You?"

Tanya shook her head as she leaned her back against the tree. "Nothing. As a matter of fact, I was just thinking that it wouldn't surprise me if she wasn't even in this forsaken realm anymore."

"What led you to that conclusion?" Rain asked.

Tanya clenched her fists. She turned around to face the tree, deciding to search for more evidence as she spoke. "Because it's just my damn luck. I was stupid to think that I could easily get her into the throne room for her trial. I underestimated her because I had believed that time in the dungeons would weaken her. Turned out she had a plan in her mind the whole time. I swear, the next time I see that bitch, I going to make sure she dies a slow, painful death! And when I slowly kill her, I'm going to tear her apart piece by-"

Her sentence was suddenly cut off as she noticed a pair of hands, one on either side of her head, resting on the tree. Realizing what was going on, Tanya managed to whirl around… at least she had enough room to do so as she noticed how close Rain was to her. She had it in mind to lift up one of her clenched fists and slam it into his face. However, the moment she found herself looking into his brown eyes, she found that she couldn't even lift a finger.

Instead, she spoke, making sure to give him a hint of venom. "What are you doing?"

Rain then pulled back his left hand, reaching for the flap of his purple veil. He leaned his face closer to Tanya's as he pulled the veil down to his neck, revealing the lower half of his face.

"What do you think?" he whispered, but before Tanya could say anything, he closed the gap between them, his lips claiming hers. For a moment, the young woman found herself frozen in her place, feeling surprised. Eventually, she found herself relaxing as she returned the kiss with more fervor.

Tanya attempted to reach her hands up to wrap her arms around her shoulders. However, Rain had moved his own arms and managed to grab on to her wrists. She tried to fight back, but eventually gave up as he leaned himself against her, pinning her back into the tree. Heavily breathing, their kiss became more passionate, their tongue dueling inside their mouths as they both tried to dominate the other.

Tanya was just beginning to wonder where this would go before Rain suddenly released their kiss, soon letting go of her wrists as he stepped back a couple of feet. A proud smirk came over his lips as he admired the woman in front of him. Tanya stared up at him as she found herself catching her breath. She was still leaning against the tree, but found that she had to force herself to keep her balance, still feeling the heat of the passion they just shared a moment ago.

He pulled his veil up, covering the lower half of his face. "We'll continue this in your room at the palace tonight," he said. Then, he turned around and quickly disappeared into the forest.

Clenching her fists against, Tanya growled in frustration, her cheeks flushing red. "Damn him…"

~~~

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

_'_ _How could you do such a thing? You know that bird belonged to our family!'_

_'_ _What were you thinking?'_

_'_ _I hate you!'_

_'_ _You need to be punished!'_

Those words were said to Tira only two years ago, and yet, they rung in her head so clearly that it was as though it was happening right at that moment. She scowled at the memory. Not long before, she had found herself adopted into what seemed like a loving family willing to welcome her into their life. It was the one time she was at peace.

But then things changed and she quickly saw another side of that family. It was all because she freed their pet bird from its cage.

To Tira, the bird had reminded her of herself… trapped with no way of earning freedom. This was mostly how she felt when she was once a member of the Bird of Passage, a secretive group of assassins. Once they were members, they were members for life. Leaving would mark them for death.

Tira was an infant when she was placed in the clan… so she never had much of a choice until the group broke up after the Evil Seed event which caused her master to go insane. That was her first taste of freedom.

She had been drifting for some time afterwards before the family found and adopted her. Tira had thought that perhaps she would get used to this more quiet and peaceful life.

But the moment she helped free that bird, that would all change. Feeling angry from their scolding, Tira killed the whole family in a blind rage. From that day forward, she realized that not only could she not live among ordinary citizens, but she still possessed a thirst for the excitement of inflicting death by her own hands.

Tira thought about all of this while sitting on a branch of a tree in the night. At one point, a black raven flew by, soon landing next to her. Tira turned her head, noting the bird and placed her hand near it. The raven stepped onto her hand and she raised it to her shoulder. The bird stepped on to her shoulder, and she eventually began to gently stroke its chest with the back of her index finger.

"We're almost the same now, you and I," Tira said to the bird. "We live our lives as we please, not giving a care in the world. We have the freedom to do anything we want. Even though we are part of our own flock, we are not judged for our actions."

She turned to the raven and smiled. "I think that's why I like being a part of the Black Dragon. It's everything I've always wanted… to be part of a flock and do what I please."

The purple-eyed girl leaned her head to the bird, giving it a peck on its cheek. As though saying goodbye, the bird spread its wings and ascended off of her shoulder, soon flying away and disappearing into the night.

 _If I could only fly like that,_ Tira thought to herself. _Only then would I be completely free._

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

' _Maintenance completed,_ ' a robotic voice said out loud.

Cyrax nearly sighed with relief at that. ' _At least that's done for the time being,_ ' he thought to himself.

He was just beginning to stand up from the log he was sitting on when he noticed Julia Chang coming towards him. She smiled at him once she realized he saw her. In her right hand, he noticed that she was carrying a bunch of what looked like herbs to him.

"Hi Cyrax," Julia said once she caught up to him. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"Sure, what is it?" he asked.

She held up her hand that contained the herbs. "I found these while I was scouting outside the fort. I'm usually good with figuring something like this out on my own, but I'm afraid this is not the kind of plant species I've seen before. I was wondering if you could analyze it for me."

"You weren't alone out there, were you?" Cyrax immediately asked with concern.

Julia quickly shook her head. "No, I wasn't. Juli came with me and we just both returned to the fort a couple of minutes ago."

"Good," Cyrax said as he took the herbs into his hands. "I'd hate to see another ally being carried in after being attacked."

Julia nodded. "I understand. Thanks for your concern."

Cyrax nodded as he looked down at the herbs. He took a moment to use his technology to scan the plant. Once the scanning was down, his system went through various files to match the criteria.

Soon, the system was able to recognize it. The cyborg took a little time to read the information in front of his eyes. After reading, he looked over at the young woman. "I think you found yourself a good plant."

"Really?" Julia asked.

"It's called an Arnica," Cyrax began to explain. "From the information I just read, it's a well-known stimulant that can be used to form tinctures to help in healing sprains, fractures, and bruises. It can be used externally and it's not recommended for internal use because it can cause bruises in the intestinal tract."

"Wow," Julia said with amazement. "It does sound like we found a good one. I think I'll go find more later when I got out to check the traps."

The mention of the traps made her frown. She sighed a little before speaking. "You know… sometimes I blame myself for what happened to Alex."

"Why?" Cyrax asked curiously. "It wasn't your fault."

"I feel like it is in a way," Julia continued. "When we were planning everything out for our stay here, I was able to convince her to volunteer to check the traps in the morning. If I hadn't, maybe this would've never happened…"

"It could've happened to anyone," a new voice said from behind them. Julia and Cyrax turned around and soon noticed Ken approaching them. They noticed that he looked worn and tired, but he still managed to keep his head held up.

Ken continued as she stopped in his tracks. "What happened three days ago could've occurred to any one of us, maybe even all of us at once for all we know. Alex just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, unfortunately."

Cyrax looked at Julia. "Also, I think, in a way, when something like that happens, we tend to find ourselves feeling guilty and wishing that we could've done something different. It's… human nature to feel that way."

The cyborg looked down at the herbs in his hands. "Listen, I'll go ahead and put these away in my tent. You go and get more later this afternoon and we'll make the tincture either tonight or tomorrow morning."

"I'll do that," Julia said.

With that in mind, Cyrax waved the two goodbye before departing to his tent.

Once he was gone, Ken sat down on one of the log. Taking out a match, he began to start a small campfire, placing some of the twigs into the circled rocks to get the fire going. As he did, Julia sat down next to him, starting at the newly ignited fire in front of her. Almost immediately, they both felt the warmth of the flames.

Ken sighed a little. "Is it horrible for me to admit that I'm more absorbed in my own problems over the problems of others? I mean, don't get me wrong, I am concerned… but yet, in a way, I more or so just find myself walking away than to try to figure out how someone is doing."

Julia reached a hand to pat his shoulder. "You have every right to. I'm sure the others would understand your point of view. I sure do."

Ken nodded a little. "Thanks. That makes me feel a little better."

A thought came to Julia and she frowned even more. "You know… the past couple of days, I've been feeling worried. I feel like things are going to get worse later on with this invasion. Questions ran through my mind… like… were those creatures trapped here after the invasion and were hunting down people for survival? Or were they deliberately sent here to… get rid of us 'leftovers?'"

Ken shrugged at her words. "I think that's something we won't know, at least for a while. In a way, I wish was there to take care of those Outworld scum myself. Too bad I was asleep when they showed up…"

"Me too…"

Julia took a long breath before a thought came to her. "… Is it hard to believe that I wish Ryu was here with us right now?"

Ken had to smirk at that. "I'm not surprised."

"I mean… even after the whole thing with… my mother… he was always calm in every situation I saw him in, at least in the tournament."

Ken nodded in agreement. "It's true. But… well, there was a time when he wasn't."

Julia turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"Well…" Soon, Ken found himself telling a story he rarely told. "Obviously, you know about our days in Japan training together under our master as teenagers. Well, when we were just about your age, I was here in the US just starting out my career. Ryu, well, he was doing his usual thing with training and all the stuff that's considered fun to him. You know, typical Ryu.

"Well, one afternoon, Ryu was training by the waterfalls like he always did. Master Gouken was up by the dojo where they also both lived. You see, Ryu was orphaned as an infant and Master Gouken had taken him in and raised him as his own. Well, Ryu finished his training and, as he was returning, he felt that something wasn't right. He got to the dojo and the outside was in shambles. When he went inside, Master Gouken was leaning against the wall… there was just too much blood. He was already dead…"

Julia gasped at the description. "That had to have been horrible to see."

"Yeah… I can only imagine myself. Turned out he did battle and, needless to say, he lost. Anyway, Ryu buried him that evening. He then went to the city and called me to tell me what happened. I headed to Japan on the next available flight. When we met up at the dojo…" Ken shook his head at the memory. "Well… let's just say it was the worst I've seen him in all the years I've known him."

"Did you ever find out who killed him?" Julia asked.

In his mind, Ken knew… Gouken's brother Gouki, who preferred to be known as Akuma. However, he was not about to give that information to Julia… it was best that she was spared the details.

"We never found out," Ken said. "Perhaps we will find out some day."

Silence fell between them for a moment as Julia took more twigs and placed them in the fire. She found herself staring at the dancing flames, her mind somewhere else.

"I hope Ryu's okay," Julia whispered. "Wherever he is…"

Ken nodded in agreement. "Me too…"

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

The rest of the day seemed long for Tanya after the… moment she had spent with Rain during their search for Jade. Once her shift had finally ended after sunset, she immediately returned to her room, planning on not coming out for the remainder of the night.

 _I swear if Ivy calls me over to shine her boots, I might actually risk my life by killing her,_ Tanya thought in her head, though even she wasn't sure whether or not she was serious.

The first thing she did was draw herself a hot bath in her private bathroom. She remembered a time when she had to share the tub with countless others when she first found herself in Outworld. Her loyalty to the Emperor and Outworld after many years have earned her this right and it was one of the few luxuries she was grateful to have.

After her bath, she worked on her hair a little before applying some make-up on her face. She didn't bother to place too much, realizing that it would only just get mess up later on…

Once she was done with that, she got herself dressed in a gold colored nightgown. It had a low-cut neckline that revealed a little of her cleavage, the laced bottom falling to the middle of her slender thighs. She then got on a pair of black stockings before placing a pair of black and gold knee-high heeled boots on her feet.

She then sat on her bed and waited…

It was an hour later before a light knock was heard on the door. Tanya sighed a little before getting up from her bed and headed towards the door. As she reached the handle, Tanya stopped in her moment, taking a deep breath.

 _It seriously wouldn't surprise me if this was a servant wanting me to see Ivy,_ Tanya thought. _She_ _would_ _choose to call me over at a time like this!_

Tanya took another breath before opening the door. To both her surprise and relief, she saw Rain on the other side still dressed in the uniform that he wore today. However, she immediately noticed one difference… his head cap and veil were removed, revealing his handsome face and shoulder-length brown hair, which was tied back in a high ponytail.

Tanya had to grin. "Usually, I don't hold anyone to a promise, but at a time like this, I made a rare exception." She then opened the door more to welcome him in. "Glad you followed through."

Rain stepped into the room, walking in a few feet as Tanya closed the door behind her. Once the door clicked closed, Rain turned to her, a smirk appearing on his face. "What would you have done if I didn't?"

Tanya approached him, barely leaving any gap between them once she reached him. "Then I would've hunted you down and gave you a good punch in the face… that is if I wasn't in the mood to kill you."

Rain wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting on her back. "You know… I'm almost disappointed that didn't happen."

He then leaned forward and kissed her, which Tanya eagerly returned as she wrapped her own arms around his shoulders. That night, they would forget about their hunt for Jade and their duty to their Emperor and Outworld. Instead, they would find themselves in a fit of passion.

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

A dark figure approached a small group who were dressed similarly to him. There seemed to be some sort of discussion going on in the circle, but it was nothing the figure was concerned about. He had been told to return with some news upon his return from a certain mission.

He pushed himself through the circle, soon getting himself in front of it. He then stared at the figure in the middle. He stood tall as he held a large scythe in his right hand.

"Lord Noob," the dark figure spoke.

Noob Saibot's eyes seemed to glow a bit as he turned to the minion who just spoke to him. "What is it?" he asked him.

"I come with news concerning Sub-Zero's whereabouts," he announced.

"And?"

"… He and the rest of the Lin Kuei are a two days journey from where we are now. They are hiding out in the only village within many miles and days from their location."

The glow in Noob's eyes seemed to dim down, though they seem to have widened a bit. To the minions, it was always hard to tell at times what their master was feeling at given moments. His heavy hood and thick mask have done a very good job in concealing certain reactions.

"It was only a matter of time," Noob said as he grasped the hilt of the scythe with his left hand just below the other. "At this point, walking around and recruiting more members for the Brotherhood was starting to get boring."

"At least now you have enough of us to help in finishing off the clan while you take the opportunity to destroy the Grandmaster once and for all," the minion who had delivered the message moments ago said.

"That is very true," Noob agreed as he stared up at the seven foot scythe. "Soon, this scythe will be put to good use. The first blood it will taste will be that of Sub-Zero's… who will then meet his demise when I cut him to pieces."


	45. Chapter Forty-Four

**Shaolin Temple, China**

There was a cool breeze in the middle of a sunny afternoon as Kung Lao, Lei, Yang, and Bo' Rai Cho all sat in a lotus position. In front of them, they watched as a sparring session between Chun Li and Li Mei took place. The two women delivered their best moves at each other, only holding back enough so that one didn't end up injuring the other.

At one point, they both shot their projectiles at the same time, the two energy balls crashing into each other with a small explosion before dispersing in the air. From there, Chun Li quickly turned herself upside down, extending her legs before spinning rapidly, heading into the direction where her sparring partner stood. Li Mei saw the spinning bird kick maneuver on time and managed to jump out of the way. From there, she attempted a cartwheel kick, but by then, Chun Li had landed back on her feet. Seeing the move coming towards her, she managed to crouch down low and stepped sideways.

"Nice try," Chun Li said with a smile as she got into her fighting stance.

Back on her feet, Li Mei turned to face the Interpol detective before she also got into her stance. "That was only luck," she replied, also smiling.

However, the two women weren't able to finish their sparring session. A sudden, strong gust of wind blew rapidly into everyone's face seemingly in different directions, catching them by surprise.

Li Mei's long hair flew in different directions, and she tried all she could to keep the strands out of her face. "Wow, where did that wind suddenly come from?"

"I'm not sure," Chun Li said. She patted both sides of her head, her fingers touching the two buns that made up her ox horn hairstyle. "I'm just glad I put my hair up before we started sparring."

Stilling smiling, Li Mei shook her head as another big strand of her black hair hit her face. "Very funny."

A thought came to Kung Lao as he gazed up towards the sky. "I wonder… no, maybe I'm just imagining it."

"What are you talking about?" Bo' Rai Cho asked with curiosity.

Kung Lao adjusted his wide-rimmed hat, shielding his brown eyes from the harsh wind. "I'm not quite sure, but… perhaps Fujin may have returned."

"I hope that's true," Yang quickly said. By then, Chun Li and Li Mei had joined them, especially after hearing Kung Lao's theory.

"Don't try to get your hopes up just yet," Bo' Rai Cho advised to the younger man. "For all we know, this weather is just nothing more than coincidence."

"He may be right," Lei agreed. "Besides, it's only been-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the wind suddenly died down, leaving behind a cool breeze once more. The rapid change caught the six by surprise… at least until footsteps were heard nearby.

All six turned around, soon seeing the Wind God approaching. "It's good to see you all again," he said.

The four men got on their feet before they and the two women briefly bowed to Fujin, who followed immediately after. "Welcome back, Fujin," Bo' Rai Cho said cheerfully.

"And it's also good to see you again, God of Wind," added Kung Lao.

Lei gazed up at the Wind God. "I can only guess that you bring news to us."

Fujin nodded. "I do. As a matter of fact, there is much to talk about. However, because of the subject, I wish to discuss everything in a more private setting."

Bo' Rai Cho nodded in agreement. "As you wish, Fujin."

"It is for the best considering…" Chun Li added.

They all soon began to depart the training grounds. Nearby, unknown to them, Feng Wei had been walking by when he noticed the Wind God's approach. He found himself astonished as he saw Fujin nearby come out of mid-air and approached the group. He also heard Kung Lao call him the 'God of Wind.'

 _Is he truly a God?_ Feng Wei asked himself. Even despite what he witnessed, he still didn't feel too sure. _And why would he approach them?_

Ever since his true identity was discovered, Feng Wei mostly kept to himself, keeping away from everyone at the temple despite their continued hospitality (much to Lei's obvious dismay). However, he found himself curious as to why a God was amongst them.

Feng Wei waited until they were far enough. From there, he began to follow…

~~~

**England**

"So… do you think we'll have a decent escape plan if another invasion strikes Earth?" asked Lita Luwanda.

Walking down the hallway of the MI-6 base, Cammy found herself shrugging a little at the question. "I do hope so… but then again, I'm not too sure." She sighed a little. "From what the General told me, they're still looking into whether the Channel Tunnel is still safe to travel through in order to get the citizens to mainland Europe."

"I hope it is safe," Lita said. "I can only imagine the chaos that would occur if it wasn't available."

As they turned a corner, the two noticed someone coming towards them. Both smiled as they recognized their German comrade, Juni.

"Hi, Juni," Lita said with a small wave.

They noticed the red-haired woman stop in her tracks, quickly shaking her head as though her thoughts had been cut off by her comrade's voice. She blinked a couple of times before gazing up at the two blond-haired women in front of her.

"Oh, hello," she managed to say.

Cammy and Lita briefly turned to each other, both noticing how distracted Juni seemed to be. Cammy decided to be the first to speak as she turned to face the younger woman. "Is everything all right?" she asked with concern.

Juni sighed a little as she rubbed the back of her neck with her hand. "Yeah… I guess I'm all right."

"Did you want to talk about it?" Lita questioned.

Juni shrugged a little. "It's nothing, really. It's just a crazy dream I had during the night. I guess the reason it's bothering me is because it all felt too real to me."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Cammy asked, wondering if the dream concerned Juni's past as a Shadaloo doll.

Juni leaned herself on her side against the wall. "Well, to be honest, nothing really happened, but the way the dream was, I felt as though I was really there. The visual alone scared me. And the smell… it was like I was at death's door. But it didn't surprise me all that much when I saw all those corpses at my feet. I wanted to move and get out of there, but found that I couldn't. I don't even think there was even a wind, everything was just so still. There were so many broken things… mostly buildings. And the sky… the color reminded me of blood…"

The last sentence caused Cammy and Lita to stare at each other with horror, not believing what they had just heard. Lita found herself swallowing before speaking. "Isn't that… the visions Nightwolf received during the tournament?"

Cammy managed to nod in reply. "I think so."

Juni looked at her two allies with confusion. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

Getting back to reality, the two British women turned back to their younger comrade. "Sorry, Juni," Cammy said. "It's just… well…"

"An ally of ours who was at the Blood Tournament in Outworld had these visions prior to the chaos that took place afterwards," Lita explained. "But… at the time, we thought it was because of the impending battle that took place."

Cammy nodded in agreement. "But what baffles me is that… well… Juni, you weren't even there at the tournament, and we don't recall telling you about the visions our ally had. And yet, you dream of it."

Juni's eyes widened nervously. "In that case, I really hope my dream isn't some sign of a bad omen to come."

Lita patted her shoulder gently. "Try not to worry about it. I don't think it's anything to think too much about. Besides, I would only worry if Cammy or I start having the dreams, too."

"That is true," said Cammy.

Juni nodded a little, feeling somewhat better. "I hope you're right."

Lita briefly looked at her wrist watch to see what time it was. "We'd better get going," she suggested. "We don't want the civilians to wait too long for us."

"I agree," said Juni.

As the three started to walk together through the hallway, Lita turned her head to Cammy. "Say, I realized I hadn't seen Steve all morning."

"He said he would meet us at the civilian station in about a half hour," Cammy replied. "He mentioned on his way out that he wanted to go to the computer lab."

"What for?"

"Well… he was hoping to see if he could get access to his email account since he hadn't since the invasion."

Lita chuckled at this. "With the way electronics have been since, even with our generators, all I can say is… good luck to him! I hope he doesn't run into too much trouble."

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

Drinking from a water bottle, which was thankfully warm, Sagat decided to take a rest on one of the logs near the exercise area after a long morning of training. On this particular morning, the wind wasn't too harsh and the sky above was partially cloudy. For the most part, all was quiet around him.

Ever since coming to the hideaway at the Rocky Mountains, Sagat mostly kept to himself, which was what he preferred. There were times when some of the guys here would spar with him, but it didn't occur too often. Most were worried for their future. Sagat chose not to dwell on it. If anything, he would continue to train and prepare for what may come.

Sagat had ended up in the United States the week of the invasion, a trip that was only supposed to last a short time. Originally, he was here to keep a promise to bring Julia Chang more information concerning the death of her mother, Michelle. The data disc that he managed to have with him the moment the invasion happened contained that information.

For a while, he decided not to say anything to her, mainly because there were other matters to worry about. Then, things seemed to start to calm down a little about a week ago, and Sagat was just beginning to mentally prepare himself to tell Julia what she needed to know.

However, the tarkatan attack that occurred this week at the fort had made him decide to hold off again. He decided that it was best not to add more to the tension that was slowly growing within the group.

 _It'll be a matter of time before that tension explodes,_ Sagat thought to himself.

His thoughts were cut off as he heard footsteps nearby. The Muay Thai fighter turned his head and saw Wagner coming towards the exercise area, seemingly leaving the cafeteria area and back towards the camp. The look on his face showed that the young man was exhausted, and Sagat can only guess that he hadn't had much sleep within the past few nights.

Wagner noticed him and nodded in greeting. Sagat did the same once he saw that. Wagner walked a few more feet before suddenly stopping and turning his head towards Sagat's direction.

"You know," the younger man said. "Well… I'm sure you've heard this a lot since we got here, but with everything that's been happening here, you're very calm…" He grinned a little. "I admit, I'm a bit jealous."

"You have to be," Sagat replied. "And you're right… I do get that a lot. For me, I try to keep my focus on other things. That's why I train a lot."

"I see," Wagner said. "Heh… Guile always said I should train more often. I really should."

"You're free to train here any time you wish," Sagat offered.

Wagner nodded. "Thanks," he said before turning around and walking away. As he did, Sagat stared at him for another moment before standing up from the log, deciding to return to his Muay Thai training.

_It will be a matter of time before this tension really does explode…_

After eating a quick lunch and leaving the exercise area, Wagner decided to head back to the camp. He felt tired and thought about taking a nap, but before he did, he decided to stop by one tent in particular before heading to his own.

He soon reached that tent, his fingers lingering on the edge of the entry way. "May I come in?" he called out.

"Certainly," he heard Jane's voice reply.

Wagner pushed the flap open and stepped in. The first thing he saw was Juli dunking a wet cloth into a bowl of hot water. After ringing the excess water out, she handed it to Jane, who sat in a chair as she folded the cloth. He then gazed his eyes over at the bed, where Alex laid. The bruises that had been on her face were still there, but were much better than they were before. There was still a bandage over the side of her head and another over her nose, which was indeed broken as Wagner suspected that day.

"How is she?" Wagner asked after some silence.

"Getting better," Jane replied. "Her temperature did drop a little earlier, but I think it was mainly because of how cold it was this morning. It has gone back up gradually since."

Wagner nodded. "That's good. However, I still can't help but continue to worry."

"Why?" asked Juli. "You heard it yourself; she'll be okay."

"Physically, yes," Wagner replied. "But… well… let's put it this way. When Alex was captured and tortured back at the tournament, she was out for only a day. This time, it's been over four days. That-… those bastards… I can only guess they did good mental damage, but that's just my guess."

"Hopefully that's not the case," Juli sighed as she stood herself up.

"Juli," said Jane. "Why don't you take a break for the rest of the day? You've been working with me ever since you got off watch duty. If I need help later, I'll ask Julia."

"Well, if you insist," Juli replied. Turning around, she began to walk out of the tent.

Wagner briefly turned to Jane. "I'll see you later."

"Bye," she said as he walked out of the tent.

Juli took Wagner's hand as he joined her side before they began to walk in a slow pace. "You mentioned she was tortured in the tournament. I was wondering where the scars on her back came from."

Wagner turned to her. "Hmm, I thought I told you. Or maybe I only told Jane. I can't remember at the moment."

"That's all right," Juli assured him. "It's been a rough week, that's for sure. But you know… as I work with Jane, I realized that all this medical stuff is coming to me naturally. I find myself remembering the things I learned before Shadaloo."

"Oh yeah, you mentioned your father was a doctor."

"He was," Juli nodded. "After my mother died, he was the one who took me to Mexico to assist him in helping those who couldn't afford to be cared for. I can't quite remember where in Mexico we were, but I do remember a sense of peace… aside from right before… well… you know… it's all I can remember."

"At least there are bits and pieces coming back," Wagner replied.

"It's a slow process, but it is better than nothing," Juli admitted. "And, I think, during that time, I had a desire to work at a hospital, perhaps become a nurse. Maybe if we all survive this invasion, I can go to school to become one."

"That sounds like a good career plan," Wagner said. "And maybe Jane can be your mentor just like Guile was to me."

"Maybe."

The two soon reached their tent. Wagner pulled the flap back, letting Juli walk in first before he followed immediately after.

Juli sighed a little. "There's something that's been bothering me."

Wagner rubbed the back of his neck a little. "I know, I know, I need to pick up my clothes from the floor again."

"That too, but I was thinking about something else."

"Oh… um… what about?"

"Well… to be honest, it's hard to explain. Or maybe it's because it's somewhat none of my business, I don't know. But it's about this whole week. Actually, two things are bothering me."

Wagner sat himself down on his cot and began to take off his boots. "Two things, huh?"

"Yeah," Juli said as she sat down next to him, also beginning to take her shoes off. "Well, again, it's most likely none of my business, but… as you know, Jane, Julia, and I have been working practically around the clock taking care of Alex. Tell me, Scott… is it normal when someone is hurt that certain people in their lives tend to… stay away?"

Wagner gave her an odd look, not understanding why she asked such a question. "Well… it depends on the circumstances, I suppose. Maybe it's because they're too far away and can't make it. Or maybe they're just assholes in general. Or maybe they feel some sort of guilt that they prefer not to be there… or something like that."

"Guilt, huh?" Juli sighed.

"I don't quite understand what you're talking about."

"Like I said, I can't explain it right. Well, I'll try anyway… except for that morning when you guys brought her in, I don't think Kenshi stopped by the tent once."

Now Wagner understood, though he was now curious about what he was just told. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," Juli said. "Like I said, Jane, Julia, and I have been pretty much working around the clock with Alex, and the three of us had noticed that he hadn't once, except that morning, stop by to check on her." She shrugged a little. "I don't know, maybe it's just my woman mind talking."

"I know what you mean," Wagner replied. "But you have to remember, Kenshi is not exactly like the rest of us here. I met the guy at the tournament… heck, he beat me in our match at the same tournament… and yet, it still feels like I met him only a couple of days ago. That's how much I barely know him… but from what I've gathered, he's most definitely not a people person."

Juli shook her head a little. "Maybe I just don't understand. But then you mentioned guilt. Maybe that's why he stays away?"

"Possibly, but if that's the case, I bet you that he'll never admit it," Wagner mentioned. "But then again, Julia and I feel guilty for what happened, but we still stop by the tent. Guile once said to me, though, that each person reacts to situations differently. Just keep that in mind."

Juli nodded. "I will."

A thought came to the young man. "Then again… I hadn't seen much of him since that day. Try not to think too much about it. You'll feel a lot better."

"I'll try."

"Now," Wagner continued. "That was the first thing that bothered you. What's the second?"

A sigh escaped the young woman's lips. "Well… I sometimes wonder if more than tarkatans did this."

Wagner slowly turned his head away, looking down at the ground. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Paul and Cody explained it to me a couple of days ago. He felt that if a tarkatan did attack Alex, she most likely would've been dead in seconds. If anything, she would have even more lacerations than what she did end up having." She looked over at him. "You were there. What do you think?"

In his mind, Shang Tsung's face flashed in front of Wagner's eyes, forcing him to blink a couple of times to erase the image. He forced himself to not clench his fists as he felt his anger flare up, taking a deep breath. The last he needed was for his inner power to emerge in front of her since she knew that they sometimes flared up whenever he got angry.

 _I still don't understand how that bastard managed to live even after what Guile told me,_ he thought in frustration.

"Scott?" Juli said after a few moments of silence.

Hearing her voice, Wagner forced himself to turn his head to her. "Honestly, everything was happening so fast once we found her. It was Kenshi, Ermac, and Siegfried who took care of things while I grabbed Alex and got her the hell out of there. I didn't really see who else was there."

"I see," Juli said. "At least you did get her out before anything worse happened."

"… Yeah."

' _A tarkatan did this,_ _'_ Wagner heard Kenshi's voice in his head from that morning. _'_ _Do not mention that_ bastard _to anyone at the fort. Is that clear?_ _'_

Even now, Wagner wasn't sure why the swordsman made this request and only wished that he asked why. He wanted to tell Juli and the others the truth… the truth that Shang Tsung was alive and well and that it was he, not a tarkatan, who attacked Alex out of revenge. Not only would it make more sense to them, but at least the others would be on high alert just in case the sorcerer made another return.

But he was sworn to secrecy…

~~~

**Shaolin Temple, China**

Tea was served at the low, round table where Fujin, Lei, Bo' Rai Cho, Yang, Kung Lao, Chun Li, and Li Mei gathered. From the moment they left the training groups until now, all of them had been silent, unsure of what to say. One of the monks who worked in the kitchen had offered the tea to everyone, which they accepted.

Soon, Fujin was the first to speak. "After I left here, I met with one of the Elder Gods… well, she actually sought me out. She offered an option that could potentially help us in saving not only Earth, but the rest of the realms. That led me to India where I met a pirate named Ruby Heart and a man named Dhalsim, the one who could help us."

"Dhalsim?" Chun Li suddenly spoke up. "The yoga master?"

Fujin nodded. "The very one. Do you know him?"

"Yes, I do," Chun Li replied. "However, it's been a few years since I last saw him. We both attended the World Warriors Tournament during my mission to take down Shadaloo. If I remember correctly, he was there to raise money to help his village."

"He sounds like an honorable man," said Lei. "How can he help us?"

"There's a tablet amongst his people that have been passed down by his ancestors," Fujin explained. "They called it, _Ano Sentaku Bou,_ or 'The Chosen Ones.' It was considered a legend, but now this may be the one thing that will bring hope to the realms. It tells of four individuals who possess the perfect balance of their energies, which can form as a weapon to destroy 'the main source of the conflict' during a universal war."

"I assume this 'main conflict' is possibly talking about Outworld, more specifically, Shao Kahn," guessed Bo' Rai Cho.

"That's precisely right, and Dhalsim had seen this in his visions."

"And who are the four chosen ones?" asked Kung Lao.

Fujin sighed a little. "That's where we run into a little trouble. As of my last visit, Dhalsim was unable to determine who the four are. He feels that getting into contact will him will help in determining that."

"Oh boy," sighed Yang. "That's going to be like finding four needles in a barn full of hay."

"There's hopefully one way to resolve that," Fujin continued. "And that is to gather you and the others who had worked under Raiden and Rose during the Blood Tournament together. I remember when Raiden was choosing all of you, he had said that you all had good hearts despite your past sins. The balance of the energies within the four chosen ones involves the balance of good and sin. My own theory is that there is at least one of you from the tournament who is one of these chosen ones."

"What about those who join you who are not from the tournament?" asked Bo' Rai Cho.

"It's possible too," Fujin replied. "But again, we won't know until Dhalsim meets everyone involved, even those who join us who didn't attend the tournament."

"Sounds like fun," said Li Mei.

"Now," Fujin continued. "There was one problem I had. Despite my status, I'm not sure exactly who was there at the tournament since I didn't watch most of the event. I… tried to get in contact with Raiden, but he was not cooperative. So… I came here in hopes that you will tell me."

"Well," said Lei. "There were a lot of us who were there. We'll try to name out everyone we can think of."

"Do you need to write it down?" asked Kung Lao almost jokingly.

Fujin smiled. "That won't be necessary. And when I tell Dhalsim their names, he'll know what to do."

"I'll start," said Yang. "Well… there was me, my girlfriend Maki, and my brother, Yun. Maki had made some friends there… Mika, Cassandra, and Asuka. Then there were some from the world of Keisei… Mi-na, Hwang, Kilik, Maxi, Xianghua… oh and Dan Hibiki was there too."

Chun Li continued for him. "There was myself and Lei, of course. Ryu and Ken were there. Oh, and Jin Kazama, he was the runner-up at the tournament. Then there was Guile, Cody… there was Guy Hinato, he became brainwashed after the tournament. We're not what happened to him after. Then there was Cammy, Lita, Julia, Nina, Raven, Paul… um…"

Lei proceeded. "Kenshi, Alex, Sub-Zero, Wagner… those Edenian women showed up later… um… oh yeah, Jade, Kitana, and Sindel. Then there were the cyborgs, Smoke and Matrik… um…"

"Me," called out Li Mei. "And, um… I think we named everyone… aside from those who died…"

"I think so," agreed Lei.

Fujin nodded. "At least that's done, and I can return to Dhalsim with this information. Once that's done, I will return. This time, it's to take you all with us to stop Outworld's reign." He suddenly turned his head towards the door nearby. "That includes you, Feng Wei."

Surprising to hear this name, everyone turned to where Fujin was looking. By the door, they saw a shadow on the ground moving a bit. They heard a small sigh before the person nearby showed themselves, revealing Feng Wei.

Lei quickly turned to Fujin as Feng Wei slowly walked into the room. "Wait a minute. I'm not so sure if it's wise to invite him along."

"We need all the help we can get, Lei," advised Bo' Rai Cho. "Despite your conflicts, you must put them aside to fight a common enemy."

"He is right," Fujin agreed. "There was much bigger things to fight for. What you two have, it can wait."

Lei sighed at this, still feeling weary. "You're right. I'll heed your advice."

Fujin turned his attention back to the Kenpo fighter nearby. "I assume you've heard everything that's been discussed. I offer for you to join us in our fight against Outworld. Do you accept?"

Feng Wei nodded. "Yes, I'll join you."

"Then it's settled."

The truth was, however, was that Feng Wei was more interested in the fact that he had seen an opportunity to test his fighting skills against fighters from other worlds. He thought the existence of other realms was nothing more than myth, but after everything he saw and heard in the past few weeks, he was starting to believe this myth was real.

Leaving Earth to test those skills was a rare opportunity, he realized. His search for the ancient scroll could wait…

~~~

**England**

"… _The invitro-fertilization that was processed on the cryo-sleep subject was a success. The birth of the male infant was done without complications, and the cryo-sleep subject was in good health. Immediately after the birth, the male infant was placed in one of the facilities for further testing. Years later, we learned that…_ _"_

Nina Williams read the words carefully on the computer screen in front of her. Some days ago, she had discovered the Mishima Zaibatsu file in the MI-6 database during her research on Steve Fox, who she was assigned to assassinate just before the invasion. While biding her time, she decided to sneak into the MI-6 computer database to find out more information about him since it was them who worked to protect him.

At one point, she gone off track somewhat and read the data about her nineteen years in forced cryo-sleep after failing to assassinate the former Mishima Zaibatsu owner, Kazuya.

A few days ago, Nina discovered a file under her name involving invitro-fertilization, a process she was unaware of until that day. She swore to take care of whoever had the idea of the 'project,' if she ever discovered who it was.

At the time, though, the assassin wasn't able to finish going through the file. She didn't get the chance to go back to her research… at least until now while no one was bothering her.

She read a little bit about the progress up until the unfinished sentence, 'Years later, we learned that…' Nina would have to scroll down the page to read the rest. For a moment, she was a bit hesitant, knowing that she was about to find out who her son is.

 _I'll have to find out sooner or later,_ Nina thought. _Besides, it's not like I'll bother to try to get in contact with him once I know everything. Maybe someday, when I feel it's the right time, if there ever is one._

She then scrolled down the page with her mouse. The Irish woman had expected to see more words. Instead, a picture of her son was provided on the page… and she saw a face that she instantly recognized.

Nina's blue eyes widened. _No… it can't be…_

She stared at the picture of a moment. Indeed he had her blond hair and blue eyes. The rest of his features most likely belonged to the father… whoever that was…

_This… puts a new perspective on my assignment…_

Although still feeling shocked, Nina forced herself to continue reading;

 _'Years later, we learned that he was adopted and grew up in the Regents Park neighborhood of North London, United Kingdom. He then attended Oxford University, mostly getting involved with athletics, especially the sport of-_ '

Before she could finish, Nina suddenly heard footsteps coming into the computer lab. She quickly moved her mouse in an attempt to delete the page. At the same time, she turned her seat around to face the person who came in, unknown that she only simple scrolled the page back to the beginning rather than deleting it.

Nina looked up at the person who came in, recognizing Steve Fox. "Well hello," he said cheerfully. "Have you managed to check if the internet is working now?"

Nina blinked a couple of times before calmly standing herself up. She then started to walk out of the room. "No, I haven't bothered to checked," she said coolly as she stepped out of the room.

Steve shrugged a little. "Well, might as well give it a go."

Noticing that the computer Nina had used was opened and already set up, he sat himself down in front of it. Before he deleted the page that was up, he happened to read the first sentence on that page;

" _The cryo-sleep subject, Nina Williams, was picked by a team of scientists to test the invitro-fertilization process…_ "

Steve raised an eyebrow at that. "That's… interesting," he found himself saying. Even though he knew it was most likely none of his business, he couldn't help but read the rest, wondering what this was all about…

… the moment he saw his own picture taken from his high school days, Steve fell into a state of shock, a feeling he realized wasn't going to subside for quite a while…

~~~

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

Within the deepest part of the ship, Jade kept herself hidden from her Outworld enemies. It had been a few days since she entered this ship in hopes of getting any kind of help she could get for her allies who were either jailed or brainwashed to serve Shao Kahn.

For the past couple of days, she relied on a very small window to see whether it was light or dark. It was also a way for her to see whether they were still in Outworld, keeping note of the realm's purple sky.

At one point, the ship had shaken almost violently. For a moment, Jade thought they were under attack, but then realized that she didn't hear any short of fighting. When the shaking subsided, she went to the window, seeing the bright blue sky above.

"This must be Keisei," she had said. At least now, she was out of Outworld.

There were a few times where some of the ship's crew came down to the area she was in. Jade used her stealth skills to hide within the dark corners of the area. As of now, she was successful in not drawing any suspicion.

For nourishment, Jade would dress in the guard's uniform she had managed to steal when she first came on the ship. In the dining room, she would ration her portions of food and water in order to not draw any attention to the others in her present.

Aside from that, there was not much for Jade to do. Once again using the small window as her guide, she made a decision. She was going to stay hidden here until she saw land. From there, she would make her move.

Most likely, she would destroy the ship and, along with it, the crew. That way, no harm would come to anyone in this realm right away…

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

As the sun set for the evening, darkening the clear sky above, Sareena found herself hungry. Stepping out of her hut and into the outside world, she decided to cook some dinner by the campfire.

 _I'll guess I'll decide what I want depending on what we have left,_ she decided. She then thought about Sub-Zero and wondered if he had eaten already. _No harm in asking, I suppose._

She began to look around the area, first checking the camp. Sareena saw a majority of the Lin Kuei members gathered at the fire eating their own dinner. A few of them had noticed her and waved hello, a gesture which she returned. She wondered at one point if she should ask one of them of Sub-Zero's whereabouts, but realized that she felt too shy to ask them, especially since she was still working on being accepted into the clan.

Sareena then had an idea. _Maybe he's at the hut where that cyborg is._

The former assassin looked around from where she stood, soon finding the hut she knew Matrik was at. Sareena walked over to the area, the snow on the ground crunching beneath her boots and leaving footprints behind.

Upon reaching it, she heard some noises from within. Realizing she found the Grandmaster, Sareena walked in. "Sub-Zero?" she called.

However, instead of seeing Sub-Zero, she saw Frost in the room. Frost had just pressed a button on Matrik, a humming heard immediately after. Sareena then noticed Matrik's eyes glowing red.

Frost had heard Sareena come in, but didn't bother to turn around until she saw Matrik's glowing red eyes. Despite the mask over her face, Sareena knew by the look in her eyes that she was grinning sadistically.

"Ah, Sareena," Frost said. "You're just in time to see the beginning of my grand scheme."

Sareena narrowed her dark eyes at her. "What are you talking about?" she demanded.

Frost almost laughed. "For a demon, you're very naïve! Can't you see? I have Matrik under my control. And soon, anyone who loyally follows Sub-Zero will be destroyed!"

Sareena felt anger build up within her. "You traitor! How could-"

"Weren't you a traitor yourself?" Frost cut in. "Weren't you once an assassin for some Netherrealm demon and escaped to join this forsaken clan?"

"It was against my will!" Sareena said. "What you're doing is just… insane!"

"Think what you want," Frost continued. "But I'll see to Sub-Zero's death. And when it's over, it is _I_ who will become the new Grandmaster!"

"For what?! For your own selfish ambitions?!"

"Actually, it would be more amusing to see to your death first!" Frost yelled, ignoring her question.

Sareena got herself into a fighting stance. "When I joined the Lin Kuei, I had sworn to uphold the laws of the clan and to protect it from any threats. You are a threat to the clan, and I'm not going to let you get away with your scheme."

Frost nearly laughed. "If I hadn't known better, I'd say your 'dedication' is more out of an infatuation for Sub-Zero, not for your duty for the clan. Besides, I'll kill you first before you have the chance. You'll be returning to the Netherrealm soon enough!"

Sareena clutched her fists in determination. "I'll never return there! The only way you can make me go back now is if I drag you there with me!"

Immediately, Sareena pulled her arm back, a small fireball surrounding her hand before she stepped forward. With a battle cry, she quickly extended her flamed fist forward, but Frost managed to get out of the way, moving to the side. With Sareena left opened, Frost quickly shot her hands downward, a stream of mist hitting the ground before becoming frozen, freezing Sareena's feet to the floor.

"Ugh!" Sareena called out as she struggled to get her feet out of the ice.

Satisfied, Frost attempted to collect more moisture in the air to freeze Sareena more. However, the former assassin focused her powers so that flames were now surrounding her feet. Seconds later, as Frost was about to finish, she lifted up a foot and delivered a few kicks to her face before sending a final kick to the chest, sending the ice wielder stumbling a few feet back.

Frost quickly shook the pain that hit. "You bitch!" she yelled.

By then, Sareena ran forward in an attempt to fight more. However, when she was close enough, Frost sidestepped and got herself behind her. Before Sareena could get the chance to turn around, Frost managed to grab her, spun around, and let go. Sareena screamed as she was sent flying across the room before crashing right through the hut wall and landed in the snow outside.

Sareena shook her head, coughing a little from the dust that gathered in her lungs. She forced herself to get up, expecting to face Frost once more.

Instead, she was met with people running and screaming in what looked like panic and chaos.

 _What's going on?_ she asked herself, now distracted by what she was seeing. Even Frost was curious over what was going on, especially since Matrik was still lying on the bed in the hut.

Nearby, Sub-Zero and Smoke noted the chaos. It was only moments later did they saw shadow-like figures running about and killing those in their path.

"They look like… the Brotherhood of Shadow," Smoke said.

"… It was only a matter of time before they found us," Sub-Zero replied.

Just as he finished that sentence, Sub-Zero happened to look over at a nearby hill. There was a shadow there, but he was able to see the figure's shape. He carried a large scythe in his right hand, and the only thing that glowed was his empty blue eyes.

There was no doubt to Sub-Zero as to who this was… the Brotherhood of Shadow's leader, and his own brother, Noob Saibot!


	46. Chapter Forty-Five

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

"Well… at least that meeting's finally over," said Donna as she and Hsu Hao stepped out of the room after an hour of talks with the rest of the Red Dragon members.

In that one sentence, Hsu Hao was able to sense the slight distress in Donna's voice. He knew why. It was all because of the primary subject of the meeting at hand. "It was only a matter of time before we were able to discover the location of the new Black Dragon."

Behind them, Mavado spoke. "That's why we couldn't find them for so long. They were first in Chaosrealm, only to go to Keisei after the previous realm was invaded. It's a shame that we'll have to wait until the others invade Keisei in order for us to get rid of them all."

"I'm highly looking forward to that day…" said Donna.

As they continued talking, Mavado noticed that they were walking by the training room. Mavado took a quick peak inside. There, he saw Kira training alone, punching and kicking at the stuffed dummy in front of her.

He turned to his attention back to his two allies. "Right now, I want you two to inform the news to Quan Chi. I'm sure he would like to hear about the new developments."

"We'll do," said Hsu Hao.

"Where are you going now?" asked Donna as he noticed her leader starting to walk away.

Mavado turned back to her. "I'm going to get some training in before the day is over. I'm sure I'll see the both of you in the dining room later."

"In that case, we'll see you then."

Hsu Hao and Donna began to walk away then. Mavado waited a few moments before walking into the training room. By then, Kira had drawn out her dragon teeth knives, flipping herself forward before quickly cutting what would've been the dummy's neck halfway through. Sand immediately poured out of the dummy's head and onto the floor.

"I can only wonder what kind of damage that would've been if that dummy was a real person," Mavado said outside. His voice immediately caught Kira's attention. She quickly turned her head to him, keeping a firm grip on the hilt of her knives.

"Something tells me you already know," said Kira. "You're just trying to start a conversation."

"And what if I was?"

Kira found that she couldn't answer, leaving her a bit frustrated.

She then noticed Mavado reaching behind his back. For the first time, Kira noticed that he had a pair of weapons strapped behind him. At first, she thought they were a pair of swords. However, upon pulling them out and revealing their shape, Kira instantly recognized them, much to her surprise.

"Hookswords…" Kira uttered. They were exactly like Kabal's weapons, and she believed they were the only ones in existence… until now at least. "Where did you get them?"

"A while back, I took Kabal's hookswords after I defeated him in battle. He later returned and took them back. Afterwards, I had these forged… more or so to mock him." A smirk came over his face. "Which reminds me, we found the location of the Black Dragon."

Kira noticed Mavado getting into a fighting stance. Knowing what he wanted, the red-haired woman got into her own pose. "How did you manage that?"

"A prisoner that was captured not too long ago informed us in exchange for working under the Outworld Forces. They're currently hiding out in Keisei. However, we can't approach them until the rest of the forces here are ready to invade that realm."

"That's a shame," Kira mentioned. "But I'm sure you'll enjoy it once you have the chance."

"I'm sure you will too."

In reply, Kira quickly covered the distance between them, her knives clashing with Mavado's hookswords once she was in reach. She was able to get herself on offense, slicing and stabbing towards Mavado, who was able to block and dodge the maneuvers in defense.

At one point, Kira managed to use both knives to push the hookswords sideways. Mavado was able to keep a good grip on his two weapons. He then noticed Kira performing a flip kick, and he moved himself back a couple of feet just in time. As Kira recovered from the flip, Mavado stepped forward, slashing one of his hookswords at her. Kira saw this and managed to block. This time, she was on defense with him on offense.

Mavado attempted to slash and stab at her. Kira would block and dodge the moves just as he did a moment ago. Then, he seemingly threw his right arm down. A sound of steel hitting the ground was heard and it was as though the steel was clutching the floor. Then, to Kira's surprise, Mavado moved quickly, almost gliding, to the side. Making a half circle, he managed to get himself behind her.

Kira quickly whirled around in order to face him. By then, she noticed the long, red rope that extended from his sleeve. Before she had the chance to raise her knives, Mavado managed to move in closer, getting his two weapons behind her. Before Kira could comprehend what was going on, she suddenly felt the tip of the hookswords on either side of her neck.

They stood there for a moment, and Kira realized that there was barely any space left between them. She found herself looking at him, noticing his dark brown eyes for the first time.

Mavado spoke first. "Hmm… this would've left quite a mess had this been a real fight." He then released his hold, and Kira immediately back away to give them both space. They stared at each other for another moment. Eventually, Kira found herself getting a bit uncomfortable. She placed her knives away into the scabbards strapped to her boots before heading out of the training room.

As she left, Mavado found himself staring at her, a satisfied smirk on his face.

~~~

**Keisei, Somewhere at the border of Lee Dynasty**

"It seems like the roads have improved a little since my last trip to Chili-san," said Seiko as she looked out of the window of the stage coach she was riding.

A male stranger sitting next to her smiled. "Yes, I've noticed that too. There may have been quite a few complaints from other passengers, so the crew are doing all they can to make the ride better for everyone. I remember the last time I rode through here. Boy, what a mess! We were thrown in every direction and all of us on the coach ended up with many scratches and bruises by the time we reached the city."

"At least the rest of the ride will be smooth for the most part this time around."

"That is true."

After that mention, Seiko and the stranger went on to other subjects in their conversation, mainly about other places they've traveled to in the past. Sitting across from them, Kazuya Mishima found himself staring out the window, mostly seeing the fields and villages in the distance. The sun was at its highest point at the moment, so at least its light wasn't shining into his eyes.

Kazuya was able to ignore the chatter in front of him, though he would, once in a while, be jolted whenever Seiko let out a hearty laugh. As annoying as it was, at least she was in good spirits even after he put her in her place just before they went on the coach a few days ago. Since then, the most contact they had was her offering him something to eat. He would silently accept the offer and she would turn around and leave afterwards.

Throughout the ride, there were other passengers who came and went. At one point, it had even got crowded enough to force him to ride in front with the coach driver. At least that was better than being forced into conversation in a small, heated space.

To think he was putting up with this just to be able to get out of this world and return home.

 _This all better be worth it,_ Kazuya found himself thinking for what was probably the millionth time.

As that thought left him, Kazuya noticed some high cliffs in the far distance. His eyes narrowed a little as an old memory from his past came to his mind…

_Over Twenty-Four Years Ago…_

_The final round of the first King of Iron Fist Tournament had taken place in a spot Kazuya had never thought he would see again. A few yards away from the spot was a cliff… the very cliff that he was thrown off of some twenty-two years before._

_If Kazuya hadn't known better, he'd say that the spot was chosen to either make him feel intimidated or insulted. As he eyed his opponent, his own father Heihachi Mishima, the young man felt neither._

_It was no surprise when Heihachi began to banter. "So… you made it this far. Very well… I will cut you down like I did the others." Heihachi got into his fighting stance. "Isn't this ironic? This battle will take place in the same spot I threw you off of all those years ago." A smirk came over his face. "Perhaps when I'm through, I just might do it again."_

_Quietly, Kazuya got into his own fighting stance, ignoring his words. They stood in their place for only a few seconds before the younger man stepped forward. When close enough, he threw a punch at his father, who immediately blocked it with his forearm._

_The battle between father and son would last for hours. For Heihachi, it was all about testing his son's strength. Even so, he still felt confident that he would come out of this victorious just like before. To Kazuya, it was all about revenge. He didn't even care about the large prize that was waiting for him if he won. He had practiced his martial arts relentlessly for years just for this moment._

_Night would fly by and the morning sun would reveal the bloody damage that was done. Even then, neither one was ready to give up just yet._

_It was a powerful uppercut that ended it. Kazuya had sent Heihachi flying into the air, soon crashing landing on the ground side first. The older man struggled for a moment, but then, Kazuya walked over to him and, without a thought, smashed his foot into the back of Heihachi's head. The force had not only rendered him unconscious, but it also left a small crater in the ground._

_For a moment, Kazuya stared at Heihachi's unconscious form before bending down to pick him up. Knowing what he was going to do, Kazuya turned his head towards the edge of the cliff… the very edge he was thrown off of so many years ago, and began to walk towards it._

_His feet inches away from the edge, Kazuya took a moment to note the view around him. It was a shame… it was dark and cold all those years ago. On this day, it was bright and clear. At least the older man wouldn't see it._

_Without another thought, Kazuya let his arms down, watching for a moment as Heihachi's unconscious body began to fall to the ground many feet below. When he_ _could no longer see him, a satisfied smirk came over his face…_

Kazuya's thoughts were cut off as the stage coach stopped suddenly in such a way that it caused him, Seiko, and the stranger to be thrown to the floor of the small space. Outside, the horses neighed in panic as the coach driver yelled out as he tried to stop safely.

Soon, everything stopped, but before the three passengers could attempt to get themselves up, a voice was heard from outside. "Everyone get out of the coach before we change our minds about killing you!"

Kazuya sighed a little, realizing that this was most likely a robbery. It didn't bother him though… it wasn't like he had anything valuable on him at the moment. Seiko and the other traveler had already decided to comply, stepping outside. He could also hear the coach driver stepping down from his seat. More curious as to what was about to happen, the Earthrealm native decided to follow.

Once he stepped outside, he noticed a handful of men holding various weapons surrounding the coach. Kazuya gazed at each of them without any emotion in his face.

Seiko whispered to the stranger next to her. "Who are they?" she asked.

"I think they're the Black Dragon members I've been hearing about," the companion replied.

Kazuya had heard those words. Some of the 'robbers' were indeed dressed in black with dragon insignias either on their clothes or their weapons. However, he noticed some other members dressed very differently… and upon seeing a certain insignia that he knew was Kanji writing, Kazuya realized who these particular men were.

 _Manji clan?_ he questioned. _They usually rob from the rich, not a simple stage coach._

The coach driver spoke first. "You can take anything you want," he said. "Just don't hurt us."

A member dressed in black laughed as though this was all a joke. "We're not here to take anything! We're here to spread chaos! You see, all this order in the realms are nothing more than-"

Kazuya decided at that moment that he had enough of listening to the banter. Yelling out, a long, red beam shot out from his forehead, striking the talking thug right in the chest. He let out a scream as the force of the beam pushed him yards away from the scene.

The others, realizing that they were being threatened, all began to run towards the group in order to defend themselves.

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

It came as no surprise that an enemy of the Lin Kuei clan would find the group in hiding sooner or later after the invasion. However, all of them, including Grandmaster Sub-Zero, thought that those would come would be from Outworld. Instead, they were members of the Brotherhood of Shadow, a Netherrealm-based clan.

Long ago, Sareena was once a part of this clan. Up until she developed a desire to escape the Netherrealm, she served the clan, taking all orders without question. Any enemy of the clan was her enemy. In a way, her duty was the same, but now she was a Lin Kuei, protecting the clan from all threats… even if it means defeating Brotherhood members she once considered allies.

After throwing a shuriken at the head of one Brotherhood member, Sareena happened to turn around, only to see Frost standing just a few feet away from her, her blue eyes narrowed as she stared at her. In each hand was a dagger made of ice.

"You'll be dead before you know it!" Frost promised with a hiss.

Sareena shook her head. "We're being attacked and this is all you're thinking about?!"

"Because you know my plans!"

"Only because you chose to reveal them to me!"

"And only because it now gives me a good reason to kill you!"

Before Sareena could reply, Frost began to run forward with one dagger raised up, ready to strike. Sareena briefly looked at her surroundings and soon noticed a pair of kamas hanging up. It had been a weapon she used back in her assassin days. Although she would rather not be reminded of those days, Sareena realized that she had no choice at the moment, not with a crazed woman coming after her.

Quickly, Sareena grabbed for the two hilts of the kamas. She then turned to face Frost just as she began to stab the dagger at her. Using her new weapons, Sareena blocked the move, stopping her inches away from her chest.

For a while, their weapons clashed with Frost on offense and Sareena on defense. Neither one of them noticed the chaos surrounding them as they were fully focused on their own battle.

Eventually, Sareena managed to find an opening and landed a kick to Frost's stomach. The ice woman backed away a little as she keeled over, losing her grip on one of her daggers. Deciding not to give her a chance to try to pick it up, Sareena jumped forward and attempted to land another kick to her face, but Frost saw this in time and side-stepped out of the way. As Sareena attempted to turn to face her, Frost delivered a roundhouse kick that hit her opponent's wrist, causing her to lose one of her kamas.

Deciding she had enough of fighting with weapons, Sareena threw her other kama to the side and lunged forward. She was prepared as Frost raised her remaining dagger at her, ducking out of the way as she tried to stab her. Sareena then attempted to strike an open palm at her, but Frost saw this in time. With a free hand, she grabbed her wrist and, using all of her strength, pinned her against a nearby wall of a hut that was just lit on fire by one of the Brotherhood members.

Frost attempted to stab her opponent again, but Sareena managed to grab for her wrist with both hands. The two women struggled to overpower the other with Frost trying to stab her and Sareena trying to prevent that from happening.

 _Perhaps it may be better to let her suffer for a while before I kill her,_ Frost suddenly thought as she smirked under her mask.

Quickly, Frost delivered a knee to Sareena's stomach, causing her to keel over and lose her grip on Frost's wrist. Frost tossed the ice dagger to the side, far enough so that Sareena didn't try to grab for it later. Once that was done, she then delivered a punch to Sareena's face, causing her to stagger sideways.

Frost laughed. "I just had a thought. Let's not fight with weapons for a while. I think it would be much more fun to see you suffer before I kill you."

Sareena quickly wiped away some blood off of her chin with the back of her hand, feeling it coming from her lip that was freshly cut from Frost's punch. "That decision will cost you!" she hissed.

Quickly, Sareena jumped forward to cover the distance between them. There, she attempted another kick, but Frost managed to duck underneath it. She then attempted a hand chop to her chest, but Sareena backed away before she was hit. However, at the same time, she was able to grab for Frost's wrist again, quickly lifting it up above her head before striking her elbow right at the side of her ribs. Frost let out a small cry as she backed away.

Frost narrowed her blue eyes at Sareena as she rubbed the side of her ribs to ease the fresh pain for a moment. Then, with a small growl, she lunged forward once more. The two went back and forth with their own punches and kicks for a moment before Frost found an opening. Almost like payback for the last attack, Frost delivered her own elbow strike to Sareena's chest, causing her to rear back from the sudden pain. Taking the opportunity, Frost then delivered another kick right at the same spot, the force sending Sareena flying back before landing side-first into the snow.

As Frost attempted to reach her again, Sareena moved herself a bit before quickly getting herself in a hand stand. She attempted to kick Frost from this position, but the ice woman managed to block the move in time before pushing her feet back. Feeling this, Sareena somersaulted back a couple of times so that there was room between them once she was back on her feet.

Before either one of them could make their next move, a small group of Brotherhood suddenly began to attack them, forcing them to focus away from their own battle. There were a couple of them that Sareena knew from her days working under the clan, so it was easy for her to figure out their moves, taking care of them with ease. The others were new to her and it took her a moment to take them down as well.

Once she cleared house, Sareena turned to the area where she last saw Frost. She saw the Brotherhood that attacked the ice woman lying on the ground either dead or unconscious, but Frost herself was nowhere to be found.

There was no doubt in Sareena's mind that she took the distraction to make her escape.

"Damn her…" she mumbled, her fists clenched in frustration…

Meanwhile, some yards away, Smoke was able to hold his own as some of the members of the Brotherhood tried to take him down. Using a mix of his technology and his own powers, he was able to take on his enemies with ease.

After knocking out what was probably the tenth shadowed enemy, Smoke found himself surveying the damage he just delivered. Despite his current victory, the cyborg couldn't help but sigh a little as a thought came to him.

"To think… I could've been one of them had Sub-Zero not saved me all those months ago…" he found himself saying.

As the last word was said, Smoke suddenly heard steady footsteps behind him. Thinking it was another member of the Brotherhood, he quickly whirled himself around… only to be face to face with another cyborg all too familiar to him.

"Matrik," he uttered.

He noticed her eyes glowing red, a featured he knew was not part of her programming prior to losing consciousness back in Outworld. Sub-Zero had his suspicions previously that she would not be what she was if he wasn't careful while making the repairs on her. She had been reactivated, and the Grandmaster's suspicions were correct.

As Matrik slowly got into her fighting stance, Smoke realized that her programming had somehow been set to eliminate him. Reluctantly, he got into his own stance, ready for her attacks.

~~~

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

Hanging upside down from a tree by his legs, Havik found himself watching the activities in front of him. The other Black Dragon members were doing their own things, and the cleric of chaos had hoped that something interesting would happen. However, he mostly found himself bored.

Soon, he noticed both Kabal and Bryan approaching. Earlier that day, he had sent them and a small group out to another nearby village to 'open their eyes' to the way of chaos. Of course, he told them that they could go if they wanted to, but the two decided to go ahead. That was a few hours ago.

Once the two reached him, Kabal was the first to speak. "The village we went to have accepted the way of chaos. They await your guidance."

"Ah, excellent," Havik said. He let himself fall from the tree, landing headfirst. It didn't bother him one as he got himself back up as though nothing happened. He then stretched out his neck a little, causing a few cracking noises that would be clearly heard by the other two.

"I might as well go," Havik said as he turned on his heel to leave. "I'm feeling bored anyway."

Tira, who had been walking nearby, heard the conversation and turned her attention to the cleric. "Are we going to Chili-san soon?" she asked almost cheerfully.

"As much as I want to, not yet," Havik replied. "We still have a couple of other villages to go. That includes that one we tried to 'recruit' some time ago, but didn't because of that man with the funky hair."

Tira growled a little, remember how that man 'with the funky hair' slapped her away like a fly when they tried to recruit those villagers. As Havik began to leave again, Tira decided to follow him, knowing that he wouldn't care.

Once they were out of earshot, Bryan looked at Kabal. "For once, I'm curious about something," he began to say. "If Havik is so hell bent on spreading chaos and defying order…" He eyes noted one of the recruits who he knew was once a Manji Clan member. The pendant that he wore shined in the bright sun. "Then what's with the pendants?"

Kabal knew what he meant. "The pendants don't give them mind control if that's what you think," he explained. "They only serve to help shatter the bondage of order and reveal to them the perfection of chaos."

"I see," was all Bryan said afterwards. _Where the hell is Yoshimitsu? I thought he would've fought tooth and nail to get his precious sword back. It's the whole reason I'm here with this clan to begin with._

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

In a small room, Ivy Valentine sipped some tea that was served to her moments ago by one of her servants. The room that she was in was mostly decorated in purple and white, her favorite colors. Lush green plants brightened the room and there were various relics that she realized were from many realms, most likely collected in the previous invasions.

The table she sat at was circled and enough to fit at least four people. Also with her at the moment were her bodyguards; Anna, Tanya, and Kira. Each of them were also served tea by Ivy's servants.

Anna was the one doing most of the talking. "So my poor Vega almost had a mishap while training with one of the guards. At one point, his mask fell off and the guard came inches away from scratching his beautiful face." A soft smile came over her lips as she brushed some of her chin-length brown hair with her fingers. "Needless to say, he… took good care of that guard."

"No wonder the place looked like a bloody mess when I went in earlier," mentioned Kira.

"But I don't blame him," Anna continued. "After all, he does have the most magnificent face. Such flawlessness! And that body, oh! It's like a Greek God! Somehow, his snake tattoo makes it all the better…"

As Anna continued to praise Vega's good looks, the other three found themselves concentrating on their tea. They stared at her, trying to look interested, but they all found themselves bored of her praising, especially since this wasn't the first time she talked about how good looking Vega was. Ivy had it in mind to shove her cloth napkin into Anna's mouth, but decided to hold back… for now.

After what seemed like hours but was actually a couple of minutes, Anna's blue eyes looked over at Ivy. "I've always wondered something, my Empress… if you don't mind me asking."

Ivy raised an eyebrow. "What would that be?"

It somewhat sounded like a small warning, but Anna smiled anyway. "About you and the Emperor, how did you manage to get so lucky to come to his side?"

Ivy smirked. "It just happened that way. One minute, I was serving under him, the next, he asked me to be his Empress. Most would say it was because of my win at the tournament, but in actuality, he somewhat fancied me from the beginning. That's how it happened."

"I see." Anna then turned her gaze at Tanya, who was focusing on sipping her tea. "So, I noticed you've been around Rain more than usual the past couple of days."

Hearing this caught Tanya by surprise, and she quickly putting her cup down as she nearly choked on her drink. She managed to keep her composure though as she quickly swallowed her tea. With her pale eyes, she stared at Anna as she cleared her throat a little.

"Well?" Anna quipped.

"It's not what you think," Tanya replied.

Anna chuckled a little. "Oh, come on, Tanya, you can tell us. I know I wasn't exactly friendly towards you when we first met, but I've come to like you since."

Tanya had it in mind to kick her under the table with her heeled boot, but quickly decided not to as they were in the presence of their Empress. "Well… he is charming and handsome… he's almost like a prince and…" She realized she was praising him as her mind thought back on their evening in her sleeping quarters a few nights ago. She slightly shook her head. "But that's all I think of him."

"I see," Anna said. She then turned to the redhead in front of her. "How about you, Kira? Are you interested in anyone around here?"

Kira remained cool as she took a moment to sip her tea. In her mind, she found herself thinking about her encounter with Mavado earlier today. As a matter of fact, ever since the Red Dragon arrived here, she found herself running into him a lot. He had offered to protect her, but she wondered in a way if it was his excuse to… no… she was just imagining things.

 _I ought to kill him,_ she thought. _But then again, I'd be doing those Black Dragon assholes a favor…_

Knowing that she eventually had to answer, Kira placed her cup down on the table before looked up at Anna. "There's no one, and I prefer it that way. Men are a distraction anyway."

"That's a shame," Anna said.

From there, other subjects concerning small happenings in the fortress were talked about as the four continued to enjoy their tea.

~~~

**Keisei, Somewhere at the border of Lee Dynasty**

For a couple of minutes, those who had been on the stage coach that was stopped did everything they could to take the Black Dragon members down. They never really clearly said what they wanted, but the small group knew that their presence wasn't exactly a good thing. Now they were defending themselves.

However, it was Kazuya Mishima who was mostly clearing house.

Within seconds, he had knocked out two of his opponents, including the first one he attacked with the beam that came out of his forehead. The second was taken down by a couple of punches to the head before following with an uppercut.

In his viewpoint, Kazuya noticed three other opponents… one Manji clan, and the other two just average-looking thugs. Eventually, one of the thug-looking ones ran forward before jumping to attempt a flying kick. However, Kazuya was prepared, grabbing his leg once he was close enough. Spinning halfway around, he soon tossed him away, making him crash into one of his allies as he fought the stage driver, both soon out cold from the impact.

The Manji clan member came next, only taking a few steps forward before Kazuya jumped forward. He extended his leg out and spun a few times while crouching low. He managed to land his foot a few times on his opponent's shins before straightening himself up and landing another kick to his face. The force only made him stumble back before shaking it off and running forward again. Kazuya then delivered an uppercut, getting him in the air before delivering two kicks. He then watched as the Manji clan member landed head first into the ground, now rendered unconscious.

Kazuya then turned around and saw the other thug approaching, a knife in his hand. Again, he waited until he was close, soon stepping sideways and grabbing for his arm that held the knife. Kazuya then quickly snapped it back, cracking sound heard as one bone was broken. The thug screamed in pain, nearly losing his balance from the sheer agony. To shut him up, Kazuya grabbed for his neck before snapping it. Once that was done, he let go, letting the lifeless body fall forward.

Soon, another approached, sword in hand. Kazuya briefly noticed something red at the tip of it, but didn't bother to see what it really was, not having much time. He waited until the enemy approached before he ducked underneath the swinging weapon, landing a blow to his chest. As the opponent staggered back, Kazuya delivered a roundhouse kick, his foot connecting to his head and sending him flying sideways. The blow knocked him out.

Still in his fighting stance, the Earthrealm native gazed his surroundings, seeing if they were more opponents coming his way. However, none approached as they've been all defeated. He was somewhat disappointed as he didn't have much of a challenge.

Kazuya then heard a whisper nearby. "… Mishima…"

He realized one of the enemies recognized him. He quickly turned to him, seeing that it was one of the ones dressed in Manji clan clothes. He was a few feet away, lying on his back with a stab wound to the upper abdomen from either Seiko, the other passenger, or the driver. He had placed a hand there, his own blood seeping in between his fingers.

Next to him was what looked like a pendant, which had fallen off some time during the fight.

Kazuya stared down at him. "How do you know who I am?" he asked.

"I've been… at your facility… some years ago… but… that no longer… matters," the clan member said. "If you… go to… Chili-san… warn them… the other… Black Dragon… will eventually come… for them… the other… Manji Clan… are there… Perhaps they'll… help you with… whatever you…"

However, he was unable to finish his sentence as he took his last breath. Once he knew he was dead, Kazuya walked over to his body. He stared down at the pendant for another moment before bending down to pick it up in his hands. Once he straightened himself up, he placed it in his pocket.

Perhaps he will warn Chili-san of… whatever it was they were going to do. If that was a way for him to get back to Earth, then he would.

Kazuya then turned his attention back to where the stage coach had stopped. Nearby, he saw the stage coach driver watching as the male passenger was checking on Seiko, who was on the ground.

Kazuya started to approach them. The stage coach driver happened to see him, but the Earthrealm native ignored him, not noticing the grim look on his face. The other passenger soon straightened himself up, a saddened sigh escaping his lips.

"She's dead…"

That was when Kazuya noticed what had happened to Seiko. He noted the single stab wound to her chest… right through the heart.

Kazuya found himself staring at her face. She was only beginning to go pale then, but other than that, she looked as though she was still asleep… peacefully at that. Her eyes were closed, her lips slightly parted with her head turned to the right.

He briefly wondered if this was what Jun looked like after her own demise…

Even with that thought, he felt nothing. And yet, an hour later, he would find himself helping out in giving her a proper burial at a nearby village.

Even more strange to him was later that night while staying at the coach station. At a desk by a single candlelight, he found himself writing a letter addressed to Seiko's family, informing them of her death. As much as he didn't like her tagging along throughout the journey, he still felt some obligation to write the letter.

The strangest of all, however, was the fact that the devil within him was silent the whole time…

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

It was bad enough that Smoke found himself forced to fight an ally, especially one that was under some sort of mind control programmed to kill him. In a way, it made him think about how he was once under the same control, more than likely fighting and, possibly, killing those he would normally never harm.

Smoke knew, under normal circumstances, that Matrik would never harm him, but the mind control she was currently under forced her to think otherwise. He indeed sympathized with her.

As he prepared to fight her, Smoke knew what to do. He was aware that he wouldn't be able to convince Matrik of her true self, but if he could try to shut her down temporarily, it would be good enough

Matrik made the first move, quickly stepping forward and covering the distance between them. Despite her heavy mechanics, Smoke noted how fast the female cyborg was as she delivered various punches and kicks at him, forcing him to defend himself.

However, it only lasted a few seconds before Matrik broke through his blocks, landing a few punches to his face and chest. She then quickly spun herself as she delivered a roundhouse kick that managed to connect to his chest. The force of the kick caused Smoke to stagger back a few feet, but he was able to keep his feet to the ground.

Smoke shook his head for a moment, getting his focus back before jumping forward towards Matrik. This time, the two found themselves mainly countering each other's attacks for a few seconds before Smoke managed to land his own roundhouse kick to her shoulder, causing her to stagger a couple of feet to the side.

He moved forward again, but Matrik was able to recover fast enough to block another incoming punch. This time, it was Smoke who was on offense with Matrik on defense. During that time, Smoke was able to sense the chaos around him caused by the Brotherhood of Shadow, who were currently attacking the village they were in. Other than that, he wasn't sure what else was happening, like the damage to the village or whether or not his allies were okay.

 _Fine time for Matrik to be reactivated like this,_ he found himself thinking.

Soon, Matrik was able to dodge the move, leaving Smoke open. Taking the opportunity, Matrik kicked her feet up, hitting Smoke's face and causing his head to snap back. She then brought down her foot again, the heel of her foot hitting his face again. Smoke reared back from the attack, but before he could recover, Matrik delivered another kick to the chin, sending him flying in the air before he crash landed back into the snow.

"Damn…" Smoke uttered. He noticed a couple of sparks from his mechanics, but not enough to cause alarm just yet. He then looked up and saw Matrik coming after him once more.

Only having barely a second to think of his next move, Smoke use his teleporting abilities to let himself sink through the ground. Matrik stopped herself mid-run and began to look around to see where her opponent went. By the time she turned to look behind her, Smoke had re-emerged from the ground, quickly delivering an uppercut that sent her airborne.

As they both fell back towards the ground, Matrik was able to flip herself back in time to recover, landing back into the snow on her feet around the same time as Smoke. Without wasting a second, Matrik ran forward again. Once she was close enough, she lifted her foot again. At the same time, a saw emerged halfway out of the bottom, it's loud grinding sound reaching her opponent's ears.

Smoke saw this in time and managed to dodge out of the way. This went on like this for about a minute with Matrik attacking with her foot saw, forcing Smoke to back away in order to not get hit. There were a couple of times when he barely got nicked by the saw, only leaving a couple of scratches on him.

Having enough, Smoke decided to pull another trick, disappearing in a puff of smoke before, in an instant, reappearing behind Matrik and delivering a punch to her back. He repeated the process just as fast, not even giving her a chance to even start turning around as he landed a blow to her chest, sending her flying away and crashing into the ground.

After the landing, Matrik extended her hand out as a compartment in her palm opened up. Remembering this maneuver, Smoke jumped up into the air as three gold-colored bombs flew out of her hand in fast speed. They ended up exploding where Smoke would have been.

Still in mid-air, the gray cyborg collecting some smoke into his hands before throwing it down in Matrik's direction. The green cyborg attempted to get away, but she wasn't quick enough as the smoke engulfed her, sending her briefly through some dark vortex, which teleported her to the air right where her opponent was.

Once he saw her, Smoke landed a few more blows before grabbing Matrik and throwing her down to the ground, forcing her to crash land onto her side. By the time he landed back on his feet, Smoke noted the various sparks coming from her, and he realized that she was weakening.

Still, Matrik was determined as she seemingly shook her head, turned towards Smoke, and ran forward once more. She attempted a couple of punches, but Smoke sidestepped out of the way, leaving her open. From there, he delivered two kicks to her abdomen before a third kick landed underneath her chin, causing her to stagger back.

Seeing her distracted now, Smoke knew it was now or never. "Something tells me the repairs will take longer now," he saw as he stepped forward. He managed to press a few buttons on her system. Her red eyes flashing, Matrik's cybernetic body shook as though it was malfunctioning. Realizing that he may have pressed the wrong thing, Smoke took a wire with both hands and ripped it apart…

He wasn't sure what wired he grabbed, but that one pull stopped everything. The red eyes dimmed to black and Matrik was still for a moment before she began to fall back. Smoke caught her in his arms before he began to gently lay her back down into the snow.

Smoke found himself sighing a bit as he looked down at the now-unconscious Matrik. "I'm sorry, my friend. I had no choice…"

Meanwhile, using his kori blade to defend himself, Sub-Zero was able to take down many of the Brotherhood members who got in his way. A while ago, he had spotted his brother Noob Saibot on a nearby hill, but has since lost track once his minions began to attack him. Sub-Zero wasn't too sure if his brother ever tried to give his minions more power, but if he did, it definitely wasn't working since the Grandmaster was able to take them on with ease.

At one point, a small group surrounded him, but Sub-Zero took them all at once as he spun himself around in a circle, his sword cutting through all of their torsos. Their demonic screams were heard just moments before their upper bodies fell to the ground before the rest follow, their black blood staining the snow.

That made a clearing around him. When Sub-Zero looked up, he noted the familiar figure standing just a couple of yards away, his glowing eyes staring at him as he held a seven-foot scythe in his right hand.

"So… you've finally arrived," Sub-Zero said to his brother.

Noob's eyes narrowed a bit. "And I assume you still carry my old name. You should've remained as Tundra as you are undeserving of the Sub-Zero mantle."

Sub-Zero felt a pang of anger within him from hearing that from his own relative, but he kept his composure. "I took the Sub-Zero name after your death because, at the time, I thought it was the best way to honor you. Of course, that was before-"

"It's time that you met your death," Noob said as he got into a fighting stance. "It's about time my new weapon tasted your blood. It's been waiting for quite a while."

"In that case," Sub-Zero began. "I will see to it that you finally rest in peace, brother."

Noob's eyes narrowed even more. "Just remember this… we share blood, but we are _not_ brothers."

Sub-Zero sighed at that. "Then I will have no regrets in your defeat."

From there, Noob quickly darted forward, swinging his scythe down as he reached the Grandmaster. Sub-Zero, prepared to defend himself, managed to block the maneuver with his blade. Their first battle since their last meeting in Outworld had begun.

~~~

**East China Sea**

As the sun set behind the waters, a small canoe sailed from mainland Japan and began heading towards a particular island. In the canoe, Shin Akuma stood near the bow, his arms folded as he used his inner chi to guide the small boat forward. Behind him, Dark Sakura sat near the stern. Her red eyes looked out at the sea, her mind completely blank.

 _The wait is long enough_ _,_ Shin Akuma thought to himself. _I feel powerful energies on Yakushima. It's not just from that group that went there. Something else is there… something is drawing me closer. Perhaps my best challenge finally awaits._

He was sure that he would mostly have Dark Sakura test herself against the Manji Clan. Aside from that, he would find the source of the energy he was feeling. Once that was all done, they would find a way to return to Outworld. There, he would retrieve the power lost to him when he faced Shao Kahn all those months ago.

_It would only be a matter of time…_

A light could be seen in the distance. Shin Akuma grinned evilly, realizing that the island was near…


	47. Chapter Forty-Six

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

In the throne room, a handful of guards stood before the Emperor and Empress of Outworld, both who sat in their respective thrones. The guards also stood behind three of the Generals of the Outworld Forces; the necromancer Quan Chi, the Saurian Reptile, and the brainwashed warrior, Guy.

The time finally came. The group would travel to Earth to take care of the Blood Tournament's runner-up, Jin Kazama.

"Originally," Shao Kahn began to say. "I had it in mind to send you down there to only eliminate him. However, the more I think about it, the more I came to realize that perhaps he would be perfect to become one of our… soldiers."

"That is a wise choice," Quan Chi agreed.

"However," the Emperor continued. "If you must kill him, then by all means do so. Either bring his body or his head back to me. Once your mission is completed, return to the fortress immediately. Do not fail me."

"We won't, my Emperor," said Reptile.

Soon, Quan Chi used his sorcery to open up a portal, using an incantation from an old language to do so. A swirling green portal opened up in the throne room, the wind picking up rapidly in the room. Once the spell was done, Quan Chi nodded to the guards, signaling them to go. When all the guards went through, Reptile went next, followed by Guy. After Quan Chi followed, the portal started to close. The wind died down and, once the process was complete, all was silent in the room.

Shao Kahn leaned himself back in his throne, his hands resting on the armrest. "This reminds me… I need to make contact with Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro. They're taking their time with their mission in India."

"I can't help but wonder," Ivy said as she crossed her legs in front of her. "Was it wise to send enemies on the same mission? I seem to recall that the shokans and the centaurians don't quite get along."

"It's a way for me to see which race is more loyal. They're not the only ones to go through this… trial."

"I see."

"And what of the ship you sent out to scout Keisei."

Ivy shifted her blue eyes to him. "The last word I received from them, they crossed the portal to Keisei and are now scouting the realm."

"Good."

"Speaking of scouting," Ivy continued. "There's no word on Jade's whereabouts as of now. We assume she's no longer in the area."

"It's not surprising considering how well she knows this realm," Shao Kahn mentioned. "At this point, I believe the vultures will take care of her. The wastelands have grown bigger, and there is no telling what she'll run into. She'll suffer either way."

From there, silence fell between them.

~~~

**Yakushima Island, Japan**

Night had fallen, making everything mostly dark. It had rained on the island for the majority of the day, forcing the current inhabitants to stay indoors. Once the sun had set, the rain had died down for the time being. A campfire was set up using the twigs that were placed indoors so that they didn't get wet during the rain.

Karin Kanzuki found herself staring at the fresh blaze in front of her. "I must admit," she found herself saying after some silence. "Ever since Yoshimitsu and his clan arrived here, I've felt much safer than I had since the invasion started."

"You know what?" said Asuka. "Me too."

"Me three," agreed Cassandra. Mika and Maki, who were also sitting with them, nodded in agreement as well.

"It's not that I don't have faith in the others," mentioned Maki. "We're all great fighters in our own way. After all, it was a fighting tournament that brought most of us together in the past."

"Very true," said Asuka.

Maki continued. "But what makes the Manji Clan's presence better is that not only do we have plenty of us staying here, but also they're the ones who have very good knowledge on what's going on not only off this island, but beyond Earth as well."

Karin placed an index finger on her chin thoughtfully. "It's hard to imagine sometimes that there are other worlds beyond that of our own."

"I felt the same way until the tournament," mentioned Mika. "And even then, I didn't really believe it until we actually arrived in Outworld."

"That's exactly what I thought then too," said Cassandra. She then sighed a little. "I remember that trip. I didn't have anyone with me and I was lonely. I went because my sister was given an invitation. She had returned from a journey around that time and was too weary to go, so she gave the invitation to me. I wanted to make her proud more than anything."

Cassandra then smiled at her friends. "And of course, if I hadn't gone to the tournament, I would've never met you guys."

"And we're happy for that too," added Asuka.

"I bet you do miss home a lot," said Karin.

"I do," Cassandra replied. "Earthrealm is great, but I'm definitely homesick, especially for my family. And I'm sure I would feel very lost here if it wasn't for Mika's generosity."

Mika smiled. "I'm glad to be of help to a friend in need."

A determined look came over Cassandra's face. "If it wasn't for that imbecile Paul Phoenix sending me through the wrong portal, I would be in Keisei right now! If I live long enough to meet up with him, I'm so going to bash him over the head!"

Maki couldn't help but giggle a little. "I hope we'll eventually see that."

Then, Asuka stood up and stretched her arms a little. "You know, after all this rain we had today, I wouldn't mind going to the hot springs."

"That sounds like a great idea," said Mika.

"Same here," Karin agreed. "I swear, my hair is getting more frizzy each day."

"I've always had that problem," mentioned Maki.

Cassandra stood up as well. "In that case, let's go."

With that in mind, the five of them began heading towards the hot springs.

Meanwhile, not too far from the campfire, Dan Hibiki was doing some training after being cooped up inside all day. Normally, he would train barefoot, but not wanting to get his feet dirty, he opted to wear his sneakers instead.

 _Looks like they'll be getting cleaned big time after I'm done for the night,_ he found himself thinking.

Being surrounded by the forest and seeing the campfire nearby, Dan found himself thinking about the day the shaman Nightwolf offered to train him back in the tournament…

_As Dan continued to look out at the sea, he heard footsteps not too far from behind him. Curiosity got the best of him and he turned his head to see who was coming. Only a few feet away was one of the people staying in the cave with him. Dan recognized him as the shaman Nightwolf. Dan had expected him to be going about his own business, but then the pink-clad fighter realized that he was looking right at him._

_"Hi there," Dan said politely._

_"Good afternoon," replied Nightwolf. The Earthrealm shaman had originally come to this area to meditate when he noticed Dan sitting here by himself. He felt his energy and knew that he was in very deep thought and it made Nightwolf curious. Besides, aside from the first fishing day when he told his reason for being here, he has been keeping mostly to himself since coming to Outworld. Perhaps it was time to get to know at least one person around here._

_Nightwolf sat next to Dan, sitting himself in a similar fashion. "You seem to be in deep thought, my friend," Nightwolf said._

_Dan sighed as he turned his head back towards the sea. "I'm not so sure about myself anymore," he answered. "I always thought that my Saikyo style was the best, at least to me. I wonder now if everyone is right about it…that it really does suck. I wasn't even supposed to be here in the first place…"_

_"Do not think that of yourself," Nightwolf highly suggested. "You do not believe that you were meant to be here, but the truth is that you are. Raiden and Rose would not have chosen for you to be here if you weren't meant to be here. You have a pure heart and soul and are one of their chosen ones."_

_A small smirk came over Dan's face, feeling a bit better after hearing Nightwolf's words. Even though many thought of him as a joke, even though he lost the tournament, he was still one of the chosen ones. There really was a reason for him to be here._

_Before Dan could give him a thank you, Nightwolf spoke again. "Perhaps during our time here, I can help train your mind. The future of this tournament is unpredictable and anything can happen. If you are willing to be patient during your training, you will become a better fighter."_

_Dan nodded, accepting Nightwolf's offer. "I'd be honored."_

_"Now," Nightwolf continued as he straightened his back. "Let's begin by meditating."_

_Straightening his own back, Dan placed his hands on both knees and closed his eyes. Already, he was grateful for Nightwolf's offer to train his mind. If he was going to be a better fighter, this was what he was going to need…_

The training was one Dan never experienced before as it was mostly a mental training rather than a physical one. Months after his training was complete, the pink-clad warrior wondered if he's truly accomplished becoming a better fighter.

Only time will tell, he realized.

~~~

**Somewhere in India**

The sun had long set into the horizon, making the surrounding area completely dark. It was the perfect opportunity for Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro to begin traveling once more, the three of them blending in with the rest of the wildlife here. At least the humans who could potentially see their shadows would think so.

Throughout the past week, none of them had said a word to each other as they traveled west to their destination. They were getting closer to Kerala, they found out not too long ago, but it would be another few days before they would actually reached the end of their journey.

Soon, their thoughts were disrupted as a familiar voice broke through. ' **Why is your mission taking so long?** **'** their Emperor asked them with a hint of annoyance.

The three of them looked at each other for a moment before Kintaro decided to be the one to answer the question. "My lord, considering how far we were placed from Kerala to find Dhalsim, the journey is taking longer than expected. However, you'd be happy to know that we're just a few days away from reaching Kerala."

' **I don't care what kind of excuses you have,** ' Shao Kahn growled. ' **I am growing impatient, and we have other matters to take care of back in Outworld. I will report back in a few days. By then, you'd better have taking care of the nuisance.** '

"We shall, my Emperor," Motaro replied.

There was silence for a moment after that. Once they were sure that the Emperor would no longer speak to them, Kintaro sighed a little. "He's always impatient," he mumbled.

Motaro ended up hearing this, and he almost grinned. "I think if this mission fails, reporting to him about what you think of him will surely make up for it. Clearly all you Shokans would think the same as you do about how 'impatient' Shao Kahn is."

"If that's the case," Sheeva barked back. "Then you wouldn't mind me telling him of the time you and your troops failed to assassinate the Ambassador of Sukai and brought back the charred head of another instead."

The small grin on Motaro's face faded quickly. Deciding not to argue any more, he turned around and began to walk forward. Kintaro and Sheeva looked at each other for a moment before following him.

In her mind, Sheeva found herself wondering why she and Kintaro were paired up to work with Motaro, a member of a species their own loathed. She knew fully well that she couldn't speak to Shao Kahn about it, but maybe, just maybe, she may be able to speak with the Empress alone upon her return to Outworld.

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

The intensity of the heat from the fires in the isolated village could be felt. The heavy smell of smoke was prominent and the screams from the civilians didn't go unnoticed. Corpses of civilians and members of both the Lin Kuei and the Brotherhood of Shadow laid where their fell as their blood, mostly red with some black, staining the white snow that had continuously covered the ground throughout the winter.

Sub-Zero was only able to notice those things very briefly even while defending himself with his kori blade against his brother Noob Saibot, who fought him with his scythe. Both of them had a goal in mind. For Sub-Zero, it was to see to it that his brother was put to rest, to finally give him peace. For Noob, however, it was simply to get rid of Sub-Zero, seeing him as nothing more than a nuisance.

For a couple of minutes, the blade and the scythe clashed, the sound of steel hitting steel being heard. With each hit, Sub-Zero noticed that the six blue jewels that were embedded into the sides of the blades would glow. He wasn't sure what that exactly meant, but at the moment, he had no time to worry about it just yet.

At one point, when Noob swung his scythe sideways, Sub-Zero lifted his leg and managed to kick the long staff, forcing Noob to spin a bit. Taking this as an opportunity, Noob spun himself around in a full circle, his scythe just following before he attempted to slash the blade of the weapon at the Grandmaster's shins. However, Sub-Zero saw this in time and jumped over it. As he fell back down, he attempted to swing his sword down, but Noob was able to recover in time and, using the staff of his weapon, blocked the attack.

This time, Sub-Zero found himself on the offense with Noob on defense. The clashing of steel was heard once more, the sound echoing around them.

Then at one point after clashing once more, the two brothers began to lean their weapons against each other in order to try to overpower the other.

Noob narrowed his eyes at him, taking the opportunity to speak to him. "You have grown stronger since we last met in Outworld. But it doesn't matter… you will soon meet your demise."

Sub-Zero also narrowed his eyes at his brother. "I don't expect any less from you. You were almost just as sadistic when you were alive. It's no wonder you became what you are now… a flawed copy of your former self."

"I have no flaws. Quan Chi had perfected me all those years ago."

"It was all for his own gain."

"But in the end, it has suited my purpose, as you can see."

Noob then suddenly pushed him back a bit, leaving space between them before he spun around in a full circle once more. Seeing the scythe swinging sideways, Sub-Zero lifted his sword up to block, but the opposing weapon came by with such speed that it managed to cut his ice blade right in half. Noob then quickly followed with a roundhouse kick to his face, sending him flying back a couple of feet before crashing into the snow on his back.

Sitting up, the ice warrior took a moment to reform a new blade. Then, before Sub-Zero had the chance to get up, the blade of the scythe managed to cut his left arm, a sharp pain causing him to wince as he rolled himself back. He took a moment to examine the cut which, luckily, was only bleeding slightly. Using his powers, he made a thin sheet of ice over it to protect it temporarily, just in case.

A deep, dark laugh escaped from Noob's throat as his white, empty eyes stared at Sub-Zero. "Finally, the scythe has tasted your blood. Next time, I will aim for your heart."

Sub-Zero glared at his brother with his blue eyes. "Not if I can help it," he promised before jumping forward. When he was close enough, Noob managed to swing the scythe down once more. Sub-Zero, forced to go on defense once more, blocked the move. Noob's attacks this time went faster than before from there, and Sub-Zero knew that he had to think quickly if he wanted to get himself on offense again…

Nearby, Sareena had just finished off one of the members of the Brotherhood by impaling them in the head with a kama. She watched as he stumbled for a moment before falling dead to the ground.

Once that was over, she took the kama out of his head before straightening herself up and turning around. She was expecting more Brotherhood members to go after her. Instead, her eyes met with the chaos going on around her as civilians tried to take cover and the Lin Kuei trying to overtake the Brotherhood of Shadow. Fire raged in various areas and the smell of smoke was very heavy.

Sareena turned her head again. She then gasped a little as she noticed Sub-Zero fighting for his life. Using his ice sword as his defense, he was blocking the maneuvers of the dark clad man who fought back with large scythe, the blue jewels on the blade glowing with each blow.

Sareena knew that Sub-Zero would disapprove, but she decided to throw common sense aside and sprinted forward towards the battle. As she got closer to the two, she raised her kama weapon, ready to strike down on the man with the scythe.

By the time she reached him, the dark figure managed to find an opening and kicked Sub-Zero in the chest with enough force to send him flying back. He barely flew a couple of feet when Noob suddenly turned around. Using his free hand, he managed to grab for her wrist before she had the chance to strike him.

For a split moment, the two found themselves staring at each other. At this point, Sareena barely noticed the scene around her or even the tight grip on her wrist as she gazed at his pale, glowing eyes. She couldn't tell what he was thinking about at the moment since his face was concealed by a hood and a mask over his nose and mouth. Despite this, Sareena could only raise an eyebrow as this moment somehow reminded her of a long-ago memory, one that she couldn't quite pinpoint.

 _Why does he seem so familiar?_ she wondered.

Sareena was about to speak, but the dark figure chose that moment to let go of her wrist. Before she had the chance to do or say anything, he suddenly grabbed her by the neck, catching her by surprise. She barely began to struggle before he lifted her up from the ground, letting her hang in mid-air as he began to tighten his grip around her throat. She began to gasp for air as she did everything she could to pry his hand off of her.

"Imbecile!" he yelled with menace. "You dare to disrupt this battle?! I will see to your-"

His sentence was quickly cut off as Sub-Zero landed a flying kick to his back. The force of the attack made the dark figure stumble forward, letting Sareena go. She fell on her side into the snow, soon rolling on to her stomach as she coughed and gasped for air.

A few feet away after killing another Brotherhood member, Smoke happened to turn around, only to have seen Noob trying to choke the life out of Sareena. He was running forward to try to save her, but Sub-Zero had already taken care of it before he reached her.

He did, however, bend down to her while she caught her breath. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Sareena looked up at Smoke as she sat herself up. "Yeah, I'm fine."

After regaining his balance, Noob quickly whirled around to face Sub-Zero, who stood in a fighting stance with his sword, a determined look in his eyes. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Smoke helping Sareena back on her feet.

"Smoke!" he suddenly called out. "Get Sareena out of the village! And if you find Frost alive on the way out, get her out of here too!"

Smoke nodded before turning to Sareena, who had a worried look on her face. He grabbed for her hand. "Don't worry, he'll catch up."

Hearing the sincerity in his words despite the robotic tone, Sareena reluctantly turned around before she began to follow the cyborg.

When they were out of earshot, Noob nearly laughed at what he just witnessed. "Mercy… it's your biggest weakness. I showed mercy once before… had I known what would happen in the aftermath, I wouldn't have given her life a second thought."

Sub-Zero knew exactly what he meant by that. "Leave her out of this! She has nothing to do with our battle!"

"Hmph," Noob huffed. "Don't tell me you actually care for that demon."

"Enough!" Sub-Zero suggested. "I'm not through with this fight just yet!"

Noob raised his scythe once more. "Very well."

Without waiting another moment, the two brothers ran forward until their weapons clashed once more, both proceeding with their battle…

~~~

**Yakushima Island, Japan**

"Ah, that felt great!" called out Cassandra as she, Mika, Maki, Asuka, and Karin gathered their belongings. Soon, they began leaving the hot springs area and back towards the camp area.

"I totally agree," said Asuka.

"I sure feel much better and more relaxed," mentioned Karin. "But I'll tell you one thing… I'm ready for a good night sleep."

"As much as we can muster," said Mika.

"Especially with Hwoarang's snoring," added Asuka.

"I thought that was Mi-na who snored," said Maki with confusion. She then scratched her head. "Or was that Marduk?"

"Maybe all of them snore in sync or something," suggested Cassandra.

Mika couldn't help but giggle at that. "You know, that wouldn't surprise me."

Suddenly, a heavy wind hit the girls, causing their damp hair to sway in different directions. All of them groaned in annoyance as they all tried to get their hair out of their face.

"I hate it when that happens," moaned Cassandra.

"My hair is going to frizz before we even get back to camp," mentioned Karin.

"My hair will definitely do the same thing," added Maki.

Mika found herself laughing a little. "Look at us. Here we are so worried about our hair when there are-"

Suddenly, Asuka was quickly grabbed from behind with such a force that she screamed, startling her friends. Before anyone could do anything, she was quickly pulled away, disappearing into the darkness of the forest.

"Asuka!" Mika cried out. "ASUKA!"

"I swear this better be a prank from Hwoarang!" Cassandra yelled out.

Another scream was heard just before Asuka came flying back towards the girls, crashing into them. All five of them flew back a bit before landing on the ground.

As Asuka tried to recover from the fall, her other friends had already got themselves a good look at who attacked them… all of them gasped with horror.

"Oh my God!" Maki cried out.

"It… it can't be!" gasped Cassandra

"We thought… oh God!" Mika said choking back tears.

"I didn't think…" Karin could only say.

Confused by their reactions, Asuka turned to see what they were all staring at. By then, the light of the moon peaked through the clouds, revealing the person who had just attacked Asuka a moment ago. She, too, found herself gasping in shock and she realized why the girls were so upset. Normally, a reunion like this would have been a happy one… but the fact that the person before them possessed glowing red eyes, it was nothing more than a sign that all was not right.

"You… I thought… NO!"

Standing before them, well and alive, was their friend who was thought lost in Outworld – Sakura!

About a mile away from the campsite, Ryu was practicing his katas before deciding to meditate in the forests of Yakushima, something he had been doing since the rain stopped earlier in the evening. He felt relaxed through most of the session… no visions, no strange feelings, nothing.

He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

Now feeling a bit tired, Ryu decided that it was time to return to the camp. Most likely, the others would be relaxing by the fire. He'll probably join them and get warm a little before heading into the small cabin to rest for the night.

As he began leaving the area he was training in, the wind suddenly picked up, causing the tail of his red bandana to sway violently behind him. The wind made his surroundings chillier, creating goose bumps that made the hair on his forearms stand up straight.

 _I'm almost looking forward to sitting at the campfire_ _,_ Ryu found himself thinking.

He only took two more steps after that thought when he felt energy suddenly sweeping over him, making him colder than he was a moment ago. He gazed up towards the sky, noting that the moon peaked out from between the parted clouds above. He frowned a bit… usually, there was less wind once the moon started to come out, but the weather seems to be doing the opposite. He knew this fact from his years of traveling the world.

 _I don't like this_ _,_ he suddenly thought.

Then, an aura came over him. The fact that it was an evil aura only put him off a little, but it didn't surprise him. The group knew that someone from Outworld would eventually find them.

But the problem was, Ryu knew that wasn't the case at this moment. To his dismay, the aura was all too familiar to him with the exception that it felt more sinister than the last time he dealt with this.

Ryu reached over to the knot of his bandana and tightened it a little. "So," he found himself saying out loud. "Have you come to finish what you started in Outworld?"

Without a pause, a deep, demonic voice spoke. "That, and more."

Ryu quickly whirled around, soon facing the demon Akuma. He was a bit taken aback by his new appearance, his hair now snow white and his skin a deeper tan. A red aura surrounded his body and matched his glowing eyes. Those were the significant changes Ryu noticed.

After some silence, Shin Akuma proceeded. "I see that you have yet to give in to the Dark Hadou. Pathetic… you travel the world to seek to become the strongest, but all that needs to be done is to give in to your true potential."

Ryu immediately got himself into a fighting stance, his fists clenched tightly. "I will never give in and you know it!"

Shin Akuma got himself in his own fighting stance. "Someday, you will have no choice but to give in. We will see how long you can resist."

For a while, the two stared at each other, the wind picking up even more. It was a while before it finally died down. When it did, both Ryu and Shin Akuma jumped forward, signaling the beginning of their battle…

~~~

**Somewhere in Asia**

In the middle of a large forest, Dark Raiden found himself practicing his katas with dark clouds forming above. With the exception of the light wind that blew, all was quiet around him, which he highly preferred at the moment.

He had not seen a single soul, mortal or immortal, since his last encounter with the Wind God, Fujin. He nearly twitched thinking about that.

 _To think he was willing to put what's left of Earthrealm on the line,_ Dark Raiden thought in disgust. _He's just as much of a fool as the other Elder Gods!_

Also, he had not seen the ninja specter, Scorpion, since their last encounter at the Shaolin Temple some time ago. That got him somewhat curious since he knew that Scorpion was out to assassinate him. Despite that, he was glad to not see him at the moment.

 _Perhaps he got lost,_ he said, almost amused.

As he continued his kata training, Dark Raiden found himself thinking back on the time he had relinquished his status as an Elder God… all because he thought, at the time, he was doing it for a good cause…

… _He went inside of a temple-like structure, where the four other Gods were._

_The four Gods sat in large thrones, all Gods for the four main elements…The God of Wind Fujin, the God of Water Mizu, The God of Fire Hinote, and the God of Earth Daichi._

_"Lord Raiden," spoke Daichi. "What has brought you to us?"_

_Raiden bowed to the four of them. "I came to inform you of an urgent situation. It seems that Quan Chi has managed to get his hands on_ _Chishio No Me_ _."_

_The four Elder Gods' faces expressed their horror. They had hoped that no one, let alone someone of evil, would never find the artifact. It had been years since it was last used by a General from the realm of Keisei who met an unfortunate fate (not death_ _surprisingly, but one even unknown to the Elder Gods)._

_"Raiden," said Mizu, her blue eyes glowing. "I know what you are planning. You want to defend Earth and get help from warriors of that realm."_

_"Yess Mizu," Raiden replied. "That is what I wish to do."_

_"We cannot allow you to interfere," said Hinote._

_Raiden looked up at them in shock. "What do you mean?"_

_Daichi sighed to himself and looked at Raiden seriously. "We let it go the last few times you have done this, but this time we cannot interfere. Yes, it is our job to protect the universe, but it's not our job to interfere in matters like these, only if we feel that there is real danger."_

_Anger appeared on the Thunder God's face and he clenched his fists. "This is absurd! Many of the warriors entering this tournament have no idea what may be truly going on! This is real peril and I cannot allow myself to stand idly by! If Chishio No Me is not destroyed, then the entire universe is doomed."_

_Raiden looked at the four of them hoping that they would change their minds. With the exception of Fujin, the Gods kept the same expression. Raiden knew that no matter what he said, they won't change their minds._

_"Even if it means relinquishing my status, then so be it!" With that Raiden turned on his heel and stormed out of the room. The three Gods were horrified by Raiden's decision while Fujin watched in pity as his friend left…_

Dark Raiden's thoughts were suddenly cut off as he heard footsteps nearly. Annoyed, he straightened himself up, his red eyes glowing as the rest of his body became surrounded by electricity.

"Who's there?" he demanded. There was a briefly silence before the footsteps were heard again.

He wondered then… did the specter return?

"If that's you, Scorpion, I demand you to show yourself!" he yelled once more.

The footsteps were closer. Dark Raiden then realized the direction the sound was coming from. He narrowed his eyes as he turned his head.

Turning to his right, his shot his arms out, a pair of lightning bolts emerging from his palms. The bolts managed to hit their target and he heard some agonizing screams nearby. He kept this going until the screams finally stopped.

Putting his arms down and straightening himself back up, Dark Raiden walked forward in order to see who he had attacked. After walking a few yards, he went through some bushes and soon spotted two men on the ground. Both of their bodies were charred to the point where anyone who might have known them wouldn't recognize them. Their stilled bodies indicated that they had met their demise by his hands.

He realized then that the two were nothing more than a pair of travelers, especially once he noted the equipment their carried.

Dark Raiden found himself shaking his head a little. "It serves you right for not answering my calls."

Then, he turned around and returned to the spot where he was training. He then continued his katas as though nothing had happened…

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

The battle between Sub-Zero and Noob Saibot continued on despite the chaos that surrounded them. For a while, Sub-Zero's kori blade and Noob's scythe clashed with fury as they both tried to overtake the other.

Eventually, however, Sub-Zero managed to find an opening, lifting his foot and kicking hard enough to knock Noob's scythe out of his hand. Before Noob could have the chance to react to the maneuver, Sub-Zero quickly skidded forward, creating a thin layer of ice on the way in front of his feet, before ramming his shoulder into Noob's abdomen, the force sending the wraith reeling back mid-air before landing on the ground.

After landing, Noob quickly flipped back before returning to his feet. Rapidly, he shot his hands out before a white energy ball emerged from his palms. Seeing this in time, Sub-Zero evaded the attack by ducking underneath it. At the same time, he moved himself closer to his opponent.

When he was in arm's reach, Sub-Zero quickly delivered an uppercut, sending Noob airborne, but the wraith was able to flip himself back once more, landing safely once he was back on the ground. Sub-Zero attempted to cover the distance between them again, but Noob was more prepared this time.

Before the ice warrior had the chance to reach him, Noob jumped up, a bluish-purple energy surrounding him. He went up a few feet before disappearing into a thicker energy that had formed above his head.

Knowing what this meant, Sub-Zero didn't stop in his tracks, continuing to run forward. A split second later, Noob reappeared from the ground behind Sub-Zero, the same color energy forming as he emerged, soon landing back on the ground. Hearing this, Sub-Zero stopped in his tracks and whirled around to face him.

Raising his ice sword, Sub-Zero ran towards the wraith, who stood in his place with his arms folded. He then attempted to stab him upon reaching him, but Noob had noted this and managed to side-step while grabbing for the hilt of the sword with both hands.

For a moment, there was a struggle as the two brothers tried to gain control of the sword. However, it didn't last long before a shadow shot out from Noob. The shadow tackled Sub-Zero away from him, forcing the Grandmaster to fly back before crashing onto his back. By then, Noob was able to get a good grip on the kori blade.

With the sword in his hand, Noob ran forward in an attempt to stab his opponent, but Sub-Zero was able to roll out of the way in time. As he did, he got back on his feet and faced his elder brother once more. Noob then attempted to swing the sword at him, but Sub-Zero managed to kick the weapon with such a force that he was able to shatter it into countless pieces.

With no weapon between them now, Noob covered the distance between and the two began to exchange various punches and kicks, both able to block the other as well. Eventually, Sub-Zero was able to break through Noob's defenses by landing a few blows to his torso before a kick to the chest forced the wraith to stumble back. Upon regaining his balance, Noob shot out another white energy ball, but Sub-Zero was able to dodge this by ducking underneath once more.

Afterwards, Noob ran towards him once more. As he did, Sub-Zero took the opportunity to briefly form an ice ball in his hands before shooting the energy out. Noob tried to back away upon seeing this, but he ended up getting caught in it. A thin layer of ice washed over him, freezing him in his place. Using this as an advantage, Sub-Zero ran forward before delivering an uppercut, sending Noob airborne again. As he came crashin back to Earth, the Grandmaster took a moment to form yet another kori blade.

Walking towards him, Sub-Zero stared down at Noob, who looked up at him with his empty, glowing eyes as he sat himself up. By then, the Grandmaster, with both of his hands gripping on the hilt of his ice sword, raised the weapon up as though he was going to deal the final blow, soon stopping just above his head.

"You are right," Sub-Zero said to him. "We are _not_ brothers."

Suddenly, a loud creak was heard, and both warriors turned their heads to where the noise came from. Just as they did, a loud boom reached their ears just before the hut they were standing close to quickly began to collapse from the raging fire it was engulfed in.

Seeing this, Sub-Zero and Noob were both forced to jump out of the way before the heavy debris and the flames landed on them. There was a large space between them by the time the large pieces of the hut landed where they had stood moments ago, separating them even more.

Despite knowing that his brother stood beyond the fire, Sub-Zero made it a point to note his entire surroundings, believing that Noob would somehow teleport to where he was currently standing. After a minute, however, Sub-Zero found himself a bit perplexed as he was sure something should've happened by now.

Deciding to investigate, the ice warrior quickly ran forward, making his way around the fallen hut. Once he reached the other side, it didn't surprise him all that much to see that Noob was no longer there. Still, he took another minute to look at his surroundings, specifically eyeing the ground in case Noob decided to emerge from there.

By then, the fire continued to rage on, but the screams and the sense of urgency had died down. Most likely, the remaining Brotherhood members had retreated and he saw some of his fellow Lin Kuei members as well as the surviving civilians making their escape from the inferno.

Sub-Zero realized that, at this point, there was nothing else he could do and began to leave the village. He wasn't sure why Noob chose to escape, especially since he was so intent on killing him, but he knew that he had to have a reason for not ending this battle.

Sub-Zero had no doubt in his mind that his brother would return at a later time to finish what they started…

~~~

**Yakushima Island, Japan**

Late in the evening, the group consisting of King, Marduk, Dan (who had returned to the group a few minutes ago), Hwoarang, Mi-na, Yoshimitsu, and the few of his Manji clan members were gathered around the lit campfire. King had just finished feeding the fire more twigs before sitting himself down on one of the logs laid out nearby.

"So let me get this straight," said Marduk as he stared at the Manji Clan leader. "Aside from Earth and this… Outworld… there are other worlds and realms beyond that?"

"I could've told you that," said Mi-na.

Yoshimitsu soon replied. "There are countless worlds beyond that of your own. Most are just like this world concerning species… all human-like. All have either similar animals or animals different from that of our own. There are also other races that either live in their own world or co-exist with others. Take Keisei for example… a majority is human, but there is also a small race of reptilian creatures that inhabit parts of the world as well."

"Oh yes, we call them lizardmen," Mi-na mentioned.

"How original," said Hwoarang with a hint of sarcasm. Mi-na only rolled her eyes at the comment.

Yoshimitsu continued. "However, there are rumors about how the race came to be. Some say they migrated here from another realm. Others say it was part of an experiment gone wrong. Others say it had something to do with a cult who took in warriors and changed them from their human forms."

"That's a terrible fate if the last part is the case," said Dan.

It was then that footsteps were heard nearby. Yoshimitsu was the first to turn to the noise, obviously believing it to be one of the others staying here on the island. He was, of course, correct once he recognized Jin, who had left the campsite a couple of hours ago to practice his katas alone.

However, as Jin came closer to the fire, Yoshimitsu noted the perplexed look on his face. He cocked his head a little as he stared at the young man. "Is something the matter?" he asked.

His words caught everyone's attention, and they all turned their heads in Jin's direction. Jin could feel their stares at that point, but didn't bother to look at them, not even to Yoshimitsu, who had asked him the question in the first place. Instead, he looked up towards the sky, which was still covered in heavy clouds.

"I'm not so sure," Jin finally said after some silence. "On my way back here, I had a strange feeling, but I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was."

"That's no surprise," answered Hwoarang. "After all, you've always been a strange one."

Mi-na immediately nudged him with her elbow into his ribcage. He let out a small ' _oomph!_ ' before she spoke. "Hwoarang, this is serious!"

"He's right," Yoshimitsu suddenly said as he turned his head to the left. "I'm starting to feel it too… a strange aura."

"Well that's definitely not good," mentioned Dan.

"I say you're all loony," said Hwoarang.

Mi-na turned her head to the red-haired Korean. "I swear that everything you say that, something always happens soon afterwards."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Just as he finished that sentence, a humming noise was suddenly heard. The group also noted a green glow nearby and quickly turned their heads towards that direction. Suddenly, they noticed what looked like guards jumping through the portal and immediately surrounding the small group, who have now stood up and got themselves in their respective fighting stances.

Soon, all the guards were positioned and three others walked through the portal before it closed behind them; a young man in an orange gi, a lizard creature, and a pale figure who Yoshimitsu immediately recognized from his time in Outworld.

"Quan Chi…" Yoshimitsu growled as he raised his sword up at face level. "What do you want, scoundrel?" he then yelled out loud enough for the necromancer to hear.

"Oh my God, is that Guy?!" Mi-na called out as she stared at the orange-clad man nearby in shock.

"I'm afraid it is…" replied Dan frowning.

A sadistic smirk came over Quan Chi's face as he stared at the group. "Yoshimitsu… I didn't expect you to be here of all places. And I see that you brought along some of your clan members as well. You and the others have been nothing more than a nuisance to the Emperor and the Outworld Forces ever since our plans have begun. Never the less, it won't stop us… as a matter of fact, taking care of you right here and now may benefit me greatly."

"You never answered his question!" called out King.

A hiss came from the humanoid lizard and Quan Chi turned to him. "Soon enough, Reptile," he seemed to remind him before turning his attention back to the group. "Like I said, even with the presence of the Manji Clan, it will not stop us for what we came for." He then turned his head to Jin. "You've proven yourself as a strong warrior even if you did become only a runner-up of the Blood Tournament. The Emperor wishes for you to join the Outworld Forces. If you accept, then you will be spared. If not, you will meet your demise."

Jin raised his fists up in determination. "You know my answer."

"That's what I expected," Quan Chi said. He grinned more. "In that case, you and your friends will all die."

"Not if we can help it!" called out Hwoarang.

As though his words were on cue, the two groups quickly clashed, the battle now beginning. From his spot, Quan Chi smirked as he watched the fight in front of him.


	48. Chapter Forty-Seven

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

In the courtyard of the Coast Guard Headquarters, Hwang walked around the area, mainly in search for both Kilik and Maxi. Moments ago, he had asked Xianghua where they were.

"Last I heard, they were heading out to the courtyard to spar," Xianghua had replied. "Of course, that was a couple of hours ago, so they may not be there anymore." She then chuckled a little. "That is unless they both managed to knock each other out cold."

In a way, Hwang had almost expected to see Kilik and Maxi on the ground unconscious with bumps on their heads. Instead, when he finally did spot them, the two had already finished their sparring session and they were each taking turns drinking some water from the nearby well.

As Hwang approached them, he was able to hear their conversation. "Next time we spar," said Kilik after taking a sip of water. "Try not to hit me in the head."

"It's not my fault your head kept getting in the way," Maxi replied. He took a moment to splash his face with some of the water in the bucket before proceeding. "This reminds me, I think you were also trying to do the same thing you claimed I was trying to do."

Kilik stared at him. "Now you're just trying to get yourself out of your own mess."

"No I'm not. It's not like I tried to replace your rod with a bamboo stick."

"Which, need I remind you, that you actually did ending up doing. That caused me my match in the tournament!"

"It's not my fault. They told me that Outworld bamboo was very strong!"

Hwang chose to cut in then. "Sorry to interrupt you two," he said once he was a couple of feet away.

"Hi Hwang," they both said at the same time.

"What brings you here?" asked Kilik.

"Well, I might as well cut to the point," Hwang began. "Do you two want to go sailing in an hour or so?"

"Why not?" Maxi immediately replied. "I haven't gone sailing in a while. It'd be nice to smell the sea from a ship again. Any reason you want to go sailing?"

Hwang sighed a little. "Well… do you remember the ship we sent out to scout for possible portals that could lead to Outworld?"

The two nodded before Hwang continued. "Well… the thing is, they were supposed to return to land three days ago. At first, we thought maybe because they got caught in the current and it was taking them longer than usual to return, but the fact is, they didn't venture that far off from Lee Dynasty."

"That doesn't sound good," said Kilik. "But either way, Maxi and I will be more than happy to assist you and your men in finding your comrades."

Maxi nodded in agreement.

"There is one problem," Hwang continued.

"There always is," Maxi said.

"Our hunt for our comrades is limited. We'll only be allowed to search for him until sunset. We won't be able to continue our search until sunrise. Admiral Lee believes that it's getting more dangerous to be out at sea with the rumors of the invasion increasing. Everyone's getting nervous it seems."

"In that case," Kilik said. "Let's no waste any more time."

Hwang nodded in agreement as the three began leaving the courtyard area. "Hopefully, things are all right and it's just nothing more than the crew just losing their way back home."

~~~

**Yakushima Island**

It was enough of a shock for Asuka, Karin, Maki, Cassandra, and Mika to see that their friend, Sakura, was well and alive despite Asuka seeing her dead at the cathedral in Outworld in a time that felt so long so. However, the shock felt even worse upon looking at her, her skin darkened and her eyes a blood red. All of them didn't have to ask the others what it meant… Sakura was possessed somehow.

For Asuka, she remembered, after Cammy and Lita found her and Jin in the cathedral in the aftermaths of the events there, that Sakura's body had somehow disappeared. However, she didn't have the chance to see if her body might've moved somewhere else as there wasn't enough time to do so.

If Sakura had awakened some time beforehand, this would explain why Asuka couldn't find her. _Has some demon possessed her?_ she asked herself. _I really hope not!_

Suddenly, Sakura moved herself forward just after the other five girls returned to their feet after being knocked down. As she came closer, it was Cassandra who stepped forward, instinctively doing so in order to protect her friends. Seeing this, Sakura immediately went in the direction where Cassandra stood.

Before Cassandra had the chance to start defending herself, Sakura suddenly teleported herself behind her, her body surrounded with a red aura. "What?" Cassandra cried out as she attempted to turn around.

Sakura's right hand quickly was surrounded by a red aura. She then ran forward before performing an uppercut, managing to hit her fist underneath Cassandra's chin. Cassandra cried out as the blow sent her in the air. Sakura landed back on her feet, then waited for a second before delivering a kick to Cassandra's back as the latter fell back down. Another yell escaped her as she found herself airborne before crashing into a nearby tree.

"Cassandra!" Mika called out as she ran forward. Mika attempted to tackle Sakura, but she managed to teleport herself backwards before the blonde wrestler could reach her. Mika stopped in her tracks for a moment before running forward again. This time, Sakura jump forward, her arms in the air with her fists slightly behind her head. Before Mika had the chance brace herself, Sakura delivered her fists down in a hammerstrike a couple of times to Mika's head. Mika back away as the pain hit her, but once on the ground again, Sakura grabbed a hold of her before tossing her aside into a nearby tree.

Hearing footsteps behind her, Sakura turned around in time to see Karin running towards her. Sakura simply shot out her hands, a pink energy ball emerging from her palms. Before of how close she was at that point, Karin didn't have time to move out of the way before the ball hit her in the torso, the force throwing her back before hitting the floor.

Maki stepped in next as she attempted to deliver a few kicks at Sakura. However, Sakura was able to block them before sidestepping away from the last kick. She then got herself behind Maki before placing her in a chokehold. Maki struggled to get out of her grip as Sakura jabbed her arms into her throat, causing her to choke and cough in reply. She then raised one arm in the air before smashing her elbow into Maki's shoulder, the force slamming her into the dirt ground.

Asuka stood in her fighting stance before as Sakura turned to face her. "Sakura!" she called out. "This is not you and you know it! Whatever is controlling you, try to break free from it!"

A growl escaped Sakura's lips in reply before she teleported closer to Asuka. Asuka backed herself up a couple of feet in order to leave some space between them before Sakura began to deliver some punches and kicks at her. Asuka was forced to defend herself at this point. However, it only lasted a few seconds before Sakura broke through her blocks, landing some punches to her face before delivering a roundhouse kick to her side, sending Asuka crashing into some nearby bushes.

Sakura stood where she was as all five girls managed to get up from where they fell with a little effort. Noting that all of them have made a circle around their long-lost friend, they looked at each other, making sure that they were thinking of the same thing. Soon, all five turned back to their friend and sprinted forward.

Seeing this, Sakura immediately jumped up into the air once they were close enough. Extending one leg out, she spun herself rapidly, managing to hit all five girls, each of them hit by the maneuver and pushed back and away from her. Once they were all on their backs, Sakura landed her feet back on the dirt.

Sakura seemed to look on with satisfaction as she noted the five girls on the ground, all struggling to get themselves back on their feet this time around. Then, without so much as a thought, she went over to where Karin was. Karin herself had just sat herself up and was about to start getting to her feet.

The blonde-haired young woman heard the footsteps, but before she had to chance to even begin to defend herself, she suddenly felt a pair of hands wrap around her throat before being suddenly lifted from the ground.

"NO-" Karin tried to cry out, but her oxygen was quickly cut off before she could finish. As she struggled for breath, she kicked her legs up furiously while trying to pry Sakura's hands off of her throat.

At one point, she found herself looking down at Sakura. She noted her former rival's determination to choke the life out of her, but other than that… there was nothing. It was though she was only killing without so much as a thought of the consequences.

 _I never thought our little battles would end like this…_ Karin found herself thinking.

Suddenly, Karin heard someone call out, " _Flying peach!_ " before she noticed Mika jumping backwards, slamming herself at Sakura's side. All three of them went tumbling sideways. Once on the ground, Mika quickly got herself on Sakura's back, pinning her as she got her in a wrestling chokehold. Meanwhile, Karin had rolled away a couple of feet away from them. She was lying on her side as she gasped heavily for air.

At the same time, Maki had managed to herself up. She then ran over to where Karin was and got down on her knees next to her. "Karin, are you all right?" she asked.

Karin managed to sit herself up with some assistance from Maki. By then, Cassandra and Asuka had joined the two. From where they were, they looked on as Mika kept her hold on Sakura while trying to talk to her.

"Sakura, get a hold of yourself!" Mika cried out. "It's us, Mika, Karin, Asuka, Maki, and Cassandra! We're your friends, remember? Please, try to remember?"

Sakura's only reply was a frustrated growl. Her body soon began to glow in a red aura. Then suddenly, using her arms, she pushed herself off the ground, taking Mika with her. Mika was only able to hold on for just a moment before another push sent her flying back, forcing her to lose her grip on her friend. She then crashed back first into the ground. As Sakura turned to face her, Maki and Cassandra took the opportunity to jump in to grab her. This time, the two of them tried to talk to her as well.

"Sakura, snap out of it!" Cassandra cried out.

Maki spoke next. "Look at us! Try to remember us! We're all your friends!"

As she helped Karin back on her feet, Asuka found herself frowning as a thought came to her. "How we try to break her out of the spell… without killing her?"

Karin found herself shaking her head. "I don't know… I just don't know…"

…Back at the campsite, Hwoarang just delivered a high kick, his foot landing just underneath the chin of the Outworld guard that he was fighting. The blow forced the guard to go flying up into the air. Hwoarang simply waited on the ground until the guard came falling back towards him. When the guard was in reach, he kicked him again, but only with enough strength to send him up a couple of feet.

Afterwards, Hwoarang stepped forward, punching the guard a couple of times before jumping forward, spinning himself and delivering a double kick to the guard's mid-section. By then, the guard was on his feet, but was barely able to contain his balance as he tried to get himself out of his predicament. Hwoarang, however, didn't give him a chance as he followed up with an elbow to the guard's shoulder, forcing him to his knees before delivering another kick to his face, making him fall to the ground, the back of his head hitting the ground hard enough to render him unconscious.

Hwoarang sighed a little as he stepped to the side a little. "Man, you're weak," he mumbled.

Barely a second after those words left his mouth, he realized that it was a good thing that he moved as a green glob went right by him. He then watched the glob hit a nearby tree, soon hearing a sizzling sound as it burned through the bark of the tree.

"What the hell?" he yelled, his eyes widened as he turned to see who threw the acid. Just a couple of yards away stood Reptile. Standing in his fighting stance, acid drooled from his mouth like saliva as his yellow eyes stared intently at his new opponent.

"Die, human!" Reptile hissed just before jumping forward. Once they were both in arms reach, they exchanged various attacks on each other, the both of them trying to get themselves on offense.

However, within seconds, Hwoarang realized how insanely fast the creature was. He was fast himself, he knew that, but this was different, he realized. He then decided to quickly back away to give himself a few seconds to collect himself.

"Shit!" he yelled out. "I know lizards are usually fast, but this is ridiculous!"

He heard another hiss come from Reptile, who then jumped forward once more. This time, Hwoarang jumped up into the air before the Saurian was able to reach him. He then began to lift his leg up just before falling back to Earth and, upon reaching Reptile, kicking downwards. Reptile let out a growl as Hwoarang's foot hit his shoulder, knocking him to the floor. Afterwards, Hwoarang jumped away, leaving some space between them.

Hwoarang watched as Reptile got back on his feet before turning around to face him. Seeing the angry look in his face, the red-haired Korean couldn't help but grin. "I figured you didn't like that one bit."

Another hiss escaped Reptile. "Death awaitsssss you, human!" he yelled as he got down on one knee. He then quickly clasped his hands together before pulling them apart, one hand going up and the other going down. Hwoarang immediately noticed the large, green bubble that formed in between the lizard's hands. Then, his hold on the bubble released, and the substance began to float towards him.

Hwoarang thought the move was odd, but just in case, he quickly moved sideways and out of the way of the bubble's path. Seconds later, it turned out to be the right move as the bubble hit one of the nearby guards, who screamed in agony as the acid in the bubble burned him.

The young man nearly shook his head. "Man, don't you have anything else up your sleeve besides throwing acid?"

As though being dared, Reptile straightened himself before his body quickly looked as though it was disintegrating, soon disappearing without a trace.

"Ah, damn it," Hwoarang grumbled as he attempted to look around to see where he went.

Suddenly, Hwoarang felt a punch to the face, spinning him a little before a kick to the stomach caused him to stagger back. Shaking the pain off, Hwoarang attempted to punch the air in hopes to strike his opponent, but in his invisible mode, Reptile was able to keep himself away from his attacks. As Hwoarang attempted to turn around, Reptile delivered a few more attacks on him before grabbing a hold of his neck and tossing him aside, sending Hwoarang crashing into a tree. Satisfied, Reptile got himself out of his invisible mode.

As he recovered, Hwoarang heard light footsteps nearby. Thinking another guard was coming after him, he turned his head to the noise, only to see Seong Mi-na running towards him, her kwan do weapon in her left hand.

Hwoarang growled a little. "If you're trying to help me, forget it. I don't need your help!"

He expected her to say something, but instead, she suddenly jumped forward and tackled him to the ground. As he landed hard on his back, he soon noted why she did that… Reptile had spat out more acid, the glob passing right by where he was standing

As they both stood up, Mi-na couldn't help but grin at him. "You were saying?"

Hwoarang grumbled, but soon took a deep breath. "Just watch his mouth. He's also fast."

"I had a feeling he was," Mi-na replied.

Just then, Reptile let out another hiss before he jumped forwards towards the two. Hwoarang and Mi-na both stood in their fighting stances, ready to take him on…

Meanwhile, a few yards away, two guards holding their own swords began to approach Jin. The young man stood where he was, gazing at the both of them as they seem to walk over to him with caution.

"Surrender to the Emperor and you will be spared!" one guard called out.

In reply, Jin raised both of his fists up in front of them, both hands immediately surrounded by red electricity as though he was powering himself up. He nearly smirked as he saw the two guards hesitate in their path for a moment. Then, the two stared at each other for a split second before facing Jin. With a battle cry, the two guards ran towards him.

The first guard attempted to slash his sword at him, but Jin dodged out of the way, quickly getting himself behind him. Before the guard could comprehend what just happened, Jin delivered a punch to the back of his head, his hand still surrounded by the red electricity. The guard let out an agonizing scream as he found himself flying forward, losing consciousness from the blow before he even landed in the dirt.

Jin then quickly turned around just in time to see the second guard attempting to deliver a flying kick at him. Once in reach, Jin grabbed for the guard's outstretched leg with both hands before spinning himself halfway around quickly. Letting him go then, he heard the guard scream with terror as he flew a few yards away, the shrieking soon cut off as he crashed into a tree, knocking him out cold.

Jin found himself shaking his head after that. "That was pathetic…"

Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke from behind him. "It's no surprise that those worthless guards couldn't take a warrior like you down."

Jin turned him around to see the person who just talked. Standing a few feet away was Guy, his fellow ally from the Blood Tournament. Jin had heard that he was brainwashed after returning to Earth all those months ago, but that was all he was told. As far as he knew, at least up until now, no one had seen nor heard from Guy since that last day in Outworld. Also, judging from his pale eyes, Guy was still under the brainwash.

Jin, knowing that a battle between them was inevitable, got himself into a fighting stance. "I'm sorry this happened to you," Jin said to Guy. "But even if you were once an ally, I will not hold back."

Guy got himself in his own battle stance. "That's the kind of thought I expected from someone like you."

For a moment, the two circled each other, both waiting for the other to make a move. They were able to hear the other fights nearby, and the wind in the air began to pick up more, making their hair sway.

Then, at the same time, the two warriors swiftly covered the distance between them. It was Guy who threw the first punch, forcing Jin to block the move with his own palm. For nearly a minute they exchanged various punches and kicks at each other all the while blocking and dodging in order to not get hit at the same time.

As the seconds passed, Jin noted something. He had sparred with Guy briefly during downtime back at the tournament, and he remembered complimenting him for his speed. Guy was just as fast as ever, but the more moves he delivered to the younger man, the more Jin realized that there seemed to be more power in his attacks. Most likely it had something to do with the brainwashing all those months ago.

 _Maybe there is a way to make him snap out of it,_ Jin thought, but then he quickly pushed the thought aside. He could try, but was there even a way to do it? Is it possible or has the brainwash taken a great hold on his former friend?

It was then that Guy suddenly pulled himself back around the same time Jin delivered a roundhouse kick. Leaving Jin wide opened, Guy took the opportunity to step forward again, crouching down a little as he delivered an elbow to Jin's chest, managing to strike him. As Jin staggered back, Guy straightened himself up before sending a foot to Jin's face, causing him to rear back a few more feet. The Bushinryu warrior then flipped himself back, leaving some space between them.

Jin shook the pain from his head as he saw Guy fold his arms a few feet away. "How disappointing," he said almost as though he was bored. "I expected more from someone like you."

Jin growled a little as he wiped his chin with the back of his hand. He then pumped the same fist to his side, a move that made both of his hands suddenly surrounded by a red glow. This caught Guy with curiosity, and he returned to his stance, ready for more.

With another growl, Jin quickly covered the space between them and began throwing punches at Guy from different directions. Guy was able to block for a moment, but Jin eventually broke through, landing a few blows to his face and torso before kicking him square in the chest, his leg covered in red electricity. Guy found himself flying back, but was able to regain himself, flipping back before skidding across the ground.

Without wasting time, Guy sprinted forward towards Jin in fast speed. Then, just before Jin thought his opponent would reach him, Guy suddenly jumped up diagonally, bouncing himself off a couple of trees to gain momentum, at least it seemed so to the younger man.

Suddenly, Guy began to fall back towards Jin, aiming his feet at him to kick him, but Jin saw this in time and quickly got himself out of the way. When Guy was back on the ground, he didn't waste a second as he jumped forward towards his opponent, lifting one leg up as he spun himself rapidly. He was able to hit Jin the face a couple of times with the last kick knocking him back.

Guy landed down safely as Jin managed to get himself back up. As he did, he could feel some anger flaring within him. At the same time, however, he found himself looking down at his bare arms… only to see the tattoos of his devil trying to slowly appear. He gasped in horror, especially since this was something that hasn't happened in months, at least as far as he knew. He then touched his own face as he could imagine that the tattoos there were trying to appear there as well.

 _No, no!_ Jin yelled out in his mind. _Not now! Not this!_

Guy looked on with a little interest as he also sensed something within Jin. "Hmph… it looks like something sinister is within you. No wonder the Emperor wishes for you to join his forces."

Hearing this only made Jin even more mad, especially as he started to see red. Then, without thinking about it as though he attempted to let out his inner madness, he took a step forward. Then, from his forehead, a red laser-like beam shot out as he let out what sounded like a demonic roar.

Guy didn't expect this, but nevertheless, he still had time to jump up and out of the way of the beam for the most part, even when it began to follow him as Jin tilted his head back. He then jumped to another tree, unaware that one of the Manji clan members was nearby. The clansman had heard him and quickly turned around. Guy was going to ignore him and try to go after Jin again, but now with the Manji clan member going after him, he now had no choice but to defend himself.

By then, Jin found himself stumbling a bit as though energy was sucked out of him. He looked down at his arms again, only to see that the tattoos he had started to see appearing just a minute ago already faded away.

 _What the…_ he started to think.

By then, he heard more footsteps nearby. He turned his head just in time to see another Outworld guard coming towards him. Turning to face him, he got into a fighting stance. _At least I can use him as a warm-up in case I fight Guy again,_ he thought to himself.

Even with the threat of the devil gene minutes ago, he knew that he had to put that worry aside. There was more to be concerned about right now…

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

The morning sun was just beginning to rise, though it was mostly covered by the clouds above the snow-covered mountains. The light soon revealed the damage that was left behind from the battle during the night. Many had died and most of the village were nothing more than ash.

Within the village, Frost found herself waking up and quickly realized that she was outdoors. One side of her face and the front side of her body was buried in the snow. With her kori powers, she was obviously not bothered by the cold.

What was bothering her at the moment was the pain that began to develop in her head.

"Ugh," she uttered as she rubbed her blue eyes with her hands. Once she cleared her vision, she then moved her hands to ease the aching in her head… soon getting a feel of a bump in the back of her head.

Once she felt that bump, the events of last night suddenly came back to her. She felt anger rising up within her upon thinking about the battle she had with the Netherrealm demon, Sareena. At one point, they had separated during the fight, and Frost had taken the opportunity to go find a more suitable weapon for their battle… a sword, an axe, anything that would allow her to kill the bitch with ease. She hated her that much.

Instead, she ran into some of the members of the Brotherhood who tried to kill her. Frost was able to defend herself briefly. She remembered trying to raise her sword to kill the one she was fighting… that was the last thing she remembered before losing consciousness.

Frost clutched her fists, her blue eyes narrowed and her eyebrows furrowed. "I have no doubt that bitch survived… I _will_ _kill_ her when I get the chance!"

A sadistic thought suddenly came to her and she grinned underneath her mask. "Perhaps I will kill her in front of Sub-Zero. Perhaps then, he'll become irrational enough that it'll give me a chance to kill him. From there, the Lin Kuei will be mine for the taking!"

Once her words left her, the young woman suddenly realized how quiet her surroundings were. She knew that there was much devastation that was left in the village that she and the rest of the Lin Kuei had been staying at in the past few weeks. Expecting to see the damage in front of her, she sat herself up before moving her head up to gaze at her surroundings.

Instead, to her stock, she found herself surrounded by members of the Brotherhood!

Frost narrowed her eyes at him. "How long have you been standing there?" she demanded.

A demonic voice behind her spoke first. "Not long, only since you started to awake."

Frost immediately turned to the voice, seeing a man with a scythe in his hand. Immediately to his left stood what should've been Frost's key to taking over the Lin Kuei… Matrik!

Frost immediately stood on her feet despite the raging headache she was experiencing at the moment. "Damn you!" she screamed. She then attempted to lunge herself at him, but two of his subordinates quickly grabbed her arms and pulled her back. She immediately tried to fight against them, but soon stopped once the hooded figure stepped a few feet towards her.

"Stupid woman," he said, his glowing eyes narrowing at her. "You should try to understand who you are dealing with before you try to best them in battle."

"Who are you, my sifu?" Frost barked back. "The way you said that, if I had known better, I'd say you two were related."

"How amusing that you brought up such a subject… after all, I do share blood with your… sifu. I only know because it seems as though he didn't teach you any humility. No surprise, considering the Lin Kuei of the past was never taught such a thing."

Frost's eyes suddenly relaxed as a realization came to her. "Share blood… you must be the last Sub-Zero… the one before sifu… you are B-"

"That's Noob Saibot to you!" the Brotherhood leader quickly said. He turned his head to Matrik, who stood in position as thought she was ready for orders. "You and this cyborg are the only ones still living in this village. However, they were other survivors and I expect that Sub-Zero was one of them."

Noob then narrowed his eyes at Frost. "Where was the Lin Kuei heading to? I suspect that you and the others were here to rest."

Frost's eyes gave him an angry look, but she still remained neutral in her voice as she replied. "We've actually remained here for the past few weeks. As of last night, we had no initial course of action, specifically regarding the Outworld Forces who we expected to show up."

"I'm also curious." Noob turned to Matrik once more. "When I activated Matrik's programing, she was originally under _your_ control. Why is that?"

Frost was curious about something as well. "I don't need to ask how you were able to program her as I recall Smoke being once under your services against his will. However… how do you know who Matrik is?"

"I knew of her existence through a former… colleague." He then lifted up his scythe and aimed the blade at Frost's neck. "Now, answer my question… why kind of ulterior motives did you have that you had to use the cyborg in order to accomplish it?"

Even if he didn't threaten Frost with her life, she was more than willing to confess everything to the wraith. She had a desire to take over the Lin Kuei and become Grandmaster herself. She was going to use Matrik as a distraction against the other Lin Kuei while she went and 'took care' of Sub-Zero herself.

Once she finished her explanation, Noob was still holding the scythe to her neck, which pissed off Frost. "What more do you want from me?"

"There's a reason you desire to becoming Grandmaster. Why?"

Frost seemed to be silent for a moment before she replied. "Sub-Zero is undeserving of the title. The Lin Kuei was once a clan of ruthless assassins. He's turned his back on everything the clan once stood for, making them a 'force for good.' I plan to gain the title and return the clan to what it once was."

Noob stared at her. "Even the cyber initiative?"

Frost immediately shook her head. "That was the downfall of the clan to begin with. Sub-Zero had his chance to change the clan back to the way it was. Instead, he changed it once more for his own gain."

The woman wasn't exactly the smartest, Noob realized, but she spoke of the old Lin Kuei as though she had been a part of the clan for as long as he had before his demise. Which was a curious thing... because of how secretive the clan was in the old days, no one outside the clan knew as much as this woman did.

It was clear to him... someone who knew the Lin Kuei well have given her vital information in order to infiltrate them. However, since Noob was no longer a Lin Kuei, it didn't matter to him now.

Getting an idea, Noob drew his scythe back. He then nodded to his two subordinates, signaling them to release her, which they did. Frost stayed in her place as she rubbed the slight pain on her right arm from being held so tightly for a long period.

"If you wish to see to Sub-Zero's death, there is one way to do so," he began to say. "Remain with the Brotherhood and feign being our hostage. It's a sure way to lure Sub-Zero to us. Once he arrives, the chance will come to take care of him."

Frost wasn't sure what to think of Noob's idea. She figured that, since he was his elder brother after all, that _he_ would want to see Sub-Zero dead before anyone else had the chance.

_It makes me wonder if he has his own motives and is just using me to get to that goal. Besides, with Sareena's survival, I'm quite sure that bitch will spill the beans to sifu, so as of now, I don't have much of a choice but to accept his offer. We'll see how this goes._

Finally, she nodded. "Fine."

In Noob's mind, he nearly laughed. _Foolish woman. It is indeed a way to lure Sub-Zero to us… but only to get my chance to rid of him once and for all. You will meet your own demise once you are no longer of any use to us._

~~~

**Somewhere in Keisei**

It was only days ago when Jade managed to escape from Outworld. To her, however, it felt like weeks. She mainly stayed in the control room of the ship since she got on. From the conversations she heard earlier, she knew that she was in the realm of Keisei. She swore to make her move the moment she saw land.

But after that thought left her the first time, it felt like forever since that moment past.

After a small nap, Jade decided to look out the small window in the room, expecting to see nothing but endless miles of ocean. If she was lucky, she might see the sun and, if she was really lucky, a cloud or two.

Upon peering through the window, Jade had to rub her eyes a few times just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. After clearing her vision for the fifth time, she realized that she wasn't seeing things after all.

It was far, but she could see it… land!

"Finally," she sighed with relief.

Reaching for her boot, she pulled out her staff, taking a moment to extend the weapon which was now glowing in a purple-pink color. She then reached for her other boot in hopes of using the bombs she retrieved back in Outworld to destroy the ship. To her dismay, however, she had none left.

Then she remembered… a couple of days ago, the bombs had accidentally fallen out of her boots and activated upon impact. Jade was forced to get rid of the bombs by throwing them far overboard, and they exploded after splashing into the water. The crew was baffled by the water that quickly rose, but they eventually dismissed it as large fish activity. Jade could only shake their heads at their conclusion.

Taking her staff, she began to smash the controls, soon hitting and stabbing at them any which way she could. After a couple of minutes of doing this, some part of the machine began to beep frantically, some began to smoke, and some just shut down altogether.

Then, she hit what looked like a pipe, cracking it nearly halfway. Smoke began to spew out, and a loud whistling noise was heard. Moments later, everything went into a frenzy, and the ship began to shake.

"Looks like I hit the right thing," Jade said out loud.

For good measure, she hit more of the controls, making things even worse. Now the ship was shaking violently. There was no doubt in Jade's mind that those on the ship would be in a frenzy and, more than likely, they will head to the control room to see what was going on.

Knowing that it was now time to go, Jade turned around and began to sprint out of the room, intending on leaving this ship as soon as possible.

~~~

**Yakushima Island**

This battle had only happened once before in Outworld. Back then, Ryu had hoped to finish the demon Akuma once and for all, but something that happened that made him black out. A part of him knew that it had something to do with the dark hadou, but he had no memories between the fight and when he found himself lying outside an abandoned Cathedral.

This time, however, he was going to make sure it all ends.

As soon as they reached each other, Shin Akuma threw the first punch, which Ryu immediately parried. This went on for a moment before Ryu ducked under another punch, slamming his own fist into Shin Akuma's abdomen. The demon staggered back two feet from the hit, grunting a bit before he blocked an incoming kick from Ryu.

With Ryu on offense, Shin Akuma was forced to block and dodge his attacks, soon finding an opening as he sidestepped from another kick. He then delivered his own punches before he followed with a palm strike to the chest, forcing his opponent to slide back.

Ryu was able to stop himself before he fell. He then rapidly collected energy into his hands before he quickly extended his arms forward. " _Hadouken!_ " he shouted as a blue ball of energy shot out. It flew towards Shin Akuma, who quickly jumped forward, getting himself closer to the younger fighter.

As the demon fell back down, Ryu jumped up, a fist clenched to his side. Once he reached Shin Akuma, he extended his arm and punched him under his chin, sending him back up. " _Shoryuken!_ " he called out. After the attack, he landed back on the ground.

A moment later, Shin Akuma flipped himself backwards before getting back down to Earth as well. As Ryu covered the distance between them again, the demon took a moment to crouch down, his body quickly surrounded by red aura as though he was charging up energy within him. He then quickly stepped forward and delivered a punch. The punch managed to connect to Ryu's chest, causing him to fall back once more. Still, he was able to stay on his feet. Shin Akuma then ran forward to fight more, but when he got close, Ryu stepped to the side, grabbing a hold of his shoulder before tossing him away.

Shin Akuma crashed down, but then rapidly rolled back and got himself right up. Quickly, he extended his arms and shot out his own purple projectile. Seeing this, Ryu ran forward, ducking underneath it as he got himself closer to the demon.

Straightening himself up, Ryu jumped up, extending one leg out as he spun himself in fast speed. " _Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!_ " Ryu called out. His foot managed to land a couple times on Shin Akuma's face before he was pushed back far enough to smash his back into a nearby tree.

As Ryu landed back down, Shin Akuma straightened himself out, barely unfazed by the pain he felt after hitting the tree. He stretched his neck a bit before quickly jumping up diagonally into the air. Then, he extended his arms out in Ryu's direction, shooting out a handful of projectiles. Ryu attempted to jump out of the way, but one ended up hitting him in the back, knocking him down.

Afterwards, Shin Akuma returned to the ground and began to walk forward. Meanwhile, Ryu slowly got himself back on his feet with a bit of struggle before turning to face the demon.

Seeing this, Shin Akuma quickly teleported forward before delivering punches from different directions at the young man. Ryu was able to block the first few, but Shin Akuma managed break through his defenses, plummeting him with his fists, the last eventually forcing him back. As Ryu staggered, Shin Akuma grabbed a hold of him before tossing him forward. Ryu flew a few yards before crashing into a tree, soon fall back face first into the dirt.

"Ugh…" Ryu mumbled, feeling the pain from the fight course through his body. Despite this, he knew that now wasn't the time to give up.

As he tried to get himself back up, he turned to his left and noticed the campsite a few yards away. He saw some of his friends and, to his horror, they were all fighting for their lives as another group fought them.

Seeing one enemy nearby, Ryu was able to recognize their uniform… he realized then that they hailed from Outworld.

"No…" Ryu uttered. "Of all the times to-"

He didn't finish as his face was suddenly slammed into the ground, feeling the force of Shin Akuma's foot on the side of his face. He gritted his teeth as he struggled against the weight, feeling his skull slowly being crushed.

Shin Akuma folded his arms as he stared down at Ryu. "Is that all you can do? Ridiculous! Why do you fear the power within? You hold back, refusing to let it out. Spineless coward!"

Hearing this, Ryu could feel anger rise up within. He then found himself groaning as he felt more pressure from underneath Shin Akuma's foot which threatened to destroy his head.

"Weakling!" Shin Akuma continued. "If you wish to reach your true potential, you must learn all there is to know of our fighting style. It is the only way!"

Feeling even angrier, Ryu gathered some strength from within, letting out a roar before grabbing a hold of Shin Akuma's leg and kicking his shin with his own feet. Feeling this, Shin Akuma struggled against him, but after two more kicks, he stumbled forward.

Ryu rolled back before getting back on his feet. Once still, he could feel a dark sensation within him. His hands started to shake, forcing him to clenched them into fists. His teeth gritting tightly, he knew exactly what the dark sensation within him was.

 _No, no!_ Ryu screamed out in his mind. _The Dark Hadou… of all the times to emerge! No, not now!_

Shin Akuma grinned at the sight, especially once he noticed Ryu's eyes. Normally a dark brown, they began to flash a crimson color. "Yes… the dark hadou. Accept it, Ryu! It's your destiny!"

Ryu eyed his opponent. He refused to turn into the monster that Shin Akuma had become….

Meanwhile, at the campsite, Yoshimitsu was able to take care of a handful of guards with ease. Only a couple of them were able to give him a challenge, but it didn't last very long before he slew them with his sword as well.

After stabbing another guard through the chest, Yoshimitsu happened to look to his right. On a nearby hill, he noticed Quan Chi by himself. With his arms surrounded in a green aura, Quan Chi moved his hands a bit as though he was trying to cast some sort of spell.

Without a second thought, Yoshimitsu darted towards the necromancer. As he did, Quan Chi had noticed him and decided to stop what he doing for a moment. He then waited until the Manji Clan leader was close enough before pulling out his two broadswords from his scabbards. He then raised them in front of him as Yoshimitsu slashed his own sword at him, the steels clashing with a loud _clang!_

For a moment, their weapons continued to clash, no longer noticing the other battles that surrounded them. Eventually, Yoshimitsu managed to pin Quan Chi against a tree. After another clash of their swords, they both found themselves leaning the weapons against each other as they tried to overpower one another.

Yoshimitsu decided to speak. "I should've killed you back in Outworld!"

"You're not the first to have said that," Quan Chi replied. "Of course, you might've had the chance had Shao Kahn's guards not interfered."

At that point, he tried to kick Yoshimitsu, who was forced to back himself away. This gave Quan Chi the chance to step forward, the two soon resuming their battle. The sword fight this time only lasted another minute before Yoshimitsu found an opening and delivered a roundhouse kick to Quan Chi, sending him crashing to the dirt.

Yoshimitsu planted his sword to the ground and, keeping his hands around the hilt, balanced himself on the top half of it as though he was on a pogo stick. From this position, he looked down at the necromancer.

"You made a mistake all those months ago by revealing your desire to get Shao Kahn out of the way and take over Outworld for yourself. Sure, you would be doing us the favor by getting rid of the Emperor, but I won't allow you to get that chance, knowing that your desire to rule Outworld is only for your own, selfish deeds."

"The only reason I revealed that to you was because I intended to eliminate you once and for all," Quan Chi replied. "You will eventually join the other members of your pathetic clan who were captured or killed in the name of the Emperor."

"Mark my words, the imprisoned will be free, and the souls of the dead will be able to rest when this is all over."

"And how will you do that? With that pathetic relic you call a sword. I seem to recall that you had a more powerful katana in your grasp."

"It doesn't matter what kind of weapon is used. The only thing you need to worry about is the warrior who wields the weapon."

Yoshimitsu suddenly bounced off the ground, still in the same position while taking his sword with him. Moving himself over Quan Chi, he let himself fall down, but Quan Chi saw the blade aiming for his chest and quickly rolled out of the way. Seeing this, Yoshimitsu landed back on his feet, ready to fight once more.

Quan Chi jumped forward and attempted to slash his two swords downward at Yoshimitsu's head, but the latter got himself out of its path, getting himself behind Quan Chi. The sorcerer turned himself around and he managed to block an incoming attack from Yoshimitsu's own weapon. Once more, the sound of steel clashing against steel was heard with Yoshimitsu getting himself on offense. At one point, he managed to get Quan-Chi to separate his arms from each other, leaving his torso open. Once more, Yoshimitsu kicked him in the chest, forcing Quan Chi to stumble back a few feet.

Then suddenly, as Yoshimitsu ran forward, Quan Chi shot out his hands, a green energy shaped like a skull shooting towards him. Because of how close he was the moment it happened, Yoshimitsu wasn't able to get out of the way in time before he was hit with enough force to push him back, soon crashing into a nearby tree.

From there, Quan Chi finished the spell he started as Yoshimitsu struggled to get himself up. It only took a few seconds before a green energy appeared in front of him… a portal.

When it was completed, Quan Chi turned his attention to Yoshimitsu, who had managed to get himself on his feet and into a fighting stance, ready for more. A smirk came over the necromancer's face. Yes, they were here on the island to take care of Jin Kazama, but he realized that if he could also take care of Yoshimitsu, the leader of the Manji Clan, a group who were a big nuisance during the invasion, he would surely win more favors from the Emperor.

All the more ways to make Shao Kahn less suspicious of his true plans…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

"If only that wretched Shang Tsung hadn't run off that morning!" Mileena growled. "It was our only chance to take care of him once and for all!"

Baraka nearly shook her head at her outburst. "That occurred a week ago and you act as though it only happened today."

Mileena folded her arms in front of her. "I'm still irritated that we lost our chance to get rid of him."

As the two spoke, they walked through the mostly dark halls of the fortress' underground dungeon. In the distance, they were able to hear the agony of the dungeon's prisoners, mostly moans and small cries. Some even called for help, but that only served to amuse those guarding the cells, knowing that help will most likely never come for these people.

"If it makes you feel better," Baraka continued after some silence between the two. "I think when Shang Tsung did disappear for a few days after we finally took over Lei Chen, he lost some of the Emperor's and Empress's favor from there. For him to disappear right after the battle is very suspicious. It was as though he had his own motives."

"In that case," Mileena said with a small sigh. "I'm sure he'll be taken care of in due time, though I preferred it was by our own hands as planned."

Just as she finished saying that, Baraka suddenly stopped in his place. Mileena looked over at him and noticed him gazing at his surroundings while sniffing the air at the same time.

Seconds later, Mileena noticed the smell and she began to sniff the air as well. Baraka noticed her doing this and spoke quietly. "Smell that?"

Mileena nodded. "I do."

That was when they heard footsteps not too far from them. A _shing!_ was heard as the two blades on Baraka's arms extended out. "Wait here, it's coming this way," he said before jumping up into the darkness of the rafters above them. Mileena stood where she was, letting herself listen to the running footsteps coming closer and closer.

Soon, she noticed someone turning a nearby corner, noticing that they were now running towards her direction. Seeing them in the small amount of light, Mileena noticed that it was a thin, middle-aged man.

Mileena began to walk forward slowly as she grinned underneath her veil. "Where do you think you're going?" she called out almost innocently.

The man suddenly stopped in his tracks, turning his head forward. Once he noticed Mileena coming towards him, he began to slowly back away, his face covered with sweat and his breath heavy from all the running he did.

"No… NO!" he cried out. "Please! Don't kill me!"

Mileena laughed maniacally at his plea. "Aww, but it would be such a shame to not kill you. After all, you did escape from your cell."

The man looked around frantically. "Please! I'll go back in my cell! I'll do anything if-"

His sentence was suddenly cut off as Baraka jumped down from the rafters. As he reached the ground, he quickly slashed his blade downward through the man, cutting him in half. The prisoner stood there for a moment before he fell forward, his two halves splitting and revealing his bones, muscles, and organs upon hitting the ground.

Mileena placed her hands on her hips once that was over. "What a shame, I really wanted to kill him."

"I got tired of his pathetic pleas," Baraka said. "Besides, I'm starving."

Mileena eyed him. "You didn't mention being hungry before. What did you have in mind?"

Without saying a word, Baraka reached down for the left arm of the dead man by their feet. Using one of his blades, he quickly cut off the arm before reaching it over to Mileena, offering it to her.

Mileena grinned underneath her veil again as she took the arm into her hands. "Mmm, I haven't had ones of these in a while."

Baraka cut off a leg for himself. "This will do for our dinner," he said.

From there, the two began to feast.

~~~

**Off of Chili-san, Keisei**

All was mostly quiet on the small ship aside from the light wind blowing in the air and the small waves crashing against the side of the boat. The afternoon sky above was mostly filled with scattered, white clouds with the bright sun starting its descent from above.

On the ship, Hwang, Kilik, and Maxi stood on the edge along with a few other members of the Coast Guard. Their current duty was to search for their comrades who had sailed out to sea some time ago to search for possible portals that could lead to Outworld or other realms if possible. However, the crew on the ship were due to return three days ago. Fearing the worst, Admiral Lee had sent some of his men to scout the area.

Maxi stretched his arms a bit, feeling some of his bones popping a little after standing in the same position for a while. "Ah, it has been quite a while since I was out at sea. I almost miss the smell of it."

Kilik turned to his friend. "What about when we took the ship that lead us to Outworld a few months ago?"

"That doesn't count," Maxi replied. "That whole ship was cramped to no end. Remember how we had to share a room with eight other people? That was definitely not fun."

"My ship ride wasn't a picnic either," mentioned Hwang. "I spent, I think, ninety percent of the time searching for Mi-na after she tried to run off. At the time, we both thought it was just going to another country. Not until we went through that portal did we realize what was going on."

"That was something, wasn't it?" said Kilik.

Maxi found himself looking out towards the sea again. "Aside from going to Outworld, it really has been a long time since I was at sea. It's kind of strange since I've been practically on a ship for most of my life. My father was a merchant and I would always travel with him. For reasons I never found out, he was only allowed to travel through Ryukyu Kingdom. At the time, I couldn't imagine living any other way, and I always enjoyed my time on that ship. After my father died, I became a freelance pirate, traveling in the vessel he used to travel on."

"Don't let Admiral Lee hear that," Hwang suggested. "He doesn't take too kindly to pirates, especially ones close to Lee Dynasty."

Maxi rubbed the back of his neck. "I figured that was the case. Besides, it's been too long. Not since-"

"Ship ahead!" someone suddenly called out. This caught the attention of everyone on the ship, all looking at the direction the watchman was pointing at. Soon, they all noticed a ship out in the waters, their first spotting since leaving the Chili-san port.

"How far do you think it is?" Kilik asked.

"About an hour," Hwang guessed. "But whether that's our men or not, I'm not sure. We'll have to get closer."

Maxi nodded. "In that case, let's-"

Before he could finish, the ship that they were staring at was suddenly engulfed in a large ball of flames with thick black smoke rising towards the sky. Moments later, an explosion sound reached their ears as the ship began to fall apart into a million pieces.

"Whoa…" was all Maxi could find himself saying, shocked by what he just saw.

Hwang was the first to call out to the others. "Get closer to that ship!" he yelled out. "There could be survivors!"

"Right away, sir!" the crew member controlling the ship's steering replied.

It was nearly an hour later when the ship reached the wreckage left behind from the explosion. Once there, Hwang, Kilik, Maxi, and the rest of the Coast Guard members began to search from where they stood. Mostly, they saw pieces of ships and various furniture and equipment. Once in a while, a burned corpse would appear in their view.

"From the looks of the uniforms," began Kilik. "They were definitely not Coast Guard members. I don't think they're from Ming Dynasty either." He turned his head to Hwang. "Do you recognize the uniforms?"

Hwang immediately shook his head. "I've never seen them before. I can only guess they're from a region in the west, but then again-"

"Man overboard!" someone suddenly called out. Once more, this caught everyone's attention and all of them ran to where the caller was. They then tried to look overboard to see the survivor.

Hwang looked over at Kilik. "Kilik, go down to the first level and head to one of the cellars. Retrieve a blanket so that it's ready for the survivor."

Kilik nodded in reply before turning around and began heading off to the stairs nearby.

A few feet away, Maxi helped a couple of the crew members prepare the roped ladder, securing it before throwing it overboard. At this point, Hwang was able to get a better look at the survivor in the water, immediately noticing that they had long black-hair and a deep tan.

"Can you reach for the rope?" Hwang called out.

The survivor immediately reached for the ladder, which was partially submerged, soon grabbing a hold of it. "I got it!" they called out.

At the sound of their voice, Hwang immediately realized that the survivor was a woman, and he was sure the crew figured that out as well. "Do you need help?" he called out once more.

"I'll be fine!" the woman replied as she began to climb up the ladder. It took her a couple of minutes before she was close to the top. By then, Maxi stepped forward and extended his hand out to help her. Seeing his hand, the woman looked up at him.

It was at that moment that the two immediately recognized each other…

"Well hello, Jade," Maxi said, sounding surprised.

Upon seeing Maxi, Jade felt an enormous amount of relief, mainly because she was thrilled to see a familiar face that didn't associate with Shao Kahn. She smiled. "It's good to see you, Maxi."

Maxi couldn't help but grin. "It's nice to see a woman who's happy to see me."

"… Just help me up."

Maxi extended his arm again, and Jade grabbed a hold of it. He then pulled her up with Hwang making sure that she didn't end up falling on her face. "Are you all right?" Hwang asked her.

Jade nodded. "I'm all right; just some bumps I know will develop a few nice bruises during the night." By then, she noticed Hwang. "It's nice to see you again."

"Same here," Hwang replied. "From the looks of things, you looked like you had more than a rough journey."

"It's a very long story," Jade replied.

That was when they heard footsteps from behind. Hwang turned himself around and saw Kilik coming up to them with the blanket. "This was the only I could find," Kilik said. "Hopefully it will-"

As he spoke, Jade immediately recognized his voice and quickly turned around to face him. As soon as she did, Kilik stopped mid-sentence as he saw her face. In their minds, both of them remembered their time together in Outworld, meeting for the first time as they faced each other in the tournament. Afterwards, they both became friends and spent most of the time sparring together as they were both trained to use the staff. They had kissed once, but nothing had gone from there due to the events afterwards. Both had lost track of each other from there and neither one of them were sure of the other's fate, at least until now.

He finally spoke after a few moments of silence. "Jade… I didn't think... well… are you all right?"

Jade nodded. "I'm fine. How are you, Kilik?"

A small smile crept up on the corner of Kilik's lips. "I'm fine… though things could be better considering what's been going on lately."

"I know what you mean."

"This is a fantastic reunion and all," Maxi cut in. He tried to give them both a serious look, though he tried to hide his smile as he thought about their time together in Outworld. "But I have a good feeling Hwang and the rest of the Coast Guard want to know what's going on here."

Hwang decided to speak then. "You don't have to explain how you got here yet. Just tell us what happened with this ship."

"I found myself in Outworld at one point," Jade began. "But yes, that's a whole other story. This ship was actually filled with Shao Kahn's guards. From what I was able to gather, they came here to scout the realm, most likely to prepare for the invasion here."

"Well… this is not a good thing to hear," said Maxi.

"All I was really able to do was hide," Jade proceeded. "I had planned to make my escape the minute I saw land, which wasn't until now."

"How did the ship explode?" asked Hwang.

"I caused it. I used my staff to destroy some of the ship's mechanics, and I eventually hit something that caused the ship to shake violently. I chose that time to escape and I managed to jump overboard about a minute before the explosion."

"It was lucky you did get out of there when you did," added Kilik.

"Yes," Jade said. "The only reason I did that was to protect Keisei from harm. My actions most likely postponed any danger of an invasion for at least a couple of days, at least I hope so."

"We definitely appreciate it," Hwang spoke. "Has anything else happened during the journey?"

Jade thought about it for a moment and remembered an even that did occur. "There wasn't much activity during the ship ride, though one thing did happen about two days ago. I heard an explosion that woke me up just after sunrise. When I looked out the window, I saw the damage of what I knew was another ship. There was a flag I saw in the wreckage… it was mostly white with a circular shape colored in blue and red."

A grim look came over Hwang's face. "That flag…it was from our country."

"It must've been the scouting crew we were looking for," Maxi guessed.

"It has to be," Hwang said. "We're currently not allowing any civilian ships to sail during this time." He then looked over at the crew member who was steering their ship. "Return to port! We'll be reporting to Admiral Lee as soon as we land!"

"Right," the crew member replied.

Hwang turned back to Jade. "We'll discuss more once you're settled at headquarters. In the meantime, give yourself a good rest."

Jade nodded in agreement. Indeed she needed a good rest after what she had experienced for the last couple of months…

~~~

**Yakushima Island**

"Yes… the dark hadou. Accept it, Ryu! It's your destiny!"

_No! I won't become a monster like you!_

Ryu felt the dark sensation within growing and he did all he could to subdue it. Still, it was hard when the demon Shin Akuma was standing a few feet away, looking at him. He was frowning as he always did, but his red eyes gave away what he was feeling as Ryu struggled for willpower… amusement.

"Don't deny it!" Shin Akuma called out. "Transcend humanity!"

Ryu gritted his teeth as he looked at his foe. "Never!"

Then, with a roar, Ryu ran forward and, upon reaching Shin Akuma, immediately threw various punches and kicks at him with everything he had. Shin Akuma dodged, parried, and block the movies, waiting for his turn to step in and get himself back on offense, to try to get rid of the nuisance once and for all.

Neither one of them noticed how close they were to the green swirling portal.

At one point, Shin Akuma stepped to the side, grabbing a hold of Ryu before tossing him forward. Ryu managed to catch himself as he flipped back, soon landing on his feet. At the same time, he collected energy into his hands.

" _Hadouken!_ _"_ Ryu yelled out as he extended his arms forward. Just like last time, he had expected the projectile to look like a ball of flames, but to his relief, it was still its usual light blue color.

With how close they were, Shin Akuma didn't have time to get out of the way before the projectile hit him square in the chest. The force sent him flying backwards and, before Ryu knew what was about to happen, he went right through the green, swirling portal…

Ryu stood there after Shin Akuma disappeared. In the back of his mind, he knew that the demon would eventually return. He knew that the portal most likely led to Outworld, but even if the portal led him to the deepest depths of hell, he would most likely find a way out.

The dark sensation he had felt within was starting to subside and he starting to feel how exhausted he was.

He collapsed…

Nearby, Yoshimitsu and Quan Chi continued their battle, their swords clashing in fast speed. Quan Chi was able to see the portal he had created from his viewpoint. Gradually, he was guiding himself and his opponent towards the portal.

"Give up, Yoshimitsu!" Quan Chi suggested. "Your clan's cause is futile! The fate of the realms and humanity is sealed!"

Yoshimitsu stared at him after blocking another maneuver from him. "Not yet! There is still plenty of fight in all of us, and we will continue to fight until the end!"

"Then may your clan face extinction!"

Quan Chi then back up a bit before sliding himself downward. Once in position, he attempted to kick upward, but Yoshimitsu saw this in time and flipped backwards, leaving more space between them.

The necromancer then got himself up, running towards Yoshimitsu with his sword slashing. Yoshimitsu ducked out of the way, moving himself to the side before kicking one of his wrists, forcing him to lose grip on one sword.

Just as the sorcerer began to start retrieving the sword, Yoshimitsu quickly lifted his leg and landed a kick to his chest. The force of the kick sent Quan Chi flying backwards. It was only then that Yoshimitsu noticed the portal in front of him… and the necromancer was flying right towards it!

" _Kuso!_ " Yoshimitsu called out. He tried to run forward, but by then, it was too late as Quan Chi fell through the portal.

"Damn it!" Yoshimitsu called out after Quan Chi disappeared. It was the second time it happened to him since the invasion began. First with Bryan, now with Quan Chi… at least Quan Chi didn't take anything of importance like Bryan did.

 _You'll get yours in due time, scoundrels,_ Yoshimitsu promised in his mind to both of them.

Then, as though they sensed Quan Chi going through the portal, the guards began to turn towards the energy. "Retreat!" someone called out. From there, the Outworld Forces began to take their leave.

Meanwhile, unknown to anyone, Dark Sakura had blended herself into the remaining group of guards, having sensed her 'master' disappearing a couple of minutes ago. Even the other guards, desperate to leave the island, hadn't noticed her presence.

Once they all went through, Reptile and Guy both went into the portal as well. Then, the portal began to get smaller and smaller until it was completely gone.

Knowing that it was over, the group consisting of Jin, King, Marduk, Dan, Hwoarang, Seong Mi-na, Yoshimitsu, and the handful of Manji Clan members that were with them looked at their surroundings to make sure that there were no other Outworld Forces lurking nearby. The only guards that were still there were either dead or knocked out cold during the battle.

"Is everyone all right?" asked a concerned Dan.

King stretched his arms out, his bare chest covered in sweat and some splatters of blood from their enemies. "Well… it could've been worse, like the invasion."

"No kidding," said Marduk.

"I'm going to hate lizards for a while," mentioned Hwoarang as he thought back on his fight with Reptile.

"What should we do with the others?" asked Mi-na as she stared down at the unmoving guards.

Yoshimitsu already figured out what to do. "My clan and I will take care of them. The ones who met their demise will be buried at sea. The others we will interrogate once they awaken."

"I'd hate to be one of them when they wake up," said Dan.

King was then curious about something. "In the beginning… some of you seem to have known one of them. Guy… was that his name?"

"He was captured and somehow brainwashed right after the tournament ended," said Jin as he stepped towards the group. "He was one of Raiden and Rose's chosen ones, a great fighter who I'm sure would've contributed greatly in our current fight."

Mi-na gave everyone a serious look. "I don't think we should tell the others he was here."

Hwoarang eyed her. "Why is that?"

"I was wondering that myself," said Dan. "Wouldn't the others want to know that he was at least still alive?"

Mi-na sighed a little. "I know, but I think they'll shake them up more, especially Maki. I recall, during the tournament, she told me that her deceased sister was once engaged to Guy. She and Guy have known each other for years. With her being separated from Yang right now, I don't think we should add more to her stress."

Jin nodded in agreement. "I think that's for the best."

King suddenly found himself looking around. "Where are the others?"

Everyone began to look at their surroundings. "They weren't with us when those goons showed up," said Hwoarang.

As he spoke, Mi-na happened to turn to her right before seeing a figure in white lying face down on the ground. The light wind that began to develop started to sway the tail of his red headband to the side, and she soon recognized who it was.

"Ryu!" Mi-na called out as she began to run over to where he was. The others heard this and turned to where Mi-na was heading to. Once they saw Ryu, they began to follow her.

Mi-na got down on her knees upon reaching Ryu. She then pushed his shoulder to turn him on his back just as the others caught up with her. Jin went on the other side of Ryu and got to his knees as well.

"How is he?" asked Marduk.

Jin checked his vital signs. "He's still alive."

"It looks like he took a good beating," Mi-na mentioned as she noticed the bumps and bruises that began to develop on his arms, chest, and face.

"Whoever did this did a good number on him," said King.

"Yes… but who?" Jin questioned. "I doubt it was a guard. I fought Guy most of the time, I recall Hwoarang fighting Reptile…"

"And I fought Quan Chi most of the time," said Yoshimitsu.

"Do you think someone else besides all of them were here?" asked Dan.

"I'm not sure," replied Jin. "But if that was the case, wouldn't we have seen them come through the portal when they first arrived?"

Mi-na let out a shaky breath. "If not… then who was it?"

"Only Ryu would know," replied Yoshimitsu. "Whether or not he'll discuss it is up to him."

Silence fell between them, unsure of what else to think…

Meanwhile, near the hot springs, the small group consisting of Asuka, Karin, Maki, Cassandra, and Mika managed to get themselves sitting up in a circular fashion, exhausted from their fight against their friend, Sakura. For some reason, right after they were knocked down once again, seemed to have been drawn to something nearby, and before they knew it, she ran off into the darkness as though deciding to abandon whatever mission she was sent on.

Maki found herself shaking. "If only… there was a way… to save her…"

"I'm afraid there… might not be a way," said Cassandra, who was also shaken.

"There has to be a way!" cried Mika. "There just has to be!"

"Well, we can't do anything about it now that she ran off," mentioned Karin. "Maybe she'll come back. Maybe then, we'll be able to free her."

"Maybe," said Asuka. "And hopefully, we can free her without…" She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

Mika slowly got herself back on her feet, supporting herself by holding on to a tree. She felt the aches and pains from the fight in her body and realized that she was not going to feel good when morning comes.

"Let's try to get back to camp," the wrestler suggested.

"Yes," agreed Maki. "And I think we should tell the others what happened…"

Asuka suddenly looked up. "No! We can't!"

The other girls turned to her in confusion. "Why not?" asked Cassandra.

Asuka found herself thinking about that morning in the Cathedral when she thought Sakura had died, a memory that haunted her for months. Then, she thought about the night at the camp when she talked to Jin, finding out that he, even after all this time, still blamed himself for what happened.

Sure, to find out that Sakura was still alive could make things better. But the fact that she was now brainwashed, no longer herself, it would most likely only make things worse, especially for her cousin.

 _He can't know,_ Asuka thought. _Not now._

"There's too much going on with this invasion and everything," the young brunette found herself saying. "I think, if she wasn't brainwashed, it would be better, but the fact that she is, I think it would only make things worse for everyone."

"You're right," Mika said now that Asuka mentioned it. "I think it's best to spare them. They would've done the same had she gone after them instead of us."

By then, all five were on their feet, leaning against each other for support. "She will be free," Cassandra promised. "Someday… somehow…"

"They'll find out eventually," said Karin, referring to their allies.

"I know," Asuka replied. "But just for now… just for now…"

With that, the girls began to return to the camp, unaware of what had gone on there minutes ago…


	49. Chapter Forty-Eight

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

It was early in the afternoon when Wagner decided to visit the tent that Alex was in. Six days have passed since Shang Tsung and some tarkatans showed up one early morning. The fact that those from Outworld did show up shook the core of most of those who were occupied here. Wagner was starting to feel the tension building up between everyone. Still, they had to push on and continue to prepare for the worst.

Soon, the young man reached the entrance of the tent. "May I come in?"

He heard Juli's voice from the other side. "Sure."

Wagner stepped into the tent. He then walked over to where Juli was sitting before kneeling himself next to the bed. Looking at Alex's face, he noticed the improvements. The bruises were mostly healed and her nose seemed to have recovered for the most part.

"Six days and she still hasn't woken up," Juli mentioned.

Wagner frowned a little. "I know."

"Whatever happened to her must've really got to her," Juli guessed.

Wagner then realized something. "Where's Jane?"

"She went to make lunch a couple of hours ago. She was going to check up on her around three o'clock."

"She deserves the rest," Wagner said. "She's done a lot around here the past week."

Juli was just beginning to dip some cloth into a bowl of warm water. "She has. I can't imagine-"

Before she could finish, both of them were suddenly startled as a loud gasped was heard. Alex's eyes suddenly snapped open at the same time. As she gasped for breath, her arm quickly extended upward as though she was trying to slap someone away, but Wagner immediately grabbed a hold of her wrist before she accidentally hit Juli.

"Whoa Alex! You're all right," Wagner assured her.

Alex seemed to look at him with confusion at first as though trying to figure out what was going on. Then, her eyes began to relax and she let herself sink deeper into her bed. Wagner moved her arm back down to her side.

"Uh… wha-… what's going on?" she asked, her voice sound raspy.

Hearing this, Juli realized she needed some water. Taking the unused bowl in her hand, she poured some into a small glass nearby before raising it to Alex's lips. The second lieutenant cupped one hand around it and began to sip some of the water. This lasted a few seconds before Juli pulled the cup away from her.

Once she was done, Wagner spoke. "Well… for one thing, you were out for six days."

Alex's eyes widened at that. "That long, huh? It's a lot compared to-"

She suddenly stopped mid-sentence. She stared up at the ceiling for a moment before slowly placing a hand over both of her eyes while biting her lower lip. Both Wagner and Juli frowned as they realized the events of that morning were coming back to her.

After a minute, Juli spoke gently to her. "It's okay. No one's going to hurt you."

"I know," Alex said quietly as she removed her hand from her face. The tears were in her eyes, but she refused to shed them at the moment. Keeping her head straight, she closed her eyes before speaking again.

"Scott… remember when I was captured in Outworld the first time? Remember when Rose suppressed the memory for my benefit? Well… I remember everything now. It was like it all happened yesterday. Right now, the scars on my back hurt like hell."

"I can get you some hot cloths if you need it," Juli suggested.

"No, but thanks…"

"What about… six days ago… do you remember?" Wagner had to ask.

Still keeping her eyes closed, Alex only gave him a simple nod.

Wagner then turned to his girlfriend. "Juli, why don't you go in the kitchen and get Alex some hot broth. I'm sure she's feeling pretty hungry."

Alex started to protest. "I don't really-"

"You need it."

Juli started to get up. "It'll do you good. I'll be back." She then turned around and left the tent.

Wagner took a deep breath before turning to Alex, now able to discuss some things with her. "Except for Kenshi, Ermac, Siegfried, and I, no one else knows about Shang Tsung."

Alex remembered Ermac saving her from a bad fate, but the last name wasn't familiar to her. "Who's Siegfried?"

"An ally from Keisei."

"Oh yeah… that's where Maxi and all of them are from. But… why keep it a secret?"

Wagner sighed. "Kenshi requested it. He didn't say why."

"I think I might know why," Alex said as she slightly turned her head away from Wagner. "The fact that… _that_ _bastard_ had… done this…” She let out a shaky breath. “God, I can only imagine his anger."

"He's drawn away from everyone, that's for sure."

Alex shook her head a little. "That doesn't surprise me. Now I wonder… will I be seeing how he was when he first went blind? Bitter and angry? Consumed with rage? I'm almost afraid to find out…"

"You said it doesn't surprise you when I mentioned how he drew himself away from everyone. Was that what he did when we went blind?"

"Actually, he had already gone rogue when he went blind. If there were people in his life beforehand, I don't know. He brought up his mother and grandfather once to me, and he said he started to travel when he was still a teen, but it was all very brief. He doesn't really talk much about his past, not even to me."

Wagner then gave her a pat on the shoulder. "You should rest a little before Juli comes back with the broth. In the meantime, if you like, I can try to get Kenshi for you. I'm sure he would like to know that you're awake."

Alex seemed to think about it for a moment before slowly nodding. "If you can… that would nice. If not, I'll understand..."

Wagner straightened himself up. "In that case, I'll be back." With that, he turned around and left the tent, making sure to close it tightly behind him.

From there, Wagner began to look for the swordsman, but then he noticed the campfire lit nearby. There, he saw the small group consisting of Paul, Marshall, Cody, and Siegfried sitting on the logs surrounded by the flame. Deciding to talk to them, he began to make his way over to them.

"Okay Sieg, this is how you play poker," began Paul as he began to shuffle the playing cards.

Siegfried began to raise an eyebrow. "Sieg?"

"Just a little nickname if you don't mind it," mentioned Cody.

"I'm not sure if I like it too much."

"Nicknames aren't so bad," said Marshall. "For example, some people call me Law because it's my surname and it sounds neat to them."

By then, Wagner had reached the group and Paul had noticed him. "Or, in the case of Wagner here, some people introduce themselves by just their last names. We didn't know this kid's name was Scott until way later."

"And that'll be the last time you refer me to my first name," Wagner replied with a grin, showing that he was joking around.

"Scott… Scott…" Marshall found himself repeating. "It just sounds like an alcohol to me."

"Well whoever decided to name you Marshall Law must've thought it would be funny to give you a name that reminds people of not only law and order, but also marshmallows."

Marshall smirked. "At least it suits me."

Siegfried cut in then. "Aren't we playing a game?"

"Oh yeah," Cody said. "Paul was going to show you how to play poker." He turned to Wagner. "Wanna join?"

"Actually, not right now," Wagner replied. "The real reason I came over is because I was looking for Kenshi and was wondering if any of you have seen him."

A snort immediately escaped Paul. "Good luck," he said in almost a mutter.

The younger man raised his eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?"

Marshall sighed a little as he shuffled his cards. "Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but a bunch of us tried to talk to him for the past five days or so. Mostly, he would brush us off before running off to wherever he goes off to outside these walls, especially if what happened six days ago is mentioned."

"Unless it's important of course," added Cody. "He and Sagat did discuss some strategies to further protect the fort about two days ago. I only know because I saw them talking while I was on watch duty."

"Sounds to me like the only person who could talk to him is Sagat," said Siegfried. "But I'm only guessing."

"Maybe," replied Paul. "As much as I don't blame him, and I'm sure he's the kind who doesn't talk much to begin with, this is ridiculous!"

Marshall grinned. "I'm sure it's because he can't stand the sound of your voice."

Wagner had to add to that while grinning. "Yeah Paul, he already has to compensate for his blindness as it is."

Paul gave both of them the stink eye. "Very funny."

Wagner stretched his arms a little. "Well, since none of you know where he is, I might as well go and find him. He's most likely outside the fort as usual."

Paul stood up from the log he was sitting on. "In that case, I better come with you, for protection, you know."

Wagner raised an eyebrow again. "It's just Kenshi. I think I'll be fine."

Cody stared at him. "I seem to recall the fact that he was the one who beat you in the tournament."

Wagner cringed at his words. "…That's just such a comforting thought to leave on right now…"

"Hey, it's true!"

Paul waved his hand. "Well, come on. I'm sure he's not too far from here."

"Most likely that's the case," the younger man replied.

With that, the two began to leave the fort while the other three began their card game.

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

The night felt long and cold as Smoke and Sareena managed to escape from the village that was under siege thanks to the Brotherhood of Shadow. Unlike their two-week travel a while ago, Sareena didn't have her cloak to keep her warm. However, with all the running she did mixed with the adrenaline rush over the events in the village, she hardly noticed the cold.

Smoke used his sensors to search for someplace safe for the both of them. Eventually, he spotted a cave just as the sun was beginning to rise. Deciding to rest there, he grabbed a hold of Sareena's wrist and began to lead her to the cave.

Soon, the two of them were within the safety of the cave. Once inside, Sareena stopped running as she found herself gasping for breath. She felt her face warm and could only imagine how flushed her cheeks were.

"Are you all right?" Smoke asked her as he stared at her.

Sareena looked over at him. "Yeah… I'll be… fine…" she said in between breaths.

"Do you want me to set up a fire?"

Sareena immediately shook her head. "No, not just yet. All the running I did will keep me warm for a little while."

"All right," Smoke said. "I'll at least get it set up."

As he started to search for rocks, Sareena found herself thinking back on what happened between her and Frost. She nearly clenched her fists in frustration. She should've known that Frost would betray the Lin Kuei for whatever reason, logical or not.

 _I will protect the Lin Kuei from her,_ she promised herself.

As she looked over at the gray cyborg, Sareena spoke. "Smoke… there's something you should know."

Smoke turned to her after picking up a rock. "What about?"

Sareena took a deep breath. "It's about… Frost. I don't know if you'll believe me or not, but-"

"She's betrayed the Lin Kuei," Smoke said in almost a matter of fact.

Sareena was surprised to hear this. "How did you know?"

"Back at the village, I was about to check on Matrik when I heard the conversation between you two. I was just about to inform Sub-Zero what was going on, but then the Brotherhood showed up. Fine timing, huh?"

"You're telling me." Sareena took a moment to sit herself down on the ground before proceeding. "Speaking of the Brotherhood-"

"You used to be one, I know," Smoke said. "And you never had to tell me. The tattoos on your arms tell the story."

Sareena briefly looked down at her left arm, noting the black tattoo shaped into the Brotherhood of Shadow symbol – a pair of what looked like bent wings going downwards with the top ends an inch away from a lone, one inch dot.

"Yes… but that was a long time ago. But… the one with the scythe… I assume he came to the Brotherhood after my… departure."

Smoke knew who she was talking about. "You mean Noob Saibot. Yes… he seems to be the new leader, at least that's what it looks like. I assume Sub-Zero never told you… Noob was the Sub-Zero before him… he was his elder brother."

Sareena became shocked upon hearing this, but she kept her composure in front of her cyborg ally. She can still remember their meeting in the Netherrealm almost as though it was only yesterday when he showed mercy to her for reasons she never found out.

_So this is what became of him…_

"I see," was all she could say.

"His brother was merciless even before he 'died,'" Smoke explained. "Noob looked after Sub-Zero throughout the years since they only had each other when it came to blood-related family. When he died over a decade ago, Sub-Zero vowed revenge, but he never saw through to it. Of course, for years, he was unaware of his brother's fate until we were in Outworld for the tournament. You know the rest."

After he told her all of this, Sareena found herself staring out the cave exit. "Do you think Sub-Zero was able to take care of him back in the village?"

"I'm not sure," Smoke replied. "He did vow to see that he will finally rest in peace… but even he knows that's easier said than done."

From there, Smoke continued collecting the rocks to set up the campfire. Drawing her knees to her chest, Sareena rested her arms on top of them before placing the side of her head onto her arm. She stared blankly at the cave exit, hoping that the Lin Kuei Grandmaster would arrive any minute.

_I just hope he made it out of the village alive._

~~~

**Unknown Area**

For a few minutes after being kicked into the portal, the necromancer Quan Chi summoned a spell, and he was able to keep himself afloat in the green vortex. He then waited until most of the Outworld Forces who came with him went through the same portal, especially Reptile and Guy.

At the same time, he also noticed two souls who he realized didn't belong with them. Whether they were enemies or not didn't matter… he used his powers to make sure that they were sent to Outworld.

Once he was sure most were gathered, Quan Chi used his sorcery once more to send them to another part of Earthrealm, far from their original location of Yakushima. Soon, they fell out of the vortex and through another portal into a terrain of mountains and snow.

After landing, everyone immediately brushed the snow away from their clothing. The guards especially were glad at the moment, knowing that their mission to capture or kill Jin Kazama was a failure.

Once on his feet, Quan Chi was the first to speak. "An idea has come to me while we were in the vortex. Obviously, our mission failed, but there is a way to somewhat… make up for it."

Guy immediately glared at the sorcerer with his pale eyes. "Don't think it'll be that easy, whatever this plan of yours is. We failed to capture Kazama, and that fact will most likely stand out more than your 'plan.'"

"And you will feel the Emperor'sssss wrath assss well, not jusssst ussss," Reptile said.

Quan Chi was nearly amused by the reaction of the two generals. "What's wrong? Has fear taken over?"

"Far from it," Guy replied. "But the Emperor has stated numerous times that failure of any mission will result in severe punishment."

"Indeed he has," Quan Chi said. "But… with the invasion of the realms, I can guarantee you that you will not receive death. After all, he went as far as resurrecting Shang Tsung and getting me out of the Netherrealm because he had use for us. He has use for the two of you for his plans, so even if punishment is severe, you will not meet death. The only way you will receive death is if betrayal is suspected."

"He doessss have a point," Reptile nodded.

Guy folded his arms after hearing this. "Whatever your plan is, it better be good."

Quan Chi stared at his surroundings. "There is a clan nearby in this terrain. I sensed them when we arrived in Yakushima. They are a powerful clan with their own goals. If we can recruit them into the Outworld Forces, not only would we become more powerful, we can also gain a better favor from the Emperor despite not capturing Kazama."

"You seem to know this clan well considering the way you speak of them," Guy said. "Do you know them and how they operate?"

"I'm curioussss to know mysssself," added Reptile.

A smirk came over the sorcerer's face as he folded his arms in front of him. "Let's just say that a reunion is in order…"

~~~

**Somewhere in Outworld**

In the middle of the wastelands, a green portal opened up. Seconds later, two figures fell out of the portal and crashed into the ground face first. Afterwards, the portal closed up.

Shin Akuma immediately looked up to stare at his surroundings. He didn't take him too long to recognize the place, and in reply, his hands quickly clenched into fists.

"We're back in this wretched place!" he growled. At the same time, Dark Sakura got herself up, seemingly unfazed by her master's outburst.

Shin Akuma then stood up as a thought came to him. "Of course… this may be more convenient than I realized." He stared at his young apprentice. "You've proven yourself, showing no mercy to those you once called 'friends.' You know now that the fight and the power is all. You are ready."

Shin Akuma thought of his plans, the one he had thought of ever since he escaped the Netherrealm. Months ago, he had fought the Outworld Emperor, Shao Kahn, but the coward had defeated him in a cheap matter, all the while taking a part of his own power. He swore from that day that he would retrieve his power and, perhaps, kill the Emperor.

He would soon proceed to the Emperor's fortress. There, he would send Dark Sakura to distract the guards. At that point, he would no longer have any use for her. Then, he would reclaim what was rightfully his.

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

"I still feel like there's more to what happened last week," Paul suddenly found himself saying.

As they walked through the woods outside the fort, Wagner turned to him. "…What do you mean?"

"Well, it's the whole thing with the tarkatans and how they should've done more damage," Paul replied. "Either that, or she would've been dead."

Wagner sighed a little. "Like I said before… everything was happening too fast, so I wasn't sure what was going on. I just grabbed Alex and got the hell out of there. Kenshi, Ermac, and Siegfried took care of the rest."

As he said this, he forced himself to not shake his head. Once more, he was reminded that he was sworn to secrecy… he was not to tell the others that it was actually Shang Tsung who was here, not just the tarkatans.

 _I just wish they would stop bringing it up, especially Paul_ _,_ Wagner thought to himself. _It's just making the whole thing even worse…_

"Well either way," Paul continued. "I'm glad to know she finally woke up after six days."

They soon heard a noise that sounded like chopping nearby. The two of them searched around until they saw someone moving nearby. They both stared at each other for a moment before making their way forward.

It took them a minute to reach the spot where the moving figure was. There, they saw Kenshi chopping down a tree with his sword. Behind him was a large, neat pile of freshly cut wood for fire. There had to be at least a hundred of them in the pile.

Paul let out a small whistle. "Well… that explains why we have so much firewood at the fort as of late."

"That reminds me," Wagner said. "Just the other day, Julia mentioned not having to check the traps lately. He's been doing all the work for her."

"What do you two want?" Kenshi suddenly asked, startling the both of them. Even as he spoke, he continued to chop the tree down.

It was Paul who spoke first. "Well… for one thing, we were wondering why there was so much firewood and now we know why. Plus, it's pretty cool how you can chop down a tree with a sword. I don't think I've seen anyone do that before."

"… You didn't come out of the fort just to mention that."

"Far from it," Wagner spoke while nudging Paul in the arm sharply.

"Owe," Paul uttered as he rubbed the fresh sore in his arm.

Wagner continued. "Actually, Kenshi, I came to tell you that Alex is awake."

After hearing that, Kenshi immediately stopped what he was doing. He then straightened himself out a bit before brushing a bead of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Afterwards, he turned his head to where they stood, gave them a simple nod, and then continued chopping the tree he was working on.

Wagner found himself a bit baffled. He had imagined that Kenshi would want to visit Alex once he heard the news. Then again, Juli had mentioned him not visiting once in the last five days, so he really shouldn't be all that surprise.

 _Obviously, I'm not understanding this logic,_ the young man thought.

Kenshi had noticed their presence still there. Deciding to stop working for now, he placed his sword back in its scabbard. "I'll go when I'm ready," he said with some annoyance in his voice.

Then, he used his telekinetic powers, his hands and head glowing in a blue color, to lift up all the firewood except for six. He then began to walk forward with the pile behind him. "Make yourselves useful and take the other six back to the fort." When he said that, his voice sounded bitter this time.

Wagner and Paul stared at him for a moment as he departed before they both stared at each other. The younger man then sighed a little before walking over to the small pile. Paul soon followed after.

Each of them picked up three firewood. As they did, Paul turned to Wagner and whispered. "Man, and I thought _I_ was an ass."

Wagner didn't reply as the two began to head back to the fort. _I wonder if he really was like that… bitter and angry… after going blind as Alex might've guessed…_

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

More than twelve hours after arriving at the cave, night had fallen and the small campfire was the only source of light. A couple of feet away, Sareena found herself staring at the fire, admiring the embers that floated out.

Nearby, Smoke found himself pacing around a bit. At this point, he had expected Sub-Zero to at least be near the area by now, but at the moment, there was no sign of his friend.

The cyborg then looked at the woman by the campfire. A thought came to him, feeling silly for not thinking about it later. "Are you hungry?"

Sareena blinked her eyes a little before looking up at Smoke. "You know… I am feeling a bit famished. I could also use some water."

"I'll have to melt some snow, but it shouldn't take long," Smoke said. He then began to leave the cave and into the dark outdoors. "I won't be too far," he promised before he stepped outside.

Sareena took a deep breath before she turned her attention back to the fire in front of her. From there, she let herself sink into her own thoughts, the only way for her to kill time at the moment while she waited for food and water to arrive.

She then found herself thinking of a memory that occurred not too long ago. It occurred after escaping from the Netherrealm and finding herself into the headquarters of the Lin Kuei…

_Over six months ago…_

_For the last couple of weeks, Sareena found herself in the confines of a room in the Lin Kuei headquarters. She had managed to find this place without too much trouble, which left the other members a little suspicious. So that she didn't cause too much trouble until Sub-Zero's return, they confined her to this room._

At least this is better than being tortured in the Netherrealm, _she thought to herself._

_She had asked for Sub-Zero, mentioning that they had met up a decade ago. She arrived at a bad time as he was away at a tournament._

_However, no one was sure exactly when the Grandmaster would arrive. The wait felt like an eternity before the door opened, revealing three people. Two were obviously bodyguards. The third wore mostly black and blue and a mask that covered most of his face. The color scheme could only mean…_

_"_ _You must be Sareena," the Grandmaster had said. "What can I help you with?"_

_Sareena stood up from her chair, felling thrilled to see this man once more. However, within seconds, she realized that there were a few differences. He was taller than she last remembered and more muscular. She then looked at his eyes and immediately realized that this was not the same Sub-Zero she had met in the Netherrealm all those years ago. The one she remembered had brown eyes, almost as dark as her onyx eyes. This one's eyes were blue, almost like crystal. She also noticed the purplish-blue scar going down through his right eye._

_After being startled for a moment, Sareena managed to regain herself. "You… must be Sub-Zero, but… you looked a bit different from last time."_

_She noticed the confusion that came over his eyes. "How so?" he asked more out of curiosity._

_"_ _Well… the one I remember, well, it was over a decade ago and-"_

_"_ _If it was a decade ago, then the Sub-Zero you met was my older brother."_

_That explained it. Sareena nodded. "I see."_

_"_ _How did you know my brother?"_

_Sareena then noticed him eying her arms. She knew what he was looking at, reaching her right hand to her upper left arm, her fingers lingering over her tattoo. "Yes… I used to be part of the Brotherhood… but no more."_

_"_ _Explain then," Sub-Zero demanded, sounding suspicious this time as he wasn't sure if he could trust her just yet._

_Sareena made sure to stay still, her chin up and her eyes to his face. "I met your brother when I was assigned to kill him during his mission in the realm. He managed to defeat me and I had expected him to kill me, but for whatever reason, he granted me mercy."_

_"_ _That doesn't sound like him," Sub-Zero said. "He's well known in the clan to grant no mercy to anyone."_

_"_ _You don't have to believe me, but it's the truth," Sareena replied. "I admit, I had desired to escape the Netherrealm for years, but until your brother showed up, I never had the chance. Well, I followed him and ended up going to the lair for my former master, Quan Chi."_

_Sub-Zero cocked his head a little. "Your master was Quan Chi?"_

_Sareena nodded. "My sisters and I were his personal assassins for as long as I can_ _remember. Well, your brother and Quan Chi fought and, at the end, I intervened by knocking Quan Chi off the balcony. It was my way of repaying him for granting me mercy. I had hoped at that moment that he could help me escape. From there, I would repay him once more, but how, I wasn't sure. That chance never came. The fallen God Shinnok showed up then and destroyed my body. I've been in the deep depths of the realm for years… until now."_

_"_ _How did you escape?" Sub-Zero asked her._

_"_ _I had witnessed a battle between my master and a spectre," Sareena explained. "They eventually went through a portal to another realm. Right after, I took the opportunity to escape and ended up in this realm. Afterwards, I had decided to find Su… your brother… and a source that was acquainted with your clan lead me here. Your clan had confined me here since my arrival, but honestly, I don't blame them."_

_There was silence for a moment, and it made her a bit nervous. Then, Sub-Zero turned to the two men with him. "Go outside. I'd like to speak to her alone."_

_"_ _We'll be outside if you need us," one of them said. The two then stepped outside before closing the door behind him._

_Sub-Zero then turned his attention back to Sareena. "I don't know what the rest of the clan would think of your story… but I believe you."_

_Sareena was surprised to hear this. She was sure that, just because she was a demon, he wouldn't believe her at all. "You don't know how much I appreciate that."_

_"_ _You were honest about your past, and you were even honest about your motivation to escape the Netherrealm. Not many are able to do that, not even the humans of this realm."_

_The Grandmaster began to pace around the room. "My brother was one of the few I had in my life all those years ago. We came to this clan as children. It wasn't exactly our choice, but after a while, we got used to this new life. My brother was a well-respected clan member amongst not only his peers, but the former Grandmaster as well. The mission he was sent to in the Netherrealm… I wasn't given much detail, but he was sent out retrieve a relic… a map I believe."_

_"_ _He never gave me much detail about why he was there," Sareena mentioned._

_"_ _He wouldn't, even if you asked," Sub-Zero said. He then proceeded. "I never got much detail about it either. Immediately after his mission was completed, he was sent to a tournament on an island to assassinate a sorcerer. He… ended up being killed there."_

_Sareena found herself frowning after hearing that. "I'm sorry…"_

_"_ _It was a long time ago. I... carry his name now in his honor." He then looked over at the woman. "But you did help my brother all those years. That alone earns my respect. You are welcome to seek asylum here for long as you like."_

_Sareena nodded. "Thank you."_

_"_ _That doesn't make you a Lin Kuei, however," Sub-Zero reminded her. "You first have to prove yourself. You may have turned for the better, but there are others here who may not accept you easily. You have to earn their respect if you want to be accepted."_

_"_ _I understand," Sareena replied. "But just know this… for your kindness, I promise to uphold the laws of the clan and to protect it from any threats."_

_Sub-Zero stared at her for a moment, noting that her words sounded sincere. Still, he would have to see. After all, she was a demon of the Netherrealm._

_"_ _Just take my advice," he suggested. He then opened the door and left the room._

It indeed felt like a long time since that occurred. For months after, Sareena would join in some of the clan's training sessions and learned what she can about the clan's history and laws, at least the ones she was allowed to learn. Overtime, some of the Lin Kuei members have learned to trust her, realizing that there was nothing to be suspicious about. There were others, like Frost, who still looked at her with disdain for whatever reason.

What did help, however, was the fact that Sub-Zero learned to trust her as well, much sooner than most as a matter of fact. He would walk her through some of her training personally (though it was never one-on-one like with Frost), and he was the only one who asked her about her days as an assassin. About a month before the invasion, he had even invited her to his dining quarters for dinner, an opportunity that was rare for many.

Her thoughts were soon cut off as she heard footsteps nearby. Sareena turned her head and saw Smoke coming in. She noticed he had no food, but he did carry a small bucket she was sure contained snow, to be used for water once it melted.

She was about to say something to him, but then she saw someone else come in just behind him. Her eyes widened a bit upon recognizing Sub-Zero, who looked a bit exhausted, but okay nonetheless.

"Look who I found," Smoke said to her.

By then Sareena was on her feet and she walked up to the both of them. Then, without thinking about it, she went over to Sub-Zero and embraced him. Sub-Zero was a bit surprised by the gesture for a moment, but eventually placed one arm around her. Smoke looked at the two of them, feeling a bit amused.

Realizing what she was doing, Sareena immediately pulled away, feeling her face flush a little. "Um… sorry," she managed to say.

"It's all right," Sub-Zero replied. "I assume you're glad to see me."

Sareena nodded honestly.

"What happened to you?" Smoke asked.

"Well, for one thing, I met up with the surviving Lin Kuei around sunrise. I realized you were both missing and decided to stay behind to look for you. The others I sent to the next village over. Meanwhile, I want them to try to unite with some of the nearby clans to fight against the Outworld Forces. After I sent them away, I went looking for you."

He then scanned the cave and realized something. "Where's Frost?"

Smoke and Sareena turned to each other for a moment. Sub-Zero noticed this and began to wonder. "She… didn't make it, did she?"

"Well… we're not sure, but…" Smoke said. "Remember when I came over to you to tell you something before the Brotherhood showed up."

Sub-Zero nodded. "Go on."

"Well… I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but she's a traitor. She's got this idea in her head about destroying you and becoming Grandmaster herself. She was using Matrik for her plans, which explains why Matrik showed up in the village some days ago. Sareena ended up walking in on her and tried to kill her since she found out everything. I just happened to eavesdrop at the time. Either way, Sareena and I didn't see her on our way out of the village."

Sub-Zero shook his head after hearing all of this. "I didn't see her when I had the others gathered. Same with Matrik. Either they managed to escape, or…" He found himself shaking his head more. "It's regrettable. Had I been able to teach her humility, this may not have happened."

"It's not your fault," Sareena tried to assure him.

"She's right," Smoke agreed. "I think no matter what, she would've betrayed the clan in the end. Why, we're not sure."

Sub-Zero sighed a little. "Let's settle in for the night," he suggested.

"Sareena hasn't eaten yet," Smoke mentioned.

"Oh," Sub-Zero replied. "Well, in that case, go head and fetch her something."

"All right," Smoke said. From there, he departed from the cave.

By then, Sareena sat back down in front of the fire. On the other side, Sub-Zero took a blanket he carried in his supply bag and rolled it up to make a pillow. He then lied himself back and found himself staring up at the ceiling. Then, exhaustion began to talk over before he fell fast asleep.

Sareena frowned a little. _With everything that's happening… I can only hope that things can get better…_

~~~

**Unknown Area**

Members of the Brotherhood of Shadow gathered themselves just yards away from the village that was on fire during the night. It was the middle of the afternoon as Noob Saibot stared at his minions. The group also included the former Lin Kuei Frost and the cyborg Matrik, both who were going to be of good use to him later.

Sure, he didn't succeed in getting rid of his brother, but at least the village and some of the Lin Kuei were taken care of.

"We will return to the Netherrealm momentarily," he announced to the group.

Right after he said that, a green portal suddenly opened up nearby. Noob immediately turned around in time to see three figures emerging from the portal. He barely noticed the other two as he immediately recognized the pale figure… the one that made him a wraith to begin with.

"Quan Chi," he uttered.

A smirk came over the necromancer's face. "It's been a long time, Noob Saibot."

"If you plan take the Brotherhood for yourself, your efforts will be futile," Noob warned him.

Quan Chi nearly laughed at his statement. "That's not what I'm here for, far from it. I'm here to make you an offer; one I think will be most satisfying to you."

Noob narrowed his cold eyes at him. "Make it quick before I change my mind."

By then, Quan Chi was a couple of feet away from the wraith with Guy and Reptile behind him on either side. He folded his arms in front of him. "Come to Outworld and serve Shao Kahn… both you and your clan."

"As if _I_ would serve the Emperor again," Noob growled. "Now with my own clan, I have no further need for that nuisance."

"On the contrary," Quan Chi continued. "If you are willing to work with the Emperor, it will be worth your while. I personally have no further need of the Netherrealm as I'm no longer interested. If all goes well, when it comes time to invade the realm, I will personally see to it that you have the chance to become ruler of the Netherrealm."

Noob knew about the invasions. Originally, he wasn't interested in any of it, but now that Quan Chi had brought the subject up, especially concerning the Netherrealm, he found himself a bit interested. He's ultimate goal was to rule the realm after all.

Still, Quan Chi wasn't exactly one to trust easily. He had to have a reason to not be interested in the realm any more.

He would indeed have to watch his back.

Quan Chi then put a hand out towards him. "Do we have a deal?"

Noob stared at his hand for a moment. Then, he reached over and grabbed for it, the two soon shaking on the deal.

Quan Chi happened to look behind Noob. "I see you recruit more than just shadowed warriors these days."

Noob knew he was talking about both Frost and Matrik. "They just joined the clan."

"I see."

With that, Quan Chi used his sorcery to open up a portal, one that would take them to Outworld. He went through the portal first, followed by Guy, then Reptile. Noob turned to his clan for a moment before stepping through the portal himself. The others then followed him.


	50. Chapter Forty-Nine

**Kerala, India**

The journey was long, it seems, but in a way, Fujin was glad to finally return to Kerala. _I felt like I've been gone for ages,_ the Wind God thought to himself as he landed on the ground not too far from where a ship was located.

Fujin walked himself closer to the ship, eventually seeing two of his new allies there; Dhalsim and Ruby Heart. With the exception of the one propeller that helped fly the ship, all the repairs that had to be done seemed to be completed.

Meanwhile, as the two allies were working on the propeller, the wind began to blow heavily around them. Ruby Heart had noticed this, and she began to look at her surroundings as she held on to her hat to keep it from falling off her head.

"Do you think…" she started to say, but soon realized that she was speaking too soon as she spotted the Wind God approaching them. Dhalsim had noticed as well and soon began walking forward to meet with him.

"Welcome back, Fujin," Dhalsim greeted, bowing his head to him in respect.

Fujin did the same. "It's good to be back and to see that you two are well given the circumstances."

"Were you able to succeed in your quest?" Dhalsim asked, referring to Fujin's mission to find out the chosen ones who had been at the Blood Tournament under the guidance of Raiden and Rose.

"In a way," Fujin replied as the two of them began to walk over to where Ruby Heart was. "Unfortunately, I wasn't able to talk to Raiden as I had feared. Besides, I have the feeling that getting him more involved will only be in vain."

"It's a shame as I've heard good things about him," Dhalsim said.

"However," Fujin continued. "I had much better luck with the group staying at the Shaolin Temple. They were able to name me many of those who were with them in Outworld."

"That's definitely some good news to hear," added Ruby Heart.

"To provide their names to me would help greatly," Dhalsim mentioned. "Doing so will help me estimate their current location."

Fujin smiled a little. "It's quite a list."

Dhalsim closed his eyes and began to prepare his mind. "It's fine."

From there, the Wind God slowly gave the yoga master all the names that were given to him. Ruby Heart could only stare at the two of them. She was almost afraid to even move in fear of either of them letting a name slip out of their minds.

Soon, there was a long silence once Fujin had completed the list. Eventually, Dhalsim slowly opened his eyes, turning his head to Ruby Heart briefly before looking back at Fujin.

"They're spread out," Dhalsim soon said. "But once we leave Kerala, I'll be able to pinpoint their actual location the closer we get to them."

Then, a puzzling look came over the yoga master's face. "However, some of those names… I wasn't able to get even an estimate location. It's as though they don't exist."

"It was told to me that some of them are from a realm called Keisei," Fujin mentioned. "That might be why you were not able to find them."

"Of perhaps captured in Outworld," guessed Ruby Heart. "Or worse…"

"Let's hope that's not the case."

Dhalsim proceeded. "I think it's best to gather everyone as soon as possible. We'll start with those here on Earth of course. Then we will make our way to Keisei. From there, we will prepare to fight the Outworld Forces."

"That sounds like the best idea," Fujin agreed.

Ruby Heart stepped in after hearing that. "As much as I like that idea, I'm afraid to say that there is still this little issue involving my ship."

Fujin realized what she was talking about upon seeing the propeller. It was mostly repaired compared to when he saw it last. However, there was still some work left that needed to be done. Plus, he was sure that the ship would need to be tested before they took flight.

"I'll stay to help," Fujin offered. "The sooner we get it fixed, the better."

"That's what I've been saying for five weeks," Ruby Heart said. "Perhaps you'll do a better job than I have been doing."

Fujin had to chuckle at her remark. "I may be a God, but we're not all perfect."

"That's comforting…"

The Wind God looked over the propeller. "Let's see what can be done."

~~~

**Russia**

Eight days have passed since Raven woke up from being unconsciousness after he and Sergei Dragunov were attacked by a group of tarkatans. After trekking through the heavy snow for many days, it came to this.

The agent was still feeling a bit weary since being stabbed in the shoulder, but the wound had recovered nicely for the most part. Still, he was going to need a few more days to regain himself.

At least right now, they were warm in an abandoned cabin.

Sitting on the worn-out couch, Raven stared at the lit fire in front of them. Currently, he was alone in the cabin as Dragunov went outside to hunt for food for tonight's dinner.

Sometime during the afternoon, Raven let his mind drift off. He ended up thinking back on what began his path to this point, back when his superiors first told him about the Blood Tournament…

_"Agent Raven, come in Raven," a voice said._

_Raven quietly sighed and pressed down slightly on the ear piece, his communicator. "Raven here."_

_"We have another assignment for you and this one cannot wait."_

_"What's the mission?"_

_The commander paused for a moment before continuing. "It appears that there will be a tournament being held, but this seems to be no ordinary tournament. It's called The Blood Tournament. A ship will be leaving from both Hong Kong and San Francisco in a few days to take the best warriors to the tournament. San Francisco is the closet location from where you are now so head over there."_

_Raven nodded a bit and spoke into the headset again. "How does it seem like it's not an ordinary tournament?"_

_"…it's not taking place here."_

_The agent became a bit confused. "What you mean it's not taking place here?"_

_"It's taking place in another realm other than Earth. Unfortunately, the exact location information is currently confidential and no one can figure out where, but intelligence has a feeling it will be in Outworld."_

_"Outworld? What makes them think that?"_

_"Rumor has it that the host of the tournament goes by the name of Shang Tsung, a native of that realm. According to intelligence, he is a sorcerer bent on stealing souls for himself to maintain his youth. We have the idea that he will steal the souls of warriors, but the reason for it is unknown. That's why we need you to go out there and investigate."_

_A side smirk appeared on Raven's face, a very rare thing to happen. Just as he thought his missions were becoming boring, they give them this… a mission to another world to a tournament hosted by a soul-feasting being._ This may be interesting after all _,_ _he thought_ _._

_The voice came back again after a moment of silence. "You're our best agent Raven… we are aware that this will be your first mission outside Earth and who better than it be you? Your mission is to find out the sorcerer's motives and report to HQ immediately after. We are counting on you. Good luck."_

_"Raven signing off and heading to achieve mission."_

The memory soon left him as he adjusted himself in his seat. However, it ended up reminding him of what happened upon his return from Outworld. He reported his findings during his mission, mostly the purpose of the tournament and what had occurred the morning he managed to escape the realm with his life.

Headquarters had put everything on record, but afterwards, they acted as though the mission no longer mattered. Raven was immediately given a new assignment. Life goes on, he had guessed then.

When the rumors of the invasion happened, Raven had believed the words to be true after what he witnessed. However, his superiors, unless there was hard evidence, were not willing to use their resources to prepare. Even the agent's own words weren't enough despite being one of the best in the agency.

He could only imagine what they were thinking on the day of the invasion…

Raven's thoughts were soon cut off as the door to the cabin opened. A strong wind blew in briefly along with a handful of snow before the door was slammed shut. Raven slowly turned his head in time to see Dragunov walking into the cabin. In his right hand, he held a pair of dead squirrels by their tails.

Raven sighed to himself, realizing what they were going to have for dinner…

Later, after the sun set, Raven and Dragunov were each eating their own cooked squirrel silently. It wasn't as bad tasting as Raven had imagined earlier, but for the first time in a while, he was wishing to eat something else, specifically sushi and beef teriyaki.

A thought came to the agent as he looked over at Dragunov. They had talked… well… he had talked a couple of times after he woke up, specifically about what happened and what they were going to do next. There was one thing, however, that he realized he hadn't said to him.

"Thanks."

Hearing this, Dragunov stopped eating, placing the squirrel down on the coffee table before staring up at the agent. Raven noticed the confused look on his face and decided to explain.

"I realized I didn't thank you for saving my life when the tarkatans attacked."

Dragunov nodded in reply.

Seeing this, Raven continued. "Well… I guess after that, and after all this time, there was some trust from me that was gained… but only some." A ghost of a smile came over Raven's face. "However, I can't exactly promise that the two of us will become 'pals' after we survive this. After all, I have my superiors to follow and you have yours."

After that statement, Dragunov gave him a simple nod. Agreeing with him completely, he too gave Raven a ghost of a smile.

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

After resting for most of the day, Jade found herself in the dining quarters of the Coast Guard Headquarters. When she arrived here, they accommodated her with her own room, where she slept until now. Then, feeling famished, Hwang chose that time to gather his allies and bring them all to the dining quarters.

For now, Jade was served a bowl of soup to start. She nearly devoured it in no time, enjoying her first proper meal since being captured and taken to Outworld. Aside from Hwang, the others in the room consisted of Kilik, Maxi, Xianghua, Sophitia, and her husband Rothion.

"About four months ago," she began after putting her bowl down on the table. "My home realm, Edenia, was invaded by the Outworld Forces. At the time, I was the General of the Edenian Knights, who served to protect the realm. I ended up losing consciousness while I was protecting Queen Sindel and Princess Kitana… most of you might remember them during our time at the tournament."

"I remember them," said Hwang.

Jade sighed. "Unfortunately, they were one of them many captured and brainwashed to serve the Outworld Forces."

Xianghua frowned. "That's horrible to hear."

"I just wish there was a way to help them when I found out, but the Emperor's hold on them was very strong. Well, for three months, I formed a group called the Edenian Freedom Fighters. We were able to fight back against the Outworld Forces for some time… until a few weeks ago when they finally overpowered us. I was originally going to be brought to trial and be executed, but I managed to escape.

"Eventually, I followed a small group of guards when I learned they were going to be traveling to another realm for a scouting mission. I quickly learned that the realm was Keisei. I managed to sneak on to the ship and bided my time. You know the rest."

"It sounds like you went through a lot since Edenia was invaded," said Rothion.

Jade nodded. "There is something else you should know. Do you remember an ally of ours named Sonya?"

"Wasn't she the blonde-haired lady who was part of a military on Earth?" asked Maxi. "I remember… she died just before the big chaos."

"That's her all right," Jade continued. "Except she's well and alive… just like Sindel and Kitana, she's also been brainwashed to serve."

Those who remembered Sonya were shocked to hear this. Hwang had to swallow before speaking. "Why her?"

"You see, years ago, she helped in defeating the Emperor in another attempt to invade the realms. I assume his guards discovered her body after the chaos. I imagine he saw an opportunity and resurrected her to serve him."

"Do you think anyone else who died before and during the chaos met the same fate?" asked Kilik.

"If they did, I don't know anything about it," Jade replied. "I only saw Kitana, Sindel, and Sonya after my escape. If there is a way to free them, it's yet to be discovered. Only Shao Kahn would most likely know."

"What about the scouts?" Hwang asked referring to the ship that had exploded earlier.

"My guess is that they were scouting to get a better idea of the realm," Jade answered. "I suspect, sadly, that it won't be long before your world is invaded."

"That comes as no surprise to us," Maxi mentioned.

"We've been preparing for the invasion for months," Hwang said. "We've been getting word from those from the Manji clan, who have been traveling through the realms to help protect it. That's how we get our news."

"It's good to be prepared," Jade proceeded. "But still, you must be cautious. There are always unexpected surprises. Trust me I know." She then bowed her head a little. "I used to be an assassin for Shao Kahn."

Everyone was surprised to hear this. "You used to work for Shao Kahn?" Kilik asked in astonishment.

Jade looked up at him. "I stopped serving him many years ago just before that first Earth invasion I mentioned. You see, for centuries, the only way Shao Kahn could invade the realms was through a tournament called Mortal Kombat, set up by the Elder Gods themselves. There was a tournament for each generation and if Outworld wins ten consecutive tournaments in a row for each world, they earn the 'right' to invade and take over that world.

"That happened to Edenia when I was a child. My family members were nobles who were willing to serve Shao Kahn for reasons I never found out. I imagine, however, that they were 'honored' because they went as far as offering me to him as their 'tribute.' That I didn't discover until years later after my rigorous training. Of course, I never thought much of it, since it was practically the only life I knew then… now I curse them for it."

"I don't blame you for feeling that way," said Sophitia. "I can't ever imagine giving my own children away even if it was for noble reasons."

Jade sighed a little before continuing. "I eventually earned the right to become a personal bodyguard for Princess Kitana. At the time, even she thought she was Shao Kahn's daughter. Eventually, she discovered the truth and severed her loyalty to him. He tried to have me kill her for her betrayal, but I ended up joining with her. I'm that loyal to her.

"Since then, the two of us, along with Sindel, have been doing all we can to atone for our sins. We were able to restore Edenia after his first invasion reign ended. Now… we lost it all again."

Jade's voice became stronger at her next words. "But I'm not about to give up. I vowed to not only free my friends, but I also vow to restore Edenia once more. However, there is so much to overcome. Besides, there are many others, including my fellow Freedom Fighters, who are imprisoned in the dungeons of Outworld. I need all the help I can get."

"We'll help you," Hwang promised. "We'll do all we can to end this invasion and free those who are suffering."

Jade nodded as she stood up from her chair. "Thank you." She sighed a little. "Well, after all that explanation, I could use a little training. It helps to calm me."

Kilik stood up from his chair after hearing that. "I can show you where the training grounds are. And… if you like, we can spar."

Jade smiled a little, remembering all the sparing they did back in Outworld. "Sure, why not."

From there, the two of them began to leave the room. By then, Hwang, Sophitia, and Rothion stood up as well. "We should be heading out as well," said Sophitia.

"And I need to write out some reports for Admiral Lee," mentioned Hwang.

"Well then, see you soon," said Maxi as the three of them left.

Once everyone was gone, Maxi burst out laughing since he held it in the moment Kilik stood up from his chair. "Kilik's slyer than I realized! Am I right, Xianghua?"

He happened to turn his head to Xianghua… only to see the funny look on her face. Her nose was screwed up like she smelled something foul, her lips pouted, and Maxi swore there was smoke coming out of her ears.

"Um… Xianghua?"

"WHAT?!" Xianghua yelled out as her near-bulging eyes shifted in his direction.

Maxi blinked a couple times, wondering if he should even dare to talk to her even more. Still, he went with it. "Um… are you all right?"

Xianghua immediately stood up from her chair and threw her arms up. "Yeah, I'm just fine, _real_ fine!" She then quickly turned on her heel and headed out the door, but not before slamming it behind her.

Maxi scratched his head after witnessing that. "What was that all about?"

~~~

**Yakushima Island, Japan**

The late afternoon was clear, but the group consisting of Mika, Cassandra, Karin, Asuka, and Maki barely noticed as they were all huddled together in front of the lit campfire. All five of them were still shaken over the events of the other night.

"It's barely been a whole two days, but I still can't believe it," said Cassandra quietly. "Our friend, Sakura, is alive…"

"But not for a good reason…" added Karin. She shook her head. "Oh how I wish we were back in those high school days when all we had to worry about was who was going to win the next competition. I don't even care if she beats me again."

Asuka found herself shaking her head. "I saw her lying there that day. I swore…" She ended up trailing off.

"Someone's resurrected her," mentioned Mika. "That's the only explanation."

"I didn't think such a thing could happen until now," said Karin. "I mean, to be reincarnated is one thing, but…"

They fell quiet again as they all stared at the fire in front of them. Despite feeling the fire's heat, the girls barely felt it.

Then, the silence was broken when Maki suddenly lost it. She quickly covered her face as she burst into tears. Her other friends turned to her and found themselves more upset.

Cassandra managed to touch her friend's shoulder as she felt her own tears stinging her eyes. "Maki…"

"This is all an endless nightmare!" Maki cried out. "With this invasion, my friends being brainwashed and used against us, and the fact that we could all lose our lives at any moment… it's too much!"

Maki found herself leaning into Cassandra's shoulder. In reply, Cassandra shifted herself and wrapped her arms around her in a tight embrace. By now, she was crying too as she buried her head into her friend's thick blonde hair.

"I…" Maki continued in between sobs. "I… only wish for one thing… it's… to know that Yang is okay. E… even if I… never see him again… all I want… is some sign that… he's alive… and…"

From there, Maki sobbed more in Cassandra's arms. The other three began to cry as well, eventually drawing themselves closer together in a group embrace.

"At least… we're all together…" Mika managed to say. "We'll get through this… we'll survive this…"

They then fell silent as they cried into each other's arms…

~~~

**London, England**

After a full day of helping out the civilians in the hospital area of the MI-6 base, Cammy, Lita, and Juni began their return back to the soldiers' sleeping quarters, all of them feeling tired and hungry after a hard day's work.

"There are definitely many improvements I've noticed since this whole thing started," mentioned Lita as she stretched her arms out in front of her a bit.

"Of course, that's only physical improvements," Cammy reminded her. "For many, there's still a long road ahead of them…"

After that statement, a long, loud yawn escaped Juni's mouth. Lita chuckled a little after witnessing that. "I assume being tired is just an understatement."

Juni smiled a little. "You could say that. In that case, I'll definitely rest for a while."

"If anything, we'll see you in the morning," said Cammy.

Juni waved them goodnight before turning around and began heading in the direction where her room was located.

Cammy found herself taking a deep breath. "Wow… I just realized I've been so busy the last few days. I bet you I missed something interesting."

"Including Steve being somewhat withdrawn," Lita said, but suddenly realized it was something she should've kept to herself. She gasped a little as she covered her parted mouth, wanting to slap herself right there.

Naturally, Cammy turned to Lita, a surprised look on her face. There was also a bit of confusion in her blue eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Lita sighed a little as she removed her hand from her mouth. She then cleared her throat a bit before forcing herself to answer her friend. "Well… I've noticed he's been withdrawn and moody for the past few days. I'm guessing it's all the stress for everything that's been going on. I'm surprised you haven't noticed."

For some reason, Lita's last sentence made Cammy twitch in annoyance. "I know I've been around Steve a lot these past few months, but especially now, I can't _always_ be there for him."

Lita bit her lower lip after hearing her harsh tone. "Sorry Cammy… I'm just concerned, that's all."

Cammy found herself rubbing her eyes a little with her fingers. "I'm sorry too, Lita. I think the stress is starting to get to me. Anyway, I think we both should go in our rooms and rest for a while."

Lita nodded in agreement. "I think that's a fine idea. I'll see you later then."

"See you," Cammy said as she turned around and began to leave. Lita stood where she was until Cammy disappeared around a corner.

Lita began to turn around as well, but she only took a couple of steps forward, but suddenly stopped when she saw Steve slowly walking forward in her direction. His hands were in his pockets and his tired eyes were staring at her.

"Steve-" Lita began to say, but Steve ignored her as he walked by her and began heading to his room. Lita could only frown as she watched him walk away, realizing that he had heard their conversation.

_Cammy might be right about the stress getting to all of us…_

~~~

**Shaolin Temple, China**

Night had fallen and there was a bit of a chill in the air. Outside, a fire was lit and the group consisting of Kung Lao, Bo' Rai Cho, Li Mei, Lei Wulong, Chun Li, and Yang surrounded the flame to keep themselves warm.

Bo' Rai Cho was doing most of the talking at the moment. "Many years ago, not so long after my arrival here in Earthrealm, I knew a fellow staff wielder by the name of Muso Gonnosuke. When I met him, he had used a six foot long staff. One day, he was defeated by the swordsman named Miyamoto Musashi."

Lei was astonished to hear that name. "Wasn't that the famous swordsman from the early seventeenth century?"

Bo' Rai Cho nodded. "The very one. He desired to face Musashi once more so that he may become a victor. It was I who helped him develop a fighting style using a shorter weapon, a four foot staff we know nowadays as the jojutsu. Once the style was ready to be put to use, Gonnosuke went up against Musashi and won. I remember feeling very proud that day."

The martial arts master frowned a little as he shook his head. "It's a shame what became of Gonnosuke later after that."

"What happened?" Chun Li asked.

Bo' Rai Cho sighed. "He participated in one of the Mortal Kombat tournaments, the fourth if I remember correctly. Because of his loss, his opponent had killed him and the sorcerer Shang Tsung had consumed his soul."

There was silence between everyone afterwards. In Yang's mind, he found himself even more worried, especially at the mention of souls being consumed. He frowned as he bowed his head, thinking of both Maki and Yun and wondering about their fate after the invasion.

Eventually, the fire started to die down. Noting this, Li Mei got herself on her feet before stretching her arms. "It's getting pretty late. I think we should all go to bed."

"I agree," said Kung Lao as he stood up as well.

Bo' Rai Cho, Chun Li, and Lei also got on their feet and they were all just beginning to leave. Chun Li ended up turning around, soon stopping in her tracks as she noticed Yang still sitting in his spot as he started at the dying flame in front of him.

Lei also stopped walking when he saw that she had halted. "Chun Li?"

She turned to her fiancé. "Go ahead Lei. I'll catch up in a few minutes."

Lei then noted Yang still sitting and realized what Chun Li had in mind. He nodded to her silently before turning around and following the others.

Chun Li went up to her young ally before quietly sitting down next to him, leaving a few inches in between them. Yang had noticed her presence, but didn't both to look over at her. For a long time, there was silence between them, the two watch the fire until it completely died down, leaving their surroundings dark.

Finally, Yang spoke almost quietly. "I… I just want to get out there already and find Maki and Yun. I… I'm losing…"

Yang found that his eyes were quickly brimming with tears. Refusing to shed them, he closed his eyes tightly before covering his face with both of his head. Hearing him choke back a little, Chun Li instinctively wrapped an arm around him, hoping to comfort him somehow.

Chun Li frowned, wishing that there was a way to make things better for Yang…

~~~

**Yakushima Island, Japan**

An hour after the sun set for the day, Ryu found himself mediating alone just as he did ever since coming to Yakushima. The different between tonight and all the other nights, however, is that he kept himself a lot closer to the camp grounds where all of his allies were.

For nearly forty-eight hours, Ryu found himself disturbed over that night's events. It was one thing for the Outworld Forces to show up when they did… but for Akuma to show up, especially around the same time… that threw the young warrior for a loop.

The group had discussed what had transpired with those from Outworld. Ryu had chosen not to discuss his battle with Akuma. At the same time, he had noted that, except Mi-na, all the girls were very quiet during the meeting. Nothing else about last night was discussed afterwards.

In his mind, Ryu was able to clear those events out of his head, at least for the time being. However, another memory came back to him, one that involved his time in Outworld…

_Prepared for anything, Ryu turned himself around…and upon seeing the man standing just a few yards away, Ryu didn't feel much surprise…because the man standing there was none other than Akuma, the murderer of his master._

_Ryu admitted to himself that the idea of Akuma possibly being here in Outworld left his mind a while ago, so Akuma had showed up a bit unexpectedly. Either way, Ryu always had the feeling that there was a chance for him to be here._

_Now the idea was true._

_The two stared at each other for a moment. Then, Akuma narrowed his red eyes at Ryu. "The time has come," he said in his deep voice. "It's time to give in to your true potential."_

_Ryu immediately got himself into his fighting stance. "That will never happen! And I believe the time has come to finally avenge my master!"_

_"So be it," Akuma replied._

_From there, the two quickly shot their arms out as their own Hadouken projectiles ejected from their hands. It wasn't long before the two projectile crashed into each other, creating a small explosion before disintegrating. This gave Ryu and Akuma the opportunity to leap at each other to engage in their battle._

_For a short while, the two exchanged attacks, mostly finding themselves on defense while trying to attack the other. Eventually, Ryu was able to get the upper hand. He first performed a roundhouse kick at Akuma, causing the demon to make a quick spin around. Ryu then attempted a low spin kick, but Akuma managed to see this in time and leapt over it. As he began coming back down however, Ryu managed to perform a small uppercut. Akuma was stunned for a moment, but before he fell back to the ground, he managed to catch himself by somersaulting back. He then landed safely back to the ground with both feet._

_Akuma then waited as Ryu covered the distance between them again. Ryu lashed out a few punches in which Akuma managed to block with his arms. When the chance came, he quickly performed two palm strikes at Ryu's face, immediately causing him to stagger back a bit. As he was distracted by the last attack, Akuma then attempted a low kick at Ryu's legs. The attack nearly made Ryu lose his balance, but he quickly managed to regain himself._

_From there, Akuma attempted a hurricane kick, jumping up and maneuvering himself forward while spinning with one leg out. Ryu knew this move all too well and he quickly moved out of the way before he was hit._

_Afterwards, Akuma landed back on his feet. Just as he was beginning to turn around to face his opponent, Ryu quickly performed a downward axe kick before spinning himself and performing a back kick, sending Akuma stumbling back. From there, Ryu prepared himself to shoot out another Hadouken._

_Just moments later, Ryu suddenly felt a dark sensation within him…something he hadn't felt since before he came here in Outworld. He knew exactly what was going on._

_The 'true potential' Akuma mentioned before…the Dark Hadou…it was trying to take control of Ryu at this very moment._

_Ryu gritted his teeth, trying to control the dark sensation all the while trying to collect energy into his hands so that he could shoot a projectile. Soon, Akuma had recovered from the last attack and began making his way over to Ryu._

_Without thinking, Ryu shot out the projectile. "Hadouken!" he yelled out._

_Ryu watched at Akuma was hit by the projectile, which sent him flying a few yards away. Once the projectile left him, Ryu suddenly felt weak and after Akuma was hit, he fell forward. Just before he blacked out, he realized that the color of his projectile was not it's normal light blue color…_

_Instead, it had looked more like a glowing fireball…_

…It was the last thing Ryu remembered before losing consciousness. When he woke up, he found himself still outside, but near an abandoned Cathedral with both Ken and Julia kneeling next to him as they tried to wake him up.

Opening his eyes, Ryu placed a hand over his face. _What happened that day…?_ he asked himself.

It was then that he heard footsteps nearby. Ryu immediately looked up. For a moment, he thought that perhaps Akuma had returned. To his relief, however, he found himself looking up at his friend Jin, who approached him with a tired look on his face.

"Mediating?" Jin asked him.

Ryu managed to nod. "I was." The Ansatsuken warrior shifted a little before getting himself on his two feet. "I was… just thinking about our time in Outworld."

Jin was silent for a moment before he managed to say, "What about?"

"It was… the night before all the chaos," Ryu explained. "I couldn't quite remember what happened that night but I had blacked out. I didn't wake up until the chaos was mostly over."

"… When you woke up, you found yourself on the ground near a Cathedral."

Ryu's eyes widened at this. "…I never mentioned that to you."

Jin realized then that he was going to have to tell Ryu the truth sooner or later. Taking a deep breath, he began to explain everything.

"I'm not sure exactly what happened because the details are still shady to me as well. Somehow… we were locked in our own battle within the Cathedral. I remember we were really letting each other have it."

Feeling ashamed after hearing that, Ryu stared down at the ground. "I'm sorry, Jin. I hope I didn't hurt you too much."

Jin forced himself to chuckle. "No… you gave me quite a challenge, that's for sure. I think… we ended up knocking each other out cold in the end."

There was silence between them afterwards. Jin sighed a little, knowing that he spared Ryu some details, one being the fact that Jin was in his devil form at the time of the fight. He remembered that Ryu wasn't completely himself either, but decided not to bring it up. When Ryu apologized to him just now, Jin had the feeling that Ryu knew that he had been in his own, darker form at the time of the battle since he had mentioned earlier that he didn't remember that night.

Most importantly, Jin spared him from knowing that Sakura had died when she got in between their projectiles. It was a fact that the younger man was willing to bare for him.

"At least… I didn't hurt anyone else," Ryu ironically said. Jin stayed silent in reply.

In his mind, Ryu was reminded of the few times that he 'blacked out' like this before. It had happened twice before; when he had left the scar on Sagat's chest during their battle in the Street Fighter tournament a decade ago. Apparently, it also happened when he supposedly killed Julia's mother, Michelle, over a year ago. At least that was what he was told.

Thinking of that second blackout, Ryu was honestly not sure what to believe. Did he really kill Michelle? Or perhaps something happened in the aftermath. Maybe, just maybe, he was mistaken for someone else. Most likely, he would never know.

Ryu then found himself thinking about Julia for the first time in a while. He sighed a little, realizing that, in a way, he still cared about her.

 _I just hope Ken and his family are taking care of her right now,_ he thought to himself, remember his last email to his best friend just moments before the invasion.

It was then that another set of footsteps were heard. Both Ryu and Jin turned their heads before seeing the Manji Clan leader Yoshimitsu approaching them.

"There you are," Yoshimitsu said. "Dinner's ready."

"Right on time," replied Ryu. "I'm just starting to feel hungry."

The three of them began to walk side by side back towards the camp. As they did, Yoshimitsu couldn't help but ask a question he wanted to ask since last night. "You're not worried after what happened two nights ago, are you?"

Jin shook his head. "I've had worse. Besides, I doubt anyone else from Outworld is going to show up again anytime soon after all that."

Yoshimitsu nodded. "Either way, it's best to be prepared, just in case."

No more was said as they arrived at the camp for dinner.

~~~

**Sky Temple, Somewhere in Asia**

After many days of traveling, the ninja spectre Scorpion finally reached the base of the Sky Temple, the place he knew where Dark Raiden was usually located. It seemed like an eternity since he was last here, but now it seemed like that time was far away now that he was here.

As he looked up towards the top of the temple, Scorpion thought back on the day the Elder Gods made him their Champion and gave them the assignment to assassinate Raiden…

_He had expected himself to be returned to the Netherrealm… it was a repeat from some time ago when the sorcerer tried to escape from his grasps. It was no matter… he would continue his revenge there…_

_But instead of seeing the infamous inferno, he saw nothing but darkness. For a long while, he wondered what this was about. Had he send him into some sort of vortex where there was no escape?_

_However, he soon realized that wasn't the case when three beings appeared before him. The light around them got brighter as the three approached, causing him to squint._

_He was suspicious of them, and he wasn't sure what they had in store for him. Nevertheless, he was prepared to fight them._

_"Scorpion," one of them spoke. "It was only a matter of time before we finally had you arrive here."_

_The suspicion in his pale eyes never left the ninja spectre. "What are you talking about? And where is Quan Chi?"_

_"Do not concern yourself with the sorcerer," the figure continued. "We have another offer for you, one that we believe will be more satisfying than revenge."_

_Scorpion had wanted to fight the being then and there. How dare he denied him to continue his revenge! But the floating sensation that the spectre was feeling seemed to make him somewhat paralyzed. Perhaps these people knew what he was capable of…_

_Another one of the figures spoke. "Most of what we're about to say may be unbelievable to you, but you must trust us. We know that trust doesn't come easy to you, but it's all you must do."_

_The figure took a deep breath before continuing. "You are currently in a vortex that leads to the Heavens. You're impure soul cannot enter the realm unless we cleanse it ourselves. As for us," he pointed at himself and the other three. "My name is Daichi. These are Hinote and Mizu. We are the Elder Gods…" he pointed a finger at him. "And you, Scorpion, are our Champion."_

_Scorpion only stared at the three in reply. At this point, Daichi was right about one thing… this was unbelievable._

_And yet, the ninja was curious. "Champion? Since my death, I've only thirsted for revenge, and my only concern is to destroy Quan Chi. Why, of all beings, am I the Champion?"_

_"Indeed it's not easy to comprehend," Hinote answered. "But you had been destined to become our Champion even before you were a member of the Shirai Ryu as a mortal. Your premature death prevented us from telling you any of this. It was hard to catch you in the Nexus, the vortex that resides in between realms, until now…"_

_Mizu proceeded. "Normally, as a Champion, you would have taken on tasks that we cannot accomplish ourselves due to other matters that require our attention. We had even planned for you to stop the Dragon King if he was ever awakened. However, the situation was, thankfully, taken care of, so there is no need anymore."_

_"When why call upon me now?" Scorpion asked, feeling a bit impatient._

_Daichi replied. "Because there is one particular task that must be done. Outworld is once again invading the realms. We cannot interfere ourselves, and we must keep everything in check where we are. This task is an unusual one, as it involves one of our own."_

_Silence lingered for a moment before Hinote spoke. "In exchange for this task, we will reunite you with your family here in the Heavens… your wife… your son… your clan…"_

_Now they got Scorpion's full attention. "And what of Quan Chi?"_

_"Do not concern yourself with him," Daichi spoke. "If you want to be with your family again, you must do as we ask. It's not going to be easy, but it must be done."_

_Scorpion found himself staring at the three for a moment. He wanted nothing more than continuing torturing the sorcerer for killing his family and clan all those years ago… but now, he had the chance to reunite with them, if he could only complete this one mission for the Elder Gods._

_Scorpion's narrowed his eyes. "What is this mission?"_

_Mizu sighed. "It's an assassination assignment. The person is currently located on Earth. He was once a great man… but he has since changed for the worst. Unfortunately, his days of helping us are over. He's not what he used to be, and despite his intentions, he poses a great threat."_

_Scorpion nodded. "And who is this person?"_

_A sigh also escaped from Daichi. "The Thunder God, Raiden…"_

… The memory faded as Scorpion continued to look up at the top of the Sky Temple. Moments later, he noticed that the heavy clouds were beginning to develop thunder as they clashed together. This could only mean one thing.

' _The Thunder God… he's here,_ ' the specter thought in his mind. ' _He will be taken care of once and for all. Only then will my family and clan roam the Earth once more._ '

He started to walk forward…


	51. Chapter Fifty

**Somewhere Near Kerala, India**

As the morning sun rose up towards the clear blue sky, Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro trekked along a river, the three following the stream's direction. All of them kept to themselves as they watched their surroundings for any movement nearby, especially ones that could be food potential.

Soon, they found themselves on top of a hill. As they reached it, Kintaro suddenly stopped in his tracks. Mostly curious, both Sheeva and Motaro stopped walking as well before turning to the male shokan. They noticed his head tilted slightly upward as he sniffed the air.

"What is it?" Motaro asked, sounding somewhat annoyed.

"I think I smell smoke," Kintaro replied.

Motaro looked at his surroundings before folding his arms in front of him, his tail flicking behind him. "I don't see any smoke around here."

"Wait," Sheeva cut in as she sniffed the air. "I smell it too."

Then, Motaro found himself sniffing the air as well. It was faint, but he realized that the two shokans were right. "Now I smell it."

The three of them walked forward a little bit, eventually reaching a small clearing on the hill. When they did, they were able to see what was on the bottom of the hill. About two to three miles away from where their stood, they saw what they guessed was once a village, now burned to the ground. That resolved the faint smell.

Sheeva suddenly grinned as she realized exactly where they were. "We're finally here… the Emperor did mention that Dhalsim's village was burned down during the invasion."

Kintaro nodded. "It has to be. The monk we ran into yesterday told us that he lived in this proximity." He licked his lips. "I'm still trying to pick him out of my teeth."

"And from the Emperor's last message to us, he is still here," Motaro reminded them. "More than likely still mourning for those who died here."

Sheeva then noticed something in the distance. "What is that over there?" she asked as she pointed at it. Kintaro and Motaro gazed over to the area she pointed that. They soon became surprised by what they were seeing, especially since they knew that an ocean was not anywhere in their own proximity.

"It looks like… a ship," said Kintaro.

Motaro rolled his eyes. "What else would it be?"

"I wonder why that ship is there."

Sheeva pulled out one of her daggers. "Only one way to find out…"

She began to walk forward with Kintaro and Motaro following soon after…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Standing on the balcony outside of her room, Tanya found herself looking out at the land in front of her. There was a light wind that blew her thick, black hair softly behind her. The Edenian had a feeling that her hair was going to be messy later, but she didn't care at the moment.

It was mostly quietly all around, at least until she heard footsteps from behind her. Thinking an enemy was near, Tanya quickly whirled herself around, only to find herself taking a deep breath upon recognizing the man dressed in black and purple coming towards her.

Rain raised an eyebrow at her reaction. "Don't tell me you thought I was an enemy," he said.

Tanya folded her arms in front of her. "You never know. Besides, you should at least give me some sort of warning." She smirked. "I might've killed you."

By then, Rain had joined her side on the balcony. "It wouldn't have surprised me."

For a few minutes after, the two of them were quiet as they stared at the view before them. The sky above was a bright purple since it was the middle of the afternoon, and some of the green leaves on the trees surrounding the fortress were detaching from the branches and slowly fall to the purple ground.

Eventually, Tanya broke the silence. "I hate this place. I always have. Yet, I admit that I can't deny the fact that this realm has its own kind of beauty to it. Then again, I assume every realm has that."

"If you hate it here, why stay?" Rain asked her.

"Well, I have no other choice if I want to survive. Even if we weren't in the middle of this whole invasion to begin with, I wouldn't even have the chance to step into Edenia before they sever my head."

Tanya realized something as she turned her head to Rain. "You're also from Edenia. How did you end up serving Shao Kahn?"

"It's a long story," Rain answered as he straightened himself up a little.

"With how slow things are right now, you have plenty of time," Tanya said, a smirk appearing on her face.

"Just like you, I was just a child when Outworld invaded Edenia for the first time," Rain began. "I remember the chaos, and I remember someone grabbing me and smuggling me away. Apparently, I was 'rescued' and would grow up to be trained under the old Edenian Resistance.

"I was the best in the Resistance… always was, always will be. Still, my former General refused to let me lead my own army despite my years of loyalty and service. I retaliated by joining with Shao Kahn.

Tanya nearly laughed after hearing his story. "It seems as though we're both traitors of our home world."

She looked out towards the land before continuing. "Throughout my years, I've learned many dark arts and magic. I even discovered the whereabouts of the fallen Elder God Shinnok. After Edenia was freed from Outworld, I 'helped' to free him from his banishment by sending them through the portal to Edenia. It was easy because I was able to convince Queen Sindel that they were refugees from another realm. Being the daughter of the Ambassador was just a plus. How foolish she was. After the Shinnok episode, however, I fled to Outworld and have been serving Shao Kahn ever since."

Rain looked over at Tanya once she finished her story. "You know… perhaps there is a way to convince the Emperor to let us have Edenia now that it is 'merged' with Outworld once more. We can possibly both rule the realm as King and Queen now that the royal family is out of the way."

Tanya smiled at him as she leaned herself closer to him. "You know," she started to say as she pulled his mask down slowly to reveal the bottom half of his face. "I've always liked that idea ever since you mentioned it."

She then leaned up to press her lips against his. Rain returned the kiss, which lasted only a few seconds before they pulled away. Feeling the wind getting stronger, they both decided to return to Tanya's room. Once inside, Tanya closed the balcony door behind her.

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

Just a few minutes before noon, Julia Chang climbed up the ladder that led to the top of the watch tower. In her mind, she was glad to have been able to eat prior to her watch duty. At least, for the moment, the soup she had would keep her a little warm.

Upon reaching the top, Ken Masters helped her up. "I guess it's almost time for you to relieve me from watch duty," Ken said.

Julia nodded. "Of course, as always."

"The good news is that it's not too cold today," Ken mentioned. "Thank the sun and the lack of wind for that."

"That's good to know."

Then, without thinking about it, Julia found herself saying, "How have you been?"

As Ken turned to her, Julia bowed her head a little, turning her brown eyes away from her. "I'm sorry, Ken. I guess I ask you that question a lot."

Ken patted her shoulder. "It's all right. Honestly, I'd rather be asked that question a lot than to be completely ignored."

In reply, Julia raised her head up with a small smile. The two of them then looked out towards the woods in front of them, nothing that they could see the mountains in the distance, something that they normally wouldn't see on a cloudy day.

Ken absentmindedly placed his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "Man… at this point, I just want to go out there and fight. We've been here for over a month and I'm feeling more and more trapped here each day."

"I agree," Julia nodded. "It sure has felt like we've been here for more than that."

Ken bowed his head a little. "I'm sure Eliza would've been wondering why I'm not out there kicking ass at a time like this. It's funny… she was never one for violence, but… I think she would've understood why I would go out there and save what's left of this world."

"I think she would've too," Julia agreed. "Besides… at this point, none of us are sure where to start, which is why we're not fighting back at the moment. I think, once we know where to start, we'll be doing just that."

Ken sighed a little. "I think you're right."

"Hey! Come check this out!" they heard what sounded like Paul Phoenix calling out to anyone who would listen.

"I wonder what's going on," Julia asked as she leaned over the tower. Ken did the same thing a moment later. Not even a second after, they saw Paul, Marshall, Cody, and Cyrax somewhat huddled together. In front of them were Sagat and Ermac, both standing in their respective fighting stances as they stared at each other.

Ken had to smirk at the sight. "It looks like a sparring match is about to begin."

Meanwhile, on the fort grounds, Sagat and Ermac looked at one another as they got ready to spar. Just a couple of minutes ago, the two of them ran into each other. They knew of the other's presence since Ermac arrived here a week ago, but they were never alone, at least until now.

Of course, as soon as they assumed stances, they grabbed the attention of some of the others here at the fort. Four of them gathered nearby as two others watched from the tower. By the campfire, Siegfried happened to notice them as well. The young man turned around while still sitting on his log as he decided to watch as well.

The interesting part was the fact that these two had met once before back in Outworld. They had faced each other in the Blood Tournament with Sagat emerging the victor.

Sagat smirked a little as he remembered something from their previous match. "In our last… meeting… I had said that 'not even an army could take me down.' Now that I know who you are exactly, I didn't realize the irony of my words back then."

"We suppose it happens," Ermac replied. "But there is something else we share in common; we both once served a… master… and now we both wish to atone for our sins."

Sagat nodded. "That is true."

Then, without any more hesitation, the two of them ran forward towards the other, beginning their sparring match.

~~~

**Kerala, India**

After weeks of working on fixing the bent propeller, Ruby Heart found herself sighing a big relief as she placed it securely on the base of the flying mechanics of her ship. Dhalsim watched over as Fujin assisted her in the task.

Once that was done, Ruby Heart wiped a bead of sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. "It's finally finished," she sighed. "And we've already went over all the inspections earlier in the day."

She double checked to make sure that the propeller was securely in place. "Now the only question is… can it fly?"

"There is only one way to find out," said Fujin.

Knowing what he meant, Ruby Heart climbed down the roped ladder. Once she reached the deck, the blond-haired woman began walking over to where the steering wheel was.

Meanwhile, Fujin flew down and joined Dhalsim outside the ship. "She's going to make sure it flies. Once that's done, we'll be ready."

"And the journey will finally begin," Dhalsim added.

They heard a small grinding sound before the propellers on the ship began to spin. The two watched for a moment to see if anything was not right with the spinning cycle. After about a minute, everything was looking the same and nothing was flying off.

"When we go, we should stop over to pick up the ones at the Shaolin Temple first," Fujin suggested. "They're the only ones expecting our arrival."

"That is fine," Dhalsim replied. "And as for the others, the closer we get to them, the better I'll be able to pinpoint their exact location."

"How did you manage to obtain such strong psychic powers?" Fujin asked curiously.

Dhalsim was just about to answer him, but a sudden flash came over his mind. The vision was brief, but what he saw made his eyes go wide.

Fujin noted this and became concerned. "Is something the matter?" he asked.

Dhalsim gazed at his surroundings for a moment before he answered. "Yes… there is…" He looked some more before speaking again. "Three beasts are near here…"

"LOOK OUT!" Ruby Heart suddenly screamed out as she peered over the ledge of the ship.

Dhalsim and Fujin turned around to where she pointed. A few yards away, they noticed three beings approaching. All three were more than seven feet tall. One looked like a centaur, and the other two had four arms with the male looking similar to a tiger.

Dhalsim squinted his eyes, never seeing such creatures in his lifetime. "What are they?" he asked.

"The two with four arms are the shokans, Sheeva and Kintaro," Fujin answered. "The other is a centaurian named Motaro… I'm afraid to say that they're allies of Shao Kahn."

"Great timing, huh?" called out Ruby Heart.

Fujin turned to the young woman. "You keep working on that ship! Dhalsim and I will distract them!" Ruby Heart nodded before returning to the steering wheel.

Dhalsim slowly got himself into a fighting stance. "I assume that these creatures are not willing to have a fair fight."

Fujin immediately shook his head. "Far from it."

By then, Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro were about five yards away. Kintaro was the first to speak. "So you are Dhalsim… you're much more puny than I imagined."

"What do you want?" Dhalsim asked.

Sheeva sneered. "The Emperor wishes for us to see to your death as you are-"

Before she could finish, Fujin quickly threw his hands forward, and gust of wind hit the female shokan with enough force to knock her off her feet. Despite this, the other two pushed on.

Motaro, recognizing Fujin from past missions, sneered as well. "Wind God or not, you will meet your demise," he promised.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

The large double doors to the throne room opened, catching the attention of both Emperor Shao Kahn and Empress Ivy Valentine. They watched as a group entered the large room.

The Emperor and Empress first noticed Quan Chi coming in as he led the group into the throne room. Reptile and Guy walked on either side of him with Outworld guards behind them. There were also others dressed in dark clothing that came in as well.

However, at the moment, the fact that an unfamiliar group had entered the throne room wasn't the current annoyance to the Emperor. Actually, there was something else that was bothering him at the moment as he noticed something.

"You better have a good explanation as to why Jin isn't here!" Shao Kahn yelled out. "I do not see him alive, nor do I see any of you carrying his head!"

Quan Chi didn't hesitate to answer. "There were certain circumstances which prevented us from reaching our goal. The biggest of them all was the fact that, when we arrived, some members of the Manji Clan were there, most likely protecting him."

"That should not have prevented you from capturing or killing Jin," said Ivy as she crossed her legs in front of her.

"Normally, it would not have," Quan Chi replied. "But the fact that their leader was present at the time we arrived made all the difference."

"You mean Yoshimitsu was actually there?" asked Shao Kahn. He slammed his clenched fist down on the armrest of his throne. "That imbecile and his wretched clan had been nothing but a nuisance ever since our invasion of the realms began!"

That was when the Emperor noticed the shadowed figures with the forces. "And what business do these shadows have?"

By then, Noob stepped forward to where Quan Chi stood. The necromancer noticed this and tilted his head in the direction where the wraith was. "You remember Noob Saibot? Well, he is now the current leader of the Brotherhood of Shadow and they have… offered to assist in the realm invasions."

Shao Kahn stared at Noob, indeed remembering him. Noob had once served Shao Kahn under the direction of Quan Chi just after the events of the Mortal Kombat tournament in Earthrealm. He couldn't recall any 'faults' that Noob had in the past and remembered how loyal he was to him during his time of service.

Still, Shao Kahn would have to be careful, especially with Noob's entire clan with him.

"I accept," the Emperor announced. "You may remain here in the palace if you so desire."

The Brotherhood members bowed to him in reply.

Once that was settled, Guy took a step forward. "The failure of our mission is inexcusable, especially with… unforeseen circumstances. If you wish, my Emperor, we request to bring more troops back to Jin's current location to finish what we started."

"At this point, it is no longer necessary," Shao Kahn said.

"What do you mean by that, massssster?" asked Reptile.

Shao Kahn leaned himself back in his throne. "… Because we will return to Earth very soon… to _finish_ what we started."

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

The sparring match between the Muay Thai master Sagat and the enigma Ermac continued. Nearby watching were Marshall, Paul, Cody, and Cyrax with Siegfried sitting on a nearby log and Julia and Ken watching from the watch tower.

" _Tiger!_ _"_ Sagat called out as he shot his fists forward. A fire projectile shot out and Ermac immediately flew up over it. His body was surrounded by a green aura. He stayed in the air for a moment before shooting down diagonally in an attempt to kick his opponent. Sagat saw this in time and jumped back.

Afterwards, Ermac landed back on his feet and the two covered the space between them. From there, they delivered various punches at each other for a minute before Sagat managed to strike Ermac on his side, causing him to stagger sideways.

" _Tiger Uppercut!_ " Sagat yelled as he performed the maneuver. He managed to land his fist underneath Ermac's chin, sending him flying up into the air. However, the enigma caught himself and managed to remain in mid-air as Sagat returned to the ground.

Seeing this, Ermac landed back down before raising his hands. Sagat attempted to move forward, but suddenly found that his was frozen in his place, his body surrounded in the same green aura like Ermac.

"What the-" he managed to say before Ermac telekinetically pushed him back. Sagat flew a few feet back before stumbling on the ground. After landing, he rolled back and quickly got back on his feet.

" _Tiger!_ " Sagat shot out another projectile, which Ermac moved out of the way from. Once more, they covered the distance between them and sparred more…

Meanwhile, Cyrax happened to hear footsteps coming from behind him. Wondering who was coming, the yellow cyborg turned around, only to see Amy Guile approaching.

"Hello," Cyrax said.

"Hi," Amy replied.

"I thought you were helping your Mom make lunch."

"I got bored."

Amy happened to look at the spar in front of them. To her amazement, she watched as Ermac flew up in the air before shooting a green projectile towards Sagat. Sagat managed to get out of the way before jumping up towards him, his right leg bent in front of him.

" _Tiger knee!_ " he yelled. He managed to hit Ermac square in the stomach and reared back a few feet. Still, the enigma managed to keep himself in the air even after being attacked.

Amy couldn't help but grin with excitement. "They both have the coolest moves, especially Ermac!"

Cyrax turned to her. "I thought you said _I_ had the coolest moves."

Amy looked up at the cyborg. "You do! But… can you fly?"

Cyrax seemed to bow his head in defeat. "… No I cannot."

" _Tiger!_ " was heard once more as Sagat shot out another projectile, this time while crouching low to the ground. He was able to strike Ermac in the ankles, forcing him to stumble back, but still retaining his balance.

Quickly, Ermac shot out his hand and, using his powers, managed to telekinetically grab Sagat and lifted him up in the air. Sagat yelled out more in surprise than anything. Before the Muay Thai fighter knew it, he was brought back down and slammed into the snow.

With the hold released, Sagat managed to get back up despite feeling some pain from the last attack. The two ran towards each other again and began delivering more attacks at each other, all while defending themselves as well. Eventually, it was Sagat who managed to hit Ermac with a few elbow strikes before kicking him in the face. Ermac was forced to back away, leaving space between them once more.

For a moment, the two stood in their fighting stances as though they were waiting for the other to make the next move. Then, a smirk came over Sagat's face. "Let's call it a draw… for the time being of course."

"We agree," said Ermac.

In the 'spectator's' area, Paul raised his arms out in what seemed like surprise. "That's it? No winner?"

"It's not about who wins," said Ermac. "It's about the spirit of the fight."

"Try saying that to those Outworld scums," replied Cody.

"I know one thing," said Sagat. "I only wish someone had told me that a long time ago."

By then, Jane had reached the group. "Lunch is ready everyone!" she announced.

"Oh great, I'm starving," said Marshall.

Those around to hear began to follow Jane towards the kitchen. Ermac, however, stayed behind. He decided to go over to the campfire area to do some meditating.

 _We are worthy warriors_ _,_ Ermac thought, referring to himself and Sagat. _But we still have a long way to go before we are both able to atone for our own sins._

~~~

**Kerala, India**

Ruby Heart felt her hands shaking a little as she tried to get her ship ready for its first flight in over a month. She had spent so long repairing her damaged ship. Minutes ago, she was feeling very optimistic about her ship flying once more… at least until the likes of Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro suddenly showed up. Dhalsim and Fujin were currently fighting them off, but she wondered how long they were able to hold them off.

 _Why did they have to come now?_ she called out in her mind. _Why now, of all times, did they have to come?_

Outside the ship, Dhalsim found himself facing the centaurian Motaro. Dhalsim had noted, despite being very large, that the beast was very agile. Dhalsim was mostly forced to teleport away as Motaro attempted to swipe him off his feet with his tail.

"Give yourself up and I may let you live," Motaro said to him.

Dhalsim stared at him. "I'd rather risk my life trying to save the realms."

"Then so be it."

Motaro quickly raised his tail above his head and a red projectile shot out from the end. Seeing this, Dhalsim quickly jumped to the side, and the projectile ended up hitting the ground instead. With a growl, Motaro attempted to jump forward, but Dhalsim jumped up high enough to get above him, letting himself float in the air for a moment as the centaurian passed by him.

Once that was over, Dhalsim turned himself around and, as he dropped back down, stretched his right leg out. He was able to land the kick on Motaro's face, who simply stook the pain off.

" _Yoga fire!_ " Dhalsim called out as he shot out a ball of flame from his mouth. Seeing this, Motaro quickly spun himself around and smacked the projectile away with his tail.

As he turned back around, Dhalsim stretched both of his arms out, his fists landed on the beast's chest. This time, Motaro staggered about two feet back from the blow.

"What the hell are you?" the centaurian asked with a growl. "We were told that you were nothing more than some villager with psychic abilities."

"You should never underestimate people," Dhalsim advised. "And whoever told you about me didn't inform you of my yoga abilities."

With a roar, Motaro ran forward and towards his opponent. However, the yoga master was ready for him.

" _Yoga flame!_ " Dhalsim called out just before releasing a long, large amount of flames from his mouth. Motaro quickly halted in his tracks, managing to stop just mere inches away from the flames. Feeling the intense heat, Motaro was forced to back away, raising his arms in front of him in order to protect his face and torso.

Soon the flames dispersed and Motaro was able to look down at his opponent once more. Realizing how close he was to him, he attempted to lift himself up before bringing his front hooves down. Dhalsim jumped out of the way before he was stepped on, rolling on the ground for a few feet before straightening himself up.

A thought ran through Dhalsim's mind as he stared up at the centaurian. _I can only keep him away for so long. The beast will eventually fight with more effort if this fight keeps up…_

Meanwhile, the Wind God Fujin was fighting the two shokans, Kintaro and Sheeva. There were a few times when the two tried to fight him at the same time, but Fujin was able to outwit them, mostly with his own powers. Eventually, he was able to push Kintaro back enough to find himself fighting Sheeva one on one.

For a while, the two fought hand to hand with Fujin having to pay close attention to the extra arms on the shokan. At one point, Fujin managed to hold off her upper arms after she attempted to punch him. For a moment, they struggled in an attempt to overpower the other.

"Just because you are a God," Sheeva began to say. "That doesn't mean that I won't be able to easily lose to you."

She quickly punched his abdomen with her two lower fists, forcing him to stagger back and release his hold on her. He briefly took a deep breath in order to shake the pain off.

By then, Sheeva jumped up high in the air in an attempt to stomp on him. Knowing what was going to happen, Fujin summoned a tornado just tall enough to hit Sheeva. She screamed as she was spun rapidly for a few seconds. Fujin then let the tornado dissipate and Sheeva was throw a few yards away.

Kintaro approached him then. Standing a few feet away, the male Shokan opened his mouth before a long line of fire shot out towards the Wind God. In retaliation, Fujin pushed his hands forward, releasing more wind power and blocking the fire from hitting him.

For about a minute, the shokan and the Wind God struggled against each other as they tried to overpower the other. However, Kintaro would end up running out of breath and was forced to end it in order to catch his breath. Noting this, Fujin ceased his own powers and waited until his opponent was ready to fight again.

"Too bad," Kintaro said after catching his breath. "Beings like you are less ugly when they burn."

Fujin suddenly heard footsteps nearby. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Sheeva making an attempt to approach the ship. Refusing to let this happen, Fujin flew forward before dropping down to kick Sheeva in the torso. As she fell down, he used his wind power once more to push her away.

By then, Kintaro was approaching him once more. Fujin got himself in a fighting stance, ready to fight more…

Back on the ship, Ruby Heart made every attempt to get the ship going. The propellers were spinning and the engine was going. She had seen the female Shokan attempt to approach. Fujin was able to hold her off, but she wondered how much longer her two allies were able to fight them.

_Please go! Make it out of here!_

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Ruby Heart's ship began to lift up from the ground for the first time since the invasion. On the ship, Ruby Heart held on to the steering wheel tightly, praying with all she had that the ship would make it. At one point, a strange grinding noise was heard from one of the propellers and she was sure then that the ship would come crashing down. However, the noise only lasted a few seconds before the engines became normal again.

Fujin noticed the ship lifting and quickly pushed back the two shokans with his powers. With both Sheeva and Kintaro backed away, the Wind God turned his attention to the fight between Motaro and Dhalsim. He saw the centaurian charging towards the yoga master. Without a second thought, Fujin summoned a powerful wind and sent it towards Motaro with enough force to send him flying away a few feet.

Dhalsim realized what happened and he turned to Fujin. Fujin immediately pointed up. "Get on the ship!" he called out. "I'll keep them at bay until Ruby Heart gets it in the air! Once that's done, I will join you!"

Dhalsim briefly nodded to him before floating himself up to the ship. By then, the three beasts had approached the Wind God, who took a moment to summon his powers once more. When they were close enough, he pushed his hands forward

"Not again!" Sheeva yelled out as she, Kintaro, and Motaro attempted to fight through the wind. During that time, the ship was starting to go higher and higher, eventually going up past the tall trees.

Satisfied, Fujin ceased his powers and, while the enemies were far enough, he flew up into the air and towards the ship. The two shokans and the centaurian saw this. Naturally, anger and frustration came over them.

"NO!" Motaro yelled out. "Not after all this time!" As he yelled, Kintaro attempted to blow more fire towards the ship, but unfortunately, it was out of his reach at this point.

Sheeva found herself shaking her head, realizing that they had just failed in their mission. "The Emperor will not be pleased," she whispered.

On the ship, both Ruby Heart and Dhalsim watched as Fujin landed from his flight. By then, the flying ship was now moving forward, leaving the grounds it had spent many weeks on.

At that moment, Dhalsim, Ruby Heart, and Fujin found themselves staring at each other, realizing what was now happening to them. After weeks of preparations and after weeks of wondering what would become of the realms, it now came down to this. Each of them had their own thoughts;

For Ruby Heart, it was to contribute to a cause she came to believe in after spending time here in Kerala. Also, she would see to it that her crew members, those who perished in the invasion, get the justice they deserved.

For Dhalsim, it was his chance to contribute his knowledge. Also, he would help in saving those who can still be saved. He would make sure that the death of his family and his people would not be in vain.

For Fujin, it was to help the mortals in fighting this battle. The Raiden he once knew would have wanted it, that he was sure of.

They would journey through Earth to seek out the chosen ones who served under the guidance of Raiden and Rose. They would then do the same in Keisei. From there, they would make their way to Outworld.

Most importantly, the chance has finally come for them to try to find the four chosen ones from the _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend… the four who would ultimately be the ones to end this universal conflict.

The journey to save the realms was now beginning.


	52. Chapter Fifty-One

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

Throughout most of the day, the Black Dragon served as a 'guide' for a nearby village, teaching the people there the ways of chaos. Some villagers tried to protest, but when the pendant necklace was placed around their necks, it did the job in opening their eyes to the ways of chaos.

As the sun was beginning to set, their mission was completed for the day. The Black Dragon members began their return towards their hideaway in the forest.

In the group, their leader Kabal walked alongside the Cleric of Chaos Havik as he spoke. "I believe that we only have one last village to go before we proceed towards the city of Chili-san."

"Indeed we do," replied Havik.

"I seem to remember the last time you tried to… get to that village," said Bryan Fury as he walked behind them.

"Yes, I remember," Havik sighed. "And we would've finished our goal too if that old man with the funky hair didn't get in the way."

On the other side of Havik, Tira growled a little bit as she remembered the 'old man with the funky hair.' She had tried to go after him the last time they were at the village. However, before she had the chance to land a strike with her ring blade, he smacked her away like she was nothing more than a fly.

 _Next time, I'll just go up to him and slice his head off!_ she screamed in her head.

"I suggest we rest for tonight, then go on with our plans tomorrow," said Kabal. "Of course, that's whenever we feel like it."

Havik scratched his chin for a moment. "I think, before we go forth, I think I should at least pay a small visit to the village… just for my own amusement."

"When do you want to do that?" Kabal asked.

"Hmmm… now!"

With that in mind, Havik quickly turned on his heel and began walking in another direction where the secluded village was located. Stopping in their tracks, Kabal, Bryan, and Tira watched him go until he disappeared into the woods.

Bryan folded his arms. "I… guess we go back to the hideout?"

Kabal nodded. "Let's go."

And with that, the three of them follow the other Black Dragon members back to their hideaway.

~~~

**The Skies of Earthrealm**

For the first couple of hours after leaving Kerala, Ruby Heart paid most of her attention at the propeller and the other mechanics while flying northeast towards China. She did hear a couple of grinding noises during that time, but she made the conclusion that it was mainly due to not flying the ship for over a month.

After a while, Ruby Heart began to relax a little, feeling that everything with the ship will be all right for the time being. She felt a strong wind on her back, her long wavy blonde hair swaying over her shoulders. She wasn't sure if the wind came from Fujin, who was with her along with the yoga master Dhalsim, or if it came from the spirit of the man who had built this ship.

 _Guide this ship,_ Ruby Heart found herself praying just in case it was the latter. _The universe depends on it right now…_

"Our first stop, as mentioned before, is the Shaolin Temple to pick up the warriors there," said Dhalsim.

"Yes," Fujin replied. "I believe it will take about a day to get there."

Dhalsim nodded. "There's something else I must mentioned. There are some more that are indeed around Asia. Also, there's possibly a small group of them in Japan, particularly on an island, but I'm not which one."

"I assume we'll know the closer we get there," guessed Ruby Heart.

Speaking about the location of the warriors reminded Fujin of someone he had contact with a couple of times prior to this moment. In his mind, he remembered an offer that he made to a certain spectre…

_"You're a demon of the Netherrealm," Fujin began. "But you had something in you when you were originally invited by Raiden to join with the other chosen ones in their quest to obtain the Chishio No Me medallion. I witnessed Raiden inviting you. And you had declined the invitation."_

_"Because I prefer to work alone," Scorpion reminded him. "And I had no need to work with those other mortals. If you are asking for my help in stopping Shao Kahn and his forces, then you are asking the wrong being. My only mission right now is to kill Raiden."_

_"I can make it worthwhile for you," Fujin mentioned. "I'll be making some other plans in the meantime, and I hope you can stand by until then. If you help me, I will personally see to it that you, and only you, will have the opportunity to eliminate your nemesis - Quan-Chi."_

_Scorpion folded his arms. "And how do you plan to do that?"_

_"I'm a God, I can find a way. Even a sorcerer such as Quan-Chi has his weakness."_

_Scorpion nodded. "In that case, only summon me when the time is right. In the meantime, I will continue with my quest the other Elder Gods had given me."_

_Fujin sighed, realizing that his plan to stall Scorpion was slipping. "I was hoping you would stand by until then."_

_Scorpion immediately shook his head. "I refuse to waste time while I wait for you. I will continue my quest as I was a few minutes ago."_

_He turned his back to Fujin and began to walk away. As he did, the spectre spoke once more. "When the time comes to take down Shao Kahn and his minions, you may summon me."_

After thinking about this, Fujin turned his attention to the Yoga Master. "There's something you should know."

Dhalsim looked at the Wind God. "What is it?"

"Some time ago, well, not even a week after the invasion happened, I had contact with someone who could help us out. He… has a bit of a history, but I believe he would contribute to our cause in fighting against the Outworld Forces."

"Do you remember where he was the last time you spoke to him?" Dhalsim asked.

"I do," Fujin nodded. "However, considering his… nature… I do not think it is wise to have him on the ship with the others."

"But then he might one of the four chosen ones," Ruby Heart mentioned.

Fujin immediately shook his head. "I sincerely doubt it. His sins indeed outweigh what's left of his good nature. I was thinking, though, once we get to Keisei, I will briefly return to Earth to summon him. From there, I will send him to Outworld and we'll meet him there."

"It sounds like a plan," said Dhalsim. "The more warriors we can get who can fight for our cause, the better."

Ruby Heart sighed a little. "So… you said that it's going to take a day to get to the temple?"

Dhalsim nodded. "Yes."

Ruby Heart propped her elbow on the steering wheel before resting her head on her hand. She ended up thinking about the other locations and wondering how long they were going to take to get there. "… This is going to be a long journey…"

~~~

**Sky Temple**

On top of the tall temple that reached up to the thick clouds, Dark Raiden sat in a lotus position as he meditated. His eyes were closed, feeling the speed of the wind pick up and the rumbling of thunder not too far from where he was.

Dark Raiden's mind mostly wandered to past events, specifically the more recent ones involving the invasion. He remembered that day… Fujin had tried to talk to him over 'what was going on with him' and 'why did he change,' a conversation which was mostly cut off by those who fought in the name of Shao Kahn.

It was funny… Raiden was only protecting Earthrealm like he always had… he just wasn't approaching his duty the way he used to. He had tried to assist mortals in defending their world, believing at one time that they wanted to fight for it as much as he wanted to.

Throughout the centuries, he watched the mortals fail and succeed in their fight. The Blood Tournament, however, finally showed Raiden the truth… the mortals weren't as 'eager' as he was in protecting their own realm. The current invasion and Earth's eventual doom was the icing on the cake.

His thoughts were brief, however, as he suddenly heard footsteps nearby. Raiden's eyes snapped opened, revealing their red color. There was something else that had become a nuisance ever since the invasion began… and that nuisance was now right behind him!

"So," Dark Raiden said as he stood up. "You've finally showed up." He turned himself around and was soon face to face with the ninja specter, Scorpion.

Dark Raiden remembered the last time he saw Scorpion… it was at the Shaolin Temple when he attempted to reanimate the body of the Mortal Kombat Champion, Liu Kang. Scorpion had shown up to assassinate him, but Fujin ended up arriving and sent the two of them away and into separate locations. Dark Raiden didn't see the specter again… until now.

Scorpion pointed a finger at Dark Raiden. "This ends here and now, Thunder God."

Dark Raiden folded his arms in front of him. "I can see that the Elder Gods haven't given up their quest to have me assassinated just yet."

"They had promised to reunite me with my family and clan," Scorpion claimed. "That is, of course, after you are taken care of."

The thunder nearby became louder almost as though it was replying to the ninja's words. Dark Raiden nearly smirked in amusement… he realized that they were in a perfect setting to battle it out. Besides, it was a long time coming.

The Thunder God slowly got himself in a fighting stance. "Very well then. If you wish to defeat me so badly, then so be it. Don't expect to survive once I am through with you."

At that point, it started to rain. The drops were light for a moment, but within a few seconds, they became heavy, soaking everything in its path. Not bothered by this, Scorpion let out a roar before jumping forward. Their battle began…

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

"This is all but a few of the weapons which will be authorized for civilians to use," said Admiral Lee as he paced himself. Behind him were a collection of various weapons of all kinds; swords, kwan-dos, bo staffs, nunchakus, and many others.

"I want to thank all the blacksmiths of Chili-san who have worked very hard to forge these weapons," Admiral Lee continued. He then looked over at one particular person who sat in the large group in front of him. "I especially would like to thank Rothion, whose hard work and knowledge contributed greatly in the building of these weapons."

The group clapped in reply and Rothion felt the hand of his wife, Sophitia, gently massage his right shoulder. It was her way of telling him that she was proud of him.

When the clapping stopped, Admiral Lee continued. "Now it's just a matter of helping these civilians use these weapons so that they are better prepared. Many of you are skilled in your own weapon style, and I am confident that you will pass your knowledge to these people." He then, once more, looked at a certain member of the group. "Maxi, you are the only one here who knows the nunchakus. I will most definitely need you to teach those who are willing to learn your style."

Maxi nodded to him. "Okay."

"I'm also sure that there will be many willing to learn the bojutsu style, a long-range weapon that is not too dangerous, but very effective when used right." He turned to two other people in the room. "Kilik and Jade, that's where you come in. You both have many years of experience and I'm sure the civilians who wish to learn your style will benefit greatly."

"We'll do whatever we can to help," said Jade with Kilik nodding in agreement.

"We also need great swordsmanship to teach those who feel more at home with a sword. Xianghua, that will be your responsibility."

"Huh," Xianghua uttered as though coming out of a daydream. She was at least able to hear the rest of what the Admiral said after he called her name. "Yes, of course."

"Hwang, you will be doing the same. And Sophitia, I am sure that those who want to learn the sword and shield will also benefit greatly from you."

"Yes, Admiral," Sophitia replied.

Before Admiral Lee could continue with business, the door to the meeting room swung open, catching everyone's attention. Two guards holding kwan-dos entered the room. "What's the matter?" the Admiral asked.

"There's… something going on," one of the guards replied. "We think one of the civilians has gone berserk."

"Actually, I don't even think he's a civilian of Chili-san, let alone Keisei," the other guard guessed. "He's wearing some form of strange, purple clothing that's most definitely not from here."

"He's also picking a fight with anyone who tries to approach. None of us can get near him."

"We'll try to help," said Hwang as he stood up. "Just lead the way."

The guards nodded before turning around to leave. Hwang immediately went next followed by Kilik, Xianghua, Maxi, Jade, Sophitia, and Rothion with Admiral Lee behind them.

~~~

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

_Freedom! I can almost taste it! Never has freedom tasted so good!_

On a side of a cliff, Heihachi Mishima found himself just a few feet away from reaching the top. For the second time in the past couple of weeks, he managed to make his escape from the villagers who happen to have an unhealthy obsession with worshipping him.

Normally, he would revel in it, but the extremes this village went to was just utterly ridiculous.

Heihachi was mostly watched around the clock or guarded ever since his attempt at his last escape. They were practically on top of them pampering him in every way possible with hardly any room to breathe.

The only reason he was able to make his escape now was because the village was having some sort of annual feast celebration. The villagers didn't bother to give him the details… not that he cared even if they did want to tell him.

While the celebrations distracted everyone, Heihachi took the opportunity to slip out of the village. Now there was only the cliff to climb… something he considered a 'cinch' to him, especially after the big climb he had to make after Kazuya threw him off of one over twenty years ago.

Before he knew it, Heihachi's left hand reached the top. He was able to feel the grass from underneath the palm of his hand. He was just moments away!

He reached his right hand up to the edge and soon began to pull himself up. "Finally, I've reached freedom!" he called out.

Just as he got his elbows to prop on the edge, Heihachi happened to look up… only to freeze in place as he noticed a familiar figure just a foot away, also staring down at him. Seeing his half-rotted face, Heihachi recognized Havik, the opponent he fought when he first arrived at the village. Neither one of them moved for a moment as they both continued to stare at each other, wondering what the other will do next.

Soon, it was Heihachi who spoke. "Hrm… I figured I'd run into you sooner or later. You know, thanks to that group of yours, I've been stuck in this village ever since. Sure, all the worshipping they've been giving me sounds great, but if you spent as much time here as I have, you will think otherwise!"

Havik only continued to stare as Heihachi continued. "I swear, this is the first time I can move, let alone breathe! Never have I been so desperate to escape from anything in my life!"

By then, Havik had slowly kneeled himself down and moved himself a bit so that he was closer to the man he described as 'the one with the funky hair.' Heihachi noted this, but kept talking.

"Listen, I'll make you a deal," the old man suddenly said. "Help me out of here and I'll let you and your group have whatever you want! A little money, weapons, anything! I'll even give you some women if you like! If they happen to find your face repulsive, I'll just tell him it's some mask you wear for fun or something. I am not one to make offers like this, but I'm so desperate to get out of this village that, for once in my life, I feel like being generous. What do you say?"

Heihachi noticed Havik cock his head a little to the side before rubbing his chin with his fingers as though he was thinking about what he said. Seeing this, Heihachi stared at him through hooded eyes, feeling a bit impatient. "Well?"

In reply, Havik reached a hand to Heihachi, eventually placing his palm on the top of the bald part of his head, patting him for a moment. He then leaned forward a little towards the old man before whispering a single word.

"No."

What happened next reminded Heihachi of why he was never generous to anyone to begin with. Before he had the chance to react, Havik pushed his head down with enough force to make the old man lose his grip on the cliff, sending him falling down.

" ** _WWAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!_** " Heihachi's screams were heard until he disappeared behind the trees below and back near the village he tried to escape from.

"AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Havik cackled maniacally as he stood up. He then stretched his arms a bit, making his bones pop a few times. "He's a fool to think he could try to make a _deal_ with the Cleric of Chaos. An _understanding_ is one thing. There is a difference between a deal and an understanding after all."

With that in mind, Havik turned on his heel and began to leave the area.

~~~

**Sky Temple**

The clouds around were heavy, dark, and thick, and the rain pour rapidly to the point that it nearly felt like a rushing river spilling over anything in its path. The only source of light around at the moment was the occasional lightning, which was soon followed by a loud, booming thunder. The Sky Temple looked intimidating in this viewpoint, but that didn't bother the two occupants who were currently battling it out on the rooftop.

Dark Raiden quickly extended his hands out, a bolt of lightning emerging from his palms. The bolt darted at Scorpion, who was running towards him to begin the battle. However, the spectre saw this and quickly disappeared in a puff of flames, which soon dispersed. Before the Thunder God realized what had happened, Scorpion reappeared behind him in another puff and flames before dive kicking him in the back, causing his opponent to fly forward before crashing face down.

Dark Raiden quickly rolled forward and stood up. It was then that he noticed the large war hammer that floated in the middle of the roof, his own weapon. The hammer had served as a sort of lightning rod for the temple. He had used it during the war against Shinnok, but afterwards, the weapon has not been used for any fighting purposes.

At least until now.

Quickly, Dark Raiden grabbed for the hammer's hilt before running back towards his opponent. Seeing this, Scorpion reached behind his back before pulling out his Mugai Ryu sword, the blade surrounded by flames with each movement that he made.

The two weapons soon clashed just as another crackling of thunder was heard not too far from them. From there, the two of them slashed their weapons at each other, mostly blocking or evading the movements of their opponent. They also tried to get themselves on offense in hopes of overpowering the other.

Eventually, Dark Raiden performed a roundhouse and managed to kick the sword out of Scorpion's hand. Not giving the specter the chance to retrieve his weapon, the Thunder God began to swing the war hammer rapidly at him, forcing the ninja to move back and away from the attack.

Then, Scorpion waited until Dark Raiden was opened before he quickly extended his hand out, his spear emerging out. Seeing this, Dark Raiden immediately blocked the attack with the hammer, sending the spear to another direction.

Now angry, Scorpion jumped forward. As Dark Raiden swung his weapon again, the specter ducked underneath. Seeing another opening, he grabbed Raiden, forced him to bend over, before delivering a few punches to his face before kneeing him. The last attack sent him flying upward and making Dark Raiden lose his grip on the hammer, the weapon falling to the ground.

Dark Raiden landed on his side, but soon rolled over and got back to his feet. "You'll pay for that!" he warned. Quickly, he jumped towards his opponent and sent a high kick to his chest.

The kick was hard enough to send Scorpion hurling backwards and, before he realized it, he crashed through the fence barrier and over the edge of the roof. Scorpion looked at his surroundings, seeing that he was now in mid-air and falling. He let out a scream as he fell about two hundred feet down before his back smashed into the tiled roof of an awning on the balcony below. The crash had enough force to leave a dent on an awning before Scorpion bounced off it and onto the balcony ground.

Dark Raiden watched until he landed before jumping off the roof, falling down until he landed without much effort. The fall the two had experienced would have injured a normal mortal, but it was something neither one of them had to worry about.

Scorpion felt the pain from the fall coursing through his body, but he wasn't about to let that keep him down. Dark Raiden waited until the ninja got to his feet before teleporting closer and punching him in the face. As Scorpion stumbled a bit, Dark Raiden then grabbed for his throat before sending electric bolts into his body. Scorpion let out a growl in pain before he was tossed to the side.

As the ninja spectre struggled to his feet again, Dark Raiden couldn't help but feel amused. "And they call you the 'Champion' of the Elder Gods? HA! The Elder Gods are much more stupid than I realized! Of all the 'champions' they could have chosen, they had picked a fallen ninja… a ninja who couldn't even protect his own family and clan when they needed him most!"

Scorpion was back on his feet by the time he heard the last sentence. His pale eyes were immediately filled with rage and he let out a yell as he got into a fighting stance, his fists bursting into flames.

"I'LL MAKE YOU REGRET THOSE WORDS!" Scorpion screamed before he darted towards the Thunder God. His opponent got into his own stance, ready to fight once more.

Dark Raiden had expected for the ninja to reach him, but just a few feet before that happen, Scorpion suddenly disappeared in a burst of flames. Dark Raiden tried to turn around, knowing that he would be behind him, but Scorpion managed to dive kick him once more, hurling him back a few feet. Once on the ground, Scorpion covered the space between them, delivering blow after blow on the Thunder God, his rage blinding him.

Then, Scorpion flipped himself backwards. Both of his feet were covered by flames as they hit Dark Raiden in the chest. The force sent the Thunder God flying back and, before he knew it, crashing through the balcony fence.

Scorpion watched as Dark Raiden went flying over the edge. Looking down, he saw nothing but a fog and realized that there was no other balcony that could break his opponent's fall. He then heard Dark Raiden's screams before he disappeared into the fog below…

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

A crowd had gathered near the docks by the time Hwang, Kilik, Xianghua, Maxi, Jade, Sophitia, and Rothion, along with members of the Coast Guard, reached the area. Just minutes ago, they were called upon to see to a civilian 'dressed in strange clothes,' who had apparently gone berserk.

The group wasn't sure what to expect. Still, they followed the two guards to where the person was. Already, they could hear them arguing with someone else within the small crowd.

"What do you mean I'm stuck here?!" a deep, male voice yelled out in annoyance. "I spent weeks trying to get here because I was told this city had the means of-"

"I know, sir, and what you heard is true," a member of the Coast Guard. "But I've been ordered to prevent all civilians from trying to leave the docks."

"I don't even live here!"

By then, Hwang and the others had reached the commotion, and they were able to get a better look at what was going on. Indeed the 'civilian' causing the chaos was not from around here, let alone Keisei. He wore a black vest over a purple shirt with black and gray 'patterns,' matching pants, black combat boots, and red fight gloves. His black hair was slicked back with the end pointing slightly upward in the back of his head.

As the stranger continued to argue with the guard, it was Maxi who chose to step in first. "What's going on here?" he asked out loud.

The guard seemed to sigh with relief, obviously glad that someone else was now stepping in. "This man is requesting to leave Keisei to go to another realm, but he doesn't understand that it's too dangerous to go right now as we are not sure of the fate of the realms."

"I understand perfectly," the stranger growled. His right fist was clenching and ready to cave the guard's face in. "But there will be hell to pay if you don't let me through."

The way he spoke left an unsettling feeling in Maxi. It wasn't even the sound of frustration… it was more of a threatening voice than anything else. He hasn't even seen the stranger's face yet and already he didn't like him.

"With that attitude, I can see why no one wants you to pass through," Maxi dared to say.

Everyone suddenly got silent as the stranger quickly turned his head to Maxi. The younger man got a good look at this face this time, especially the color of his eyes; the right one brown, the left on red with a scar underneath it.

The man narrowed his eyes at him. "You're a fool for saying that."

Maxi quickly pulled out one of his nunchakus. "That sounded like a threat."

"Hmph," the stranger huffed before getting into a fighting stance. "Let's see if you can withstand my fists. Your own toys won't protect you."

Not liking the way this was going, Kilik immediately grabbed Maxi's shoulders and pulled him back. "Maxi, we only came here to make things better, not worse."

Seeing a space between Maxi and the stranger now, Sophitia took the opportunity to get in between them. "Please… can we try to talk this over?"

"I don't mind," Maxi replied. "But what about him?"

By then, the man had folded his arms in front of him, his eyes daring Maxi to come after him. Maxi wanted nothing more than to cave his face in with his nunchaku, but decided to hold back for the sake of his friends… for now.

The guard who was arguing with the stranger earlier stepped forward. "I didn't get the chance to tell him that we've tried searching for the portal at sea, but we've been unsuccessful and we've lost our men because of it."

"Perhaps they've made their escape through the portal," the stranger guessed.

"I've personally witnessed the ship's destruction," mentioned Jade. "So I can assure you with confidence that's not the case."

Sophitia turned her attention to the stranger. His presence alone made her a bit uneasy, but she stood her ground. "I understand that you want to go home, but right now, it's impossible for anyone to do so. The Coast Guard is trying all they can to find the portal."

The stranger was silent for a moment as though thinking this over. He then unfolded his arms. "Assuming I'm… stuck here longer than I care to, what do you want me to do until then?"

Sophitia forced a smile. "You can always help out here if you like. We know about the invasions and we're trying all we can to prepare until then."

"Fine," the stranger said, realizing that he didn't have much of a choice right now.

Hwang nodded. "Welcome to Chili-san… um…"

"Kazuya."

From there, the group began to disperse and the Coast Guard members began to head back to headquarters. Hwang asked Kazuya to come with him. Reluctantly, Kazuya followed.

Maxi shook his head after that was over. "I assume he'll be staying at headquarters… I don't like it."

Jade sighed. "I figured you wouldn't, but I'm afraid you'll have to deal with it for a while. After all, we are all fighting for a common cause."

Maxi sighed as well. "You're right. Come on, let's go back."

As they did, Kilik happened to turn his head. He noticed Xianghua with a finger on her chin as though she was pondering over something. Curiosity got to him. "What's the matter?" he asked.

Xianghua shifted her eyes to him. "Nothing, but… this whole time, I've been wondering… have we ever met him before?"

Kilik shook his head. "I don't think so. I never even heard of anyone by his name until now."

"Oh I see. I can't help but to think why he seems familiar to me." Xianghua shrugged. "Oh well, I guess I'll never know."

After that, the two began heading back to headquarters.


	53. Chapter Fifty-Two

**Russia**

The morning sun was just beginning to rise as Raven and Dragunov began to pack a few supplies. The supplies included additional food leftover from the last couple of days of hunting and some goods they found in the cabin that could be of use later.

Raven specifically took his time with the packing. His shoulder was still slightly sore and he was somewhat still a bit weary after being stabbed by a roaming tarkatan some two weeks or so ago. However, after spending so much time here in the cabin, the agent was more than ready to get out of here and start moving forward towards the location of his jet. That jet, as of now, was his and Dragunov's only means of escaping the harsh Russian winter.

"If I feel worse after we get out of here, we'll stop at the closest cave," Raven suddenly said to Dragunov. "However, the way I'm feeling about getting to my jet as soon as possible, that might not happen."

Dragunov only nodded to him as he continued packing his own supplies. Raven did the same as he began to fold up a single blanket he found here in the cabin. As he did, the agent found himself drifting into his own thoughts, something he rarely did. Specifically, he was thinking about his time in Outworld, the tournament, and, for some reason, the day he first met the chosen ones.

Beforehand, he read one of the many letters his superiors had given him prior to his departure. If he was having any difficulty in figuring out the motives of Shang Tsung, then he was suggested to seek members of Special Forces who were also at the tournament. At first, Raven wasn't going to take the advice as he felt that he worked best when on his own.

Then, while scouting the forests, he ended noted someone snooping around. Thinking that the woman was searching for him, Raven made it a point to make himself known and show the woman that he was messing with the wrong person. Little did he know that he had found a Special Forces member by the name of Sonya Blade.

He still remembered that day clearly…

_She heard a loud whoosh, but before she could react, her own gun was suddenly knocked out of her own hands, catching her by surprise. Her gun flew about twenty feet before landing on the ground, along with another weapon. Sonya took a closer look at the weapon and saw that it was a kunai._

_Sonya quickly turned around towards the direction where the kunai came from. Immediately, she noticed a male figure dressed in all black, with the exception of his bleach blond hair, about ten feet away from her. He stood completely straight with his arms crossed in front of his chest as he looked at Sonya from underneath his dark sunglasses._

_"So you want to fight?" Sonya mumbled. She quickly put her hands out and four pink ring-like projectiles came shooting out of her hands. Her foe looked a bit surprised, but he managed to jump over them quickly, then he made his way towards her. Once he got to her, he performed a few high kicks, which Sonya blocked before she found an opening. She attempted a few jabs to the torso, but the mysterious man blocked her from succeeding._

_The two of them continued fighting. Both of them would switch between offense and defense as they tried to take control of the fight._

_During the fight, unknown to either of them, Sonya's ID badge fell out of her pocket and on to the ground near their weapons. Sonya sent a roundhouse kick, which the man blocked. He tried to follow it up with a punch, but Sonya blocked as well._

Damn he's good, _Sonya thought._ It makes me wonder when this fight will end.

_As the two continued fighting, Cammy, Lita, Chun Li, and Alex showed up. Upon seeing them, the male figure pulled back from Sonya, but still kept himself in his fighting stance. Sonya stepped back a few feet as well towards the girls._

_"About time you got here," Sonya said._

_"Well you did tell us to stay back," replied Chun Li. "But we heard fighting and figured that you needed help."_

_During the conversation, the black-dressed man noticed Sonya's ID on the ground and picked it up along with the kunai he threw moments ago. The girls noticed him doing so as he straightened himself back up. He then looked at it for a moment before looking back up._

_"You're Agent Sonya Blade of Special Forces," he said._

_Sonya raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, and?"_

_Immediately, he went through his pockets and took out his own ID badge. He then brought it to Sonya, who cautiously took it in her hand. Upon seeing the badge, she realized that there was a misunderstanding._

_"You're Raven from a… government intelligence agency," Sonya said. "I've heard of you, they say that you're one of the best."_

_"If I had known that you were with Special Forces, I wouldn't have attacked you," Raven replied. "I had thought that you were hunting me down."_

_Sonya chuckled a little. "I thought you were doing the same with me."_

_Raven nodded. "I've been on a mission to find out what's going on behind the tournament and mainly find out the motives of Shang Tsung. However, since my arrival here, I haven't been able to find out anything. My agency suggested that I of I came up with nothing, I should seek out member of Special Forces."_

_Sonya nodded. "You came to the right place. Although our main mission here is to track down former members of Shadaloo and former and current members of the Black Dragon, we can help you with your mission." She then pointed at her four allies. "This is Lieutenant Alex Walker, another Special Forces agent… Detective Chun Li of Hong Kong Interpol, and Agents Cammy White and Lita Luwanda of MI-6's Delta Red."_

_Raven nodded to each of them. The other four girls nodded to him as well as Sonya continued. "We're currently staying at… another location. We have other allies with us. Perhaps we can set up a meeting at this location for tomorrow evening."_

_Raven nodded in agreement. "Make it at eight o'clock. I'll be there."_

_He then turned around and began walking away, his scarf and two talon-like ropes tied on the end of his kunais swaying slightly in the wind…_

He didn't know what made him decide to join them after all. Raven figured it was mostly because he wasn't getting anywhere on his own after all. The chosen ones would serve to help him get closer to his assignment.

Sonya had died just before the chaos in Outworld after the tournament. Raven barely knew the woman, but what he did know about her was enough for him to give her the respect she deserved. Right after his return to Earth, he received a message from Sonya's CO and partner, Major Jax Briggs, who passed along the message from Agent Kenshi and Agent Alex Walker concerning Shang Tsung's demise. Everything else Raven needed to know, he learned from just the chaos alone.

Not seeing or hearing from the chosen ones since then, Raven wondering how they were holding up during the current invasion. He imagined that many of them were in similar situations such as him… just trying to survive.

Hours after the sun rose, everything was ready to go. Without a word between Raven and Dragunov, as usual, the two of them headed outside and back into the cold Russian winter.

~~~

**Shaolin Temple**

Sitting in a lotus position in the middle of the lei tai, Feng Wei's eyes were closed as he meditated. With the exception of the light wind, all was quiet around him and not a single person was near.

In the back of his mind, Feng Wei found himself thinking about his old master for the first time in a while. He still remembered that rainy day when his master was murdered by his own fists, though the monk didn't expect it. He remembered the remorse he felt then, but he had moved on for the most part since then.

Feng Wei was already wanted by the police for destruction of property and other crimes… murder was not one of them. However, he did wonder sometimes if any members of his old temple were out to seek revenge for their master's death.

It wouldn't surprise him.

Suddenly, a strange noise reached Feng Wei's ears. It sounded like an airplane, but it seemed a bit more muffled and there was another sound he couldn't describe accompanied with it. He opened his eyes, only moving his head up slightly while he remained sitting in a lotus position.

Seconds later, he saw a site he never imagined he would see in his entire life. Hovering about a hundred feet above the trees was what looked like a ship that seemed to belong more in the ocean than in the air. He then realized what the other sound was; the propellers that kept it floating in mid-air.

Feng Wei raised an eyebrow at the sight. "Hrm?" he hummed, unsure of what to think.

The entire temple heard the noise as well, and they soon began to emerge to see the flying ship. They were eventually joined by Bo' Rai Cho, Kung Lao, Li Mei, Chun Li, Lei, and Yang, all flabbergasted by what they were seeing in the sky.

"I've seen a lot of strange things in my life!" called out Lei as he raised his voice above the noise. "But I think this officially takes the cake!"

"Let's just hope they are allies!" said Kung Lao.

Everyone continued to watch as the ship began to lower itself near the group. Those finding themselves underneath the ship quickly moved themselves out of the way. The vessel eventually hovered about fifty feet from the ground and two figures slowly flew out and towards the group.

Yang immediately recognized one of them. "Fujin!" he called out.

Chun-Li recognized the other figure. "Dhalsim."

"So that's the yoga master you've told me about," said Lei.

Li Mei had to smile after hearing all of this. "Something tells me we'll be beginning our journey."

Soon, Fujin and Dhalsim approached the six of them, all bowing to each other in respect before Dhalsim spoke. "I am sure that you are aware of what's been happening outside the temple."

Bo' Rai Cho stepped forward. "Yes, Fujin had kept us informed when he visited us not too long ago. I assume that we will be departing today."

Dhalsim nodded. "Yes, you will be leaving today. You are the first to be boarding this ship. Our first leg of this journey to fight against Outworld is to pick up everyone you knew from the tournament here on Earth. From there, we will be making our way towards the realm of Keisei to seek your allies there. We will then go from there."

"Sounds like fun," said Lei.

A thought came to Li Mei. "Keisei… you don't think they've been invaded yet, do you?"

"We're not quite sure," said Fujin. "But we'll know once we get there."

"Since we are in no immediate danger, I'd suggest gathering some necessary supplies for your journey," Dhalsim suggested. "The trip will be very long."

Two hours later, the six of them were ready to go. At one point, Fujin had noticed Feng Wei and invited him to come along just as promised. Lei still wasn't sure about him coming along, but he tried his best to convince himself that they were both fighting a common enemy.

Soon, the flying vessel departed with the seven mortals as the Shaolin Monks below waived goodbye and prayed to them for a safe journey to save the realms.

~~~

**Sky Temple**

_"And they call you the 'Champion' of the Elder Gods? HA! The Elder Gods are much more stupid than I realized! Of all the 'champions' they could have chosen, they had picked a fallen ninja… a ninja who couldn't even protect his own family and clan when they needed him most!"_

_Scorpion was back on his feet by the time he heard the last sentence from his opponent, Dark Raiden. His pale eyes were immediately filled with rage and he let out a yell as he got into a fighting stance, his fists bursting into flames._

_"I'LL MAKE YOU REGRET THOSE WORDS!" Scorpion screamed before he darted towards the Thunder God. His opponent got into his own stance, ready to fight once more._

_Dark Raiden had expected for the ninja to reach him, but just a few feet before that happen, Scorpion suddenly disappeared in a burst of flames. Dark Raiden tried to turn around, knowing that he would be behind him, but Scorpion managed to dive kick him once more, hurling him back a few feet. Once on the ground, Scorpion covered the space between them, delivering blow after blow on the Thunder God, his rage blinding him._

_Then, Scorpion flipped himself backwards. Both of his feet were covered by flames as they hit Dark Raiden in the chest. The force sent the Thunder God flying back and, before he knew it, crashing through the balcony fence._

_Scorpion watched as Dark Raiden went flying over the edge. Looking down, he saw nothing but a fog and realized that there was no other balcony that could break his opponent's fall. He then heard Dark Raiden's screams before he disappeared into the fog below…_

Scorpion stood where he was for a moment, waiting until he could no longer hear the screams. It was as though someone had slowly turned down the volume. This only confused the spectre. The fall down wasn't all that long, and it was odd to him that the screaming didn't stop so abruptly as he had imagined it would.

He slowly walked over to the edge of the balcony, slightly peering over the edge without getting too close. The fog that heavy not all that long ago seemed to lightened and he was able to see the bottom of the temple. However, because of how dark it was, he wasn't able to see anything.

Then, lightning struck, and Scorpion was able to see the bottom briefly… only to see no one there!

Scorpion quickly turned around and got himself away from the edge of the balcony. As he did, he suddenly noticed Dark Raiden attempting to perform his torpedo maneuver, his body surrounded in electricity as he flew towards him. Seeing this, Scorpion jumped out of the way. Dark Raiden then got back on his feet before turning to face his opponent again.

"Fool… did you actually think I could die from a mere fall?" Dark Raiden said with a sneer.

In reply, Scorpion raised his hands up, which were surrounded by flames. Dark Raiden felt heat from underneath his feet and he jumped forward before a large fire ignited from where he stood. With Scorpion left opened, Dark Raiden was able to get close to him and perform two punches to his face, causing him to stagger back.

However, before he was out of arm's reach, Dark Raiden grabbed the top of his head. Briefly, he sent electricity into his head, the pain making Scorpion yell out before Dark Raiden backed away. Then, he put out one hand and shot out another projectile, which hit Scorpion in the chest with enough force to hurl him back before crashing to the ground.

Another sneer escaped Dark Raiden as Scorpion slowly began to get himself up. "The Elder Gods were fools to think that they could send their 'Champion' to defeat me. What did they promise you? To bring your family and clan back from the dead? It's best to move on, you know, especially considering that the Elder Gods do not help anyone and make false promises to those given impossible tasks."

In retaliation, Scorpion disappeared in another burst of flames before quickly reappearing behind him. As Dark Raiden began to turn around to look behind him, he was met with an uppercut to the jaw, sending him hurling up into the air. As he started to fall back down, Dark Raiden got himself focused, flipping himself before shooting out two more projectiles. Scorpion jumped to the side to avoid them before Dark Raiden was back on the balcony.

Scorpion then ran forward, but before Dark Raiden had the chance to defend himself, his opponent managed to punch him in the gut. He then used his other fist to smash into Dark Raiden's face with enough force to send him crashing onto his back. Scorpion walked forward and made an attempt to lift his foot up to crush his chest, but Dark Raiden teleported out of the way, getting back on his feet as Scorpion missed his target.

At this point, Dark Raiden had enough of the nuisance in front of him, tired of the 'games' the Elder Gods had sent him. Collecting powers into his hands, he knew what he was going to do.

Scorpion saw that he was distracted. Taking the opportunity, he hurled himself forward, but when he was a few feet away, Dark Raiden raised his hands up, both which were glowing in a red color. A red energy formed right in front of Scorpion. He tried to stop himself, but it was too late as he ended up flying into what he realized was a portal. After going through it, the portal closed.

"To hell with you!" Dark Raiden yelled out with clenched fists, the red aura disappearing. He then looked up towards the sky and pointed up. "Elder Gods! You need to do better that if you wish to see to my death!"

With that, he began to flying back up towards the top of the temple. He would meditate once more as he was because Scorpion showed up.

~~~

**Yakushima Island, Japan**

Yoshimitsu woke up in a jolt as a nightmare left his mind. As he caught his breath, he started to remember the dark he just had. It was about something he hadn't thought of in quite some time.

 _The_ _Chishio No Me_ _medallion…_ he thought.

The dream was clear to him as though it happened yesterday. He would still remember finding the object so many years ago and how it gave him and the Manji Clan so much power, a power that would last for twenty years.

At the time, Yoshimitsu didn't realize the curse of the medallion until it nearly ate him. He remembered holding it in his right hand when it started to take over. He tried to release it from his grip, but the object had a great hold on him. The Manji Clan leader had no other choice but to use his sword to cut off his right arm in order to free himself before it was too late.

He looked down at his right arm, now replaced with a mechanical prosthetic, one of many replacements throughout his life. _At least now, the medallion is gone,_ he thought to himself. _It's one less problem for the realms to worry about_ _._

Deciding to forget about the dream, Yoshimitsu got himself up, grabbing his sword before emerging from the tent, one of the few set up outside the cabin on the island for his clan. It was heavily cloudy out, and the smell in the air indicated that it would eventually rain.

He noticed his allies around the campfire eating breakfast. He decided to approach them to see what they were up to.

It was Asuka who noticed him first. "Morning, Yoshimitsu," she said.

Some of the other said the same before he nodded in reply. Seeing a boulder nearby, Yoshimitsu decided to sit down and join the others. King turned to him. "We're… discussing the invasion."

"Oh?" Yoshimitsu wondered.

"It's mostly about what happened before we got here," mentioned Mi-na.

"Like the kind of enemies we fought," said Hwoarang.

"How strong they are," added Karin.

"And what could happen when they return," said Dan.

"All this time on the island and no solid plan as of yet," sighed Maki.

Ryu sighed then. "There are also those… visions. It came back to me last night."

The others looked at him. "You… had it again?" asked a nervous Cassandra.

"What visions?" Yoshimitsu asked.

Jin decided to explain. "A few of us in the beginning had these visions. None of us are sure what it means, but either way, we've all had it… the blood red sky, chaos and destruction all around, the corpses, and the strong smell of death…"

Yoshimitsu suddenly straightened himself. "You've had that vision as well?"

Everyone was suddenly surprised to hear this. "Don't tell me you had one too," said Marduk.

The Manji Clan leader nodded. "It was some time ago, just before Earth was invaded. I thought I was the only one who had it. I didn't realize anyone else did."

"Just a few," Mika reminded him. "Mostly just Jin, Ryu, Asuka, and King."

"And apparently, Ryu had the vision twice," mentioned Hwoarang.

"We had an ally who had this vision during the tournament," said Ryu. "At the time, we thought it had something to do with the aftermath of the tournament when the chaos occurred."

"Apparently, that's not the case," added King.

A sigh escaped Asuka's lips. "I'm wondering… maybe we should just leave the island and return to the mainland."

"Not yet," Yoshimitsu suggested. "As you know, a second invasion is bound to happen."

"But we were found easily last time, remember?" said Karin.

"They would have found us no matter where we were and just as easily. How about this… we'll stay here for another few days. I know many of you are eager to leave and either help in stopping the invasion or find your loved ones. You are here because you needed a safe haven to devise a plan and prepare yourselves. At least let us prepare for the next invasion."

The others thought about this for a moment before quietly nodding, realizing that Yoshimitsu's idea was for the best. After all, he has the most experience with this chaos.

Perhaps a couple of more days wouldn't hurt.

~~~

**London, England**

The day was mostly quiet, but that didn't stop Cammy White from decided to see how the civilians were doing. At this point, most of them were recovered from their injuries sustained from the invasion. There were a handful that she got to know during their time here and she wanted to see how they were.

Cammy was alone as she walked through the hallway, her black combat boots creating an echo every time she took a step. She then reached a turn and began to go around the corner when she suddenly bumped into someone.

"Oh!" she called out. "I'm sorry, I-"

Cammy then stopped mid-sentence as she recognized Steve. She sighed a little, realizing that neither one of them had really talked in the past few days. As Lita had brought to her attention, Steve had been mostly withdrawn from everyone for whatever reason. Cammy found herself so busy with helping out around headquarters.

"Steve," Cammy managed to say. "I'm… I'm sorry we haven't talked. Are you all right?"

Steve shrugged in reply. "To be honest, I haven't really been feeling well lately. I've been feeling mentally exhausted."

"Is something the matter?"

Steve was silent for a moment before he answered her question. "It's nothing."

"Is it about the invasion?"

Steve shook his head. "It actually has nothing to do with it."

Cammy was confused as she was sure that the way he was acting lately may have something to do with what's going on. Steve began to walk away then and she ended up not thinking as she spoke. "Steve, please-"

Steven quickly turned around, an annoyed look on his face. "I said it's nothing!" he said harshly.

Cammy was a bit taken aback, not expecting such a reply. "Steve-"

"Just because we practically live together, it doesn't mean that I have to tell you everything! Besides, you didn't care earlier when I started to act like this!"

That last sentence surprised Cammy. Even so, she stood her ground. "I've been trying to help these people just as I had helped you before all hell broke loose!"

Steve's face began to soften as he realized what he had said to her. Indeed she had been trying to help those who were helpless. He realized then how selfish he was being. Not knowing what else to do, Steve turned around and stormed off, which only left Cammy fuming.

Unknown to either one of them, they were near the room which belonged to Nina Williams. The assassin heard the two talking as she started to open the door. She had decided to wait until they were gone. She ended up hearing most of the conversation between Steve and Cammy and felt the tension between them.

 _It sounds like he hasn't told her about…_ Nina started to think, but then decided to push the issue out of her head. Deciding to forget about it, the blonde woman stepped out of the room, locking the door behind her before departing for the training room.

~~~

**The Skies**

Flying high in the sky, Chun Li and Lei leaned over the edge of the ship, finding themselves looking at the rest of the world for the first time in over a month. From this position, they were able to see parts of the world that were affected by the invasion and parts that were barely touched.

A thought came to Chun Li and she had to chuckle a little. "This is the first time in my life where I get to fly without being strapped to a seat."

Lei had to laugh as well. "It feels great, doesn't it?"

"It sure does."

Lei wrapped an arm around his fiancé. "At least now, we're finally getting the chance to fight back and save the realms."

Chun Li leaned her face on the side of his. "I just hope we can succeed. I also hope that we can find Yun and Maki while we're at it, for Yang's sake."

"I hope so too," Lei agreed. "And… if we make it back to Earth well and alive after all of this is over, then we can get married as soon as possible."

Chun Li looked down at her engagement ring and smiled. "I look forward to that day." She then leaned closer to him and the two shared a kiss.

Nearby, Ruby Heart, had her hand on the steering wheel, but barely had a grip on it, not feeling that it was necessary right at the moment. As they had departed from the Shaolin Temple, Fujin used his powers to create more wind going in their direction in order for their journey to move faster.

The pirate was also feeling less agitated the move they traveled. She was becoming less and less worried about the propeller that took five weeks to fix as it seemed to be doing all right.

 _Hopefully, it stays that way,_ she thought.

As the thought left her, Dhalsim began to approach her. "How is the ship?" he asked.

"Funny you asked," Ruby Heart replied. "I was just thinking how well it's doing right now. I hope it stays this way."

"Let us hope that."

The pirate then asked him a question she knew that she was going to ask him upon returning to the ship. "So… is anyone a chosen one yet?"

Dhalsim was silent for a moment before he answered more quietly. "There were a few of them that I was able to eliminate easily. However, I've run into a bit of confusion with two of them."

Ruby Heart raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Well, their aura is a near match of one of the colors from my vision, but they're very close together that I'm not quite sure if they really do match. They look identical, and yet, there also seems to have a different shade."

"Oh boy," Ruby Heart sighed. "So what will you do?"

"The only thing I can do is further analyze their energies. Perhaps my psychic abilities aren't up to par at the moment, but we shall see."

"Hopefully it comes easier the more allies we gather."

"Perhaps. And if it turns out that one of them is part of the _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend, that would be great."

"Speaking of allies," Ruby Heart continued. "Where are we going next?"

The answer came to Dhalsim rather quickly. "The Himalayans."

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

The doors to the throne room opened, catching the attention of Shao Kahn and Ivy as they were discussing exactly when they would go to 'finish off' Earthrealm. They immediately noticed the trio consisting of Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro entering the room.

The Emperor and the Empress knew of their failure to get rid of Dhalsim long before their arrival, so when they were spotted, neither one of them were happy to see them to say the least.

Naturally, Shao Kahn was the first to speak. "You better have a good explanation as to why you failed in your mission to get rid of Dhalsim!"

Kintaro spoke first. "We were closing in on him, but we didn't expect the Wind God to be there. We tried to get rid of him, but they managed to escape on some… vessel."

 _Fujin…_ the Emperor thought, realizing exactly who it was.

Ivy nearly sighed as she turned her head to Shao Kahn. "This is the second time something like this occurred to our generals. First Jin, now Dhalsim."

"I'm aware of that," Shao Kahn growled. "I just realized how many useless Generals I have in my army!"

"We just hit a dead end, that's all," said Sheeva.

Motaro stared at her. "If it wasn't for your carelessness, the psychic would have been dead already!"

Kintaro glared at him. "As if you didn't do any better!"

"SILENCE!" Shao Kahn bellowed, shutting everyone up in the room. Even Ivy felt a bit unsettled after that.

The Emperor leaned back against his throne. "It is obvious that the Elder Gods had meddled in this particular affair if Fujin himself was there. For them to even be involved in some way is… unexpected."

"I thought the Elder Gods don't meddle in these kinds of affairs unless you yourself attempted to invade the realms," said Ivy.

"Yes… unless Fujin has relinquished his status somehow…"

That was when Shao Kahn noticed something in Kintaro's hands. "What is that you hold?"

Kintaro looked down at the object for a moment before replying. "After Dhalsim and Fujin escaped, we explored the area for possible food and important objects before returning to Outworld. There is this spot that looked like a place of worship with a bunch of written tablets… if I may approach your throne, my Emperor."

Shao Kahn nodded as he stood up. "Come forward."

Kintaro walked over to him, going up the steps before extending his arm that held the object, which the Emperor realized was a stone tablet. "I… think you should read this one in particular."

Shao Kahn took the tablet in his hand, bringing it towards him before reading its content;

_Ano Sentaku Bou - The Chosen Ones._

_In a time of universal war, four individuals within this universe have the power to eradicate the main source of the conflict. With the perfect balance of purity and sins within their souls, their energies, when together, could be used as a weapon against the enemy._

Everyone in the room was silent as he read the tablet. For Ivy, she wondered if he would eventually read the tablet out loud as she was curious as to what it said. Apparently, it was important enough for Kintaro to bring it back here.

Then, everyone in the room became startled as Shao Kahn let out a screaming roar as he raised the tablet above his head. Then, with force, he brought the tablet down and smashed it into countless pieces onto the marble floor.

"I WILL _**NOT**_ BE SWAYED BY A MERE LEGEND!" Shao Kahn shouted louder than before. He then pointed towards the doors as his glowing red eyes glared at the three Generals in front of him. "GET OUT BEFORE I SLAUGHTER YOU ALL!"

That was all the convincing needed for Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro to quickly turn around and run out of the throne room with all they had. At least they remembered to close the door behind them.

As the Emperor sat back down, Ivy found herself sighing as she stared at the shattered tablet. _Well, I guess I'm not going to find out what that tablet said anytime soon._


	54. Chapter Fifty-Three

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

A strong scent of something unfamiliar caused Wagner to awaken from his slumber. He had just barely fallen asleep in his tent after his watch shift ended. The young man's eyes opened a bit, realizing how groggy he was feeling right now.

"Damn… what's that smell?" he mumbled as he shifted in his bed.

"It just some beans," he heard Juli say out loud.

Wagner opened his eyes more, soon seeing Juli sitting up on her own bed. In her hands were a spoon and a bowl with hot steam emerging from the top. Her brown eyes looked over at her boyfriend curiously. "I thought you were asleep."

Wagner yawned as he slowly sat himself up. "I was," he said as she stretched his arms out. "Until you brought that awful smell into the tent."

Juli couldn't help but chuckle lightly. "Sorry. I was hungry and the kitchen was actually a little chilly today."

"Uh huh. Say, what time is it?"

"A few minutes before noon last I checked."

"I see."

There was silence then as Juli started to dig into her lunch. In her mind, she pretended that she was eating a gourmet meal consisting of a Panini sandwich with shredded chicken, spinach, melted mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and a touch of mayonnaise with a small bowl of broccoli and cheese soup.

It was the only way she could get through eating a bowl of nothing but beans.

Unknown to Juli, Wagner got himself out of bed before bringing himself closer to her. Before she realized what was happening, the young man suddenly got on the bed and gave her a surprise hug. She was not expecting the gesture and was surprised enough to lose her grip on the bowl. She tried to keep it in her hand, but she ended up not winning as the bowl spilled over onto the floor.

"Scott!" Juli cried out. "Look what you made me do!"

Wagner realized what happened as he saw the bowl on the floor. "Oops. I'm sorry, babe."

Juli sighed. "It's all right. At least it didn't land on the cot. Let's just clean this up."

The two took a moment to clean up the mess before Wagner had an idea. "Since you lost this lunch, why don't we go back to the kitchen and have something better than just a bowl of beans."

Juli sighed. "Like what? A gourmet plate of peas?"

"Whatever we can find to eat. I seem to recall some rabbit being caught yesterday. Maybe there's some left."

"Maybe," Juli said. "In that case, let's go before the beans are eaten. And try not to spill them when I get a bowl in my hand."

Wagner chuckled at that. "I don't think that's something we'll worry about."

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

For most of the late morning, Maxi training himself with his nunchakus on the training grounds of the Coast Guard headquarters. He yelled out his battle cries as he rapidly swung his weapons around and performed a few kicks in the air.

Normally, his mind was cleared from any thoughts, but for some reason, he couldn't help but think about his last meeting with the golem Astaroth…

_Maxi quickly turned around just in time to see a large axe coming down right at his head! In fast speed, he rolled himself sideways, forcing the axe to hit the ground he was previously standing on instead._

_Once he recovered, Maxi looked up to get a better look at who just attacked him. Instantly, he recognized Astaroth, the very man who had killed his crew all those years ago._

_"You!" Maxi yelled out in anger._

_Astaroth stared at him as an energy charged surrounded his axe. "Worm!" he yelled out before swinging his axe in an uppercut direction this time. Quickly, Maxi got himself out of the way, stepping sideways before running over to his enemy while he was trying to recover from his last execution._

_The smaller fighter then executed his own moves with his nunchaku, swinging them in different directions. Astaroth managed to block most of the moves, though he did ended up getting hit a few times._

_When the golem got the chance, he managed to thrust the head of his axe into Maxi's stomach. The impact caused Maxi to stumble back a few feet and a rush of air suddenly left his lungs._

_As Maxi attempted to catch his breath, Astaroth then tried to swing his axe sideway. Maxi managed to duck under the axe in time, causing Astaroth to completely chop off a nearby tree instead. The tree instantly tumbled down sideways, landing on the ground with a loud crash and causing most of the leaves on it's branches to shake off._

_Maxi then got himself back on his feet. Although he was still trying to catch his breath, he attempted to fight back again. He performed an uppercut-like attack with his nunchaku, managing to hit Astaroth under his chin. He then spin around a bit before performing a back kick, which barely affect Astaroth._

_"Damn it," Maxi uttered under his breath._

_Suddenly, Astaroth took his foot and managed to knock Maxi's feet off, sending him crashing to the floor. As he looked up after recovering from the attack, Maxi's eyes widened suddenly as he once again saw the blade portion of Astaroth's axe coming down right towards him! Quickly, he moved himself out of the way just in time. Once again, the axe came crashing into the spot where Maxi was just at a split second ago._

_The two continued to fight for quite some time. As they did, neither realized that they had brought their fight over near a cliff area just east from the cave. At one point, Astaroth managed to head butt Maxi in the head, causing him to stumble back a bit before stopping himself just inches away from the cliff. Maxi happened to look behind him just in time and was very surprised to see the long fall below._

_Then, Astaroth jumped up and swung his axe. Maxi attempted to get out of the way, but the blade managed to cut his left arm a bit, enough for it to string and draw blood._

_"Damn it!" Maxi growled as he briefly checked out his wound before looking up at Astaroth. "Now you're dead!"_

_"Be gone you scum!" Astaroth yelled as he charged after his smaller opponent._

_Maxi waited until the golem was close to him. When he was, Maxi quickly smacked his side with a back hit, spun himself around before perform a low hit with a nunchaku. He then pulled himself back as a green energy charged his weapon before following it with a downward strike, hitting Astaroth with a force that made him stumble back a couple of feet._

'Now we're getting somewhere _,'_ _Maxi thought as he covered the distance between them again._

_From there, Maxi performed a spin kick (which was blocked), following it with a spinning nunchaku which hit Astaroth's kneed, before finally landing with a roundhouse that forced Astaroth to stumble into a tree. When Astaroth removed himself off the tree, Maxi noted the dent that was left behind._

_After Astaroth recovered, he managed to catch the butt of his axe under Maxi's feet. He then lifted one foot up before quickly stepping on the hilt which was lifted in a diagonal position. As the hilt went down, the butt of the axe went up, hitting Maxi and forcing him up in the air. Maxi flew just passed the height of the trees before coming back down and crashing into the ground. As soon as he did, he felt seer pain all over his body._

_"Damn it," Maxi found himself growling._

_Astaroth then attempted to kick Maxi in the face, but the smaller fighter rolled out of the way before it happened. Realizing that he didn't have enough time to recover, Maxi forced his body to stand up again and waited as Astaroth attempted yet another attack._

_While he waited, Maxi had just enough time to collect some energy into his weapon, a_ _fiery fire surrounding it soon after. He then pulled his good arm back, ready to strike._

_Astaroth, with a loud battle cry, was just covering the distance between them when Maxi swung his nunchaku sideways while letting out his own battle cry. He had expected the force to knock Astaroth to the side for more than a few feet. However, to his surprise, he ended up sending Astaroth right over the cliff nearby. As soon as the golem was completely off the cliff, Maxi went over the edge. He was able to hear Astaroth's screams as he watched him fall until he disappeared into the fog below._

_"Now stay dead this time!" Maxi called out, reveling in his victory against the golem once again in four years. He looked down the cliff for another moment before he slowly turned his back and began heading back to the cave…._

The thoughts left Maxi as he finished his training for the day. In the back of his mind, after seeing Astaroth falling down the cliff, he wondered if he really did meet his demise that day. After all, as far as he knew, the clan who created the golem still existed and could potentially resurrect him.

 _Then again, I killed him in Outworld,_ Maxi thought to himself. _But then again, it would be just my luck if he did come back somehow…_

Before he moved, Maxi suddenly heard footsteps nearby. Wondering who was coming, he turned himself around only to see his friend Xianghua walking by. It didn't take him very long to notice the sour look on her face.

 _I wondering what's bothering her,_ Maxi thought. Deciding to find out, he walked over to where his friend was.

"Hi Xianghua," he said just as he approached her. Xianghua stopped her tracks as she heard his voice, soon turning her attention to him.

"Oh, hi Maxi," she said a bit solemnly.

Maxi frowned a little. "You don't seem to be happy to see me."

"No no, it's not that," she assured him.

"Is anything wrong?"

"No, not at all."

Xianghua's last words made Maxi suspicious. It was then that he noticed movement nearby. Turning his head slightly, he noticed his friend Kilik sparring with the Edenian, Jade.

It became obvious to him then. He was a bit suspicious after Xianghua's outburst in the dining quarters a couple of days ago, but seeing them sparring again and Xianghua's sour mood, Maxi realized what was going on with his friend.

She was jealous… very jealous.

Maxi had always known that Xianghua had some sort of infatuation with Kilik ever since the three of them started to travel together. He was never sure what Kilik thought as the young man was much more reserved in his feelings… though right now, he wasn't exactly doing a great job of that when it came to the Edenian beauty.

The raven-haired man decided to try to comfort his female comrade. "You know, you can't always have everything you want."

Xianghua gave him a confused stare. "What do you mean?"

Maxi gave her a knowing look in reply. Seeing this, the young woman sighed. "Okay, I'm… a bit jealous of Jade."

"Why are you jealous?" he asked.

"Because… because… well, I guess because she's beautiful. I wish I had green eyes and a beautiful tan like she has."

Maxi nearly chuckled, knowing that Xianghua was lying through her teeth. However, he decided not to push the issue and change the subject. "Why don't I take you down to that market nearby and buy you some lunch. I bet that will make you feel better."

Xianghua smiled. "Sure. I was just thinking about how hungry I was anyway."

"Good, let's go then." With that, the two of them began to depart.

Meanwhile, Jade sparred with Kilik, she had noticed Maxi and Xianghua nearby. Specifically, she noticed Xianghua looking at the two of them quite a few times. Jade nearly forgot… the young woman had a crush on Kilik. The way she also looked at her, the Edenian knew that Xianghua was feeling jealous.

"Is everything all right?" Kilik suddenly asked as he noticed his sparring partner staring into space.

Jade shook her head a little before looking back at him. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something."

"Like what?"

"Like… sometimes, there are things that you may have, but you don't quite know it."

Kilik was confused. "Huh?"

Jade smiled a little as she patted his shoulder. "You'll understand someday. Now, shall we continue?"

Kilik got into a fighting stance. "Sure."

Meanwhile, in his own sleeping quarters, Kazuya Mishima watched the activities from outside of his window. Ever since arriving in the city, he mainly kept to himself. He did, however, inform Admiral Lee about the eventual coming of the Black Dragon. It turned out, however, that the Coast Guard members were on high alert of their presence nearby.

 _So much for that,_ he remembered thinking afterwards.

Kazuya also wondered if Heihachi Mishima was even still here in Keisei after all this time. He imagined that he was since it seems like no one around here knows about any portals that could be used to go to another realm.

 _Of course, the old man could have found his own means of escaping,_ he thought. _He_ _would_ _pull something like that._

In his mind, Kazuya also realized that there was only one other means of leaving Keisei and returning to Earth… that was for Keisei to be invaded just as Earth was over a month ago.

_We'll see when that happens._

~~~

**Himalayan Mountains**

"I can't even remember how I became an assassin to begin with," said Sareena as she stared at the lit campfire in front of her. "If I did have a previous life, I apparently did something terrible to end up in the Netherrealm to begin with."

Sub-Zero was sitting next to her, also staring at the flames as he listened to her. "You don't remember your life before the Netherrealm?" he asked curiously.

Sareena shook her head. "None of us from there really do. Even if we did, all the torture that we endure tends to strip away those past memories. For me, I only knew of my life as an assassin for so long, working for the Brotherhood, Quan Chi, and Shinnok."

The last name caught the ice warrior's attention. "Shinnok?"

"You know him?"

"In a way," Sub-Zero replied. "A couple of years before the Blood Tournament, there was another kind of war I was a part of involving Shinnok. He made an attempt to take over the realms, but naturally, we fought back. I think, in a way, our experience with Shao Kahn when he first tried to invade helped us."

Sareena sighed a little. "I actually remember when he managed to escape the Netherrealm. I also remember when he was sent to the deepest depths of hell upon his 'return.' It all occurred just before I made my escape."

She drew her knees to her chest, resting her arms on top before continuing. "It was Shinnok who sent me deeper to hell after my encounter with your brother. I can't recall how he discovered my betrayal, but it's no matter because, yes, he did find out and I was punished for it."

Sub-Zero turned to her, noticing the solemn look on her face as she recalled the dark memories. He had been through his own hell for most of his life, but it was practically like peaches and cream compared to what she went through.

Without thinking about it, the Grandmaster reached over and placed his palm over her hand. Sareena felt the cool feeling and looked over at their hands for a moment before gazing her onyx eyes up at him.

"I can't imagine what you've been through," Sub-Zero mentioned. "But know that all of that is over. You're safe now and nothing can harm you, not as long as I'm around." After saying that, he pulled his hand away, the cool feeling remaining on hers.

Sareena had to smile a little, feeling assured. "Thank you, Sub-Zero."

"Kuai Liang," he said as thought correcting her.

She was confused after hearing that. "What?"

"You can call me Kuai Liang if you like. That's my true name."

Sareena stared at the fire. "Kuai Liang," she repeated as though trying it out. "You know, I like it."

They then heard footsteps coming towards them. The both of them turned their heads in time to see Smoke coming into the cave.

"I'm… not quite sure how to tell you this, but…" the cyborg started to say.

"Is something wrong?" Sub-Zero asked as he stood up with Sareena doing the same.

Smoke seemed to scratch his head a little. "Well, I think nothing's wrong but… oh jeez, you're going to think I'm crazy."

"What is it?" Sareena questioned.

Smoke straightened himself out before finally deciding to blurt it out. "Sub-Zero… there's a ship just outside the cave."

Sub-Zero became baffled. "I can see why you thought I would think you're crazy, especially considering there isn't an ocean miles from here."

"Well, it's the truth," Smoke replied. "I think it's one of those flying ships since it has propellers."

"There's no harm in going out to see what they want," Sareena suggested. "They may possibly be allies."

Sub-Zero sighed a little. "All right, let's go."

Together, the three of them began to depart the cave. Halfway out, they were able to hear the sounds of an engine. Sub-Zero shook his head a little, wondering if it really was a ship. Or perhaps, maybe, Smoke's nano-technology was in serious need of updating.

When they got outside, Sub-Zero couldn't believe what he was seeing. As Smoke had said, it was indeed an old-fashioned ship equipped with propellers. It shouldn't have surprised Sub-Zero to see such a thing, remembering the Dragonfly transporters in Outworld, the fastest form of traveling in that realm.

The fact, however, was that he was seeing this in his own home world.

"Well, it's most definitely a ship," said Sareena.

"It almost reminds me of a Nethership, only this one looks more inviting," mentioned Smoke.

That was when they noticed a lone figure approaching them. Sub-Zero squinted his eyes to get a better look, noticing the figure's long white hair, glowing eyes, and his maroon and teal attire.

"It looks like Raiden," Smoke said. "But at the same time, it doesn't."

"It isn't," Sub-Zero declared as he soon recognized the figure approaching. "That's the God of Wind, Fujin."

The ice warrior began to walk forward with his two allies following right behind them. Soon, they met Fujin halfway and stopped just a few feet away. In respect, Sub-Zero kneeled down on one knee, one fist planted on the ground, the other placed slightly behind him, and his head bowed to him. Smoke followed suit with Sareena doing the same, just in case.

"It's good to see you again, Fujin," Sub-Zero said just before standing up. Smoke and Sareena did the same.

"It's been a couple of years I believe," Fujin replied. "I only wish it was under better circumstances. I've come because we are in need of your assistance."

"If it involves fighting against the Outworld Forces, then my allies and I will be more than happy to assist."

Fujin nodded. "Indeed it is. You will be joined by some of your allies from the Blood Tournament. At the moment, we are traveling through Earth to pick up the others you knew from the tournament, at least most of them. You are only our second stop."

"In that case, we'll talk more on the ship," Smoke suggested.

"I think that's best," Fujin agreed.

Fujin returned to the ship. After Sub-Zero, Smoke, and Sareena gathered their belongings, they got on the ship and were greeted by allies old and new. For now, there were ten of them not including Fujin, Dhalsim, and Ruby Heart, but there will be much more by the end of this leg of the journey.

As the ship departed, Dhalsim analyzed the three new passengers. Smoke and Sareena were immediately eliminated as potential chosen ones as their inner auras were much too dark compared to his visions. However, just like the two possible chosen ones from earlier, Dhalsim noticed the similar color in Sub-Zero. Like the other two on the ship, the yoga master would have to continue to analyze.

He wondered if finding the right chosen ones was going to be this difficult the whole way through…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

The last few days, the sorcerer Shang Tsung found himself aging a bit. Just yesterday, he noticed a few developing wrinkles on his face which accompanied the streaks of gray in his normally black hair.

All it took was for him to possess a few new souls from the dungeon to resolve that issue.

Leaving the corpses where they laid, Shang Tsung took a small chunk of his hair and brought to his view. The gray that was there moments ago was now gone.

"Much better," he uttered before departing the dungeon.

Upon exiting the dungeon, Shang Tsung turned a corner, only to run into Quan Chi for the first time in a while. The two of them stared at each other for a moment before a chuckle escaped the soul stealer.

Quan Chi folded his arms. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"Not much," Shang Tsung replied. "It's just… I heard not too long ago that your mission to capture Kazama didn't exactly go as planned."

The necromancer sneered. "I wouldn't exactly call your last 'trip' to Earthrealm successful either. All you did was take advantage of a woman, and then you ran off. Not exactly a mission if I say so myself."

"The opportunity came when it did," Shang Tsung argued. "You knew that I was after the swordsman to begin with! If it wasn't for Ermac showing up when he did, I would've had my revenge!"

Quan Chi was a bit surprised to hear this. "You know of that traitor's whereabouts?"

"Why do you think the Outworld Forces are having trouble finding him and that mortal Siegfried after we destroyed Lei Chen? Apparently, they followed me after I went through my portal."

Quan-Chi nearly laughed. "What other secrets have you been hiding? Well, I don't care about what you hide from the Emperor, but what you hide from me is another matter."

"Sounds like you're getting a bit paranoid."

Before Quan Chi could argue back, they suddenly heard footsteps nearby. The two of them turned to the noise just in time to see Sheeva walking nearby. Shang Tsung decided to choose that moment to turn his back and walk away. Quan Chi stared at him as he disappeared into the darkness of the fortress.

_When we get rid of Shao Kahn… you will be next!_

Nearby, Sheeva approached the throne room. She knew fully well that the Emperor was usually out to oversee his army around this time. During her time in Earthrealm, she was promised that she would talk to the Empress about a certain issue.

Now was the time to do so.

Sheeva entered the room, seeing Ivy sitting on her throne. The woman almost looked bored, but once the shokan walked in, her eyes seemed to light up a bit.

"What do you want?" Ivy asked.

"My Empress, I only wish to speak with you for just a few minutes."

Ivy nodded. "Very well. Come forward."

Sheeva walked until she reached the edge of the steps that led to the two thrones. She bowed down to her, noticing the scratches on the marble floor left by the shattered tablet from yesterday. She then raised herself up and faced Ivy.

"I wish to express a concern of mine that could affect the stability of our army."

Ivy smirked. "Not that it was all that stable to begin with, but that's just a personal opinion."

Sheeva had to smirk a little. At least the Empress knew how to put her subordinates at ease with some humor. "Well, as you know, the shokans and the centaurs have been enemies for as long as we existed. We're not quite sure how our hatred for each other started to begin with, but the shokans have seen the centaurs as inferior beings and, for some reason, they see the same with us.

"The shokans have served Shao Kahn for as long as he ruled Outworld. It is our lifelong ambition to serve him as our race considers it an honor and a privilege. It wasn't all that long ago when he started to recruit the centaurians. That, to us, is enough of an insult to many of us shokan, but to… work side by side with even one of them is just too much."

"I assume that your time on Earth working with Motaro wasn't exactly pleasant," Ivy guessed.

"We'll just leave it at that," Sheeva replied. "I am not complaining if that's what you think. I am merely speaking for my entire race on the matter."

Ivy nodded to her. "I understand your position. As a matter of fact, I have brought up the concern on a more neutral point. The fact of the matter is, Shao Kahn has chosen to have both shokan and centaur in his forces. Unless one of the races betrays him, it will remain that way.

"However, I also believe that the two races should not be working together unless other races were involved, like the tarkata or even the humans. For you and Kintaro working with Motaro is another story, however. Even in my position, the only thing I can do is speak with Shao Kahn. I will do my best to convince him."

Sheeva bowed to her once more. "Thank you, my Empress. I appreciate the fact that you are just as concerned as the rest of us."

The female shokan was just about the leave, but then a thought came to her and she decided to share it with Ivy. "I must admit… you are one of the few humans I respect. Normally, I can't stand them as I feel that they are very inferior. You're different from them. The Emperor was smart to pick you as his Empress."

Ivy smirked. "I appreciate that."

With nothing more to say, Sheeva began to depart the throne room, leaving Ivy alone once more.

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

The clouds above were heavy and the wind around blew with force. Julia Chang shivered a bit from her position on the watch tower. Her jacket was zipped all the way and she only wished to have a pair of ear muffs, feeling how frozen her ears felt.

 _I bet it's going to snow soon,_ she guessed.

She then heard someone coming up the tower. The young woman turned around just in time to see Ken coming up the ladder. "I know it's been very cold since we got here, but all I can say right now is… damn, it's cold," Ken said as he got to the top.

Julia couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm sure we'll hear that a lot from the others all day. By the way, thanks for switching shifts with me today."

"Not a problem," Ken said. "But remind me… why did you want to switch again?"

"Well, I wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon working on making some blankets out of the animal skins I managed to collect during our stay here. I'd hate to see them go to waste."

"Sounds like fun," Ken managed to say.

"Oh yes, before I go," Julia began to say. "Paul, Marshall, and Cody left the fort some time ago. Cody wanted to retrieve something from his car. I just saw them coming back towards here not too long so they should be back any minute."

"Good to know," Ken said. "Good luck on your project by the way."

"Thanks. See you later."

"Later."

With that, Julia began making her way down the tower. Just as she landed on the ground, she felt her stomach rumble in hunger. _Looks like I'll be eating first before I start the project._

As she made her way towards the kitchen, she noticed both Wagner and Juli starting to head over there as well. She guessed that they heard her footsteps as they soon turned their heads to see her.

"Hi Julia," said Juli. "Are you hungry, too?"

"Definitely," Julia replied. "I could go for some of that-"

"WAGNER!" they heard Paul Phoenix shout out. The three of them turned their heads in time to see Paul, Marshall, and Cody approaching them.

"What's up?" Wagner said as he stepped forward a couple of feet towards them.

Cody spoke first. "Well, we were out of the fort to retrieve some items from my car. On our way back, we… found a couple of things."

"Like what?" Juli asked.

Cody raised his left arm and everyone noted the black leather jacket in his hand. No one was sure who it belonged to at first, at least until it hit Wagner.

"I think that's Alex's jacket," he said. "She mentioned that she lost it… that day."

"I do wonder something else," Paul began. "Do you think tarkatans wear fancy necklaces?"

Wagner became confused. "What do you mean?"

It was Paul's turn to lift up his arm. This time, he was holding a gold-chained necklace that contained a gold pendant and a green jewel right in the middle of it.

"Oh wow," Julia said, almost impressed. "That gold looks real."

"It _is_ real gold," Marshall mentioned, resisting the urge to grin as he could only imagine how much money it would fetch them.

"The necklace was found a foot away from the jacket by the way," Paul said.

Julia raised an eyebrow. "That shouldn't mean anything."

"Maybe not," Paul continued. "But with this suspicion I've had for over a week, I still can't help but wonder if anyone other than tarkatans were there that day. I really don't think those mutants would care to own a piece of fancy gold."

"Oh for crying out loud!" Wagner yelled out in frustration, throwing his arms up. "You know, I'm getting really sick of you and your assumptions! Ever since this whole thing happened, all you've done is speculate, even though we've told you a thousand times what happened!"

"Well, sorry I can't help but wonder otherwise!" Paul yelled back.

"Guys, please," Julia tried to say as she stepped forward.

"There are worse things to worry about right now," Juli agreed.

"Yes, there are things to worry about," Paul said. "But what happened doesn't just affect a few of us, but all of us! Considering how sure I am that those Outworld bastards will come back for the rest of us-"

"I don't blame you, but damn it Paul! What happened, happened! Can't you just leave it at that?!" Wagner said in frustration.

Julia did not like where this was going, feeling the tension building up worse than ever. "Come on guys, can't we just forget about it?"

Paul didn't hear her as he spoke again. "You said that you saw what you saw that day! What about Alex?! Why won't she tell her side of the story?!"

Wagner clenched his fists. "Can you blame her?! Ever since that bastard Shang Tsung attacked her, all that's-"

He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, realizing that the cat was now out of the bag. The young man looked at everyone in almost a panic, suddenly feeling sick.

"Shit," he mumbled as he looked at his allies frantically. He noticed Juli and Marshall looking at him curiously, but saw the shocked gazes from Paul, Cody, and Julia.

"H… how is he alive?" Julia finally managed to say.

"It does make sense now," said Cody. "All that-"

He never finished as Paul suddenly stepped forward with a roar. Before anyone realized what was going on, he grabbed Wagner by the shirt with both hands and practically lifted him off the ground, shocking everyone around them.

"Oh my God!"

"Paul, let him go!"

"Hey, I think you're taking this too far!"

"Put him down, man!"

However, Paul barely heard them as he gazed at Wagner with rage. "What the hell?! Why the hell didn't you tell us that bastard was alive after all?!"

With the others screaming at the older man to stop, Wagner tried to speak all the while trying to pry Paul's hands off of him. "I-"

"So you knew this whole time? What were you going to do, claim all the victory for yourself? Be the hero?

"Paul, I-"

"Tell me damn it! What's your reason for keeping this such a secret? Why keep it a secret, huh?! HUH?! WHY?!"

"Because I told him to!"

No one expected a new voice to get involved in the fight. All them turned around and saw Kenshi standing a couple of yards away. All the yelling also drew the attention of Sagat, who was by the training area about twenty yards away, and Julia was sure that Ken was watching all of this from the tower.

What Kenshi had said registered in Paul's mind. With a growl, he let go of Wagner, practically pushing him back, and began to approach the swordsman. "What's the big idea?! You know, we all would've liked to have known about the asshole too, you know, just in case he pops out of nowhere and goes, 'peak-a-boo!'"

"Paul, that's enough!" Julia cried out.

Kenshi kept silent as Paul continued to ramble. "We're all capable fighters around here! We aren't the fucking chosen ones for nothing, you know! Why the damn secret?!"

"I have my reasons," was Kenshi's reply. "And I'd rather none of your got involved."

"That doesn't help," Marshall mentioned. "To keep it a secret is almost reckless, especially with a child staying with us."

"Didn't it occur to anyone that he could've been sparing us from worrying more than usual?" asked Juli.

"It doesn't matter!" Paul yelled again. "The truth should've been told to begin with!"

"Paul, I really think you're taking this further than it needs to be," Cody said as he agreed with Juli's guess.

"It's obvious that there's been a lot of tension building up amongst all of us!" Julia tried to reason. "Let's just… forget about all of this and move on, please!"

"Easier said than done," Wagner guessed.

"What's going on?" a new voice suddenly asked.

Once more, everyone turned to the voice. They were a bit surprised this time to see Alex a few feet away with a blanket wrapped around her. They realized that this was most likely the first time she emerged from the tent since the actual incident. The bandages were removed and there was still some bruising, but aside from that, she was mostly recovered from her injuries.

"Alex," Juli found herself saying.

Julia happened to look over at Kenshi and noticed him bowing his head and frowned a little. For a split moment, the young woman was wondering what was going through his mind, but she was never able figure it out before he slightly turned his head in the direction where Alex stood.

"… Get back in the tent, Alex," Kenshi said in a low voice.

Alex was taken aback after hearing this. "Kenshi-"

"I _said_ get back in the tent," he repeated, his voice hardened this time.

Alex was about to protest, but before she had the chance, Cody stepped in, not liking the swordsman's tone. "Hey man, don't speak to her like that."

"He's been like that to everyone lately," Paul mentioned.

Wagner sighed, almost rolling his eyes. "Not again…"

The Judo fighter continued. "It's no surprise that he would act the same way to his girl. You know, I've met a lot of assholes in my time, but you… I never met someone so bitter before in my life!"

Kenshi chose to speak then, his voice low and hardened again. "I seem to recall a story that you, too, weren't exactly thrilled after being beaten in a tournament by some… _kuma_."

"THAT'S IT!" Paul screamed out as he got into a fighting stance. "I think it's about time that I see some of that Judo you claim to know!"

In reply, Kenshi slowly reached one hand over and began to unbuckle the straps of his scabbard, accepting the challenge. However, none of their allies were about to see two men duke it out while tempers were high. Now all of them tried all they could to stop them from making a mistake.

It was a new voice that eventually ended it. "Stop it! _Stop it_ _!_ STOP IT!" they screamed out. Catching everyone's attention, they gazed over in that direction and soon noticed Jane Guile. She looked at all of them in anger with her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

Everyone fell silent as she continued to scream. "So many people lost their lives in this invasion and we don't know what will happen in the end, and all you can do is fight and bicker at each other?! Damn it, how could you all be so selfish?! I just can't understand how… how-"

Jane then found herself losing it and she quickly covered her face with her hands as tears started streaming down her face. Seeing this, Julia immediately stepped forward and embraced her. "We're sorry Jane," she managed to say. "I think all this tension finally got to us…"

Jane shifted a little so that she returned the embrace and cried in Julia's shoulder. "God… I… I just wish Will was here…"

"Come on… let's go in the kitchen and I'll fix us some hot drinks," Julia suggested. She released her embrace before leading Jane over towards the kitchen.

The others still there remained quiet for a moment, realizing that, yes, the tension did get to them. Moments later, however, Kenshi was the first to move as he shook his head before he turned around and walked away.

Seeing this, Wagner turned to Alex and saw the bewildered look on her face as though she was trying to figure out what just happened. Eventually, he noticed her eyes brimming with tears before she quickly turned around and began heading back to her tent.

Wagner looked at Juli. "Go see if she's all right," he suggested. Juli nodded before she followed Alex.

Now only he, Paul, Marshall, and Cody remained. He was just about to walk away when Paul turned to him. "Listen Wagner, I'm sorry about all that… too much tension, you know."

"You've been more frustrated than you're letting on, I think," Marshall guessed.

Paul sighed. "So I have…"

Wagner nodded. "Try not to worry about it. I think it was bound to happen sooner or later…"


	55. Chapter Fifty-Four

**The Skies**

While steering the ship, Ruby Heart found herself humming a random tune, mostly finding herself bored. By this time, it was nearly noon and the area around them was partially cloudy, which was good for her right at the moment.

She then heard Dhalsim approaching, who went to stand next to hear before speaking. "All is well with the ship, I'm guessing."

"It is," Ruby Heart replied. "However, I'm afraid that the more that's mentioned, the more we'll end up jinxing ourselves." She followed that with a light chuckle.

Dhalsim had to smirk a little. "I'll try not to mention it again."

"Say, you said that we should head East," Ruby Heart mentioned. "Do you know where exactly we're going to next?"

Dhalsim thought through this for a moment. To his luck, the next location came to him. "An island called Yakushima. It's just south of Japan."

The name was familiar to Ruby Heart. "I remember that island. I stopped by there last year thinking there was treasure. Turned out there was nothing, although my ship did attract a lot of tourists."

A sigh escaped her lips before she continued. "It's too bad you didn't find any chosen ones yet, aside from the possible three that you mentioned."

"It is unfortunate, but we must push on," Dhalsim answered. "However, I've come to a decision. I've decided not to think about it until we at least have everyone from Earth on board. Then I will go from there."

Ruby Heart nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. The last thing we need is for you to develop a headache. And maybe the more chosen ones we get, the easier it'll be to find the main four we need."

Dhalsim also nodded. "That is only if we're lucky."

"…Yeah."

Meanwhile, near the stern, the mortals currently on the ship were all gathered together, at least nine out of ten of them. The group consisted of Bo' Rai Cho, Kung Lao, Li Mei, Lei Wulong, Chun Li, Yang, Sub-Zero, Smoke, and Sareena.

"So after we left the temple, we spent practically two weeks walking on foot to the village," said Smoke as he told the others what happened right after the invasion. "Sub-Zero, as you know, is fine with the cold, and my cyborg body allows me to withstand the weather. Poor Sareena here, however, was nearly freezing to death almost the whole way. The caves we ran into did provide relief during the night"

Sareena personally felt a little shy around the group, but decided to speak. "It… sure felt like a distant memory, but at the time, it felt like an eternity."

"It sounds like you guys had it worse than us," said Chun Li. "Lei, Yang, and I drove for three days straight to get to the Shaolin Temple. Lei knew someone from there who unfortunately died during the attacks."

"I was surprised to even get gas on the way," Lei mentioned. "Heck, I'm surprised no one tried to raise the gas prices while we attempted to scramble out of there."

"Anyway," Chun Li continued. "That's how we met up with Li Mei, Kung Lao, and Master Bo' Rai Cho."

Sub-Zero turned his attention to Kung Lao. "I'm surprised you weren't at the Blood Tournament."

"Only because Raiden had asked me to watch over Earthrealm during his absence," Kung Lao explained. "Which reminds me… something happened to Raiden."

Bo' Rai Cho sighed a little. "It seems that he has changed, and not for the better. Somehow, he has seemingly turned against us. It's something we can't explain, but what we do know is that it happened sometime between when he sacrificed himself in Outworld to when he reformed on Earth."

"Whatever it is," began Smoke as he looked at the Grandmaster. "It would explain why Raiden didn't summon us before the invasion occurred."

Sub-Zero nodded in agreement. "Perhaps you are right. I didn't realize he had sacrificed himself during the chaos in Outworld, either. It's a shame as he's always been supportive of us for so many years." He looked at the others. "How did you find out what happened to him?"

"Well," said Bo' Rai Cho. "He… apparently tried to reanimate the corpse of Liu Kang a few weeks ago. He was stopped, thankfully, but his actions disturbed us greatly."

"He also tried to kill me," Kung Lao mentioned. "But Fujin intervened before that happened. He was the one who explained everything to us."

"It sounds like he's gone insane," added Smoke.

As the group continued to talk, Fujin stood about twenty yards away, hearing the conversation. The Wind God found himself frowning a bit, especially at the mention of Raiden.

 _Indeed it is a shame what became of him,_ he thought sadly.

He then realized that someone was missing from the group. He gazed at his surroundings before spotting Feng Wei not too far from him. The Kenpo fighter was leaning against the edge of the ship, staring down at the world below them.

Fujin approached the young fighter, who had noted the Wind God's presence. Fujin realized that he was deep in thought, but he decided to speak anyway.

"You don't have to stay near if you don't want to."

Feng Wei briefly turned his head to him, looking at the God for a moment before shifting his brown eyes back at the world. "I'm fine," he said.

"You seem have something on your mind."

Feng Wei seemed to be hesitant for a moment before deciding to reply. "There's just something I don't understand. It's apparently that you and Dhalsim know of my past and what I've done. I would think that it would have made you turn me away. So why am I here?"

"Because I knew from the moment I noticed you that I saw a sense of desire, strength, and willpower within you," Fujin explained. "That is a sign of a warrior."

Fujin found himself looking out towards the world as well before proceeding with what Dhalsim had explained to him earlier. "However, that doesn't make your wrongs right. Going through the dojos the way you did was wrong. However, those you had fought were those who made the first move. You used too much force, but at the same time, you were also defending yourself. As for your master… what happened that night was an accident. No, you should not have let your anger take over, but Dhalsim saw that you had regrets.

"In short… you have your sins, we all do, but there is still some good in you despite what you think."

Finished with his statement, Fujin decided to leave Feng Wei with his thoughts.

~~~

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

At the Black Dragon hideout, everyone happened to get together in some sort of gathering. It was their choice whether or not to be there, but it seems as though most of the Black Dragon showed up. Havik looked at all of them while hanging upside on a tree by his legs.

"I just want to let you all know that, once again, we are just one village away from getting everyone in Chili-san to see the way of chaos," the Cleric said. "That's what we aim for at least."

"Exactly when?" asked Bryan Fury.

Havik seemed to grin. "Whenever we feel like it."

Bryan lit up a cigarette before replying. "Whatever…"

"There is something that should be known," Kabal spoke up. "I was spying on Chili-san yesterday. Apparently, someone from Earthrealm had showed up there recently and he seems to possess some 'bad aura.'"

"The more to kill, the merrier," said a cheerful Tira.

"More like, the more chaos to spread, the merrier," said Havik.

"Someone with a bad aura sounds more like a good challenge," mentioned Bryan.

"I like challenges," Havik said. "It makes things more interesting."

"Perhaps we'll check on Manji clan activity for now," Kabal suggested.

"You can do that if you want," Havik replied. "Right now, I just feel like… hanging around."

From there, everyone began to go in different directions. Bryan stood there for a moment, sighing a bit before turning around to head back to the cave.

 _Where the hell is Yoshimitsu?_ Bryan thought in annoyance. _I'm getting pretty damn bored of this clan._

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

After a full day of their duties around the fortress, Vega and Anna were heading back to their sleeping quarters from separate directions. The two of them ended reaching the door at the same time, stopping once they noticed each other.

Anna smiled seductively upon seeing the Spanish ninja. "I felt like I haven't seen you in a while, Vega," she said in almost a whisper.

Vega nearly chuckled at that, knowing what she meant by that. "It hasn't been all that long, my dear."

"At least since this morning," Anna replied. She then reached her hand up to brush his bare arm, which contained part of his purple snake tattoo. "You know, it won't be long before the second Earth invasion. Are you looking forward to it?"

"Yes," Vega nodded. "And we'll finally take care of what we need. For me, I'll slaughter Sagat once and for all."

Anna then closed the space between them before wrapping her arms around his torso. "And I will make sure that wretched sister of mine suffers a slow, painful death. I can hardly wait until then."

Vega reached a hand up to move his mask up to the top of his head. "I can only imagine, my dear Anna."

They were just about to kiss when a female voice nearby suddenly spoke. "Ugh, get a room."

Vega and Anna turned around and saw Rain and Tanya a few feet away. Tanya had her arms linked to Rain as the two stared at the Earthrealm couple.

"What do you two want?" Anna said, almost annoyed.

"Nothing actually," said Rain.

Tanya nearly grinned. "But we did realize just not that we're most definitely the better looking ones compared to you two."

Vega nearly laughed at this. "At least we know how to take care of ourselves, unlike you two. Just your nails alone tells me the story."

"My nails are perfectly fine!" Tanya replied. "And I'm the one doing most of the work for the Empress." She then stared at the woman in the red dress. "Unlike someone around here who mostly flirts with the male prisoners into a false sense of security."

Anna placed her hands on her hips. "Excuse me?"

"You four should be focused on other matters," a new male voice said. All four turned their heads and soon saw Hsu Hao and Donna nearby. Like Rain and Tanya moments ago, the two also had their arms linked.

Anna nearly laughed. "With that minx in your arms, I'm surprised you can focus at all."

"Who are you calling a minx?!" yelled Donna.

All six began to argue for a moment, their words mingled into a mess until new footsteps were heard. Once more, they turned to that direction and saw Baraka and Mileena approaching.

Vega turned to Rain and whispered. "Now these two take the cake for most ugliest."

"Agreed," Rain replied with a nod.

"I heard that!" growled Mileena.

"Well, it's true," said Tanya.

"What is going on?" a male voice asked. From where Hsu Hao and Donna were, Mavado approached the group with a raised eyebrow.

"I'd like to know myself," said Kira as she approached from the opposite side of the group, having heard the commotion from her sleeping quarters.

There was a moment of silence as everyone stared at each other. Then, Baraka threw his hands up in the air. "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever been a part of!"

Before everyone knew it, the four pairings dispersed in different directions, all going to their own sleeping quarters. Four doors then slammed behind them before all was silent.

Mavado seemed a bit baffled after witnessing that. "What was that all about?"

Kira shrugged. "Beats me."

~~~

**London, England**

In the training room, Lita Luwanda found herself watching Cammy and Juni sparring together. This was a similar occurrence for the past few days, actually. The three women, just after dinner, would all go to the training room to spar for an hour. They would then flip a coin to see who would spar first.

For the most part, it seemed to always end up being Cammy and Juni going first. Lita would then wait until she had the chance to spar with the 'winner.'

 _At least this will give me the chance to study their moves so that I can predict what they'll do_ _,_ Lita thought with amusement.

It was then that she noticed someone else coming into the room. Lita turned her head to see Steve Fox walking in. She immediately noticed the brooding look on his face, and Lita remembered then that he and Cammy got into a fight a couple of days ago.

 _I wonder if he's still brassed off about that,_  Lita thought.

Quietly, Steve went over and sat next to Lita, keeping about a foot of space between them. Lita wanted to say something, but then she quickly decided not to, afraid to say the wrong thing.

Then, Steve spoke. "I found out recently who my real mum is."

It was surprising enough that he even spoke to her, but to reveal something like that was more than a shock to Lita. She turned her head to him, trying to keep her eyes from getting bigger. "What?"

Steve shifted his eyes to her. "That's why I've been brooding for a few days. Apparently, she had in-vitro fertilization against her will."

Lita frowned after hearing that. "That's awful."

"Yeah, it is," Steve replied. He decided to keep the other information very short, not wanting to mention that her mother was Nina Williams. He realized that it would have been awkward considering that Nina looked about their age. "But… other than her being an assassin of sorts, that's all I know about her. Anyway, I just realized that I needed to tell someone, so I told you."

"Why me?"

Steve shrugged. "I don't know. But listen… don't tell anyone including Cammy about this. I want to tell her about this myself."

Lita nodded. "I promise."

That was when they heard Cammy and Juni approaching them. A small smile was on Juni's face. "Something tells me you missed my first sparring win against Miss White."

Lita snapped her fingers. "Darn it! I was looking forward to that day too!"

Steve stood up. "I'm afraid it was my fault. I was talking to Lita and distracted her away from the spar."

Cammy chuckled a little. "What were you two talking about?"

"Just about my boxing career," Steve replied without missing a beat. He then put his arms around Cammy. "Listen, I'm sorry about the other day. I've been feeling irritated the last few days and needed time to calm down. You were right, it was about the invasion and the future. Can you forgive me?"

Cammy leaned forward to briefly kiss him. "You're forgiven."

"Let's not argue like that again then," Steve suggested.

Cammy nodded with a small smile. "I can't promise anything, but we'll try."

~~~

**Unknown**

Not all that long ago, the Elder Gods had witnessed the battle between their Champion, Scorpion, and the Thunder God, Raiden. They had waited for this moment for some time, hoping that Scorpion would finally assassinate Raiden once and for all.

However, they were instead forced to act when they realized that Raiden was using his powers to send Scorpion back to the Netherrealm. Luckily for them, they were able to catch the specter in the vortex before he ended up in the forsaken realm. It was the same way they were able to catch him after the Blood Tournament when Quan Chi attempted to send him to the Netherrealm.

For Scorpion, he found himself floating in the air once more, hardly able to move. He knew where he was… he was in the same place where he first met the Elder Gods. So, it came to no surprise to him when all three entities appeared before him.

"You disappoint us, Scorpion," said Hinote, his voice void of emotion. "Once again, you fail to defeat the Thunder God. He may be powerful, but as our Champion, you are capable of more. I personally wonder if you are no longer capable of your tasks."

Daichi turned his head to Hinote, a bit taken aback. "Must you use your words so harshly despite him not succeeding?"

"There is need to be truthful and straight to the point," Hinote replied. "Another thing I would like to add while I'm at it… I wonder if you truly deserve to reunite with your family and clan."

"Don't mock me!" Scorpion demanded harshly.

"It's not his fault Raiden attempted to send him to the Netherrealm," Mizu mentioned.

"This has been nothing more than a wild goose chase since I began my mission!" Scorpion called out. "Every time I got close to the Thunder God, I would be sent further away from him. If you wish to see him eliminated, you would transport me closer to him!"

The three Elder Gods were silent for a moment before Daichi sighed. "You are right, Scorpion. However, the reason we usually place you far from him is because, when we send you out, he is already looking out for you. The more time passes, the more relaxed he'll become before your eventual arrival."

Hinote decided to speak. "You'll be returned to Earth. However, if you fail in your mission one last time-"

"I won't fail," Scorpion promised. "I have much at stake."

"So be it," Mizu said.

Then, with their powers, they returned Scorpion back to Earth to resume his mission.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

A few days after being brought to the fortress with the rest of the Brotherhood of Shadow, Frost stood in the middle of the training room. She decided that afternoon that she wanted to get away and be alone for a while, and this seemed like the perfect place.

Without thinking much about it, Frost began her kata training, something she rarely did as a Lin Kuei member. In medium speed, she raised both of her arms above her head before bringing them down in front of her, her fists pressed together in front of her. Then quickly, she spread one leg apart and bended her knees, punching the air straight forward with both fists before straightening herself up again, her arms spread out on either side of her.

She then turned a quarter-way around to her right. This time, her right arm was above her head and her left arm folded in front of her chest before bending down on her left knee behind her right leg. She then stood up, taking a step forward before kicking upward, following that with a palm strike forward. Turning around, she ran a couple of feet before spinning around and performing a butterfly kick in the air.

Back on the ground, she turned around again and ran a couple of more feet before executing a cartwheel kick. She then crouched down for a moment before jumping up with a hand in the air. Crouching again after, she then moved forward with a double punch from different angles to her left.

For a moment, she moved her hands around and bending one leg to her abdomen a couple of times before turning and kicking upwards. She followed with more arm movements and another knee bent before standing still on one leg. That lasted a few seconds before running sideways, soon executing a roundhouse kick in mid-air. On the ground again, she lifted up another leg before performing an elbow strike.

Frost continued with more kata movements for another minute. Soon, she was back in the pose she started with, her legs together, her body straight, and her open palms posed next to her hips. She took a moment to catch her breath.

 _Hard to believe I managed to remember those steps,_ the blue haired woman thought, almost amused.

As she continued to train, Frost happened to look over at one of the training dummies set up in the room. For some reason, she found herself imagining it to be Sub-Zero. Feeling some rage, she went over to it and began to punch and kick at it furiously, leaving some dents behind.

"I'll… kill you… when… I have… the chance!" she called out in almost a growl. "And… you're… whore… will join… you!"

Frost hadn't noticed Noob Saibot and Matrik walking into the room. Noob had heard the commotion by the door while walking by the room and went to investigate. It didn't surprise that all that noise came from his 'new recruit.'

"I was right in my assumption," he called out.

The wraith's voice caught Frost's attention. She gave the dummy one last punch in the face before turning her attention to him. "What assumption?"

"You lack humility."

Frost raised an eyebrow. "You can blame Sub-Zero for that."

Noob nearly sneered at those words. "One has the opportunity to learn things for themselves, just like I had with you just now."

Frost growled in anger, feeling insulted by his last words. "Just because I now work under you, that doesn't give you the right to treat me like shit! Remember, I only agreed to join you so that I had the chance to kill him."

To Frost's surprise, Noob seemed to teleport closer. Before she knew it, he was practically towering over her just mere inches away. Frost stood as still as possible almost afraid to move. Noob was amused by the fearful look in her blue eyes.

"Foolish woman!" the wraith called out. "I said that I would give you the chance to _defeat_ him, _not_ to kill him. That is _my_ privilege."

"What gives _you_ that right?" Frost demanded.

Noob nearly shook his head. "Have you forgotten already? I was once, as a mortal, his _brother_ _._ "

That statement shut Frost up. From there, Noob began to turn around to leave the room. As he did, he spoke once more. "However, if you wish to kill anyone, you can kill that wretched woman Sub-Zero apparently cares for."

Thinking about Sareena, a thought came to Frost. "Wasn't she once part of the Brotherhood?"

Noob kept walking, but he answered. "She is a traitor of her clan, who eventually joined the Lin Kuei… just like you betrayed your clan and joined with us."

"Don't you _dare_ compare me to that bitch!"

Noob was amused. "Face it, Frost, you two have more in common than you know."

"It sounds like you knew her the way you speak of her."

Noob stopped in his tracks before speaking. "Yes, I did know her at one time… she tried to escape the Netherrealm by using me as her 'guide.' I made the mistake of sparing her life once, but she had repaid that by saving mine. That was the extent of our 'relationship' because she was killed for her betrayal. At the village, that was the first time I saw her since that day."

Frost was shocked to hear all of this as she learned of the wraith's past with Sareena. "You mean to tell me that-"

"That was a part of my mortal life when I had an ounce of empathy," Noob reminded her. "In the name of the Brotherhood, she deserves to die just like my brother. Perhaps it would be amusing to kill her in front of Sub-Zero's eyes before I take care of him. That is, of course, if you even have the strength."

Before Frost could react, Noob was already out the door with Matrik following him. Fuming even more, Frost was starting to realize that joining the Brotherhood, even to get what she wanted, was turning out to be a mistake.

~~~

**Yakushima Island, Japan**

It was late in the afternoon when most of those on the island were gathered by the campfire. The day was particularly chilly and pretty much everyone wanted to keep warm by the fire. They also realized that tonight was most likely going to be very cold.

The day was mostly uneventful with everyone doing their own thing and keeping mostly to themselves. Yoshimitsu and the other Manji clan members did discuss when exactly they and the others would depart the island and had decided that they would do so in three days.

They were just about to inform the others when a strange noise reached their ears. Because the noise made an echo sound, no one was sure exactly what direction it was coming from.

"What is that?" asked Ryu, a confused look on his face.

King shrugged a little. "I don't know."

"Maybe it's some animal," guessed Dan.

"I don't think I heard an animal make that kind of noise before," mentioned Yoshimitsu.

Hwoarang, who had been inside the cabin, quickly pushed the door open and ran outside. "What the hell was that?"

"Shh!" Mi-na hushed him. "Can you at least keep it down?"

"Can you at least keep it down?" Hwoarang said in a mock-like whiny voice.

"Damn it, will you shut _up_?" growled Marduk just as Mi-na spat her tongue out at the red-haired Korean.

"Oh jeez, can we not fight at a time like this?" asked Maki.

Then the noise became louder, making almost everyone jump a little as they realized whatever it was, it was getting closer.

"I don't like this!" called out Cassandra as she huddled closer to Mika.

"Me neither," Mika agreed.

"Hmm," Yoshimitsu began to wonder. "You know what that sounds like."

"What?" asked Karin.

"It sounds like… a ship."

Asuka almost laughed. "No way! We're right in the middle of the island. There's no way a ship could get this close… can it?"

"Honestly, it would not surprise me," replied Jin.

It was then that the group noticed a shadow hovering over them. All of them looked up almost at the same time and soon noticed a ship above them. It hovered above the tall trees that surrounded the campsite. They also noticed the propellers which kept it in the air.

"It IS a ship!" Asuka gasped, now huddling with Mika and Cassandra.

Jin sighed. "Like I said, I'm not surprised."

By then, they noticed a floating figuring coming towards them. Yoshimitsu drew out his sword and turned to his clan members. "Be prepared, just in case." The others nodded as they got their weapons out as well.

However, it turned out to not be necessary as Ryu ended up recognizing the figure approaching them. "It's… it's Dhalsim."

"Who's Dhalsim?" asked Hwoarang.

However, his question would not be answered right away as the yoga master approached the group. Ryu stepped forward before briefly bowing to him. "It's been a long time."

"It has indeed, Ryu," Dhalsim replied. "It's been a while since the last World Warriors Tournament. It doesn't seem like long ago."

"What brings you here?" asked Jin.

Dhalsim decided to get to the point. "You'll all be leaving this island today. Most of you were in attendance of the Blood Tournament, and I am seeking your assistance. I am gathering most of you in hopes of banding us together in fighting against the Outworld Forces. My hope is to go to Outworld to fight them and save what's left of the realms."

"That's easier said than done," mentioned Yoshimitsu. "My… other sword had means to travel through different realms. However, it seems as though Shao Kahn closed off the portals to Outworld."

"It sounds difficult, but there may be a way. You will be in presence of Fujin, the God of Wind. He will be helping us in getting to Outworld once we gather all of you together."

"That's different," said one of the Manji clan members. "Maybe there is a chance after all."

Dhalsim continued. "There's a clearing about a mile from here. Gather what you need from here and meet us at that clearing to board the ship."

"We'll be there as soon as possible," said King. With that, Dhalsim flew back to the ship above.

Yoshimitsu turned to everyone. "Funny… I was just about to suggest that we leave here in three days, but I guess we'll be heading off earlier than expected."

"It's funny how things turn out, don't they?" mentioned Dan.

"Indeed," Yoshimitsu agreed. "With that, I bid you all farewell. My clan and I will be returning to the mainland once you depart."

"Master," said Zivis. "I think its best that you went with them." The other clan members nodded in agreement.

Yoshimitsu was surprised to hear this. "You want me to go?"

Zivis nodded. "Yes. This might be the one chance to end this conflict. Represent the Manji Clan and fight for those who fought this war for so long. Your knowledge will also help these people greatly once they are in Outworld. It's time to end it."

Yoshimitsu nodded then. "All right, I'll go with them. All of you be safe, and I will do what I can to end this once and for all."

"Good luck, Master," Zivis replied. All of them bowed to Yoshimitsu, who returned the gesture before departing.

Nearly an hour later, everyone that had been on the island for over a month was finally getting off, much to their relief. The girls climbed the roped ladder to the ship first before the men followed. Yoshimitsu waited until everyone was on before flying up like a helicopter to the deck.

All thirteen people that were on the island were introduced to Ruby Heart and Fujin before the ten others on the ship began to meet with them. They were only just starting to greet each other before a voice yelled out from within the small crowd.

"MAKI!" Yang called out as he pushed some of his allies out of the way.

Maki heard her name being called, but it was the familiar voice that caught her off guard. She began to frantically look at her surroundings before finally spotting Yang coming over to her. The moment she saw him, tears immediately filled her eyes.

"YANG!" she cried out as she began to go over to him.

After over a month of worry about one another's fate after the invasion, Yang and Maki were finally reunited. Once they reached other, they immediately got themselves in a tight embrace. Maki buried her face in his shoulder and began to sob, feeling so much relief. Yang leaned his head into hers, his eyes closed tightly as he drew her closer to him.

Everyone around them watched the scene before them. There was no denying that this was probably the best thing they saw since the invasion. Maki's friends began to cry themselves, feeling so much joy in seeing something good happen.

"This is just great," said Asuka as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"I couldn't agree more," replied Mika as she wiped her own tears.

Then, to their surprise, both of them were grabbed by a crying Dan in a tight embrace. "I'm so happy!" Dan cried out as the girls tried all they can to breathe.

"Dan! You-… choking!" Asuka cried to call out.

Realizing what he was doing, Dan pulled his arms away before patting both girls on the top of their heads. "Heh, um, sorry."

From there, the group began to discuss what happened to them during and after the invasion. Meanwhile, Dhalsim and Ruby Heart watched the scene before them from the steering wheel. Ruby Heart found herself smiling a little, something she rarely did, after seeing Yang and Maki together.

"Something tells me we're about halfway done," Dhalsim mentioned.

"That sounds like we have three locations to go," Ruby Heart guessed.

"Maybe. But either way, our next stop is Russia."

"I'll have to get a warm coat from my box once we get there," Ruby Heart said. "By the way, are there any new potential chosen ones?"

Dhalsim turned to her. "Like I mentioned before, I don't plan to think about it until everyone on Earth is picked up. Until then, I won't be thinking about it."

The blonde-haired pirate sighed a little. "Oh yes, you did mention that. Well, it looks like I'll be in suspense for a little while longer."


	56. Chapter Fifty-Five

**Outworld**

Within a heavy forest area, Shin Akuma was able to get a glimpse of a large, fortress-like building a few miles away. Even from that distance, he was able to notice the guards surrounding the building, guarding themselves with weapons from possible intruders.

Shin Akuma realized it… the Emperor of Outworld was here.

In his mind, he realized how it seemed so long ago when he was sent to the Netherrealm after his fight with Shao Kahn. Somehow, the Emperor of Outworld managed to gain some of his own power after his defeat. For months, he trained himself physically and mentally in preparation for that day. The 'traveling' he did in the past month was just something extra for him.

However, knowing that infiltrating the fortress wasn't going to be easy, even for some like him, Shin Akuma knew that he needed something more than just going in alone…

_The demon then turned his head slightly, noting Dark Sakura standing a few feet away. Her red eyes seemed to also stare at the fortress as though trying to figure out her own plan. However, he was sure that wasn't the case unless she had the desire to go in and kill those who cross her path._

_Shin Akuma ended up remembering the day he first saw the young girl not long after the Blood Tournament… a day that felt so long ago…_

_Shin Akuma suddenly heard footsteps in the distance. Believing to be a challenger, the demon quickly opened his eyes, revealing their glowing red color. He then sensed a power that was quite familiar to him._

_Shin Akuma scanned his surroundings before he spotted a small figure at the bottom of the hill. The figure was surrounded by a purple aura._

_The demon grinned._ _The Satsui No Hadou,_ _he thought with delight._ _Someone has embraced its power._

_He already knew that it wasn't his brother Gouken's student, Ryu, as he was much larger in stature last he checked… same with his other student, Ken._

_If that's the case, then who was this?_

_Still possessing the ability to teleport, Shin Akuma quickly maneuvered himself down the hill, and got himself behind the figure. Standing about ten yards away, he was now able to get a better look at this person._

_To his surprise, the figure was a young woman. Her short hair was a raven color, her skin a deathly pale, and the iris of her eyes a blood red. As she walked forward, she seemed to be in a bit of a daze as the purple aura around her small body continued to glow._

_It was no matter how this girl was able to unlock the Satsui No Hadou. Shin Akuma grinned to himself as he realized that he has use for this girl…_

_All he had to do was train her for a little while…_

Indeed there was a plan that still remained. When the time came to infiltrate the fortress, Shin Akuma would use Dark Sakura as a distraction while he made his way to the Emperor. There, he would reclaim some of the power he lost after their battle at the end of the tournament.

On a small note, he didn't care what happened to the girl once it was all over. By then, he would no longer have any use for her.

As much as he wanted to infiltrate the fortress now, Shin Akuma decided to bid his time for the moment. When he felt that the time was right, he would make his move.

~~~

**The Skies of Earthrealm**

In Ruby Heart's flying ship, there were plenty of rooms for whoever had boarded. The rooms had belonged to Ruby Heart's crew, but now they were being used by Raiden and Rose's chosen ones, plus some of their allies. There was sure to be plenty of space, but those on the ship so far were advised to share a room with one person just in case.

Yang Lee and Maki Genryusai were two who opted to share a room. Ever since reuniting, they barely left each other's side. Neither one of them talked about what had happened since they were both relieved that the other was okay. That night, Maki fell asleep in his arms, exhausted from that day's events. Yang watched her for half the night before sleep took over him as well.

It wasn't until the sun rose when the events of the past month were mentioned.

While Yang was sitting on the bed getting his shoes on, Maki, who was already dressed, sat down next to him before placing the side of her head onto his shoulder. In reply, Yang leaned his face onto the top of her head before placing an arm around her shoulders.

"Yun is missing," Yang soon said.

Maki frowned upon hearing that. "I'm sorry, Yang…"

"We were both fighting one of those four armed monsters. I got slapped away from the scene at one point… by the time I got back, he was gone." Yang looked over at a small table nearby, where Yun's blue and yellow baseball cap sat. "I think… they brainwashed him the way they brainwashed Guy…"

Closing her eyes, Maki placed her own arm around his waist. "I really hope that's not the case…"

"I hope not either, but I can't help but think of the worst. I just hope that we merely just separated in the chaos, but… then again, Dhalsim hasn't been able to find his location at this point. He was able to find us through his psychic abilities going off by those who were at the tournament."

Maki sighed a little. "Yun is strong. He'll survive this, just like we will. No matter what happens, we'll reunite… even if we have to wait until this is all over."

Yang nodded. "Yeah…"

Maki then forced a smile as she thought of something. "You know… I worried about you so much that I didn't even think much of anybody else, even Cody." She shook her head, feeling guilty by the thought. "I really do hope he's okay."

"Maybe we'll pick him up once we get to the US," Yang mentioned.

"…if he's still there." Maki then moved her head to look at him. "Another thing… about three days before the invasion, I made a decision. I had decided, if you let me, I'd like to come live with you in Hong Kong."

Yang managed to smile. "Of course I'll let you."

"I didn't tell you then because I was still vacationing in Osaka at the time."

Yang briefly kissed her forehead. "If we survive… we'll make the arrangements."

With that in mind, Maki leaned her closer to Yang, embracing him tightly in reply. Yang did the same before the two fell silent.

Meanwhile, back on the ship's deck, Sub-Zero and Smoke were walking side by side, the area around them mostly quiet. "It's interesting how things can change once a mission starts," Smoke said.

Sub-Zero nodded in reply. "I couldn't agree more. This whole time I've been expecting for us to fight against Outworld here on Earth."

"One thing, however… I can't help but wonder about some of the others on the ship. Perhaps it's my ignorance speaking, but since we will be heading to Outworld, do you think they will be able to handle what may come our way, especially with the brutality of the Outworld Forces?"

"They were at the tournament and they were part of the group of Raiden and Rose's chosen ones, just as we were," Sub-Zero assured him. "If even Raiden is confident of their abilities, then we should be as well."

Smoke nodded. "You are right."

It was then that they heard some footsteps nearby. The two Lin Kuei members turned their heads before seeing Kung Lao, Lei, and Chun Li coming towards them, the three in their own conversation.

"So that spin-like move you do… how do you do it?" Lei asked as he looked at Kung Lao.

A smirk came upon the Shaolin monk's face. "I can't give away all of my secrets, my friend."

Chun Li chuckled a little. "I thought you would say that. It's like me… I will never give away how I can do my lightning kicks."

That was when Lei turned his head and noticed Sub-Zero and Smoke approaching. All five of them looked at each other for a moment before Chun Li smiled and waved a little. "Good morning," she said cheerfully.

"Morning," replied Smoke.

"I think that's the first time I heard that greeting since the invasion," Lei suddenly realized. "It's amazing how little things like that can sound so nice after what we experienced."

"For all of us on the ship, it is the first time that we can truly relax," Sub-Zero mentioned. "The best we can do is to enjoy it until we reach our destination."

"Which I'm sure will happen sooner than we expect," added Kung Lao.

"I must admit, I am looking forward to getting to Keisei," Chun Li said. "Not only because we will reunite with our friends there, but also because I'm looking forward to eating a full meal. We've been mostly conserving food at the temple, so we didn't eat much."

"We did a lot of hunting during our two week journey to our hideout once we ran out of food," replied Sub-Zero. "It definitely wasn't easy in a blizzard."

"I guess that's one good thing about being a cyborg," added Smoke. "You don't have to worry about food to sustain yourself. However, I admit, I do miss the taste of _manthou_ _._ "

"How long have you been a cyborg?" asked Chun-Li.

"Almost a decade," Smoke replied. "But with the… things that have happened, I only really lived as a cyborg for less than a year. It's a very long story."

As Smoke spoke, Sub-Zero happened to turn his head and noticed Sareena walking nearby. She had woken up about a half hour ago and just finished having a light breakfast. She was beginning to head back to her room when she noticed Sub-Zero and the others gathered in a small circle.

When Sareena made eye contact, Sub-Zero motioned her to come over. She thought of declining, but then she realized that she didn't really have much to do at the moment anyway. As she approached, Sareena was reminded of how she felt a bit shy around these people. She was sure that they figured out that she wasn't human based on her onyx eyes. At least no one has mentioned it for the time being.

Chun Li happened to notice her and, like before, she smiled and waved a little. "Good morning."

Sareena nodded. "Morning."

"I was just thinking we could have a three on three sparring match," Sub-Zero suggested. "This way, we can prepare for what's to come."

"I have a feeling you also want to pass the time," answered Smoke.

"Still it's important to get ourselves ready," Kung Lao said.

Chun Li nodded. "I'm all for it."

"In that case," said Lei. "I'd be interested to spar with you, Smoke."

Smoke nodded. "Then it's a deal."

Sub-Zero looked at Kung Lao. "How about it? For old time's sake."

"It'd be an honor as always," Kung Lao replied. He then couldn't help but grin as he thought of something that happened in the past. He pointed at his own right eye. "And I promise that I won't leave any marks behind."

"Heh," the ice ninja replied as he brushed a finger over his own eye, the one containing the scar. "I'm sure you won't."

Lei laughed as he realized what they were talking about. "So it was Kung Lao who gave you that scar."

"It's a very long story," the Shaolin warrior said. “We'll tell you all about it once we're done here.”

Chun Li looked at Sareena. "That leaves us then. Are you up to the challenge?"

Sareena nodded. "Sure."

From there, the six of them began their sparring match.

~~~

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

In the early evening just as it became dark, the members of the Black Dragon clan slowly and quietly began to make their way down the cliff. Not too far below the cliff was a small village which seemed to be filled with activities. It was as though none of the villagers had a care in the world, especially not for whatever is going on outside their village.

It was perfect. Plus, with the fact that Havik finally 'felt like' spreading the chaos in this village, coming here now was definitely the best time. This particular village would be the last where they would go forth with the chaos before they make their way towards their biggest goal; the city of Chili-san.

Once everyone climbed down, Havik looked at the clan. "Now that we're here… let's spread the joys of chaos!"

With battle-like cries, they all began to run towards the village. Because of all the noise they were making, it didn't take very long for the villagers to notice them coming. Thinking that they were being attacked, they all began to run off in different directions in hopes of finding a safe place to hide.

In one section of the village, there was a group that seemed to be huddled together. It was also almost as though they were surrounding someone in the middle of that huddle. It didn't take this particular group too long to notice what was happening and, as soon as they did, quickly made a run for it. Indeed there was someone in the middle…

Moments ago, Heihachi Mishima was, once again, feeling like he was suffocating was the villagers did what they apparently did best… cater him until the end of time. On this particular day, he wondered if there will ever be a day when they will get tired to pampering him.

When the group ran off, he didn't even hear them scatter away, nor did he notice the shrieks that escaped their lips as they disappeared. It was actually the sudden breeze stinging against his skin that made his eyes snap open, suddenly feeling suspicious.

"Hrmph?" he grumbled for a moment, but it didn't take more than a few seconds to notice what was going on. The villagers were running in different directions in panic as a group seemed to chase them around. Judging by the group's clothing, they seemed somewhat familiar to him, but the older man wasn't able to pinpoint exactly where he had seen them before, at least not at this moment.

Heihachi stood up from the lounge chair he had been sitting on since the crack of dawn, feeling his stiff bones crack a couple of times upon moving. "Whatever is going on isn't of importance to me… now's my chance to get the hell out of here!"

He was only able to take a few steps forward before someone came up to him screaming, "Chaos! Embrace the chaos!"

When he was close enough, Heihachi simply punched him in the face, sending him crashing to the ground. "Out of my way!" he ordered. He then noticed a few more running towards him.

"Embrace the chaos!"

"Chaos is the only way!"

"May chaos break the rules that bind!"

Heihachi growled. "Shit… looks like I'm not getting out of here anytime soon… again."

The older man clothes-lined the first person that reached him, sending him crashing on the ground just like his ally before him. When the second person reached him, he managed to duck underneath a backhand before he extended his arm to his chest, the force sending him flying backwards before slamming into one of the huts that adorned the village. With the third one, he simply slapped him away, hurling him in the same direction as the last.

Once he cleared house, Heihachi folded his arms in front of him. "Idiots…"

"DIE!" a female voice suddenly screamed behind him. Raising an eyebrow, Heihachi turned himself around and soon noticed a young woman running towards him, her brown pigtails uneven, her purple eyes peering at him in a blind craze, and she was holding a ring blade in both of her hands.

Upon seeing her, he realized why the group seemed familiar… they were the Black Dragon clan, the very clan he decided to fight some weeks ago… the clan which lead him to this very village to begin with.

"Not you again," he growled.

When the girl reached him, Heihachi simply, just like their last encounter, slapped her away as though she was nothing more than a fly. With a scream, she went flying off to the side, eventually landing back first into the roof of the hut and crashing through it.

Then, a more calming voice was heard behind him. "I think you have the opportunity to embrace the chaos if you wish to."

Immediately recognizing that voice, Heihachi whirled around, soon facing the Cleric, Havik. _I swear, if I hear that word 'chaos' one more time…_

"You," Heihachi growled. "I should kill you for pushing me off the cliff in our last encounter!"

Havik seemed to grin at that. "What are going to do? Throw me off the same cliff?!"

"It's nothing new to me!"

As Heihachi ran towards him, Havik, knowing that he wanted to fight, got himself in a fighting stance. "It will be a pleasure to hear the shattering of your spine!"

Once Heihachi reached him, he threw a punch, which Havik immediately blocked. From there, the two engaged in combat.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

The silence of the training room was broken at the sound of a lone figure yelling as he punched and kicked at the sand-filled dummy figures that served as punching bags. With no one else in the room or even anywhere near the entrance, he was content with training alone.

His pale eyes narrowed with determination, Guy focused his various punches and kicks at the training dummy. He practically left dent marks on it with each hit.

When there were no assignments given to him, this was where he went, preferably when no one else was around. He would occasionally spar with a fellow guard or general if they decided to challenge him.

There was one particular assignment he was awaiting on… to assassinate the one named Cody Travers. Guy only encountered him once when Earth was first invaded, but circumstances beyond his control prevented him from following through with his orders. When they return to Earth, which he knew would be very soon, he would make sure not to leave the job unfinished again.

In the back of his mind, he knew that he and Cody had a past… but none of it mattered anymore to him. Nothing in the past mattered to him anymore, not even friends, family, or any form of code. As a soldier of Outworld, he only followed the orders of his Emperor.

As he pulled himself a couple of feet back to prepare to kick at the dummy, Guy suddenly felt a presence from behind him. Thinking that someone had managed to get into the training room, he whirled around to look behind him to see who came in.

Guy suddenly became confused once he saw the person, a Japanese woman. Her long, silky black hair fell to her hips, her thick bangs framing her pale face, her lips painted red. Her olive green kimono was heavy, the bottom end pooling around her bare feet. Her dark brown eyes stared straight at him and there was a hint of sadness in them.

Guy stared at her, his eyebrows furrowed. "Who are you?" he demanded to know. "How did you get in here?"

The woman didn't answer, but she continues to stare at him with those same sad eyes. This only infuriated Guy and he was just beginning to walk towards her when a voice of another called out to him from the entrance.

"Shao Kahn wisssshessss to sssssee you about your misssssion on Earth," Reptile said as Guy turned to look at him.

Guy breathed out heavily through his nose. "Let me take care of-" he started to say, but as he turned around to look at the strange woman again, he was surprised by the fact that she was no longer there. He quickly scanned the room with his brown eyes, turning his head a few times as he tried to figure out where she went. There was only one way out and she would've had to get passed the saurian if she wanted out of the room.

Reptile's eyes widened, mostly confused by the brainwashed soldier's behavior. "Take care of what?" he asked.

Guy shook his head. _Just the imagination,_ he concluded. He started to walk out of the room. "Nothing," he finally said. "It's not important."

He walked passed Reptile, who followed him seconds after.

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

An old memory crosses Sophitia's mind… _she and Cassandra were young adolescents, the two walking around as they went shopping for supplies to prepare for that night's supper. Cassandra does most of the talking while Sophitia listened, mentioning of a boy she met not too long ago who she thought was cute. The older sister smiled at her, telling her that she should tell the boy exactly what she told her. Sophitia was joking of course._

_"_ _No way!" Cassandra had cried out at the time, almost taking her seriously. "He has to prove to me first that he deserves me. I'm not just some girl who's stuck doing chores around the house all day! He has to accept that I'm never going to be some typical housewife. Then once he accepts that… then maybe I'll just say to him that he's cute."_

_Sophitia laughed. "Well, if you say so."_

_They continued their shopping as Cassandra continued to chatter more about the cute boy…_

"Sophitia," she heard Rothion call out, quickly bringing her out of the memory. The young woman turned to her husband and saw the warm smile on his face. She then noticed the piece of paper in his hand as he sat down next to her on the dock facing the ocean.

"What is that?" she asked him.

"It's a letter from your mother," Rothion replied as he handed the paper to his wife. "It just arrived in the mail today."

Sophitia took the paper in her hand. "Did you read it yet?"

Rothion shook his head. "I was hoping you would read it aloud."

The blonde smiled a little before peering down at the letter, immediately recognizing her mother's neat handwriting. "Dearest Sophitia," she began. "I hope this letter gets to you. All is well in the Alexandra household. Your father has been helping with supplying food in preparation of what may come. I've been helping with making more clothing, just in case. Even your brother Lucius is helping out the blacksmiths forge more weapons not just for our village, but for those nearby as well. Patroklos and Pyrrha are doing fine, though they miss you and their father very much. I hope that you and Rothion are well. We continue to pray to the Gods for your safety. With love, Mother."

Sometime in the middle of her reading, Rothion had placed an arm around her. Sophitia hadn't noticed it until after she had finished. In reply, she leaned herself against him.

"At least everyone there is okay," Sophitia said with a small smile before looking out towards the ocean in front of her.

Rothion noticed the distant look in his wife's eyes. "What are you thinking about it?" he asked, almost whispering.

Sophitia sighed a little. "I was thinking of an old memory about Cassandra… how different we are from each other. She was always the more outspoken one, always speaking her mind. Sometimes, I find it hard to believe that she's gone…"

The blonde woman raised her head up a little. "I hate to say it, but… when I think about it, in a way, it might be a good thing… because with everything that's happening now, she's spared from seeing the horrors of what we're about to face."

Rothion rubbed a hand gently up and down her arm. "I think those who have lost loved ones would think the same thing."

Sophitia could only nod before the two of them fell silent.

Later that evening at a local pub, Hwang, Kilik, and Maxi sat at a round table off to the corner, each of them with a glass of beer in front of them. All three were off duty for the night and decided to unwind with a drink or two, though Maxi did indulge a little more than the other two did.

Maxi narrowed his eyes a little as he seemed to stare off at nothing in particular. "I really hate that Kazuya guy," he finally said after some silence. "Anyone with a bigger attitude than me deserves a nice, swift kick in the-"

"So how are you, Kilik?" Hwang suddenly asked, not giving Maxi a chance to finish.

Kilik shrugged a little after taking a sip of his drink. But before he could answer, Maxi spoke for him. "He's fine." A grin followed. "He just has two women to juggle with as we speak."

Hwang raised an eyebrow at that. "Really?" He had to smile a little. "I must admit, I don't see you as the kind who would be in such a situation like that."

Kilik absentmindedly grabbed for the piece of the Dvapara-Yuga that hung around his neck. "I don't know what Maxi's talking about."

Maxi had to laugh. "Oh right, with the way Xianghua looks at you and the way you look at Jade, who in my opinion enjoys sparring with you more than she lets on. Don't tell me you don't see yourself caught in the middle."

Kilik eyed him. "I think the alcohol has gotten to you more than you realized, my friend. Besides, I can't worry about something like that, not with the incoming invasion."

Maxi stared at him. "Despite that, you deserve to at least find some form of happiness before everything goes to hell."

Kilik sighed, his fingers slightly rolling the green stone in front of his chest. _If it were only that easy..._

"I can agree on your last statement, Maxi," Hwang spoke up. "But as for everything else you said, I do think you're starting to get more than tipsy."

"Oh come on!" Maxi called out, louder than he intended to. He suddenly stood up. "I'm getting another drink," he said before standing up to go off to the bar area.

Hwang took a sip of his beer before speaking again. "We should get out of here as soon as he gets back before he gets drunk."

"Agreed," Kilik said.

"Well… I do admit the way Xianghua does look at you from time to time…"

Kilik sighed a little. "I'm not blind. I've noticed it as well ever since we started traveling together. She's a great friend but, well… she deserves to be happy and I can't provide that for her. And Jade deserves that as well, especially after what she's been through for most of her life."

Hwang blinked at that. "I never mentioned Jade."

"I know, but if you were Maxi, you would have." Kilik drank a little before continuing. "But either way, with the incoming invasion, it should be the last thing I should worry about."

Hwang nodded. "I can respect that, but there is something that needs to be asked. You are concerned about the happiness of others… but what about yours?"

Briefly, Kilik found himself in an old memory… the blood on his hands… the corpses in and around the temple he grew up in… the dead eyes of his sworn sister…

Kilik shook his head a little, shaking the dark memory out of his thoughts. _I don't deserve to be happy,_ was what he really wanted to say. Instead, he forced a smile and said, "With my way of life, I'm feeling content."

Hwang nodded. "I see," was all he could say.

~~~

**Russia**

The snowy terrain of Russia seemed to be no better since Raven and Dragunov began their trek a few weeks ago. Had it already been that long since Earth was invaded by the realm of Outworld? Then again, they hadn't seen any enemies since the one tarkatan injured Raven, but even that seemed so long ago to him.

For now, there was hardly any fog and there was no snow falling around them. The sky above was heavily cloudy, so that could change some time later in the day. Still, it gave the two travelers a clear view of a terrain of mountains up ahead.

Raven realized then that they were getting closer to his jet. He remembered setting the memory controls to have it land miles beyond these mountains whenever they were not in use. Even with that in mind, he was not looking forward to the next part of the journey.

"It'll take us approximately two days to get to the mountains judging by the distance," Raven guessed out loud. "The jet is on the other side of the mountains, so… we'll need to cut through in order to get there, which may take a few more weeks."

He heard Dragunov take a deep breath. _Guess he's not looking forward to it either,_ the agent guessed. In the meantime, they both hoped there were plenty of caves there to rest during the night.

That was when they both heard a strange sound. They stopped in their tracks and listened for it. Soon, it got louder and Raven was able to recognize engines. An airplane perhaps…

Dragunov then looked up towards the sky and pointed, indicating where he was hearing the sound from. Raven looked at where he pointed, though neither one of them were able to see anything except more clouds. Soon, about a half mile away, something emerged from the clouds and, seconds later, they were both baffled to see that the flying object was a ship.

"What the-" Raven started, but found that he couldn't say anything else. He and Dragunov looked at their surroundings, realizing that being in an open field didn't exactly leave them much of a place to hide. Sure, they could've buried themselves in the snow, but with how close the ship was, it was most likely too late to try that.

Before either of them could think of another plan, they saw a figure flying down from the ship, heading in their direction. The closer the person got, the more Raven saw who this might be.

"Raiden?" Raven uttered. Dragunov heard then and turned to stare at him, wondering in his mind what this was all about.

However, the figure heard the agent and shook his head once he was close. "I'm afraid not. My name is Fujin, the God of Wind. I… was an ally of Raiden's."

Raven nodded to the God. "What happened to Raiden?"

Fujin shook his head again. "I'm afraid it's a very long story, and I will tell you all about it momentarily. For now, we are gathering allies to put a stop to Outworld's plan to dominate the universe. Most of them are those you knew from the Blood Tournament."

"And I assume you wish for me to join?" Raven guessed.

"Of course."

Raven looked at their surroundings. "I don't exactly have much of a choice at this point. Either way, if it means putting an end to this threat, then I will join you. Just know that I like to do things my way."

"As long as you know what we're getting into." Fujin then looked at Dragunov. "We could use your help as well."

Two months ago, Raven would have protested at that, know that the Russian soldier wasn't exactly to be trusted. But weeks of traveling with him and relying on each other – not to mention Dragunov saving his life at one point – showed that they were both willing to put their differences aside in order to survive. With a common enemy – those from Outworld – they were definitely going to fight side by side. Whatever they were afterwards… they won't be friends, but Raven was sure that they were always be a small mutual respect.

And the agent was sure that Dragunov was thinking the same thing.

Thinking about that made Raven realized something as he looked at Fujin. It was the first time in weeks since he heard a voice that wasn't his own… and it felt damn good.

A few minutes later, Raven and Dragunov were both on the flying ship along with Fujin, the two being greeted by old and new faces. As the ship began to depart and head back towards the sky, Raven happened to look over the edge. They began to fly over the front side of the mountains, the ones Raven was staring at from the ground a few minutes ago.

And just behind those set of mountains was his jet… covered in snow (which would've been resolved by the jet's heaters through its skin), but its shape obvious. With the jet in that position, within the mountains instead of on the other side as he predicted, it would've only taken them three days instead of a few more weeks.

If he hadn't been injured, they would've been out of this terrain two weeks ago.

Only one word came out of his lips under his breath. "Damn…"

~~~

**Keisei, Unknown Area**

As the secluded village was filled with chaos once more, the battle between Heihachi Mishima and the Cleric of Chaos Havik continued as though there was nothing else going on around them. The two threw their best moves at each other, trying to overpower the other.

Unlike last time, the fight between them was a bit more violent. Heihachi had attempted to break Havik's neck at one point, but eventually remembered that, for some crazy reason, breaking his neck wouldn't kill him. As for Havik, he really was only going to make the guy give in to chaos, but the more he tried, the more he wanted to just kill him and get it over with.

"How the hell you managed to survive with your stupidity and that ugly face of yours is beyond me!" Heihachi called out after dodging one of his opponent's projectiles.

If Havik could grin, he would have. "It's a natural gift. Besides, with that funky hair of yours and your failed attempt at humor, I'd be surprised if you were taken seriously if you gave out an order."

The cleric wanted to wash – no – rip his own tongue out at that last word.

They both tried to overtake the other briefly before Heihachi managed to land a headbutt at Havik's head, causing him to stagger back as he placed a hand over his forehead. The older man folded his arms in front of him, not feeling amused.

"I'll have you know that I run the greatest corporation on Earth!" Heihachi replied. "And someday, the entire planet, and maybe, the universe will belong to me! All will bow to me!"

Havik growled as he ran towards him. "You disgust me!"

Heihachi smirked as he unfolded his arms, waiting for Havik to come closer. He realized that he managed to actually insult him for once. _A man of chaos_ _would_ _be insulted by the idea of order… now I get it._

When Havik was close enough, he attempted to land a punch, but Heihachi stepped aside, letting him pass before grabbing him by the back of the shirt. Before Havik could react, Heihachi spun once before letting him go, tossing him far from him before crashing into some of his followers.

More of the Black Dragon attempted to take down Heihachi after witnessing that, but the older man was able to take them down easily. Whether he managed to kill them with his bare hands wasn't of his concern. His only concern was that they stayed off his back.

Heihachi wasn't sure how much time passed before less and less of the Black Dragon members began to lessen. Soon, none came up and he saw what remained of the clan making their escape. Perhaps they actually learned their lesson for once.

Or not.

Satisfied, Heihachi dusted his hands off. "Imbeciles," he uttered. He then turned around… only to see the villagers start to surround him.

Now he remembered why he was even fighting to begin with.

 _No, no, no, NO! Just when I had my chance to get out of this hell hole!_ he screamed in his head.

A villager spoke. "Our savior has saved us once again! Hail to Heihachi!"

Heihachi growled. "NO! That was never my intention you imbeciles!"

The villagers began bowing to him. "Hail!"

"You idiots! Can't you understand that I don't want to be here?"

"Hail!"

"No!"

"Hail!"

"Nooo!"

"Hail!"

"NOOOO!"

"HAIL!"

" **NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!** **"**


	57. Chapter Fifty-Six

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

The sun had already set for the evening, making the cloudless sky a near pitch black color. With the lack of light pollution, the stars above could be seen easily.

The group consisting of Paul, Marshall, Cody, Ken, Julia, Wagner, Juli, and Cyrax circled around a campfire to keep themselves warm, and all sitting on the logs that were set up there. It was here that Paul was entertaining the group with stories of his travels.

"So here I am going through Arizona on my bike," Paul said. "It's October, but it's hot all hell. Being between Tuscon and Phoenix with not much to see is one thing, but going through the Mojave Desert is another.”

"Actually," Julia interrupted, causing everyone listening to turn to her. "The desert there is called Sonoran."

Paul raised an eyebrow at her. "Really? I could've sworn it was called the Mojave…"

"The Mojave is located in Southeastern Calfornia, parts of South Nevada, and a little bit in western Arizona. If you were in between Tuscon and Phoenix, then that leaves you in the Sonoran."

"Julia is correct," Cyrax said. "According to my quick research just now, you were indeed in the Sonoran Desert and not the Mojave Desert."

Paul stared at the cyborg. "No need to rub it in my face, man."

There was a brief pause after that. Before anyone could say anything, a sigh escaped Wagner's lips. It was loud enough to catch the attention of everyone at the campfire.

"Something on your mind?" asked Cody.

Wagner ran his fingers through his blond hair before replying. "Well… I'm about put a damper on everyone's mood, but at the moment, I feel like I'm going insane. I mean, being stuck here for over a month hasn't exactly helped things." He looked up at his friends and shrugged. "Hmm… maybe when there's no snow, I'll feel better. Then again, that feels never-ending."

Juli placed a hand on his shoulder. "All we can do is be patient."

"I have to agree with Wagner," said Ken. He let out a long exhale before continuing. "How long before we all go insane with all this waiting? I mean, look what happened a few days ago… some of us nearly killed each other."

"Let's not bring that up..." suggested Marshall.

"Sooner or later, we're all going to want to bust out of here and start kicking asses and taking names," added Paul.

"We all do," said Julia. "But remember, we still have a few more people we're waiting for, like Guile."

"And my wife and son," added Marshall with a sigh.

"Normally I'd say let's leave them a message on where we're heading," said Ken. "But even if we left them something subtle or even if it's only something they would know, it's too risky. The last thing we need is for our enemies to find those messages."

"I agree," replied Wagner. "So there we go, unless things change, the only thing we can do is stay here. Well, maybe we can all get out of here when the spring thaw hits."

"Could take a while since we're here in the Rockies," mentioned Julia. "The snow thaw might take a little longer."

Wagner rubbed his eyes briefly. "Remind me to help Guile pick a more weather-neutral spot the next time we have another doomsday event."

"Hopefully that doesn't happen, but I'll be sure to remind you," replied Juli.

~~~

**The Skies**

"…So once we arrive in Keisei, it will be easier for me to pinpoint the location of the chosen ones," Dhalsim explained as he walked the deck of the ship. On either side of him were the Wind God, Fujin, and the Outworld native, Bo' Rai Cho.

"Ruby Heart did have some concerns about how the ship will hold up during the transition between realms," mentioned Fujin.

"I'm not sure how it will be in Keisei," began Bo' Rai Cho. "But I do have my concerns on what will happen upon our arrival in Outworld. It's highly possible that we may be attacked upon our arrival. Then again, with the way they've been invading the last few months from what Yoshimitsu has mentioned, it may also be possible that they might not be expecting us. Still, it's better to expect the worst."

Fujin nodded. "We'll have to see once we get there."

It was then that the three of them realized that someone was approaching since they were able to hear footsteps. They turned their heads before seeing the Interpol detective, Chun Li, coming up to them.

Fujin noticed the thoughtful look on her face. "Is there anything we can do for you?" he asked her.

"Well, I was just having a thought and I wanted to talk to you about it," Chun Li replied.

The Wind God nodded to her. "Go on."

"Since we're getting closer to England, I need to ask you Dhalsim… where exactly is the location of those we're picking up next?"

Dhalsim looked over the ledge of the ship, gazing down at the world below. The answer came to him. "They're just outside of London in some military facility."

"I figured as much," Chun Li replied. She had already guessed that one of those they were picking up was her colleague from MI-6, Cammy White. "Well, I was thinking that, once we get there, it might be better if I made the approach. This way, people at the facility don't become hostile to a flying ship, let alone try to shoot it down."

"She has a point," said Bo' Rai Cho. "This may delay the trip a little, but it's better than risking our only transportation, let alone the lives of our chosen ones."

Dhalsim nodded in agreement. "You are right."

Chun Li continued. "I've worked with Cammy before and, if her higher-ups are with her, they also know who I am. This may make the process of recruiting easier."

"We'll have you approach the facility once we get there," Fujin said.

Just as he finished his sentence, they heard Ruby Heart call out from the ship's steering. "Get ready! England is not too far ahead!"

Chun Li almost smiled upon hearing that. "Right on time."

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

In a training room of the Coast Guard Headquarters, Kazuya Mishima was practicing some of his fighting moves on a handmade stuffed dummy that was hanging by a rope on the ceiling. Only just beginning, Kazuya knew that this training equipment wouldn't last long against his strikes. He couldn't count how many times he busted the seams of sandbags hanging off thick chains in the past. This was going to be over in seconds.

At least it was better than being bored to death.

Ever since he found himself stuck here in this city, training was really all he can do. That is unless something happens whether it was a portal finally being available or an invasion. No matter what happens and how long it takes, he was going to find his way back to Earth.

As he expected, it didn't take long before the seams of the dummy broke, the sand inside pour all over the floor. Kazuya took a moment to breathe, planning on doing on katas before a voice broke through his thoughts.

"I'd hate to think what that damage would look like on a real opponent," Maxi said from behind. Kazuya turned to him and the two stared at each other for a moment.

Kazuya eventually narrowed his eyes, feeling annoyed by his presence. "If you're looking to make friends, go somewhere else."

Maxi nearly laughed dryly. "I wasn't, I was just thinking out loud here." Then, a thought came to the Keisei native. A smirk came over his lips as he pulled out his nunchakus. "Though I do admit, I'm itching for a fight."

Kazuya folded his arms in front of his bare chest. "What, with those toys of yours? You can do better than that."

Maxi almost laughed dryly again. "What? Are you afraid? Come on! Let's start where we left off at the dock when you first arrived here!"

Of course, Kazuya remembered their first encounter. The two of them were close to duking it out before Maxi's friends intervened. At least this time, there was no one around to interfere.

Indeed the Earthrealm native would finish what they started.

At the same time, the two of them charged towards each other with Maxi attempting a spinning kick, which Kazuya quickly ducked under. He tried to follow with an open-palm strike to the side, but Maxi managed to maneuver himself to avoid it.

For a couple of minutes, the two of them were mostly even, mostly working on avoiding the other's attack and trying to get a hit in. Maxi let out his own battle cries as he delivered his attacks, whereas Kazuya grunt when he did the same.

Soon, however, Maxi made a wrong step and Kazuya was able to land a few kicks to his midsection. Then, Kazuya managed to find an opening as Maxi attempted to rear himself back from the last attack. With speed, Kazuya extended his right arm and managed to grab hold of Maxi's head. Before Maxi was able to try to get out of the grip, he was suddenly lifted in the air, feeling himself spin once before Kazuya released him with a roar.

Maxi had expected to hit the wall behind him and his muscles tensed as he prepared for impact. However, the force in which Kazuya threw him... he ended up literally crashing through the wall and into the dining room next door.

The guards in the dining room, including Hwang, stood up after being taken by surprise. On instinct, they drew out their respective weapons, believing an enemy managed to make their way into headquarters. However, upon looking into the training room through the hall that was just made, all they saw was Kazuya giving them a sadistic smirk. A second later, he walked through the training room door and into the hallway as though nothing happened.

Hwang looked down at the poor bastard who was thrown through the wall, only to see that Maxi was the poor bastard. Quickly, he ran over to him and got down on his knees.

"Maxi!" Hwang called out. "Are you all right?!"

A small groan escaped Maxi as he attempted to get up. However, the immense pain that suddenly hit him forced him to lie face down again. "Ugh… um… yeah… uh… we were… just… sparring… yeah…"

Then, Maxi lost consciousness.

~~~

**Sky Temple**

On the top of the tall temple, Dark Raiden sat in the middle of the roof. As he usually did during the day, he sat in a lotus position with his eyes closed, his thoughts cleared for the moment. It was the middle of the afternoon and, although the clouds were heavy, there was no threat of any storms at the moment.

It was mostly quiet for Dark Raiden ever since his fight with Scorpion. He was sure at the time that he had sent the ninja specter back to the Netherrealm, back to where he came from. However, he had the feeling that Scorpion may not have reached the realm despite his efforts.

 _It wouldn't surprise me if the Elder Gods managed to retrieve him again,_ the Thunder God thought to himself.

For now, there was peace around him. Still, he had to be on his toes. Something told him that the threat from Outworld would eventually return. In the meantime, however, he would 'take care of things' here on Earth.

Eventually, a flashback came to him. He ended up being reminded of when most called it, 'the day he sacrificed himself.'

… _Raiden and Ogre eventually found themselves in the forest area, away from the battle near the main palace…but more importantly, away from the portals._

_The two deities exchanged moves for a moment in rapid speed. Eventually, Ogre managed to fly up above Raiden and shoot multiple projectiles, forcing the Thunder God to dodge out of the way. Afterwards, Ogre flew back down and managed to get himself close enough so that he kicked Raiden in the face, sending him flying back before crashing into a tree._

_Raiden managed to get himself back up before Ogre attacked him with a powerful punch. The Thunder God teleported out of the way and the Fighting God hit the tree with enough force to shatter it. Raiden managed to get himself behind Ogre before kick him back._

_Ogre stumbled a bit before turning his attention back to Raiden. As he quickly approached him, they exchanged more moves once again until Raiden landed a double punch to his chest before jumping up and kicking Ogre in the face, causing the green monster to stagger back two feet._

_After recovering, Ogre was forced to move out of the way from Raiden's lightning projectile. Leaving the God of Thunder open, Ogre executed three palm strikes, knocking Raiden back a few yards._

_Raiden gritted his teeth as he began to feel pain within his body for the first time in what seemed like ages. "Damn him…he can't live…" he uttered._

_Soon, Raiden managed to stand himself up. Then, to his surprise, Ogre shot out a long, red projectile surrounded by lightning. In retaliation, Raiden blocked with his own long, white projectile, also surrounded by lightening._

_For a while, the two of them tried to dominate the other with their powers. Slowly, however, Raiden was feeling Ogre's power slowly taking over._

_"I…cannot…let you…live!" Raiden yelled out._

_He still felt some energy left with him…and used that last bit of power with him, letting out a howling scream in the process._

_Then, a white light surrounded them…_

The flashback soon faded in his mind, clearing him of all thoughts. "At least the demon no longer lives," Dark Raiden said out loud.

Then, another flashback hit him, one he hadn't thought of ever since the day he 'sacrificed' himself. He realized after a moment, from the surroundings of that day, that it had taken place back in Outworld…

_After a long night's sleep, Rose slowly opened her eyes, finding herself back in the surroundings of her room in the cave. She yawned a little as she stretched herself out a little underneath the sheets._

For some reason, I feel much more relaxed this morning _,_ _she thought._

_That's when the curtain to her room opened and Raiden walked in. In his hands was a tray full of hot food._

_"Good morning Rose," he said in a cheerful voice…which to Rose wasn't normal._

_Rose began to sit up in a bit of confusion. As soon as she did, she noticed her bare shoulders and suddenly remembered what she and Raiden had done over the night. Quickly, she grabbed the sheet that covered her to keep it from falling further down._

_"Um, good morning," Rose managed to say as Raiden sat down next to her on the bed. He then placed the tray in front of her. Rose got a better view of her breakfast…bacon and eggs with a single toast and a piece of fruit on the side along with a cup of tea._

'Definitely from the palace, _'_ _she thought._

_"Well… this is nice," Rose said. She then found her cheeks burning a bit and she looked at Raiden. "So… after last night… does that mean that you're going to be nice like this?"_

_Raiden couldn't help but to grin. "Well I can't actually promise anything."_

_Rose narrowed her eyes. "Typical… but I still thing you'll be nicer."_

_"Maybe." He then smirked a bit. "…it's a good thing nothing serious came up last night. We could've been considered the worst leaders of a group."_

_Rose laughed a little. "That's only if our arguments didn't beat that idea to it."_

_"Aw the Chosen Ones like us… or else they wouldn't be able to tolerate us up to this point."_

_"Well that's true."_

…Quickly, as though a rock was thrown against a window pane, the images in his mind shattered into countless pieces. A growl escaped Dark Raiden's lips as he red, glowing eyes flashed opened in annoyance.

"Useless thoughts," he grumbled. "Nothing more than a waste of time!"

Having enough of meditating at this point, Dark Raiden stood up before he began to flying away. From there, he would keep watch of the surrounding area.

~~~

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

A few hours after sunset, Ermac and Siegfried were sitting by the campfire, deciding to keep themselves warm not long after the last group had left. Siegfried took a moment to add more twigs to the fire before sitting back down.

"Well, things seem to be calmer after our allies nearly killed each other a couple of days ago," Siegfried mentioned. "During my watch shift tonight, I saw most of them gathered here and just talking. No raised voices as far as I could tell."

"That is good to know," answered Ermac. "They need to be at their best if we are to survive."

"That's true," Siegfried said. "But I can see their weariness. I know they are trying to be positive, but with everything that's happening to them, how long will it take before the fight is beaten out of them?"

Siegfried took a deep breath after our last sentence as thoughts ran through his head. "We did all we can to help the city of Lei Chen. We both remained hopeful about our success. We kept our fellow soldiers and the civilians from falling, yet despite our hard work, we still lost…"

As the Keisei native spoke, Ermac could sense the uneasiness his friend was feeling. When he noticed his words lingering, the enigma chose to speak. "Do not blame yourself for something that is not your fault. Just know that you did everything you can to help them even if the results were not what you wanted."

Siegfried nodded. "Still, I only wish that the results were… better."

He felt tired suddenly, mostly because he hasn't had much sleep since arriving on Earth. Standing up, Siegfried took a moment to stretch his limbs. "I think I'll be going to bed… or a least try to get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night," Ermac replied as Siegfried turned around and took his leave. Once he was out of sight, Ermac adjusted himself into a lotus position before closing his eyes to meditate.

The enigma wasn't sure how long he was meditating before he heard footsteps nearby. Ermac opened his eyes and turned his head in time to see Alex setting herself down on one of the logs. She briefly adjusted the gray jacket that was a few sizes too big on her before her eyes settled at the fire in front of them. Ermac stretched his legs out before doing the same.

For a while, there was silence between them as they both stared at the campfire. The only sound that was heard as of now was the light wind and the cracking sound from the fire.

Then, Alex turned her head to stare at the enigma. "I… never had the chance to thank you."

Hearing her, Ermac looked at her, unsure of what she meant. "For what?"

"For helping me outside these walls… when Shang Tsung tried to…" She stopped herself, taking a deep breath for a moment before proceed. "What was that, the twelfth time you've helped me?"

"The fourth time," Ermac corrected. "The other three were during the tournament."

Alex smiled a little. "I know, I was exaggerating."

A small, dark laugh escaped her lips. "I'm supposed to be a soldier. I mean, sure, receiving help once in a while is one thing, but when it's happening too many times… I… just question the kind of soldier I'm supposed to be. I shouldn't be a damsel in distress, let alone more than once in less than a year. All this training for what? To be taken down so fast and, in the end, cry like a schoolgirl over it?"

"No training prepares you for every situation," Ermac mentioned to her.

Alex sighed. "Sure, Shang Tsung rising from the dead can throw you for a loop, but what I should've done was fire a warning shot, anything. Instead, I ran…"

"From what we were told, it was to steer him away from the camp," Ermac mentioned. "It was a selfless act and we would have done the same if we ran into him first."

Alex stared at him, her eyes narrowing. "If it was you, you would have fought him off with ease, maybe even kill him if you had the chance. I knew the moment he shapeshifted into his own form that I wasn't going to live through it. Even with all my training, I wasn't prepared to fight someone like that bastard."

She found herself looking down at her feet. "I thought for sure I was going to die. Instead, he… humiliates me, all because Kenshi killed him all those months ago." She shook her head. "I should've known he would do that, especially after we've seen his harem…"

"You haven't slept well, haven't you?" Ermac asked.

Alex looked at him. "How did you guess?"

"It seems like something you thought a lot about since you woke up."

Alex nodded a little. "Well, that, plus there's the fact that it doesn't help that I worry about Kenshi most nights. The fact that Shang Tsung is back alone has forced his anger to consume him. I hardly see him now, and he's only talked to me twice since I woke up. One was to make sure I was okay, but even that conversation was brief... the other was when… our friends almost strangled each other. At least he's not talking to anyone and not just me, so that's a little comforting, even if it's not by much."

She found herself staring at the sky. "I should've known that would happen. He was consumed with anger long before we met. He spent years trying to get the bastard for blinding him and stealing the souls of his ancestors, doing his own thing to reach his goals. Hell, he spent all that time by himself that I'm surprised that he stayed with me after the tournament. Not that I expected this to be some sort of fairytale romance, but he did talk about leaving Special Forces once he was done, which I assumed meant me as well."

Alex noticed the blank look in Ermac's eyes and realized she was rambling. She chuckled dryly a little. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you feel on stuff like that. I guess it's because I haven't really talked about this to anyone, and now it's just all… coming out. And you happen to be sitting right here, so... yeah..."

"We... admit, we're unable to relate, but we do listen," Ermac mentioned. "But what we can say for sure is to give him time. Like you said, the fact that Shang Tsung alone has returned most likely threw him for a…" He suddenly couldn't remember the last word she mentioned earlier. "…lube?"

That made Alex laugh, and she was almost thankful that none of the others were here to hear that. They definitely would have never let the enigma live that down. "Loop. Yeah, you're most likely right. But still, it's not a good feeling, wondering what he's going through… and wondering if everything between us… is still, well… all right. I guess I'll have to do what all of us have been doing since this hell started… hope."

Ermac nodded. "It's all we can all do."

~~~

**London, England**

Upon arriving near London, as planned, Chun Li got off the flying ship and approached the MI-6 base. Noting how crowded the place was, the young woman realized that the soldiers here have used most of their base as a refugee camp.

Reaching the entrance, Chun Li showed her Interpol badge to the guards and asked for highest ranking officer in charge stating that she was here for important business. One of the guards led her inside and it took less than a few minutes to reach the office of the General who was at the base. Chun Li didn't know this particular General personally, but has heard the name before. The General himself did recognize Chun Li and the two shared a friendly greeting.

At this point, Chun Li decided to get down to business. "I'm here because I've been assigned to an operation that may help in saving the universe and what's left of the mess that was left behind. I've also been… assigned for recruiting and was hoping that Agents Cammy White and Lita Luwanda will be able to accompany me on this mission."

The General knew the information was vague, but being a soldier for many years, he knew when something was possibly classified. Hoping to get a little more information, he pressed on.

"I appreciate your need for my soldiers, but as you saw, we need all the help we can get in helping the civilians recover from the last attack."

Chun Li nodded in understanding. "It's a great thing you are all doing here, but I only need you to spare a couple of your agents. It's not just a matter of helping one base or even this entire planet. It's a matter of helping the universe in the long-run."

Chun Li then thought of Yoshimitsu's words and his mention of how the other realms were seized multiple times before being captured for good. "We received intel from recon scouts from other worlds about what has been going on elsewhere. And if history repeats itself, Earth will be hit again. When, we're not sure, but we need the best to end this before it gets worse."

The General saw how serious she was when she spoke. Whatever this operation was, it was indeed a matter of importance and the Interpol agent needed the best to see this mission through.

After a few moments of thinking, the General finally agreed to her request, calling both Cammy and Lita down to his office. A few minutes later, Cammy and Lita found themselves thrilled to see one of their allies survive thus far.

In private, Chun Li explained everything to them in more detail. She felt a bit silly explaining to them about the flying ship that was waiting for them a few miles away from the base hidden by the clouds above.

"After everything we've seen in the last few years, nothing surprises me anymore," Lita mentioned with a small laugh.

With that out of the way, Cammy mentioned about Nina Williams being here as well, which surprised Chun Li a little. "Though I have to warn you," Lita added. "She's been… moody since this whole thing started."

"She also mentioned about not wanting to be involved in anything to do with her time in Outworld," Cammy mentioned.

"So I gather she won't be joining us?" Chun Li asked.

Lita shrugged. "Well, we can always ask anyway."

Cammy continued from there. "There are two others who've been with us since day one who we'd like to take with us."

"Will the General be all right with that?" Chun Li asked.

"One of them is a civilian, so he shouldn't be a problem," Cammy replied. "He's a boxer named Steve Fox. He's a great fighter and can hold his own. He… also has the mafia after him for throwing a fight."

"That's a shame," Chun Li said. "But if he's as good of a fighter as you say he is, he'll be a great asset in our fight against the Outworld Forces."

"I can vouch for his skills, but Cammy can tell you better than I can from _personal_ experience," Lita said, holding back a shit-eating grin.

Chun Li noticed the flushed look on Cammy's face and almost laughed. However, she held back and decided to ask her about it later. "And I assume the second person is a soldier?"

"You might remember her," Cammy answered, shaking her head a little to get rid of the embarrassing feeling (she was definitely going to kill Lita later). "It's Juni, she joined with us a few months ago after going through basic training."

"I remember," Chun Li nodded. "You and Wagner were able to save her a few years ago when Guile and I helped you on that operation."

"She doesn't remember anything from her time as an… agent," Lita mentioned. "But her muscle memory seems to be intact from those times. I'm confident that she'll be of great help."

"As long as your General is okay with that, of course."

It was another hour before everything was settled. Naturally, Steve and Juni were eager to help. To their surprise, Nina did not hesitate to agree on going as well. Little did they know was that Nina was itching for a real fight and if it meant reuniting with those she originally sworn to avoid, then she would do it.

It was also another way for her to get closer to Anna and get another chance to end their rivalry.

Once they were ready to go, Cammy, Lita, Steve, and Juni bid farewell to those at the base before departing with Chun Li and Nina. They traveled a half hour to their destination just on the outskirts of the city. As though they were expecting them, Ruby Heart's ship began to lower down past the clouds and towards their location.

Lita's mouth gaped at the sight. "I know I said nothing surprises me anymore, but once you see it, it's another story…"

"Wait until you're on the ship," Chun Li mentioned. "Especially when you see the sights from up there."

"I can only imagine."

Before they knew it, all six of them were climbing the ropes with Chun Li going first, followed by Nina, Juni, Cammy, Lita, and then Steve. During the climb, Cammy focusing on getting up there rather than looking down and accidentally end up with a case of vertigo. The ship wasn't really that high up, but looks were definitely deceiving from the ground.

After what felt like forever, Cammy found that she was a few steps away from reaching the ship. She stopped briefly as Juni was helped on to the ship, a hand pulling her up to the deck. Once there was room above her, Cammy continued to climb up, noticing the same hand that helped Juni a moment ago reaching towards her. Eager to get on the ship, Cammy climbed the last few steps before she was close enough to reach other and tightly grasp onto the hand.

There was a brief pull before the person stopped. Cammy arched an eyebrow before she raised her head up to look at the person to see if anything was wrong.

However, only a small gasp escaped her lips. Frozen in her place, Cammy found herself looking at the equally-surprised face of the last person she expected to see – Jin Kazama.

 _How-_ Cammy started to think, but even her thoughts felt frozen as a million emotions ran through her mind. She wasn't sure whether to be happy, excited, angry, pissed off, well, anything really. All she knew was that over a half of year of wondering what had happened to Jin seemed a lot longer than she realized.

There was surely going to be a millions questions to be asked soon enough.

"What's the hold up?!" Lita called as she pushed one of Cammy's calves up from below. "Steve and I would like to get on the ship sometime soon!"

Cammy shook her head, remembering where she was. Jin seemed to have broken through whatever thoughts he had on his mind as he also shook his head before pulling Cammy up to the ship. Once her feet were on the deck, the two stared at each other for another moment before Cammy pulled her hand away from his and made her way over to where Chun Li was.

Once everyone was on board, Ruby Heart announced everyone to prepare and relax because their last stop was going to take them across the Atlantic Ocean and to the United States, a two-day journey.

When that announcement was over, Lita searched around briefly before finding Cammy looking out over the ship. Lita had seen her with Jin briefly during the last few steps of her climb and was curious what was going through her friend's mind. As far as she knew, Steve hadn't seen anything because he had not said anything to her after she helped pull him up.

Cammy noticed Lita approached and took a deep breath. "I know what you're thinking. Honestly, I don't know what to think."

"I imagine you're still shocked," Lita replied. "I would be too if I was in your spot."

"Yeah… maybe when the shock wears off, I'll figure this out." Cammy lets out another breath. "But really, it should be easy. What happened between us ended months ago and what I have now with Steve is wonderful." She shook her head. "Maybe because this is the first time I've seen him in months and the fact that I didn't expect to see him again… well… I don't know what to think of it."

"And you must have a million questions to ask him, I'm guessing," Lita said. "It's just nerves. Listen, from what Chun Li told us, we have some time before we even get near Outworld. You'll have some time to sort this out. But you have to talk to him soon. The sooner all these questions and answers are aired out, the sooner you can… move on and have a clearer head in the fight ahead."

Cammy nodded. "You're right."

"Is everything all right?" a male voiced asked. Both women turned and saw Steve approaching them.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Cammy replied. "I… think the exhaustion from the last few weeks is finally getting to me."

"I can only imagine," Steve agreed as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, they have rooms that you and I can share, and I think it's a good idea of claim a nice one before someone else does."

"That's a good idea." Cammy replied as she wrapped her own arm around his waist. "I could use the rest. I'll see you later, Lita."

Lita nodded. "Later."

Once Cammy's back was turned to her, a frown appeared on Lita's face. Sure, Cammy getting answers from Jin would be one thing, but Lita wondered if any old, hidden feelings from her friend might surface. She imagined it was easier to move on when Jin wasn't around, but now that he was here, Lita realized that his presence may trigger those feelings.

 _I hope she's ready to deal with them,_ Lita thought. She then realized something. _I wonder what Steve will think of this…_

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

In the throne room, many of the Generals and guards working under Shao Kahn and Ivy Valentine were gathered for another meeting. The outside world had just darkened for the night, the only light source were the torches that were lit on the walls. With many of the minions in the room, most wondered what this latest meeting was about.

Everyone was talking amongst themselves, at least until the Emperor and Empress themselves walked into the room. All fell silent and immediately bowed down to them as they made their way to their respective thrones.

"Rise!" Shao Kahn called out after he and Ivy sat down. Without pause, everyone in the room got back on their feet. Once that was done, he proceeded. "The time has come for us to begin the next step in merging Earth with Outworld! Those who still oppose us will be taken care of as we invade once more!"

This earned excited murmur among those in the room. Finally, they will be heading back to Earth to finish what they have started, something most believe was long-overdue.

Shao Kahn spoke again, making everyone silent once more. "Each General will be assigned an area as always. You'll know exactly where to go once you arrive on Earth.”

When there was silence, Shang Tsung took the opportunity to step forward. "If I may make a suggestion, my Emperor." As he expected, Shao Kahn's red eyes glared at him, but the sorcerer managed to ignore the chill that attempted to run up his spine from the stare. "From the… last invasion, there were rumors of a group of… refugees who were planning to fight back if we return a second time."

As he spoke, Quan Chi turned his head to Shang Tsung, resisting the urge to smirk. He knew he was talking about the group he encountered when he took his 'vacation' some time again. No doubt he wanted to see the swordsman dead.

 _Revenge can definitely drive a fool into madness,_ Quan Chi thought to himself. _I should know from my encounters with the spectre._

"And where did you hear this, Shang Tsung?" Shao Kahn asked suspiciously. "You were not there during the initial invasion."

For once, Quan Chi felt generous. "The information came from the guards that came with me in the last invasion," he explained. "Most of them were killed after I obtain the information. I was in several areas during the time and they are most likely located in the North American region. Some were even rumored to have escaped after the Blood Tournament."

Shao Kahn was silent for a moment before turning his attention back to Shang Tsung. "Very well, Shang Tsung. You will handpick a team to take care of these… refugees. Leave no one alive."

Shang Tsung nodded. "Thank you." He then turned his head to Quan Chi, the two staring at each other for a moment before they both turned their attention back to the Emperor. Shang Tsung was curious as to why Quan Chi was willing to step in for him, but that was something he would worry about later.

"The rest of your assignments will be handed to you within the next twelve hours. At sunrise, we will make our way to Earth. This time, the realm will be ours!"


	58. Chapter Fifty-Seven

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld, Nighttime**

In her sleeping quarters, Ivy Valentine found that she couldn't sleep. She pretty much expected it since she hasn't been sleeping well for the last few nights. Mostly, the weight of her decision involving Keisei was extremely heavy, especially now with the next Earth invasion to begin within the next few hours. Like last time, she was to remain here while the other Generals took care of business.

Pushing the thought aside, Ivy forced herself to think about other things. A few minutes later, her mind brought her back to when she was first offered the spot as Empress of Outworld…

_"Congratulations on your win the tournament," Shao Kahn said. "You've done well."_

_Ivy nodded to him. "Thank you." A smirk came over her face then. "I knew that I would emerge the victor."_

_Shao Kahn then stood up and walked over to her, soon stopping just a couple of feet from her. Ivy found herself looking up at him, nearly forgetting how tall the Emperor was. His presence would normally intimidate others… yet for some reason, she didn't feel afraid of him._

_"Have you brought the medallion with you as I requested?" he asked._

_Ivy nodded as she took the medallion out of her pocket and held it in front of her. "Yes, I've brought it with me."_

_"Good," Shao Kahn said. "Now, let me ask you this… how does it feel to have such power within your hands?"_

_Ivy looked down at the artifact for a moment. She still didn't feel impressed by it as it looked up at her with its single eye._

_"To be quite honest, I feel nothing," Ivy replied._

_Shao Kahn nodded. "That is because you are holding a replica in your hand."_

_Ivy looked up at the Emperor with her blue eyes widened as he reached a hand out…now holding the real medallion. This medallion seemed more life-like as the red tear slightly glowed in a slow rhythm._

_"I believe you wanted this," he said._

_Ivy dropped the fake medallion to the ground and she slowly took the real thing into her hands. "Why was I given a replica in the first place?" she asked as she stared at the artifact._

_"For two reasons," Shao Kahn replied. "Just in case Shang Tsung decided to double cross me and just in case Jin ended up winning the tournament instead."_

_Now Ivy understood as she looked up at him. "Good plan," she commended._

_"Now," Shao Kahn began to say. "There was another reason I called you down here."_

_Ivy nodded to him as she waited for his words._

_"It's… quite a rare offer if I say so myself," he continued. "It's a little plan I've had for myself since the beginning of the tournament. You have proven your loyalty to me despite the short time you've been here. And your win in the tournament proved to me your strength and your dedication to fighting."_

_Then to Ivy's surprise, the Emperor reached a hand up and slightly brushed her cheek with his fingers. She stared up at him as he did this and in her mind, she knew that Shao Kahn's other minions would probably drop dead with surprise if they ever saw this._

_Shao Kahn then proceeded. "It's been quite some time since Outworld had an Empress. It's the perfect title for you. Come rule Outworld by my side."_

_Although Ivy was very flattered by the offer, she couldn't help but feel guilty. Here she was planning to leave Outworld with the medallion and now here's a man, who believes that she's completely loyal to him, making a type of offer she was sure every woman dreamed of._

_Now, however, she was beginning to understand why the Emperor seemed to call her over to the throne all the time since her arrival here. It was because he had a bit of an infatuation with her. She never believed that he was capable of those types of feelings…but she guessed that even someone like Shao Kahn can possess that after all._

_Even after those thoughts, Ivy still wasn't sure whether to take the offer. She had been planning to leave here since day one after the tournament was over… but now with an offer such as this, she was now finding herself conflicted._

_Still not sure what to do, Ivy gave him the answer she knew he wanted to hear…_

_"Yes…I accept."_

Needless to say, Ivy stayed in Outworld, ruling as Empress by Shao Kahn's side.

Thinking back on it now, she should have known that Shao Kahn was infatuated with her. He was always impressed with her ruthless fighting skills. After all, it was how she ended up serving under him to begin with.

Ivy was not naïve when it came to how attractive she was to the opposite sex (and some from the same sex as well, she noticed before). She was tall for her gender, her height added by heels to make her look more imposing. Her curves were well-endowed in the right places, and some of her choice of clothing left little to the imagination. Naturally, this earned stares from anyone she walked by. Some made it obvious, but most tried not to look, but somehow, Ivy always seemed to notice. She did admit to herself that it was a breath of fresh air when she did pass someone who didn't give her a double take.

So she should not have been all that surprised when Shao Kahn approached her with his offer... and yet, she was anyway. Throughout her stay, he also gave subtle hints. Mostly, it was just his fingers touching her face in a gentle motion that would make almost all of his minions wondering if this was the same Emperor they were still serving under if they witnessed that. She almost chuckled at that thought alone.

Being an Empress did have its benefits. She had more freedom than any of the Generals have, and she was able to make decisions without Shao Kahn's approval, so long as those decisions stay within the initial plans. Of course, if there was something he wanted done from her, like remain behind during the invasion of the realms, she would follow that order. It was one of the few times that she would do as he said.

However, Ivy couldn't help but sometimes think about Keisei. Outworld was, of course, much darker, the sky purple during the day with the ground being either olive green or purple depending on the area. Most of the 'rivers' were nothing but lava. The mountains and trees were nice at least. In Keisei, the sky was blue, the lush grass was almost a bright green, and the rivers were almost clear as crystal. Ivy found herself frowning as she thought of this. Has it only been eight months since she left her home world? It sure as hell felt longer…

Her thoughts were suddenly disrupted as she heard a knock on the door. Unsure of what time it was, Ivy reached over to the lantern next to the bed. Gently twisting the knob to lighten the room, she turned her head to face the door.

"It's open," she called out.

The door opened, revealing Tanya, her black hair neatly done in a low ponytail and she was already dressed and ready for battle. Looking at the Empress, Tanya noticed the confused look on Ivy's face. She slightly narrowed her pale eyes a little, unsure of whether or not she was going to hear it from the Empress about 'coming in too early.'

"You told me to wake you a half hour before dawn," Tanya reminded her.

Ivy blinked a few times. Has this night gone by that fast? "Oh… yes, I did. Just set my day clothes on the dresser and shine my boots."

Silently, Tanya went into her drawers and picked out her outfit for the day before setting it down on the dresser. She then went over to where her boots were, grabbing the cleaning products to shine them. Ivy nearly smirked, thinking how more cooperative Tanya has been since they first met. Still, she imagined that whenever she wasn't looking, Tanya had a menacing scowl on her face.

That was another benefit of being an Empress. No matter how much Tanya wanted to lash out, she had no choice but to obey, especially if she wanted to live. Her survival instincts were just too high to do anything about it.

As she started to shine her boots, Tanya looked over at Ivy. "It'll be quite a day, today. We'll finally make Earth fall to their knees. It's a long time coming."

Ivy managed to nod. "Yes, it has been."

"And I imagine we'll be going to Keisei soon after."

Ivy forced her nod even more. "Most likely, unless Shao Kahn has other plans."

"I doubt it, but you never know," Tanya replied.

A few minutes later, Ivy saw Tanya set her boots down near the dresser, finished with the shining. Before Tanya could say anything else, Ivy spoke. "There's nothing else I need from you. I imagine you would want to spend some time with Rain before you depart."

Tanya looked a little surprised to say that, but quickly regained her composure. Ivy only imagined that she was feeling flabbergasted by her words, but she sure as hell wasn't going to complain about it. Instead, Tanya gave her a quickly nod before turning on her heel to take her leave.

When the door was closed, Ivy got herself up, shedding away her night clothes before tossing it onto her bed. As she got dressed in her day clothes, she once more wondered if there was any other way to delay the Keisei invasion, knowing that time was running out…

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

After spending most of the day helping out civilians with bojutsu training, Jade made the decision to unwind at the nearby pub. She had heard previously that women weren't really allowed in the pubs in this city. However, with no signs saying so, Jade figured that the so-called rule was really there to protect a potentially drunken woman in a room full of men. She understood the caution, but after living more than ten thousand years, Jade was pretty sure she knew how to take care of herself.

The bartenders working there that night didn't mind her presence. She sat at the main bar table in the furthest corner where it was a little more private, nursing a glass of beer that Maxi had recommended to her some time ago. For a while, she was left alone and those who did notice her were giving her a few leering stares that were only seen from the corner of her eye. As long as she didn't turn her head and acknowledge them, she was sure that would be the worst of it.

That assumption turned out to be wrong as three men approached her from behind. She was able to hear the heavy footsteps from behind her and even heard them shift a bit as they attempted to surround her, trying not to give her a way to escape. Jade's nose twitched in disgust as the strong stench of alcohol and body odor assaulted her senses.

"Hey sweetheart," one of them spoke just to her left. "You're looking pretty lonely. Why don't you come home with me and my buddies and we'll show you a real good time."

Jade rolled her eyes at that. _How typical,_ she thought. _You'd think the same kind of approach would've made them learn by now… then again, they are drunk._

She took a small sip of her beer before replying. "I suggest you leave before you regret it."

"Ha! She's playing hard to get!" the one behind her called out. "That's a kind of girl I like!"

"Come on honey, you can always do that at our place."

Jade soon noticed the one on her right reach out to her. Without even thinking about it, She managed to pull away before grabbing the scum and tossing him over the bar table, knocking over her glass of beer. He yelled out as he crashed on the other side, the beer quickly following and spilling over him.

"You bitch!" the one in the middle yelled out. Jade quickly grabbed her bojutsu, taking a moment to extend it before smashing the drunk on the side of the head, knocking him out cold. As the third one approached, she jabbed the end of her bo into his stomach, sending him flying back and gasping for air.

Naturally, the pub went a bit quiet as Jade's bojutsu retracted back. She rolled her eyes again. "Too easy."

The workers who witnessed that immediately picked up the three drunks and dragged them out. As they were kicked out, Kilik happened to be walking by, watching them for a moment before turning around in time to see Jade sitting back down. The bartender behind the counter began giving her another glass of beer on the house to replace the one that just spilled over.

Kilik approached her before sitting down at the stool next to her. "Something tells me you had something to do with those drunks who just got kicked out."

Jade turned her head to him once she recognized his voice, a smirk on her face. "And what if I was?"

Kilik rubbed the back of his next. "If you were… well…" He couldn't come up with anything clever and just said, "It wouldn't surprise me."

The bartender approached him and Kilik ordered his drink. The smirk remained on the Edenian's face. "You don't look like the drinking type."

"Neither do you," Kilik replied. "Besides, I only drink occasionally."

"Occasionally? What's the occasion?"

That almost threw him off for some reason. "Well, there's no occasion. It's… more like now and then, and… yeah…"

Jade smiled. "Relax, I was just teasing. I knew what you meant." The smiled faded. "Well, unless you happened to figure out how to end this invasion once and for all."

"I wish."

Soon, Kilik's drink came and Jade let him take a few sips before she proceeded. "Like everyone else, I just want this all to be over. I just want to find a way to help my friends who are brainwashed… my fellow soldiers who are imprisoned." She stared down at her beer. "I shouldn't be in this damn pub enjoying a drink."

Without thinking about it, Kilik placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "The truth is that, for now, there's nothing you and anyone else can do right now. Aside from training and preparing, I'm sure they wouldn't want you to sit around and go crazy while we all try to figure this out."

Jade sighed. "I know… I just only wish that I can do more."

"I know what you mean."

There were a few minutes of silence as the two of them took their time to finish their drinks. When her glass was empty, she stood up. "If you're not too tipsy, I could use a walk by the docks if you want to come along."

Kilik nodded and stood up, deciding not to finish his drink. "I'd like that." He left his payment on the table before the two of them made their way out of the pub and into the city streets.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld, Nighttime**

In one of the lower levels of the fortress, Motaro led his fellow centaurians in the preparations for the second Earth invasion. Some sparred with each other, others used their weapons against stuffed dummies (some even used their tails to decapitate the dummies), and some were just waiting around for whatever reason.

As he watched, Motaro found himself thinking about the last few weeks; specifically from the time this all began. Even before then, Motaro always found himself being forced to work with the shokans. A part of him knew this was really done for Shao Kahn's amusement, mainly to see which race would snap and go against his decision first. The two races had been enemies for almost as long as they existed, and Shao Kahn knew that.

Motaro did admit to himself that, for a while, seeing the shokan seethe whenever he was forced to work with them was amusing. However, the more time he spent with even one of them, the more he was losing his patience.

His time with Sheeva and Kintaro during their hunt for Dhalsim really tested him. In the end, as they failed to end the yoga master's life once and for all, the last of Motaro's patience with dealing with the shokan snapped. In front of the shokans and his Emperor, Motaro was quiet about it. In front of his fellow centaurains, he was seething.

As the thoughts left him, a sadistic idea came to his mind. Knowing that his men would want to hear this, he turned to them.

"My brothers!" he called out. He was able to get everyone's attention and all of them stopped what they were doing before turning their heads to him.

Motaro continued. "We've known for years that the shokan are nothing more than inferior." The name of the race alone caused some of them to growl. "I'd say, let's be rid of them. In secret, as we invade Earth, we slaughter the ones we run into. Their numbers will dwindle. With the chaos on Earth, no one will suspect us and the Emperor will soon see them as weak. Make him think the humans are responsible. And when the time comes, the centaurians will be the superior race who will serve and honor our Emperor!"

The centaurians cheered in agreement. After years of dealing with the shokans, they will begin the process of eliminating them once and for all…

Meanwhile, in the sleeping quarters, Anna Williams sat down on the large bed in her room. She took a moment to slip on her stockings over her slender legs. Across the room, Vega had his mask off, taking the time to inspect and admire his face in front of the full-length mirror.

"It's such a shame that I won't be meeting up with that wretched sister of mine," Anna spoke up after some silence between them. "I mean, maybe it's not so bad for the both of us to be handpicked by Shang Tsung, but, well, there is always another time I suppose."

"I'd say he was planning this for some time," Vega guessed as he continued to admire himself. So far, not a single scratch on his flawless skin… though he realized that he could go for a little bit of a tan. "The way he volunteered himself, he definitely had his eye on this place for a while. Something at that camp has his uttermost attention."

"Maybe it has something to do with that blind swordsman he's been wanting revenge on,” Anna guessed. “Why else would Shang Tsung be interested?”

“... You know, you might be right. Whatever, it's not our problem.”

By then, Anna managed to get her stockings on before she began to put her red high heels on. She almost chuckled whenever she thought about how other fighters mocked her for wearing these 'uncomfortable shoes.' The truth was, they always felt comfortable to her, especially when she was fighting. Besides, she wasn't the only one who fought in heels. Even the Empress herself wore heels to battle when she wanted to.

When her shoes were on, Anna reached over for the pair of red, elbow-length gloves and began to put them on. She was startled a little when Vega suddenly spoke. "With the determination you have to kill your sister, I'm surprised you haven't ended her life already."

Anna sighed. "I know… she's a slippery bitch, unfortunately. She mostly got it from our father." She almost spat at that last sentence.

"Sounds like resentment."

She realized this was something she hadn't talked about in years. "I worked so hard to please him, but he always loved Nina more, taught her everything he knew about assassination. At least my mother loved me and she was the one who taught me to fight. If it wasn't for her…" She found herself shrugging. "Who knows."

"Sounds like we have even more in common," Vega mentioned. "Our mothers cared for us more than our fathers did."

Anna raised an eyebrow, surprised by this revelation. "What kind of father was yours?"

Vega turned away from the mirror before he began walking towards her. "The only 'father' I knew wasn't even my real father. I was still an infant when my real father died. Financial strain forced my mother to marry my stepfather."

He sat next to Anna on the bed, but did not look at her as he proceeded. "I was just an adolescent, fresh from my ninjitsu training when he killed her. His pitiful excuse was that she did not respect him. Why should she respect such an ugly brute?" A sadistic smirk came over his face. "Naturally, I took care of him. One less ugly coward in this universe."

"At least you got your revenge," Anna mentioned.

Before Vega said anything, the door to their room knocked. Fully dressed, Anna decided to stand up and get the door. Upon opening it, she saw a guard standing nearby.

"The sun is just coming up," the guard said. "The Emperor wishes to see you both in the throne room within the next ten minutes."

"We'll be there momentarily," Anna replied before shutting the door.

By the time she turned around, Vega was already on his feet and placing his porcelain mask over his face. Once it was securely, his eyes narrowed as he grinned. "Sounds like the fun will soon begin."

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

At a pub near the outskirts of the city, Hwang sat by himself at a table near one of the darker corners, a glass of beer in front of him. Normally, he wasn't the kind of go to a pub alone as he wouldn't rather come to places like this in the company of friends. However, there was a lot on his mind and he needed a bit of time to himself to clear his thoughts.

Naturally, it didn't last very long as he noticed Maxi coming into the pub. Maxi scanned the room as though he was looking for a place to sit. Hwang shifted in his seat a little, hoping that his friend didn't see him. However, Maxi did spot him, giving him a quick grin before coming over to his table and plopped down on the empty chair next to him.

"Hey there," Maxi said cheerfully. "You usually don't come to a place like this by yourself, at least that's what you said before."

Hwang sipped a little bit of his beer before replying. "Honestly, I don't. There's too much on my mind at the moment."

"All the planning and figuring out when those Outworld bastards are going to strike, I'm sure."

Hwang sighed a little. "If only that was what's bothering me."

Maxi frowned just after the bartender took his order. "Want to talk about it?"

For a while, Hwang was silent. The thing on his mind was actually was more personal matter than that. It wasn't something that would have an effect on their plan or even the Coast Guards themselves. No, far from that…

He ended up telling Maxi before he let himself think about it. "It's about my master, Seong Han-myeong."

"Mi-na's father?" Maxi said.

Hwang nodded. "He's fallen ill."

Maxi frowned more as his own beer was set in front of him. "Is he all right?"

Hwang shook his head. "I'm not sure. The city doctor is optimistic about his recovery, but… I don't know. With all that's happening, it's sometimes hard to hope for the better. These last few weeks… ever since Earth was hit, he's been getting more and more worried about Mi-na. I'm not sure if you know, but before the tournament, they didn't actually leave off on the best of terms."

"I seemed to have heard something like that, though I don't know the exact details."

"It's a long story. But he believes what happened between them was his fault and he thinks he'll never have the chance to say sorry. She's the only blood family he has left and… well… I think the stress finally got to him."

Maxi nodded, knowing the story of Mi-na's family. "I can only imagine, especially after losing your wife and son. That can't be easy."

Hwang shook his head. "It's not. You know, it's funny… all this time I've trained under him… I always saw him as my master and a close friend, someone who has been there for me ever since my parents died. He made it no secret that I was like a son to him. Did you know he wanted to make arrangements to officially adopt me?"

"Huh," Maxi said. "I didn't know that. I assume you declined."

Hwang nodded. "It just didn't seem right to me at the time." He almost laughed then. "Then he tried to arrange a marriage between myself and Mi-na."

Maxi had to chuckle. "Really? You two have known each other for so long, I'm surprised you two are still 'just friends.'"

"Well, neither one of us ever saw each other as more than friends, so that arrangement didn't work out," Hwang mentioned. "But even after all that, I still held high regard for Han-myeong."

A frown came over Hwang's face and he found himself staring at the half-empty glass in front of him. "But… until now, I never realized how much he meant to me. He was the one who was always there when I needed reassurance… confidence… just any kind of advice. I don't see him like a father… no one can ever replace my own father… but he is the closest to a father figure that I have now…"

A sigh escaped Hwang's lips. "It's amazing how you realize these things when it's almost too late…"

Maxi patted him on the back. "He's still with us at least. It's not too late. If there's anything you want to say to him, it's best to say it soon. Don't cut it to the last minute like I did."

Hwang stared at him. "You never got to speak to your father before he died?"

"Actually I did," Maxi corrected. "I was damn lucky to even have the time to speak to him before he died. My only regret was that there wasn't enough time."

After saying that, Maxi took a long drink of his beer. After getting halfway down, he placed it back on the table.

"Let's get the hell out of here," Maxi suggested as he took out some coins and paid for both his and Hwang's drinks. The two got up and headed outside. "I know of this other pub that has girls-"

"Not a bordello I hope," Hwang cut in, eying his friend suspiciously.

" _Nooo. Of course_ , it _could_ be if you _wanted_ to… you know… go in the back or upstairs. The ones in the main area will dance for everyone there."

Hwang sighed. "All right, but something tells me this is not going to go well."

"Just relax when we get there and don't get too drunk."

Meanwhile, somewhere at the docks closer to the Coast Guard Headquarters, Xianghua decided to take a walk. She doubled check to make sure she still had her sword in case a stranger had any ideas. She planned to be out for about ten minutes, getting some fresh air before returning to her sleeping quarters and calling it a night.

Briefly, Xianghua looked up at the night sky, noticing all the small, glowing stars above. She frowned a little at the sight. It would have been a beautiful sight had it not been for the current chaos beyond it.

Her thoughts were suddenly cut off as she heard a familiar voice nearby. Scanning around, Xianghua soon spotted Kilik sitting at the edge of the dock, his lower legs hanging over the edge. She took a couple of steps forward, planning to greet him before she spotted exactly who he was talking to. Just a foot to his left sat Jade.

For a moment, Xianghua thought to just quickly turn around and just head back to headquarters. However, curiosity got the best of her and, spying a few abandoned barrels just a few feet away, she quietly went over to them before hiding behind the pile. She was now far enough to not be detected, but still close enough to hear their conversation.

The conversation was nothing more than about training at first. _If they're not actually training, they're talking about it,_ Xianghua thought in her mind. _Well… maybe that's all there is… maybe it's all they have in common… maybe…_

But then her thoughts were suddenly cut off as the subject changed. "Kilik, there's something I wanted to ask you for some time."

"What about?" Kilik asked.

Jade found herself looking over at the ocean in front of them. She usually was a lot more confident, but for some reason this time, she was feeling a bit awkward about the question that was in her mind. Pushing that out of her mind, she spoke. "Do you remember… in the woods of Outworld… do you remember one of the last times we… spoke?"

Kilik thought through this for a moment trying to remember. Seeing the confusion on his face, Jade continued. "It was just a few days before… well, before the tournament ended…"

It came back to him then and he felt his cheeks go hot a little. "You mean… about the kiss?"

She nodded.

Kilik smiled a little. "If I remember correctly, you did say that you would think about it."

Jade nodded again. "So I did… then all the craziness happened. Well… honestly, I wasn't sure if that was still on your mind since that day, that's why I brought it up. Even if we did… continue from there… there's just too much going on right now with… this universe."

"I know what you mean," Kilik said with a smile. "It's best to worry about the future first, a future for all of us. I don't want any distractions either."

"I'm glad you see it that way."

Once they got that off their chest, there was silence between them for quite a while, letting themselves listen to the wind and the waves of the ocean. Once it began to get more chilly, Jade stood up. "It's getting pretty late. I think it's time to call it a night."

Kilik stood up too, agreeing with her. "Yeah. Let's head back."

From there, they began going in the direction where headquarters was. When they were far enough, Xianghua stood up from behind the barrels, a frown on her face.

 _At least… nothing happened…_ she thought, though she was still feeling a little sad. _But something tells me that if none of this chaos was going on now…_

She wouldn't let herself think any further. All Xianghua knew was that once she was back in her quarters, she was most definitely not going to get much sleep tonight.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld, Sunrise**

The sun had risen just a few moments ago. By then, everyone assigned to invade Earth once more gathered in the throne room, all awaiting their orders.

Just like twelve hours ago, Emperor Shao Kahn and Empress Ivy Valentine entered the throne room with everyone falling quiet as they bowed to them. Once seated, Shao Kahn ordered them to rise and they obeyed.

Shao Kahn's red eyes glared at everyone in the room. "The portal will now open to Earthrealm! Finish what we started, and do not fail!"

With that, Quan Chi used his sorcery to open the portal to Earth. Once it was ready, everyone began to go through it, disappearing through the bright, white light. It stayed opened until the last person went through. With that, the portal dissipated.

Shao Kahn leaned back into his throne. "And soon, Earth will finally be mine."

Ivy's only reply was a nod.


	59. Chapter Fifty-Eight

**Rocky Mountains, USA**

In the late morning, the group staying at the camp went about their business. The clouds were heavy above them, but there was a light wind for the time being. They expected a storm to show up later that evening and prepared for it as always.

It was ten minutes before Julia's watch shift would begin, but having finished her assignments for the day, she decided to go up to the tower to meet with Ken. Ken's eyes widened a little bit as he noticed her approaching.

"You're here early," Ken said.

Julia nodded. "I had nothing else to do, so I decided to come up a little sooner. Just another ten minutes left for you." She scanned the area around them. "Anything going on that I should know about?"

"Not really," Ken replied. "Everyone is doing their own thing. As usual, Kenshi is patrolling outside the walls."

Julia sighed. "Of course he is…"

"Anything I should know?" Ken asked.

"Well, we've prepared the firewood and made sure all blankets and clothing were properly put away and stored in tight containers. We're expecting a storm the way the clouds are looking."

"When do you think?"

"Probably this evening, maybe even before the sun sets."

"I guess that'll be a good time to join with some of the guys in a game of poker or blackjack. I… haven't really participated all that much lately…"

Julia patted his shoulder. "I think that'll be fun. I heard Siegfried is getting pretty good at cards, if that's any warning to you."

Ken managed to smile. "He might be even better if I taught him. But he was taught by Paul, and I remember Paul being predictable when we played during the tournament."

Julia chuckled. "I think I remember… I was reading a book and it was so nice and quiet since most of our friends were out watching the matches. I suddenly heard Paul yell…" She then tried to imitate Paul's voice. "'Hey! I think you've been looking at my cards, Masters!'" She shook her head, but still smiled. "It scared me right out of my skin."

Ken had to laugh a little. "I recall that game, actually. We were playing 'Go Fish' of all things. I only asked if he had an eight."

"That sounds just like-" Julia started to say, but then to her surprise, Ken suddenly raised a hand in a gesture to keep silent. He stared out towards the woods outside the fort, scanning the area with his brown eyes.

After a moment, Julia had to ask. "What is it?" she whispered.

"I… think I saw movement," Kens replied.

Julia raised an eyebrow. "You think?"

"Well, you never know. Hand me the binoculars."

Julia quietly picked up the binoculars that were inside the small supply box. After grabbing it, she handed it over to Ken. Once it was in his hands, Ken peaked through them to get a better look outside the camp walls.

"Hmm… I don't see anything just yet."

"It might just be Kenshi," Julia guessed.

Ken shook his head. "Definitely not. He would usually give me a signal if he's approaching, a blue glow from his sword to be exact. I don't see that at all."

Just as those words left him, he saw someone moving. It was too fast to see who it was, but it was definitely a person. "Aside from Kenshi, is everyone else accounted for?"

"Yes," Julia replied.

"Shit." Ken turned to her, giving her a serious look. "Someone's approaching the camp, but I didn't get a good look to see who it was. Stay here, I'll warn the others."

Before Julia had the chance to speak, Ken was already heading down the ladder, eventually jumping to the ground when he was close enough. Across the way, he saw Sagat in the training area with Paul, Marshall, and Cody approaching the kitchen, most likely to have some lunch.

"HEY!" Ken called out catching all four of their attention.

Paul was the first to speak. "What's up?"

"Someone's approaching the camp! Unidentified!"

This got their attention. "Shit," Cody uttered. He, Paul, and Marshall ran to where Ken was with Sagat soon following after. Nearby, Siegfried, Ermac, Wagner, Juli, and Cyrax heard the call and began to go where they were going. From her tent, Alex peaked her head out and saw the commotion, but for now, she stayed where she was.

From the kitchen, Jane noticed the commotion. She turned to her daughter. "Stay here," she ordered before opening the door and stepping outside. Those who came out went over near the entrance, prepared to either greet the new arrival or fight them off.

"Hopefully, whoever this is, it's an ally," said Marshall.

"I think we can all agree on that," replied Siegfried.

They soon heard heavy footsteps in the distance, making everyone fall silent as they waited for whoever was approaching. Soon, a figured stepped out of the woods and was making their way towards the entrance.

Almost everyone grinned as their recognized the person.

A gasped escaped Jane's lips. "W… Will…"

"Hey, it's Guile!" Paul called out in excitement. "It's about time you got here, we were worried!"

Unknown to anyone, Amy had sneaked out of the kitchen, curious to know what was going on. Seeing who was approaching the entrance, she beamed with excitement and started running towards him.

"Daddy!" she cried out.

At any other time, Jane would have been annoyed by her daughter's disobedience. She did tell her to stay inside after all. However, seeing how happy her daughter was to see her father made her forget about that. The three of them were once again reunited after so much worrying.

Jane was just about to run forward when a firm hand suddenly landed on her shoulder, stopping her. Confused, she turned her head and was about to protest. The hand belonged to Cody, who was still looking forward, a grim look on his face. That look sent shivers down her spine.

"Cody?" she questioned.

He shook his head. "That's not Guile."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you talking ab-"

"Look at his eyes."

Jane did… and gasped in horror. They were no longer the blue color she remembered… there was nothing there, nothing but white.

Then she noticed that Amy was still running towards Guile, unaware of what was going on.

"Oh no… AMY! GET BACK HERE! THAT'S NOT YOUR FATHER!"

Despite her mother's calls, Amy paid no attention, only focusing on reaching her father. Then, before she realized what was going, Guile suddenly let out his _sonic boom_ projectile, which was heading straight towards her! The light made Amy stop running, but she was too much in shock to move any more.

The others screamed and ran forward to either block the move or get Amy out of the way. It was Sagat who reached Amy first. Diving forward, he managed to grab her before rolling forward, the projectile missing them. As a matter of fact, it missed everyone and ended up slamming into one of the empty tents, knocking it over.

Jane immediately ran to Amy just as Sagat stood up. The others surrounded them in a protective circle and Jane soon gathered Amy, who was crying, in her arms. She brushed her fingers over her messy hair in comfort. She wanted to say something, but found that she was lost for words right now.

"LOOK OUT!" Julia called out from the tower. "MORE COMING!"

Wagner shook his head, still shaken over what he just witnessed. "I'd hate to see what the rest of the committee looks like… I mean, if Guile's here, who knows who else is with him…"

"Keep your focus," Ermac suggested. "Do not let personal feelings get in the way."

"Noted…"

Soon, a group showed up, most in uniforms which Siegfried didn't think he would see again for a while. "Looks like Outworld's paying us a visit..."

"You think it's another invasion?" asked Juli.

"Who knows," replied Paul. "But it's our chance to kick them all the way to the pits of hell!"

"We're with you on that, buddy," Marshall agreed.

By then, it was started to snow lightly, though the wind around them was still whistling quietly. Seeing the Outworld group approaching, Alex immediately ran out of her tent and headed over to where her friends were, ignoring the pain in her muscles that she felt with every other step. Though her injuries were pretty much recovered, she knew this was mostly from not moving as much the last couple of weeks. Still, she ignored it.

Wagner saw her approach and immediately nodded his head in one direction. "Get Jane and Amy out of here," he suggested.

Alex nodded in understanding. She entered the circle the two were in and placed a hand on Jane's shoulder. She noticed the tears in the woman's eyes as she held her sobbing daughter, but Alex knew she was trying all she can to keep calm despite knowing her husband's fate.

"Come on," she said softly, trying to comfort the both of them. "I think it's about to get ugly out here."

Jane agreed with a nod. Holding Amy in her arms, the two of them began to run over to Alex's tent, their friends creating a barrier between those three and those in front of them. As they left, others began to walk past the Outworld guards and started to join next to Guile… some were recognized…

Cody knew that he would run into Guy someday, but he had imagined that would have occurred once he finally reached Outworld. Instead, his old friend was standing with the Outworld Forces, his white eyes narrowing at him and his group, arms folded across his chest.

Sagat was not surprised to see Vega among them with Anna standing next to them. As always, Vega's mask was on and gloved claws were out and ready to taste blood.

Cyrax was sad to see his friend and colleague, Jax Briggs, among them. _If only you joined us when we made our escape…_

There were many fighters Marshall Law respected, one of them being the Tae Kwan Do fighter, Baek Doo San. To see him with the Outworld crowd made him shake his head, finding himself even more angry at the situation. He remembered Baek being a good man and this was definitely not a fate he deserved.

Ken didn't like the fact that Yun Lee was also there. In the back of his mind, he wondered if his brother, Yang, managed to survive and was now looking for him.

If Wagner seeing Guile brainwashed wasn't enough to shock him into oblivion, seeing Sonya Blade definitely did. Wagner couldn't help but think of the one conversation they shared once… how sometimes, Outworld seems to have a knack for resurrecting people depending on their needs.

 _You weren't kidding about that,_ he thought. _The last time I saw you, Sonya, you were dead… I'm sorry those bastards won't let you rest…_

It was Vega who pointed his claws at them. "ATTACK!" he called out. The Outworld Forces then ran forward with battle cries. The group in the camp was outnumbered for sure, but at least the ones running towards them weren't large enough to overwhelm them at this point. They would have to see…

In the back of the group, Shang Tsung watched the fight beginning, a satisfied smirk appearing on his face. They would definitely be fighting for a while, but he expected the warriors to fall to their deaths soon, and he would revel in taking their souls.

From the watch tower, Julia found herself gazing in horror as the Outworld Forces barreled right through the entrance and began fighting her friends. They knew something like this was a possibility, but she didn't think it would be this bad.

Knowing that there was no point in staying at the tower, Julia began to tighten her brown finger-cut gloves, preparing to join the fight. However, before she had the chance to step forward, she suddenly noticed a group of guards running towards the tower. A couple of the guards started climbing up the ladder.

"Shit!" she cried out. Looking around quickly, she noticed a bucket nearby, which was used originally to cover a small hole on the floor. Grabbing it, she threw it down with all her strength and managed to hit a guard in the head. With a yelp, the guard lost his grip on the ladder, falling off and soon hitting the snow back first. The other stopped momentarily to look at their friend before continuing up.

Julia waited until the next guard was close before slamming her boot into his face. He stumbled a bit, but even in his moment of daze, he managed to grab a hold of the pant leg of her jeans and started pulling her down. Julia kicked with all of her might to loosen his grasp. However, another guard caught up and began helping his friend by grabbing her other leg. Together, they pulled her down and she began to fall towards the ground.

Julia yelled out and prepared for the impact. She knew the snow would at least soften the fall, but it was definitely going to hurt and she was expecting at least one or two broken bones.

Before she hit the snow, a green energy surrounded her body, stopping her fall. She gasped in surprise, not expecting that at all. Julia looked up to see Ermac approaching, his hands out and glowing in the same color. Moments after she was pulled down, Ermac had tossed the other guards away, sending them flying in different directions.

Soon, Julia was back on the feet and the green energy dispersed. "Thanks," she said with a nod, which Ermac returned. They both began to head over to where the fighting was, but Julia soon stopped in her tracks as she saw a familiar figure approaching her. A frown came over her face as she noticed nothing but white eyes, making her realize that he was brainwashed.

"Yun…" she sighed, unsure of what to think. "What happened…?"

In reply, Yun let out a growl as he ran forward. Knowing a fight was about to take place, Julia got in a fighting stance, ready to take what he was about to throw at her. She sadly shook her head. "I'm sorry…"

Nearby, Marshall found himself face to face with Baek, who stood in a fighting stance with his pale eyes glaring at him. Marshall got in his own stance, ready to defend himself. Briefly, he remembered back in the third King of Iron Fist Tournament that Baek was training a student, a young man who was hotheaded and brash. Marshall wondered what became of his pupil after the first invasion…

Then, Baek jumped forward and when he was close enough, he attempted a double kick, both which Marshall managed to block with his hands. Baek then tried another kick, but Marshall avoided it by flipping back and landing on his hands before pushing himself forward. Both of his feet landed on Baek's chest, forcing him to stumble back. Once back on the ground, Marshall got back in his own stance, ready for more.

"Baek!" Marshall called out. "If you can hear me in there, it's me, Marshall Law. We attended the King of Iron Fists Tournaments within the last twenty years."

But Baek wasn't listening. He ran back to cover the distance between them and threw in a quadruple kick, the last two hitting Marshall and sending him flying back and crashing into the snow on his side. Pain shot up in Marshall's arm, but he knew it was only from the shock of the impact. He quickly shook his head in order to get his focus back just in time to see Baek approaching. When the Korean man was within reach, Marshall quickly performed a sweep kick, the hit connecting. Before Baek hit the ground, Marshall executed a flip kicking, sending Baek away a few feet before landing on his back.

Marshall tried to talk to him again. "You once told me about a student you were training in the third tournament. He was a hothead, you had once said. I have a son named Forest, remember?"

No matter what he said, there seemed to be no recognition in Baek's face. With a small growl, he covered the space between them again. From there, the two went back and forth as they switched between offense and defense. It only lasted a moment before Marshall performed another flip kick. Then, before Baek landed again, Marshall delivered a flying kick, hitting him in the torso before once more sending him a few feet back before hitting the ground.

Marshall stood where he was as he waited for Baek to get up again. He found himself shaking his head a little at the situation. Cody had talked about his friend Guy being brainwashed and how the last time they encountered each other in Metro City, it was hard to get through to him no matter how much he reminded his friend of the past. Marshall realized what Cody had meant.

 _It makes me wonder if there is any way to free them at all…_ he thought.

Once he was up, Baek ran after him again, throwing a punch at Marshall with a battle cry when he was close enough. They exchanged maneuvers once more before Baek delivered an axe kick that stunned Marshall, giving the older man the opportunity to lift a leg to first kick him in the stomach, forcing Marshall to keel over as his gasped for breath. Before the younger opponent had time to recover, Baek delivered another kick in the face with the same leg, sending Marshall flying back before hitting the snow on his back.

Marshall shook his head, already feeling a nosebleed dripping down his face. He wondered how long either one of them was going to last in this fight because he was sure what whatever brainwashing Baek had, Marshall was sure that the Tae Kwan Do fighter's intention was to kill…

A few feet away, Sagat found himself face to face with his former Shadaloo ally. Months ago, Sagat had turned his back on Vega and the rest of Outworld, deciding to walk his own path to atone for the atrocities he had committed over the years. All this time, he had expected to run into someone, most likely Vega, who was out to kill him for being a 'traitor.' So it was no surprise that it was happening now, though he did wonder for a moment what took the Spanish ninja so long to find him.

A sadistic laugh escaped Vega's lips from behind his porcelain mask. Sagat found himself cringing, forgetting how that laugh got under his skin in annoyance with its high pitch. "We finally meet at last after your departure from Outworld, Sagat," Vega said aloud. "I had hoped you would show up there again before Earth falls into the hands of Outworld. It's such a shame you aren't on our side in this glorious moment. Shao Kahn has done much more in a few months than our former master Bison could ever dream of."

Sagat narrowed his single eye at him before getting into his Muay Thai fighting stance. Despite him ready to fight, Vega still talked. "Instead, you leave Outworld and for what? My guess is that the past has finally caught up to you. Are you looking to atone for everything that you've done? Because if you are-"

" _TIGER!_ " Sagat yelled out as he quickly extended his arms forward. A fire projectile shot out and before Vega had the chance to jump out of the way, he was shit square in the chest and stumbled back until he crashed into the cement wall behind him. For a moment, his blue eyes were wide as though he was in shock, but it was soon changed as they became slits, anger taking over.

"If you want to fight, then fight!" Sagat called out to him. "Your little attempt at mockery means nothing to me!"

Vega grinned under his mask. "If that's what you want, then that's what you'll get."

Right as he finished that sentence, Vega jumped forward and, once he was close enough, began to lash his claws out in various directions. Sagat managed to duck and dodge out of the way as he avoided getting cut. Then, a maneuver that Sagat ducked under made Vega vulnerable and the Muay Thai fighter took the opportunity.

" _Tiger Uppercut!_ " Sagat called out as his fist connected just underneath Vega's chin and sending him up into the air. Despite the pain that hit him, Vega managed to get himself focused, flipping back before landing gracefully into the snow on his feet.

With the concrete wall nearby, Vega jumped back towards it before pushing off with his feet, making himself launch forward with his claws out. Seeing this, Sagat stepped to the side to avoid him. Once more, Vega caught himself and rolled himself a bit before landing. Quickly turning around, he did another forward roll before attempting to slash Sagat's shins. Seeing Vega perform this move before, Sagat jumped back to avoid getting hit.

Vega then straightened himself back up, but before he could do anything, Sagat closed the distance between them, hitting him with two punches in the chest before a low kick to the shins forced the Spanish ninja to stumble back. Shaking the pain off, Vega jumped up quickly and managed to get his legs around Sagat's throat before flipping him back, sending the larger man flying before smashing into the snow on his back.

Vega attempted to cover the distance between them again, but by the time he reached him, Sagat was already on his feet and ready for him. " _Tiger knee!_ " he yelled out as he smashed his knee into Vega's stomach. The wind was knocked out of Vega right before he fell on his knees.

Sagat took a few steps back. He then folded his arms in front of him, waiting for Vega to catch his breath. "This will not end well for you, Vega. Your association with the Outworld Forces will only bring about your death."

Vega looked up, his eyes nothing more than slits again. "You'll eat those words when Outworld is finished with merging the realms. And like everyone else you sided with, you will meet your demise."

In reply, Sagat got himself into his fighting stance again, waiting for their battle to continue…

Not too far from that fight, Cyrax just barely dodged a projectile that came from Jax. In retaliation, the cyborg attempted to throw one of his glowing green nets that shot out from his chest compartment. However, Jax saw this coming and rolled out of the way, the net landing on the ground instead.

Both of them got into their own fighting stance, waiting for the other to make the next move. Using his technology, Cyrax scanned Jax's brainwaves, noting that they were normal. It looked as though the brainwashing was very thorough, much to Cyrax's disappointment.

If there was only a way to free his friend, the one who had helped him get his soul back all those years ago…

Then, Jax sprinted forward. He followed with a jump before attempting to punch Cyrax, but the cyborg blocked the move with his arm. Jax then tried to throw a few more punches which Cyrax blocked or ducked under before the cyborg was forced to back away. Seeing an opportunity, he teleported himself behind Jax, then kicked him in the back. The impact sent the brainwashed soldier stumbling a few feet forward. Catching himself before falling, Jax let out a growl before turning around to face Cyrax again.

Jax then jumped up, his fists raised and Cyrax knew what was coming. He quickly jumped up just a mere second before Jax smashed his fist into the ground, creating a small earthquake in their proximity.

In the air, Cyrax flew forward in an attempt to deliver a kick, but Jax backed away. As Cyrax landed back on the ground, Jax tried to cover the distance between them, but Cyrax managed to grab him by the throat. He lifted him off the ground by a foot before kicking him once more, sending his friend airborne before hitting the snow on his side.

Cyrax ran forward as Jax got back on his feet. He managed to connect two kicks, but when he attempted to try a spin kick, Jax managed to get a hold of his ankle. Before Cyrax had the chance to pull away, he was suddenly tossed a few feet into the air. Just when he was falling back down, Jax reached for him and, with all of his strength, smashed his back into his bent knee.

If Cyrax was still fully human, he was sure that move would have snapped his back, most likely killing him instantly. However, his metal body was able to protect him from the worst of it. Either way, it still hurt like hell.

Jax then let him go and Cyrax rolled into the snow. He tried to shake the pain off while attempting to get himself back up. Briefly in his mind, Cyrax wondered if the only way to save his friend is to possibly kill him… he hoped that wasn't the case…

Not too far from them, Paul found himself ducking out of the way as Guile threw his arms forward, a projectile shooting towards him. " _Sonic boom!_ " Guile called out. The projectile barely missed Paul's head and instead went through another empty tent just as the other one did earlier.

"Damn," Paul grumbled as he straightened himself up, staring at his ally. By then, Guile was running forward and Paul waited until he was close enough. From there, Guile attempted to land a blow to his head, but once more, Paul ducked underneath his attack. The move left Guile open and Paul took the opportunity to punch him in the gut, causing the military man to stumble back a few feet. Paul then quickly straightened himself up and delivered a forward kick to Guile's ribs before crouching low for a sweep kick, knocking the bigger man off his feet.

Paul stood up again and looked down at him. "Damn it, Guile," he growled. "I know you're brainwashed and all that, but if there's any way you can, you know, break out of it, that would be pretty damn convenient, especially for your family, you know."

In reply, Guile pushed forward from his knees and attempted a flash kick, a move Paul quickly backed away from. He gritted his teeth and his eyes widened as he noted that Guile's boot was mere inches from his face. Just as fast, Guile was back on his feet, following it up with a few punches and kicks which Paul managed to block.

Then, Guile managed to break through and landed a punch in Paul's face. As the judo fighter stumbled back, Guile jumped up and turned upside down before delivering a kick to Paul's chest, the force sending him landed in the snow on his back.

"Ugh, damn it," Paul grumbled as Guile landed back on his feet. He felt some pain shoot through his body, but Paul attempted to ignore it as his opponent approached him once more. When Guile was close, he lifted a foot, but Paul rolled out of the way before the military man had the chance to stomp on his stomach.

Paul got back on his feet and when Guile covered the distance between them again, the judo fighter delivered two blows to the face before attempting an elbow strike. However, Guile was able to duck away from the strike, moving so that he was behind Paul. Before Paul had the chance to move, Guile wrapped his arms around his torso before performing a German supplex.

"Shit!" Paul yelled out before impact. His upper back contacted the ground with enough force to knock the wind out of him. When Guile let go to him to stand up, Paul felt dizzy. He shook his head in hopes to getting himself back together again before Guile attacked him once more.

"Damn it," Paul grumbled to himself. "This is not going to end well…"

Meanwhile, Ken Masters shot out a projectile at a handful of guards who attempted to go after him. " _HADOUKEN!_ " he screamed out as a blue ball of energy shot out from his hands. To his satisfaction, the shot knocked down a bunch of guards who didn't get out of the way in time. He almost grinned at the sound of some of their screams of agony.

By this point, Ken had taken care of a good amount of the guards while most of his friends were mostly stuck with one-on-one battles. The way he was feeling right now, he could take on the entire Outworld Forces single-handedly.

Ken felt like he waited ages to finally fight those from Outworld. As he fought each guard, he can only think of a handful of things; his wife and son, the devastation he witnessed in Los Angeles, the ruins of his vacation mansion, the fires around him… the hand in the rubble… knowing that his family was dead…

It also didn't help that some of his friends were also brainwashed…

Another group began approaching and, in reply, Ken shot out another projectile, knocking them down just like the last group. Then, one guard came close. Ken noted this before turning around and slamming his fist underneath the guard's chin before jumping up, taking the guard with him.

" _Shoryuken!_ " he yelled out as he sent the guard flying upward. Soon, they both fell back to the snow-covered ground with him landing on his feet and the guard on his back.

For a moment, the guards were somewhat reluctant to approach, noting the damage Ken had caused as they saw their fellow soldiers beaten to the ground. Then, they all started yelling out battled and they all began to run forward, making sure that he was completely surrounded.

Ken waited until they were close enough. From there, he jumped up, extended one leg out, and began to spin rapidly.

" _Tatsumaki Senppukyaku_ _!_ " he shouted as the attack knocked down any of the guards that were unlucky enough to get caught in it. Those who were lucky managed to back away as they were forced to watch their allies get hit.

Once they were down, Ken landed back on his feet. Seeing more guards, he gritted his teeth. He wanted to fight more as he continued to feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins…

As the fights continued on, Alex stood near the exit of her tent, keeping an ear out for anyone who tried to approach. Jane and Amy Guile sat on her cot, which was pulled furthest away from the exit. A blanket was wrapped around Amy and though she'd mostly calmed down, she was clearly still shaken over what has become of her father.

Alex frowned as she heard the battle outside. She wished that she was out there helping her friends, but at least she was comforted in the fact that she was in the tent keeping a friend and her young daughter safe.

"Do you think they were right?" Jane began to ask. "That this is another invasion?"

Alex let out a shuddered breath. "I'm not sure… but something tells me they might be right."

"How do you think they managed to find us?" Jane asked. "I mean, we all know not many knew of this place… unless whatever brainwashing Will went through… he might have revealed the location in his… state…"

The question made Alex freeze in place after turning her head towards Jane. She couldn't help but think of the events with the sorcerer Shang Tsung. Alex knew that she managed to keep him away from this base, but now she can't help but wonder if he knew all along.

Then again, Jane might be right in that Guile might have revealed their hideout in his brainwashed state. In a way, that made the most sense.

Jane seemed to be waiting for an answer and Alex was beginning to open her mouth to reply. That was when she noticed Amy looking past her, her blue eyes widening as she opened her mouth to let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Alex then heard footsteps behind her and she whirled around, backing away as she did to leave some berth between her and the person that just came in. Upon seeing their face, Alex's eyes became as big as Amy's had just seconds ago, and she found herself frozen in place, unable to move due to the shock that came over her.

Of all the Outworld enemies to find them in the tent, it had to be Shang Tsung himself.

"Well, I thought I heard people in here," Shang Tsung began to say, a sadistic smirk on his face. “And I didn't expect to see you again."

His glowing green eyes shifted to where both Jane and Amy were. They were off the cot with Jane holding Amy in her arms. Amy herself had turned away, not wanting to see more of the sorcerer.

Alex then noticed Shang Tsung starting to walk towards the two, and that made her break out of her frozen state. Despite her fear and the memories of what happened in the woods in her mind, Alex launched herself in front of him. She attempted to land a punch to his face, but Shang Tsung managed to grab her wrist. She tried again with her other fist, but he did the same thing. From there, she attempted to push her arms forward despite the fact that the sorcerer was clearly overpowering her.

Still, that was the distraction she needed.

"RUN!" Alex yelled out to Jane and Amy without turning her head. "GET OUT OF HERE!"

Her command made Jane snap out of it. She only hesitated for a moment, worried about what would happen to Alex, but with Amy in her arms, Jane knew that she had to go. Praying in her mind that things will work out for the better, Jane made a run for it, keeping a tight hold on her frightened daughter.

Once they were clear and out of harm's way, Alex found herself being pushed back a bit and she felt one of his hands releasing her wrists before quickly reaching out to grab a hold of her throat.

"That wasn't very smart," Shang Tsung said before lifting her off her feet. Before she comprehended what he was about to do, he slammed her back first into one of the two cots in the tent with enough force to snap the bed in half.

The wind was knocked out of Alex and she mostly saw stars in front of her eyes. The aches and pains that she had for two weeks seemed to suddenly return in full force. She also wasn't sure whether the cold she suddenly felt was real or was just a memory returning to her from that morning in the woods.

Shang Tsung stood over her, a smirk still playing on his face. "You were lucky last time," she heard him say despite the ringing in her ears. "But now with your friends distracted, that luck has run out for you."

Alex could tell that he was going to say more. Whatever it was, he was not going to get the chance to say it as a blue energy force suddenly surrounded him, freezing him in place. By then, Alex managed to sit herself up, soon noting a certain blind swordsman behind the sorcerer. His head and hands glowed with the same color as Shang Tsung's body, the source of his powers.

Kenshi himself arrived back at the camp a few minutes ago when he sensed that something wasn't right, having been on the opposite side of where the entrance to the camp was. He had mostly fought through the guards upon his arrival, but it didn't take him long to note the sorcerer's presence. The fact that he was at this tent didn't surprise him at all. By now, he knew Shang Tsung's tricks. Of course he would seek Alex out to draw him to the enemy… a cowardly move in his opinion.

"I should kill you right now," Kenshi growled. "But that would just be too easy."

Using his powers again, Kenshi threw the sorcerer out of the tent and sent him crashing into the snow outside. Kenshi stepped out immediately afterward as though he was following him out.

Seconds later, Alex heard a female scream, making her snap out of whatever daze she almost slipped into. Ignoring the pain in her body, she managed to get herself back on her feet. She wobbled a bit even as she moved, hoping that she didn't end up falling.

A few days ago, Julia managed to recover the gun she had lost when Shang Tsung chased after her in the woods. Apparently it was lost while she was running rather than after she tripped from what Julia described to her about its location with its lack of downward hills. Alex replaced the ammunition since, so it was full and ready.

Grabbing the gun, Alex stepped outside to see a guard going towards Jane, who was clutching on to Amy. There was a sadistic grin on the guard's face as he held a sword in front of him, ready to kill. Without hesitation, Alex raised her gun and pulled the trigger. The bullet went through his head and killed him instantly as his body slumped to the ground like a rag doll.

The gun's recoil shot some pain into her arm, but she ignored it as she ran over to where Jane stood with Amy crying into her shoulder. Jane seemed to sigh with relief upon seeing Alex.

"Come on," she encouraged. Jane nodded and followed Alex further back towards the camp and away from the battles near the front.

Meanwhile, Shang Tsung was just getting back on his feet with Kenshi walking towards him, his sword out and ready to kill him once again. In reply, Shang Tsung drew out his own sword. Words were not needed because at this point, they both knew what the other was thinking. Instead, they let their weapons do the talking, their blades clashing once more with a clang…

Somewhere back near the camp's exit, Julia Chang managed to dodge out of the way of a spin kick coming from the brainwashed Yun Lee. He then attempted to deliver a palm strike to her face, but Julia was able to step out of the way before she was hit.

Then, Yun jumped up into the air before coming back down diagonally towards her, a foot ready to kick. Seeing this, Julia rolled herself away and got herself behind him. Yun landed on his feet and, after turning to face her, she landed a punch to his face before following it up with a double kick to his torso. Yun took the blows and the last one nearly made him lose his footing.

Julia then closed the space between them before punching him in the chest. She then psyched him with what looked like a follow-up punch, but as he raised his hand to block her, Julia instead pulled her arm back, crouched low, and performed a sweep kick, knocking him to his side.

While he was down, Julia stood back up and began to speak. "Yun, I don't know what happened to you, but you have to fight this!"

A growl came out of Yun as he stared at her. Julia frowned, noting that the growling wasn't out of frustration, but one of determination. She realized then that no matter how much she tried to talk, nothing would come out of it. There had to be a way to free Yun and the others, but whatever that was, it was a mystery.

The only thing she could do now is defend herself in this fight.

Yun bended his knees, charged up some chi, then quickly punched Julia before she had the chance to comprehend what happened. She nearly lost her footing, but was able to keep herself standing. By the time she got her in place, Yun closed the distance between them, letting loose a flurry of punches and kicks, forcing her to block them.

Eventually, she found an opening after ducking underneath one of his punches, taking the opportunity to deliver an elbow strike before attempting a roundhouse kick. However, Yun saw this and managed to grab her ankle. Before he could do anything, Julia used her other leg to jump up and strike Yun's face with her foot. He immediately let go and stumbled back while holding his face in pain. Meanwhile, Julia twisted herself so that she landed back on the foot she just used before she ended up falling into the snow.

Turning around, Julia saw Yun running back towards her. She ducked another punch before she delivered a fist to his chest, an uppercut to his chin which snapped his head back, then ended it with a forward kick. However, Yun managed to grab a hold of her leg, and this time, he pushed her back before she had the chance to deliver a kick with her other leg again.

As Julia attempted to regain her balance, Yun managed to grab a hold of her shoulders. He then jumped up, planted his feet on her torso, and then flipped back, taking her with him. Julia let out a short yell as she found himself being somersaulted. Halfway, Yun let her go, and Julia flew headfirst in the air before landing hard into the ground on her stomach.

Julia wheezed as she felt air rush out of her lungs after the impact. She then turned on her back as she noticed Yun approaching her again. She found herself frowning. Was this how they would all end up if they lose this war against Outworld?

Not too far from them, Anna Williams gave Juli an innocent looking smile. Juli noticed the sadistic look in her eyes and she can only imagine how many of this woman's opponents had been manipulated by that smile in the past.

"Aw, such a lovely face," Anna said to her in a soft voice. "I can't wait to crush it underneath my heals."

Juli narrowed her eyes as she got in her fighting stance. It only took a few seconds before Anna jumped towards her, her elbow strike blocked by Juli's hands before the Irish woman attempted a double kick, both which Juli moved away from by backing up a couple of feet.

Juli then saw an opening as Anna put her leg down after her last attempted attack. The former Shadaloo doll somersaulted backwards, her right foot out and connected to Anna's chin. Anna let out a cry as she staggered back, almost losing her balance.

Anna stood where she was, rubbing her chin which was now throbbing from the attack. She was sure that a nice bruise would form after this was over. Her blue eyes gazed downward and she waited until Juli was close enough to deliver another attack, a fist drawn back and raised. With lightning speed, Anna lifted her own hand and, with all of her strength, delivered a backhand to Juli's face, causing her head to snap sideways. Juli's brown eyes widened with not only surprise, but from the sharp sting the strike caused.

Anna laughed. "If you thought that hurt, you haven't seen anything yet."

In reply, Juli lashed out with a punch, which Anna managed to duck under. Another punch from Juli followed, but her opponent blocked that with her forearm. Juli narrowed her eyes with determination before she pulled back a bit, spinning herself a bit before forcing a high kick into Anna's collarbone. Juli felt satisfaction as Anna flew a couple of feet into the air before landing back on her side.

Juli noted Anna's outfit; she wore a black coat over a quipao dress with slits going up on either leg. There was also a cut that showed off her cleavage. Her black stockings, her left one already tearing at the calf, ended at mid-thigh, and red high-healed shoes adorned her feet as well as red elbow-length gloves.

 _She would not have survived on this camp if she wore nothing but those kinds of outfits,_ Juli thought, almost amused.

Soon, Anna was back on her feet and quickly covered the distance between them. Anna attempted a roundhouse kick, which Juli jumped away from. Anna then tried a double palm strike, both blocked, before trying a low kick, but to her frustration, Juli backed away again.

Anna attempted to move forward again. Juli jumped towards her, spinning once before crouching low for a punch to Anna's stomach. Anna arched her back forward and Juli's fist only missed by a few inches. Then, Juli moved up slightly and raised her fist, making it look like she was about to uppercut her. Anna went to block, but it turned out to be a trick as Juli quickly crouched low and performed a sweep, knocking her opponent back into the snow.

As Anna slowly got back on her feet again, she growled. "I will not lose to a girl like you, not if I can help it! I won't be humiliated!"

Juli had no idea what she was talking about, but either way, she stood in her fighting stance, waiting for more…

A few yards away, Cody Travers found himself in his third fight with Guy since the Bushin fighter was brainwashed, the second since the invasion began. Cody knew Guy would eventually show up, but he honestly didn't think it would be over a month since he last saw him.

He just wished that he knew how to free his friend from the brainwash. For now, unless some miracle came along, Cody can only defend himself.

Guy ran forwards towards Cody before jumping and performing a roundhouse kick which Cody ducked under before moving so that he was behind Guy. As he did, Cody noticed a few rocks on the ground and quickly picked them up. He then turned around in time to see Guy starting to close the space between them. Cody threw the rocks at him and he wasn't surprised when Guy moved away from all of them.

Cody then tried another tactic. " _Criminal Upper!_ " he called out as his uppercut produced a small tornado that was able to back Guy away a few feet from him. He then lifted a leg to hip level and quickly glided forward, but Guy was able to recover from the last attack enough to sidestep away.

That left Cody open and he knew it. Stopping him, he attempted to turn around, but was then hit by Guy's _Bushin Senpukyaku_ , his foot hitting Cody a couple of times. Cody ended up reeling away, leaving a bit of berth between them to give himself a chance to recover, even if it was only brief.

Once back on his feet, Guy crouched low before gliding forward. His foot managed to connect at Cody's ankle, making him fall and landing on his back.

 _Well, that I should've seen coming,_ Cody criticized himself.

Before he could start to get up, Guy managed to grab him by the shirt with both hands before pulling him up to eye level. Cody noted his pale eyes and once again was reminded of his friend's brainwash. Before he could think again, Guy delivered three quick blows to Cody's abdomen with his knee before tossing him away like a ragdoll.

Cody coughed up, but luckily, there was no taste of blood just yet, so he was fine for the moment. Despite the pain, he forced himself to get up and was surprised to see Guy in a fighting stance, waiting for him to get up.

However, once Cody got his sole on the snow, Guy jumped forward to unleash another attack. Cody had expected it and didn't think when he extended his arm forward for a left hook to Guy's face.

"Bingo," he grumbled after the move connected, sending Guy flying back. He usually had move enthusiasm when he said that, but for obvious reasons, there was no point.

In his mind, he wondered if there would ever be a way to free his long-time friend…

The shock of seeing his brainwashed friends, especially his mentor Guile, was still heavy on Wagner, but he knew it was something he had to shake off quickly. With the Outworld guards around them, a battle was coming and everyone at the camp knew it.

Wagner was pretty sure he would end up being pitted against Guile, but the Colonel ended up going after Paul, who just happened to be standing closest to the military man when the fight broke out. If anything, he didn't expect to end up fighting the brainwashed Sonya Blade instead.

She looked just the same as she did the day she died, except with longer hair pulled back into a ponytail… and the fact that her once-blue eyes were now just white with no indication that they had pupils or iris' at all. It may have been a miracle that Sonya got a second chance at life, but it came at a high price for her.

Wagner would see to it that Sonya and the others will soon been free from the mind control.

The two had exchanged some punches and kicks before Sonya jumped back to leave some space between them. She then shot out a projectile of pink rings from her arms. In retaliation, Wagner threw his own yellow, disc-like projectile. It wasn't long before the two energies collided in a small explosion.

Sonya then flew forward, landing two punches on Wagner before a quick cartwheel kick knocked him face first into the snow. He lifted his head, spitting out some snow that got into his mouth before he noticed Sonya's shadow hovering over him. Turning, she was attempting to stomp on his torso, but seeing this, he rolled out of the way before she made impact.

"Shit…" Wagner muttered as he got back up. Small, yellow electric shocks surrounded his right hand and, when Sonya got close enough again, he grabbed for her shoulder, a small shock hitting her, making her a bit dazed for just a moment.

He realized he hadn't used that move in a while.

"Sonya, listen-" Wagner started to say, but Sonya ended up growling, cutting him off. Then, she let out a yell before attempting to kick him. Wagner pulled away before he was hit. From there, Sonya jumped up before falling back down diagonally. She managed to kick him square in the chest, making him stagger a bit but soon getting his footing back.

"Damn it," he grumbled, shaking his head. He noticed her running to him again. The yellow electricity returned to his hand. When Sonya was within reach, Wagner landed a punch to her face, making her dazed again as her body spun in a near full circle from the impact. This gave him the chance to get her in a choke hold tight enough to get her to stay, but loose enough so that she can still breathe.

"Listen to me, Sonya," Wagner said to her. "You're stronger than this. Whatever it is that's making you like it, you have to fight it!"

Naturally, Sonya wasn't listening to him… or she was, but it meant nothing to her in her brainwashed state. She let out another yell before elbowing him hard enough to make the young man let go of her. Quickly, Sonya turned around to face him before getting herself into a hand stand. She then wrapped her legs around his neck. Before Wagner could try to fight out of the hold, he suddenly found himself being flipped forward. He flew a few feet before once again landing face first in the snow.

Wagner shook the snow from his face, clenching his teeth as the pain from the fall hit him. _This is not going to be easy helping our friends…_

At the edge of the camp's exit, Siegfried's sword contained some of the blood of the Outworld Guards who attempted to fight him since the attack began. The guards had quickly learned that he was a powerful fighter.

In his mind, Siegfried felt like he was back in Lei Chen, fighting to protect the fort. Instead of purple skies, there were clouds covering the blue sky. There may be wind pushing and snow falling around them, but for some reason, Siegfried seemed to think that Outworld was colder than here.

His time in Lei Chen felt so long ago…

At one point, the guards attempted to work together and run in a circle to fight him on all sides. However, a circled swing from his sword cut down all the guards who were around him. Between Siegfried and Ken, the guards surely learned their lesson after that.

In his mind, as he fought more guards, Siegfried knew that taking them down would be the easy part. However, his allies' reaction to their brainwashed friends was another story.

They talk of wanting to save them… but what if the only way to save them was to kill them? He was sure that would be their last resort if it ever crossed their minds.

After taking down two more guards, a noise was suddenly heard… almost like engines. By then, another guard went after him, thinking that he would be distracted, but the Keisei native stabbed him through the torso. Siegfried quickly took his weapon out and turned his head in time to see what looked like a large ship breaking through the thick clouds.

And he thought the dragonflies in Outworld were impressive.

Some of the others had noticed the flying ship. "What the hell is that thing?!" shouted Paul.

"Probably more enemies!" called out Marshall. "This day just keeps getting better and better!"

Unknown to them, those on the ship knew that they were going to run into this. Earlier, some Outworld enemies attempted to attack them, but they were easily taken care of. By then, they were close to the hideout in the Rockies, but they knew that they had to hurry.

When they were at a safe distance and close enough to the ground, a roped ladder was let down. Some of those on the ship jumped off and began heading to the camp to assist in the fight.

Ken was collecting more energy into his hands, ready to unleash another _hadouken_. Then, to his surprise, a very similar projectile hit some of the guards that he was going to aim at. Ken was a bit baffled for a moment, but he went ahead and released his _hadouken_ , knocking down those left standing.

Once the guards were cleared, Ken turned his head. For the first time in weeks, Ken's smile was not forced as he spotted a familiar figure wearing nothing but a white karate gi and a red bandana around his forehead.

"Ryu."

Ryu smiled as well as he approached his long-time friend. "Ken. I'm glad to see you made it."

The two shared a brief hug, patting their backs before pulling away. "Me, too. How did you find us?"

Before Ryu could answer, another guard attempted to run after them. They were prepared to attack, but then the guard was suddenly turned into ice and ended up flying forward. Ken and Ryu both got out the way and the guard's frozen body ended up being smashed into the fort wall, shattering into countless pieces.

Ken already knew who was near before he even saw the person. "Glad you could join the fight, Sub-Zero."

Sub-Zero nodded as he approached. "We're here to get you all out of here," he replied. "Are there any families or children here?"

Ken's eyes widened at that. "My sister-in-law and her daughter are in the camp. Let's get them out first."

By then more guards approached. Both Ryu and Sub-Zero encouraged Ken to find Jane and Amy. As his friend ran back to the camp, Ryu briefly wondered about Ken's wife and son. However, he had no time to think further on that as the enemies began to attack.

It didn't take long for Ken to find Jane and Amy, both being accompanied by Alex. "You okay?" he asked.

Jane nodded. "We're fine, physically at least."

"What is with that ship?" Alex asked. "Don't tell me that more of Outworld's party committee?"

"Even better," Ken replied. "It's ticket to freedom. That's a ship full of our allies."

Alex seemed to sigh with relief. "I wish they showed up yesterday, but at least we're getting the hell out of here."

"Same here, but there's nothing we can do about that now except leave while we can. Come on, I'm helping you get out. Alex, you lead, I'll stay behind them to make sure none of the guards approach us."

Alex nodded and, with her gun handy, began to run with Jane and Amy following. Ken got behind him. Between him and Alex, they would make sure that Jane and Amy made it to the ship safely.

Meanwhile, the newcomers managed to grab the attention of some of the brainwashed fighters. Wagner noticed the newcomers when Sonya turned her head as though trying to see what was going on. She ran off before Wagner could do anything. Soon, he noted that the newcomers were familiar faces from the tournament. That put a smile on his face.

_It looks like we're getting out of here after all._

Wagner turned his head. A couple of yards away, Juli's opponent, Anna, was briefly distracted by the commotion. This gave Juli the opportunity to use her fist to punch Anna in the head with enough force to knock her out cold.

When that was out of the way, Wagner approached her. "It looks like that ship is a friend, not a foe."

Juli smiled. "That's good."

Wagner stared at her intently. "I want you to get on that ship and get the hell out of here."

"Not without you!" Juli called out.

Wagner knew there was no arguing with her. Quickly, he grabbed her, threw her over his shoulder, and began to run towards the ship despite Juli's protests.

It took a bit of time, but those who have been at the camp were convinced to get on the ship. There was no time to explain why and where they were going, but either way, they would be in the company of friends and getting out of here, so that was good enough.

Most of the guards either knocked out cold or were killed. That or they were attempting to get on the ship, but were met by the projectiles from most of those holding the line on the ship itself. Those who were brainwashed were harder to shake off. A couple of them were knocked out cold, but their friends knew that getting them on the ship was not an option, not with more enemies nearby.

Soon, those from the camp and those who helped them embarked onto the ship, leaving behind the remaining generals and guards. "Is everyone accounted for?" Sub-Zero had asked out loud. Everyone looked around to make sure their friends were all here.

It was Alex who spoke. "Where's Kenshi?"

Everyone began to look around. It was Ermac who spotted the blind swordman, who was back at the camp. He noticed him fighting none other than the sorcerer Shang Tsung.

Ermac shook his head. _The bastard must've sneaked in during the battle._

Without saying a word, Ermac used his powers to fly off the ship and began to head over to where the fight was taking place. The others on the ship could do nothing but watch for the time being.

Meanwhile, the sword duel between Kenshi and Shang Tsung continued. The battle had been intense with the both of them highly determine to kill the other. Their blades contained some blood from when they cut their opponent.

At one point, their swords collided. As they tried to use their strength to overcome the other, Shang Tsung spoke. "How does it feel knowing that you are at death's door?"

Kenshi clenched his teeth. "Do you recall the last time you were overconfident?"

Shang Tsung sneered, recalling their duel in Outworld. "It was nothing more than a minor inconvenience."

"It was only luck," Kenshi replied. "But it'll run out someday, even if I'm not the one to finish you off for good. Your Emperor can only resurrect you so many times before he no longer has any use of you."

Shang Tsung then pushed him back, leaving a few feet of space between them. They both stood in their fighting stances with their swords out, waiting for the other to make the next move.

"At least I will have those chances," the sorcerer mentioned. "Unlike you, once you meet your end, there are no chances that you will be resurrected. However, I must admit that you are a formidable warrior. I'm sure that Shao Kahn would have his uses for you as one of his brainwashed Generals."

Shang Tsung was about to say more, but he was suddenly pushed heavily by an invisible force, his body surrounded by green energy. He flew a few yards before his body slammed into one of the tents nearby.

Kenshi clenched his teeth, this time in annoyance as his head slightly turned to the figure nearby. "Ermac, what the hell are you doing?"

Ermac stared at the swordsman. "You're the only one left at this camp. Rescue arrived, and this is your only chance to escape from here. This fight can wait."

Kenshi shook his head. "Go without me! I'm not leaving until he's dead!"

Before Ermac replied, the wind suddenly picked up and a noise was heard. Ermac turned his head and saw that Shang Tsung had created what looked like a portal with his sorcery. As much as Shang Tsung wanted to finish this fight, he remembered what happened the last time Ermac showed up when they dueled in Outworld all those months ago.

As if on cue, those who survived the battle, including all those brainwashed, made their escape through the portal. Kenshi and Ermac both went after Shang Tsung, but before they could reach him, the sorcerer jumped through the portal, which immediately closed behind them.

"Damn it," Kenshi growled.

A few seconds of silence followed before Ermac spoke. "Come on, the others are waiting. We're sure you'll get another chance later."

Kenshi shook his head, angry that this duel had to end the way it did. However, he couldn't dwell on it further. Ermac was right… maybe he will get another chance later. After all, the sorcerer did return two weeks after their last encounter.

 _He has full intentions to kill me,_ he thought. _I'm sure he'll be back at some point._

Soon, the swordsman took a deep breath in order to quell his anger. "Let's go."

The two began to head towards the waiting ship to join their allies.


	60. Chapter Fifty-Nine

**Outworld**

For the past twenty-four hours while hiding amongst the trees of the thick forest, Shin Akuma had noted a lot of activity around the Emperor's fortress. There were more guards than usual guarding around the building.

 _Something is happening,_ the demon thought to himself. He tried to listen in on what the guards were talking about, but it seems as though whenever they did talk, it would always be out of earshot.

How disappointing.

Behind him, Dark Sakura was practicing her katas. Her eyes were closed, her mind focused on nothing as she waved her arms in her slow dance. It was obvious that she didn't care about the activities that were going on nearby. Then again, there was no immediate threat as of yet.

It suddenly seemed so long ago since Shin Akuma escaped from the Netherrealm. His fiery red hair had turned white in that realm, his skin darkened, and his red eyes glowed more than ever. He was still powerful, but the bit of power that Shao Kahn claimed for himself in their last fight all those months ago was still missing.

It also seemed so long ago since he arrived here in Outworld. First, he would find this young woman, who had somehow unleashed her own Dark Hadou. To think that he had been trying to convince Ryu to embrace his true powers all this time…

He trained her for a while before testing her against her former allies. When that was over, he knew that she was ready. It was just a matter of when he could finally execute his plans.

The current activities around the fortress may delay a bit as the guards seemed to be on high alert. If that was the case, then it meant that Shao Kahn himself would be on high alert as well.

Still, Shin Akuma knew that when the time came to infiltrate the fortress, he would easily fight through. As he would reach the Emperor, the young woman behind him would serve as a distraction and make it as though it was she who entered and not him. And when it's over, Shao Kahn will be dead at the demon's feet, and his powers will soon flow through his veins.

It will be glorious to possess such power, he just knew it.

His thoughts were cut off suddenly as he heard a woman's battle cry before it followed with the sound of bones breaking. Shin Akuma whirled around in time to see Dark Sakura dropping the bodies of two guards, both of their necks snapped like twigs. It seemed as though the two guards found the two and attempted to attack, but Dark Sakura sensed them before they realized their fate. As the young woman returned to her katas, a sadistic grin came over Shin Akuma's face.

She would indeed provide the perfect distraction…

~~~

**Outworld, Shao Kahn's Fortress**

Many hours after the second Earth invasion, those who were sent to the realm were all now meeting in the throne room of Shao Kahn's fortress. As always, the Emperor sat before them.

"I am… disappointed," he said almost calmly. That calmness alone made those in the room nervous. "We may have killed and enslaved many, but it _still_ wasn't enough to merge Earth with Outworld." He clenched a fist that was resting on the armrest of his throne. He yelled out his next words. "All because of the presence of the Thunder God Raiden!" At saying Raiden's name, he slammed his fist on the armrest.

The Emperor turned his head to the person he had assigned to take care of Raiden just hours ago. "Quan Chi, what the hell happened?!"

Despite the Emperor's anger now being directed towards him, Quan Chi stood tall and there was no trace of fear etched in his face. "Since the last time the guards encountered him, he's become stronger, more aggressive. The members of the Brotherhood of Shadow I sent out were decimated within minutes. We tried other methods, but the result was the same. Before we could continue the assault, you called for us to retreat."

Shao Kahn would have protested, but surprisingly, there wasn't anything else to say on the matter. Sure, they should have been rid of Raiden once and for all, but then again, Quan Chi was listening to his orders to return to Outworld.

"I will speak to you on the matter later..."

Quan Chi simply nodded, unsure of what this meant for right now.

"Is there anything else that should be reported?" Shao Kahn asked the others.

Shang Tsung cleared his throat loud enough to catch the Emperor's attention. "There is one thing. At the camp we invaded, those staying there managed to escape on this… flying ship. We don't know much about it, but there were a few people from the ship who jumped out to assist in the battle before they made their escape."

"Don't fret over it," Shao Kahn suggested. "A mere ship won't affect anything. Besides, they have nowhere else to go unless there was a deity there to assist. That is highly unlikely." He turned back to the others. "Anything else?"

"Just one question," spoke Mavado. "When shall we begin the Keisei invasion?"

Shao Kahn turned his head to Ivy, who sat in her own throne next to him. "That is up to the Empress."

Ivy was quiet for a couple of seconds. She tried all she could to delay the inevitable. At this moment, she had no other plan. She looked at those in the room, knowing that they were waiting for her answer.

"We can start the preparations," Ivy announced. "We'll wait a couple of more weeks unless the scouts return sooner than that, if they survived."

She doubted that.

"You are dismissed," Shao Kahn announced.

Ivy let out a long, quiet exhale as the others dispersed. Unknown to her, in his mind, Shao Kahn took her few seconds of silence as a brief hesitation…

Not so long after the meeting was over, all of the shokans met up in a meeting they planned to have after the briefing in the throne room. The meeting was led by Kintaro with Sheeva standing next to him as they stood in front of their allies.

"For the most part," said Kintaro. "We were able to take care of the remaining strong warriors that we could find, even if we didn't help with merging Earth with Outworld. We did, however, lose many of our allies in the fight. Normally, we expect that. However, some of us found something… interesting about our fallen allies."

Kintaro nodded to Sheeva, who walked over to the table in front of them that had a black sheet over it. She took the edge of it and pulled it off, revealing the corpse of a male shokan.

"Look at his throat," Sheeva said, pointing to the dead shokan's neck. Those who saw noted that it was deeply slit.

Kintaro continued to speak. "Many of the shokans died this way. If you look closely, the cutting was only done once with no indication of repeated attempts. As we know, we tower over the humans. It's my personal belief that this is not the work of humans, but… another species."

The word 'centaurian' was growled out within the crowd, as expected.

"I also believe this is the work of the centaurians," Sheeva began to say. "But I suggest that we keep this quiet until we have official proof that this was their work."

"In the next invasion," Kintaro began to suggest. "We'll keep an eye out for them… and for each other so that if any of us witnesses this, we'll have that proof."

As the group began to talk amongst themselves, Kintaro found himself looking down at the corpse before him. In his mind, he wondered if the centaurians had anything to do with the death of Goro. He recalled seeing a similar wound in his neck all that time ago…

Meanwhile, in a secluded area of the dungeon, Shang Tsung and Quan Chi met up as they planned to do once the meeting in the throne room was done. They came down separately with Shang Tsung showing up first. He only had to wait a few minutes before Quan Chi arrived.

"I am _not_ taking the blame for not merging Earth," Quan Chi growled. "Just because we didn't have enough time to kill Raiden-"

"Calm down," Shang Tsung suggested. "Shao Kahn is practically giving you another chance. After all, he did call for a retreat before you completed your mission. That's why he didn't argue with you when you explained what happened."

Quan Chi took a deep breath. "From what I've heard, our best chance at merging Earth was a decade ago."

"Only if Liu Kang wasn't in the way."

"Who is now dead."

Shang Tsung smirked. "Thanks to me."

The necromancer decided to get down to business. "I figured out the best time to overthrow him."

"And when is that exactly?"

Quan Chi smirked. "After the Keisei invasion."

Shang Tsung's eyes widened for a moment before they began slits. "No, too soon! The Emperor would see the betrayal from miles away."

"You saw that look he gave to Ivy after that brief pause," Quan Chi mentioned. "He'll be too busy being suspicious of her."

"I can see where you're coming from, but why wait until then?"

Quan Chi smirked more. "All the more power to take. Not only would we have the power of the Emperor, but imagine what we'll have with Earth and Keisei, the two most powerful realms, under our control."

Shang Tsung sighed. "Fine, we'll do it your way… but I still don't have to like it."

Then, they heard a noise nearby. Knowing that their meeting was now over, they went their separate ways…

After the meeting ended in the throne room, Kira went into the training room to let out some pent up energy. She didn't really see much action during the invasion as she mostly helped with gathering newly brainwashed soldiers. She had hoped to see action, but to her disappointment, there was barely any.

As she punched and kicked at the stuffed dummy in front of her, Kira found herself thinking back at the end of the Blood Tournament when she had her confrontation with Special Forces' finest, Sonya Blade. Kira knew she was a wanted criminal even then, and the… results of their battle would surely put her high up on the FBI's Most Wanted list.

It was the main reason why she remained in Outworld after all.

The fight was good, she remembered. Sonya was determined to take her down and the battle between them lasted quite a bit. However, Sonya did slip up when Kira brought her knife out. At that point, the blonde-haired soldier was dodging the blade, but hadn't counted on the tree behind her, soon hitting her back against it.

It was a silly mistake, Kira knew that, but like any smart criminal, she took the opportunity and impaled the blade into her stomach. Sonya didn't scream in pain, only clenching her teeth. Kira would have finished the job, but then she was called back by Quan Chi to return back to the fortress.

"Too bad," Kira remembered saying to her. "I would have loved to finish you off."

With that, Kira left her where she fell. She only turned around once, briefly noting a young man emerging from the forest nearby. Sonya was still awake then, and Kira was sure that the military woman would tell that man what happened and who stabbed her.

Until a few months ago, Kira was sure that Sonya was dead. Then, she found out that the Outworld guards had retrieved her body after their attack on the tournament participants. Shao Kahn had considered her a valuable asset, thus she was resurrected and made into one of his soldiers. Kira wasn't thrilled about this, but once she learned of Sonya's history with the Emperor and Outworld, she began to understand his reasons for bringing her back.

But at least she was under the brainwash for now. If she wasn't, Kira would have definitely attempted to finish what she started that morning.

Kira's thoughts were suddenly cut off, bringing her back to the present when a male voice spoke out loud. "You again."

She knew it was Mavado even before seeing him coming into the training room. As soon as they made eye contact, he spoke again. "I figured you would be tired after returning from Earth."

"I didn't do much down there," Kira replied, trying to sound annoyed by his presence. "I mostly helped to capture civilians."

"Yeah, the Red Dragon was taking out any other gang organizations that were still in hiding," Mavado mentioned. "It was a shame because we were hoping to find some… former Black Dragon members.

Kira eyed him. "With the exception of myself, Havik, and possibly Kabal, I thought they were all dead."

"So we thought. However, we received a tip that there we a few that might still be alive and in hiding, even before the first invasion."

Kira's eyes narrowed as she folded her arms in front of her. "Look, if you're trying to get information out of me about these former members, I'm the wrong person to ask. My time was brief, and I was in a faction that believed in unleashing some crazy chaos that made absolutely no sense."

By then, Mavado was standing a few feet away from her. "It's interesting you mentioned that. The Black Dragon, in a way, was about the chaos. Those who left the Red Dragon didn't want anything to do with the order that was placed upon them. You see, the Black Dragon was always about chaos. It didn't need some cleric from Chaosrealm to say otherwise. As for you, your… chaotic nature fit into that clan well if I say so myself-"

That last sentence that he didn't finish made Kira throw a punch to his head, but Mavado was already prepared for it and quickly blocked it. For a couple of minutes, Kira threw various punches and kicks at him, but Mavado only blocked them with ease. It was easy because she was pretty much seeing red at this point, tired of him continuing to associate her with the clan.

Then, to Kira's surprise, Mavado grabbed her by the shirt and swiftly pulled her forward until she slammed into him. He didn't give her the chance to even try to struggle out of his grip before he crushed his lips into hers with force.

Kira's eyes immediately became wide, then her brows furrowed. For the first couple of seconds, she had it in mind to slam him into the ground and break his neck. But then, she realized that she was enjoying this.

It must've had something do with the phrase, 'kissing the enemy'… if she was still with the Black Dragon of course.

Kira pulled away from the kiss before pushing Mavado back with all of her strength. He stumbled bit before his back slammed into the wall. The red-haired woman didn't give him the chance to move before she leaned into his body, crushing him.

She gave him a seductive grin. "It's about damn time," she said before kissing him again. He returned it just as eagerly and the two got lost in their lust, their heavy breathing the only sound being heard in the training room.

Before they knew it, they were out of the room and heading towards Kira's sleeping quarters…

Meanwhile, Ivy Valentine was in her own sleeping quarters, sitting at her desk. She was so absorbed in the book that she was reading that she didn't notice Shao Kahn entering her quarters until a shadow loomed over her. Her eyes widened for a brief second, mainly in surprise, before turning her attention to the Emperor, a calm demeanor on her face.

"Why do you hesitate?!" he demanded, the volume of his voice booming.

Ivy immediately stood up from her chair, keeping her back and shoulders straight as she stared into Shao Kahn's glowing red eyes. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice neutral.

Shao Kahn gazed back into her blue eyes, staying silent for a moment before replying. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that you were having second thoughts about invading Keisei. After all, it is your home world."

"Outworld is my home now," Ivy immediately said, still keeping her eyes on his. "I merely wanted to take my time with this invasion. I want to make sure that everything goes according to plan."

Another breath of silence lingered. "Either way, all the realms will be the same by the time we are finished. Keisei's invasion is inevitable. The sooner we invade, the better."

Ivy realized then that no matter what she said, Shao Kahn was most likely not going to believe her about. Then, a thought came to her, and she folded her arms in front of her. "I'm curious… how did the former Empress, Sindel, feel about Edenia being invaded all that time ago?"

Shao Kahn nearly laughed as he backed up a couple of feet away from Ivy. "That was easy. I killed Edenia's king and took her for myself."

Ivy raised an eyebrow, trying to hide her shock at this revelation. She knew about Sindel being the last Empress and she knew that Edenia was invaded all that time ago. Now this pretty much explains why the former Empress had taken her own life back then.

Shao Kahn began to walk out of her quarters. "I have plans for some… alone time after supper. I will see you then."

Ivy took a deep breath once the door behind him closed shut. It suddenly felt chilly in the room despite all the windows being closed. Perhaps it was all because of the one question that now lingered in her mind…

If she had said no to his offer to become the new Empress all those months ago, would she have been taken against her will just as Sindel had? She had a feeling that she already knew the answer…


	61. Chapter Sixty

**Somewhere Amongst the Skies of Earth**

In the aftermath of retrieving the last of Raiden and Rose's chosen ones, many of those on Ruby Heart's flying ship mostly found themselves catching their breath after dealing with the second wave of the invasion. A few took a moment for quiet reunions with those they knew from the tournament, or on a personal level.

Dhalsim sense mostly urgency from those on the ship, and he patiently waited until he felt the sense of calm being the primarily feeling in his surroundings. He then made his presence known to everyone along with Ruby Heart and Fujin. It didn't take long for them to get everyone's undivided attention.

"I'm sure those who have just arrived on the ship today have many questions," Dhalsim began. "And we will answer those questions to the best of our ability."

"Though we are sure that the one question that on most of your minds is, 'what the hell is going on?'" added Ruby Heart.

Nearby, Marshall Law chuckled a little. "Well, yeah, at least along those lines."

Fujin replied. "As you are aware, most of you had attended the Blood Tournament under the guidance of Raiden and Rose. With help from Dhalsim, we were able to find you, even pinpointed your location, so that you may help in the fight against the current threat on the universe."

"What happened to Raiden?" asked Julia.

It was Kung Lao who spoke up. "Something happened after the tournament. It seems that something has possessed him to become… more dark, and more sinister in his ways of protecting Earth. He attacks even his own allies for his cause."

"So in other words," began Cody. "The reason we haven't seen him was because he went batshit crazy?"

"It's unfortunate," said Fujin. "I have tried to help him see reason, but the… darkness had completely overtaken him. I'm trying to find a way to help even now."

"That's a shame," spoke Julia, frowning a bit. "He was a good man."

Fujin nodded in agreement. "At this time, my primary goal is to help all of you in this fight."

Dhalsim continued on. "Right now, we will be heading over to the realm of Keisei to unite with your allies there."

"How the hell are we getting there?" asked Paul.

"My deity powers will guide us," answered Fujin. "We'll be heading to the area where the ships transported you to Outworld for the tournament. I will be sure to guide us to Keisei."

"And when that's done," said Ruby Heart. "We'll be heading off to Outworld."

"And take the fight there," guessed Ken. "Good, I was hoping to send those bastards to hell."

"For now, take the time to rest," Dhalsim suggested. "You will need it for the upcoming battle."

Some began to disperse and head to their rooms. Some stayed on the deck. Dhalsim did notice a young, blonde haired man approaching him slowly as though he wanted to ask him something. Wagner was his name, he realized.

"I wonder," Wagner began to say. "There are those… some of our allies were brainwashed to serve the Outworld forces. Is there a way for us to, well, free them without harm?"

Dhalsim frowned. "I haven't had the opportunity to get close to one of them. When the time comes, we'll figure that out."

Wagner nodded. He then decided to change the subject, intending to try to be more upbeat. Noting Dhalsim's necklace, he placed his hand on top of one of the three small skulls that laid on his chest. "These are pretty cool, what are they made out of?"

Apparently, Dhalsim had done a very good job in preserving the skulls.

"These are just three heads of the many children who have died in the plague that came over my village about ten years ago."

Wagner's eyes widened in horror and he immediately pulled his hand back, letting it curl against his chest. His palm then laid flat and Dhalsim could tell he had the urge to brush his shirt, but he barely managed to keep his composure, more than likely out of respect.

"Um… sorry," he finally said before quickly walking away, suddenly feeling awkward. _That was embarrassing…_

It didn't take Wagner long to find Juli, but he barely began to approach her before he noticed that she was staring at a stranger. It was another young woman about her age, though she was a bit more petite with the same light brown eyes, and had strawberry blonde hair that ended at her jawline.

"I… feel like I'm having a déjà vu," Juli admitted to the girl.

"So am I," the girl replied, trying to smile a little. "If that's the case, I… think I know what we both had to endure at one time in our lives. My name is Juni."

"I'm Juli. If anything, despite the circumstances of why we're both on this ship, I'm glad we're able to meet like this instead of… what we once were."

Juni nodded in agreement. "Me too."

Not long after the meeting dispersed, Alex found herself looking around before she spotted Kenshi. Aside from the few new cuts he received from the fight back at the camp, it was almost as though none of that ever happened. In the meeting he had stayed in the back of the group, keeping some distance so that no one noticed his presence.

As she expected, he moved away after the meeting is over, more than likely to find an isolated cove on the ship.

Before she had the chance to think more on that, a female voice called her name. Alex's eyes widened as she recognized it, not expecting to hear that person's voice again. She turned to the sound in time to see Li Mei approaching. Once the Outworld native reached her, Alex was not surprised when she grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug. Nevertheless, she returned the gesture.

"I had wondered what happened to you after the tournament," Alex admitted.

Li Mei pulled back, a smile coming over her face. "Well heck, I was worried about what happened to you too! Last I heard, you were captured, and Kenshi and Ermac were off to rescue you. Luckily, I ran into Chun Li and she told me the rest of the story. You don't know how relieved I was when I heard you were safe… of course, that would have been before this stupid invasion."

Li Mei's suddenly faded as she noted the tired look on Alex's face. "Is everything all right?"

Alex took a deep breath. "These last few weeks have been… exhausting to say the least. I'll, um, tell you about them later tonight when things are more quiet."

Li Mei nodded in understanding. "I can't imagine what you and your group had to endure. I mean, the weather alone must have been a pain."

Alex folded her arms in front of her as she began to turn around and walk away. As she did, she replied to Li Mei's last sentence. "Honestly, aside from the invasion, I wish the weather was our only worry at the time…"

Meanwhile, Marshall and Paul had the unfortunate task of informing Yang and Hwoarang the fate of both Yun and Baek respectively…

"I… had a feeling that was what happened…" Yang said, shaking his head. "One minute, we were both fighting this shokan, the next I was flying away from a punch. By the time we got back, all I found was his hat. I couldn't help but think of what happened to Guy and…" He took a shaky breath. "Damn it, something tells me Yun would have rather been dead than to become… to become that…"

Hwoarang shook his head in denial. "No way, Master would not have been captured like that!" Still, in his mind, he couldn't help but remember seeing Baek fall into the river below the bridge they were fighting on with the beast he was fighting immediately following after him.

"I'm afraid it's true," Marshall said. "I tried to help, but he didn't listen."

"The brainwashing seems absolute," Paul mentioned. "That's what Cody believed happened to Guy, and if that's the case, the others may be just as bad."

"We'll find a way to help them," Marshall assured them. "I'm not sure how, but we'll find a way."

With nothing more than say, both Yang and Hwoarang walked away, both going in different directions. Marshall took a deep breath. "That was not an easy task."

"It had to be done," Paul replied. "I hate it too, but they had the right to know."

Marshall nodded. "You're right." He then decided to change the subject. "Are you hungry? I could go for something decent. Well, whatever you call decent on the ship."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing! Then, when I'm through with my plate, I will once again feel like the almighty-"

"PAUL PHOENIX!" a voice suddenly screeched.

"What the-" Paul began to utter, looking around to see who had yelled out his name. Suddenly, he noticed some of the group jumping to the side as though they were trying to making a pathway for someone. Soon he noticed Cassandra approaching him. Her fists were clenched tightly next to her and practically doing a power walk as she approached. Paul did feel amused by the angry look on her face for a split second. That look would have definitely sent the tarkatans cowering in fear.

Then again, he realized that, for some reason, the anger was being directed towards him since her blue eyes were on him.

 _What the hell is eating her?_ the Judo fighter thought.

That's when Paul suddenly remembered something…

_Paul and Cassandra finally reached the portals. They had come from the side so Raiden, who was currently fighting a Tarkatan, didn't notice them right away._

_"So many portals," Cassandra said as she looked over at them. "Which one do we go through?"_

_"I don't think it matters," Paul guessed. "Just go through any one of them and we'll be able to get back home."_

_Cassandra nodded. "I know I was a bit of a brat before, but thanks for bringing me up here."_

_"No problem," Paul replied. "Let's head home."_

_Cassandra decided to go to the closest portal, which happened to be the green one. Although her ankle was still hurting her, she was still able to walk, though she was forced to limp._

Sophitia… I'm coming home, _she thought to herself._

_Cassandra was just beginning to go through the portal when Raiden finally killed off the tarkatan he was fighting. Afterward, he turned his head and gasped upon seeing Cassandra walking through the portal with Paul behind her._

_"NO!" Raiden called out as he quickly teleported over there._

_However, by the time the Thunder God got to them, Cassandra had already walked through the portal. Paul was the only one standing there, a bit surprised by Raiden's sudden reaction._

_"What's wrong?" Paul asked him._

_Raiden sighed a little. "I know that the two of you were trying to get out of here… however, there's one problem. These portals don't just lead to any realm. They are all linked to only one individual realm. The one Cassandra went through lead to Earth… however, she's actually from Keisei."_

_Paul found himself rubbing the back of his neck suddenly upon realizing the mistake. "Um… oops," was all he could say at the moment. "Should I try to get her back here?"_

_"Unfortunately, once you're through the portals, there's no going back."_

_"Damn," Paul muttered._

_"Don't worry," Raiden said. "I'll take care of things later."_

_"All right," Paul answered feeling a bit better about the situation…_

"Oh… shit," Paul found himself saying.

"What's the matter?" Marshall asked.

Paul took a deep breath. "You're about to find out in approximately five seconds."

It was more like two seconds before Cassandra finally reached him. Despite her much shorter height, she was able to stand nose to nose with Paul as though she was daring him to defy her. Paul did stand to his full height, but despite that, the look she gave him did make his palms sweaty.

"Because of you," she growled. "I spent the last seven months stuck in this realm!"

"I know-"

She pointed a finger at Paul. "Don't 'I know' me! Hell, if you planned to apologize, don't bother!"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I remember it all! You just went and guessed… _guessed_ that the portals would lead us just anywhere! You know, we weren't exactly in immediate danger, so we could have waited until Raiden was done fighting that mutant!"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You are so lucky that portal led me to Earth! Had I ended up in wherever those lipless, tooth-filled mutants lived, I would have murdered you, witnesses or not!"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I have such a desire to just bonk you in the head with my shield right now! Just be lucky I left it back in Tokyo!"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And also be lucky we have more important things to worry about! I'm sure you're actually needed in this fight, but if something like that happens again when this is all over, mark my words, your head will have a nice introduction to my shield!"

"Yes, ma'am."

And with that, Cassandra turned on her heel and began walking away. Her friends had been in constant giggles since she went up to him. They were still giggling as they followed her.

Once the girls were out of earshot, Marshall had to grin. "Paul Phoenix… lifelong Judo fighter, tied with the 'great' Kazuya Mishima in an epic battle at a tournament, beat the almighty Ogre in another tournament, and self-proclaimed best in the universe… taken down a few notches by an angry little girl."

Paul narrowed his eyes at his friend. "Shut up, Law."

That statement only made Marshall grin even more.

A few minutes after the meeting was over, Ryu found himself looking for Ken. Naturally, there wasn't much time to catch up with the fight they had been in when the ship arrived at their camp. Obviously, the group was okay with all of them making it on the flying vessel relatively unharmed.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder what became of his childhood friend's family.

 _Hopefully, they only got separated,_ he thought to himself.

Ryu's head was turned to the side, not paying much attention to what was in front of him. Because of that, he eventually bumped into someone's arm. He shifted his head and was about to apologize to the person he bumped into… that was until he was met with familiar brown eyes through red framed glasses…

His own eyes widened upon seeing the person he bumped into. _Julia…_

One thing Ryu noticed right away was a developing bruise on the left side of her jaw, but other than that, she looked fine. Her face remained neutral as she looked at him, but her eyes did spell out a few things, mostly confusion, turmoil, and surprisingly, a hint of relief.

It was Julia who finally broke the silence between them. "Ryu… I… I'm glad you're okay. I admit, I didn't believe it when I saw you fighting the guards back at the camp."

Ryu was sure that Julia would have walked away after a moment, so his body jumped a little at her words unexpectedly. "I… I'm glad you're okay, too. As a matter of fact, I had messaged Ken and I was… hoping he would contact you somehow and look out for you."

She nodded. "Yeah, he did. As a matter of fact, we were all looking out for each other. A… few things happened at the camp… things I wished I never heard about or even witnessed." She let out a deep breath. "These last few weeks have been the longest in my life."

Ryu shook his head. "I think it has been for all of us ever since the invasion began. Take the time to rest. We've earned it after all these weeks.”

Julia sighed. "Yeah, that's a good idea. It would be nice to get completely warm for once."

As she started to walk away, Ryu spoke again. "Julia, there's something I need to ask you."

Julia stopped in her tracks before slowly turning her head. "What is it?"

Ryu drew in a breath. "It's about Ken. I get the sense that something happened to his family. Do you know if they're okay?"

A frown came over her lips. "That's something you're going to have to ask him."

Ryu nodded despite the dread that he was suddenly feeling. Once she knew that nothing more would be said, Julia turned around and began walking away. A sigh escaped her lips. Ryu was just as kind of a man as she remembered him.

But still, she wouldn't forget the fact that he had been there when her mother met her end…

~~~

**_An Hour Later…_ **

"I was hoping you had made it through the invasion."

Maki almost grinned upon hearing the person behind her speak. There had been a lot of chaos between getting to their allies in the Rockies and now. Plus, hearing what happened to Yun from Yang was a shock she was still trying to get over. Sure, he may still be alive, but it was still heartbreaking to hear of Yun's fate.

So hearing Cody Travers' voice was good news in itself. She was relieved to finally know that a long-time friend of hers made it out of this chaos okay at this point in the fight.

"Cody!" Maki called out as she turned around. "I'm so glad to see you."

They approached each other, briefly embracing before pulling back to regard each other. "I thought I was a pain in the ass to you."

"I'm pretty sure you still are," Maki replied with a grin. "But, well…" Her smile then faded. "It feels good when someone you know survives this kind of hell."

Cody nodded in agreement. "I'm sure it felt good when you and Yang reunited after the first wave of the invasion."

"You have no idea. We were actually separated for a month before the ship picked me up. I spent most of it in a forest on this island near Japan."

"How was that?" Cody asked.

Maki shrugged. "I guess we were a little lucky. It rained a lot, but there was a cabin we stayed in to keep dry. It wasn't big, but we just managed to fit everyone. The hot springs kept things warm enough so that we didn't have to worry about snow."

Maki chuckled a little. "I think Yang and his group were the luckiest. They stayed with a bunch of monks in temple grounds the whole time."

Cody was curious now. "What about the other groups?"

"Well, Cammy and Lita were at their MI-6 base near London helping refugees prepare for further attacks. Then there was Sub-Zero, Smoke, and a new friend scouting through the Himalayans most of the time. I think Raven experienced the worst of it."

"Raven, huh?" Cody cut in. "I didn't expect to hear from that guy again."

"Apparently most of the time, he was traveling with a mute soldier through the Russian blizzard for about five weeks. He even got injured at one point, but he's 'recovered enough to snap a tarkatan's neck with ease.' Those were his exact words."

"Heh… too bad the Himalayans were in southern Asia instead of in Russia, then he and Sub-Zero's group could have worked together." Cody scratched his chin. "And I assume the mute soldier is with us now?"

Maki nodded. "Yeah, his name is Dragunov, I think. He's… really creepy looking, eyes like glaciers, and I don't think he's ever tanned in his life."

Cody raised an eyebrow, looking bemused. "The universe is going to hell, and you're worried about someone who hasn't gone to a tanning salon?"

Maki shrugged, but managed to smile. "Hey, sometimes you need to, well… not think about those things for a while, and while we're traveling, now's a good time."

Cody nodded. "I can understand that."

A question lingered in Maki's mind. "Did your brother make it out?"

She heard Cody take a deep breath. "He and his girlfriend survived the first wave. Poor bastard broke his arm during that. Once we found Vanessa, Kyle pushed me to get to the camp and said he would meet me there. That was the last time we spoke."

Maki frowned. "I hope he's okay."

"Me, too…"

"And… Guy?"

"Saw him twice through both waves," Cody replied, his voice low. "Both times, there was nothing I could do to help him snap out of it. I… sometimes wonder if there is anyway he'll ever be free."

Maki placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "We will. And now that we're both here, we can do that together. We'll free Guy along with the others. That was a promise we always kept and we'll see through to it."

Cody nodded. "Thanks."

Somewhere below deck, Ryu was walking through what looked like crew quarters. It was much larger than he imagined it being when he first came on the ship. Back then, he was sure that only a handful of his allies would share a room with others.

He was heading back to his own room when he suddenly heard his name being called. He first looked around the hallway, but found no one in his eyesight.

"Over here, Ryu," he heard again. Ryu turned to the voice and soon saw Ken in the room he claimed. He was slouching forward a bit as he sat on the side edge of the bed, his forearms resting on his knees.

"Hey," Ryu said as he entered the room, closing the door behind him. "I was looking for you."

"Yeah, sorry," Ken replied. "I, eh, decided to claim a room after Dhalsim finished the meeting. I just needed to… clear my head, you know?"

"I spoke with Julia," Ryu mentioned as he sat on the bed next to his long-time friend. "She said things were pretty rough at the camp."

Ken let out a small huff that barely sounded like a laugh. "That's an understatement. Aside from the fact that we were all freezing our asses off half the time, we had to stay on top of things to make sure we didn't run out of supplies. Then, a couple of weeks ago, Shang Tsung turned up."

Ryu looked at him with confusion. "I thought he was dead."

"We all did, but apparently, from what we can guess, Shao Kahn thought he would be useful for this invasion, so… he resurrected him, I suppose."

"I guess he did a number on you guys."

Ken shook his head. "You could say that. He actually attacked Agent Walker when she was scouting for food outside the camp. Until now, we were all on edge, wondering when he'll be back or what kind of reinforcements will come after us. Some of the guys almost tore each other's heads off, at least until Jane intervened."

Another sigh escaped Ken. "Never did we expect that 'reinforcement' to start with Guile. That nearly threw us off, but Cody recognized his brainwashed state before anything really bad happened…"

Before Ryu had the chance to say anything, Ken turned his head to him. "How did you hold up these last few weeks?"

Ryu was silent for a moment before sighing. "Well, some of us met up and we hid out in Yakushima Island. Jin Kazama grew up there, and we managed to get his old cabin up and running. There was a group that attacked us, but we drove them off. The… details are still fuzzy for me."

Ken shifted his eyes towards the floor. "Sounds like a hell of a fight you had."

Ryu took a deep breath, thinking of his fight with Akuma. "You could say that…"

Silence fell between them. In his mind, Ryu remembered that he had wanted to ask his friend about the fate of his family, but now, for some reason, he couldn't find the words to even begin what he wanted to question.

After what seemed like hours, Ken finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "I was heading to the airport to drop Julia off. She came to visit for a couple of weeks when she had some holiday from college. We, well, she, my family, and I, went to the mansion in Los Angeles during that time for our own vacation. Well, during the drive, that was when the first invasion happened. I went to get my family, even picked up Sagat on the way, but… when I got back to the mansion…"

Ryu stayed quiet as Ken took a deep breath. The blonde-haired millionaire then proceeded. "… It was nothing but rubble. Half the neighborhood was like that… some were even in flames. I… was looking through the rubble, but then I saw a hand… I… I couldn't continue looking then. I… didn't want know what they looked like under there… I mean, sure, that hand could have belonged to one of the maids, but…"

The wandering warrior found himself gazing at the floor after hearing this. "I'm sorry, Ken."

"They… they could have escaped for all I know, but there was no indication that they did." Ken shook his head. "Now that I think about it, I can't even remember if Eliza's car was even in the driveway at all… things got fuzzy afterward. Julia drove the Porsche after we left."

Ryu noticed Ken's hands squeezing into fists. "I'll make sure those Outworld bastards pay." His voice was still barely a whisper, but Ryu heard him growl at those words. "That's what's fueling me right now... knowing that I have the chance to make them pay for what they've done-"

Ryu spoke for the first time since his friend told his story. "Ken, I know you're going through a lot, but… getting revenge is not worth it. I had to learn that the hard way after Master Gouken was murdered. Getting revenge will only make the pain worse, and even if you avenge them, it won't bring them back."

Ken was just a split second from retaliated, but then Ryu's last sentence hit him, making his eyes widen. Those were the words he had said to Ryu when Master Gouken died.

At first, Ken's frame shook with frustration, his eyes clenching shut as his fists tightened. Then, when he felt Ryu's hand rest between his shoulder blades in comfort, Ken felt something inside him snap like a rubber band that was stretched too much. He quickly buried his face in both of his hands just as tears escaped his eyes, his shoulders now shaking as he began to weep.

It was the first chance he's truly had to mourn his family since this nightmare began.

Neither of them said anything for a long time. At one point, Ken turned his head and rested his face again Ryu's upper arm, his sobs muffled. Frowning, Ryu could only comfort his best friend by wrapping an arm around his shoulders, knowing that words will no longer help.

Ryu was reminded of a similar moment when Gouken died… only their roles were switched…

~~~

**_That Night…_ **

The chosen ones were informed by Fujin that they would reach the portal some time before sunrise. They were also reminded that the ship could shake a bit when it happens. That information wasn't really necessary, however, as those who went to the tournament remembered that detail.

In the meantime, some took the chance to prepare. Some took the chance to rest for the night. Others weren't sure what to do with themselves. That included Cyrax.

Since coming on to the ship, he was mostly analyzing the ship's technology mainly because he was fascinated by it. Ruby Heart found out what he was doing. She had asked him to cease his analysis because 'there are things about this ship you don't want to know about.' That only made him even more curious, so by the time Ruby Heart went to bed for the night, he continued with his work.

He was staring up at one of the propellers when he heard heavy footsteps nearby. At first, Cyrax thought it might've been one of the more well-built allies, but there was something about these steps that were… too familiar.

Cyrax turned to the noise and soon noticed another gray cyborg, one he hadn't seen since before he offered his services to Special Forces. Smoke, his scanner indicated.

"I'm surprised I hadn't noticed you earlier," Cyrax admitted.

"I mostly stay out of the way when I can," Smoke replied. "You look like you're scanning something."

"I'm trying to figure out the tech on this ship. It's interesting to see a flying transportation like this."

"If I remember correctly, it's the only one of its kind on Earth." Smoke then decided to change the subject. "I see that you've retrieved your soul as well."

"Yes, thanks to Special Forces," Cyrax replied. "And you as well."

"It was… a recent event. It's a very long story."

"At least we're both here on our own free will. We can definitely work together, combine our own technology to help defeat Outworld."

Smoke folded his arms in front of him. "If anything… better you than Sektor."

Cyrax would have laughed if he could. "Likewise."

Inside the ship, Li Mei had invited Alex to join her in her room to catch up on what's been going on since they've been separated back in Outworld. Just before entering Li Mei's room, Alex realized that there was news that had to be mentioned, one that she knew would hit Li Mei hard.

At first, the conversation was mostly lighthearted with Li Mei talking about the monks she got to know during her stay at the Shaolin Temple. She also mentioned her training with Bo' Rai Cho and how she would practice each day. Life was pretty much peaceful up until Outworld attacked.

"What did you do before the invasion?" Li Mei soon asked.

"In short," Alex began. "I was demoted because of desertion, was put on 'temporary leave' from the OIA program, and I ended up stuck with local, crap assignments."

"You mentioned the possibility of getting in trouble for coming to the tournament," Li Mei remembered. "You think that trying to stop an intruder on a ship would have been a decent excuse."

Alex sighed. "Well, they only had my word and Kenshi's, and Kenshi was only a free agent, not officially part of Special Forces. Sonya's words would have carried a heavier weight, but… well…"

Li Mei frowned, nodding in understanding. Alex decided to withhold the fact that Sonya actually survived and was now brainwashed to serve Outworld. She figured that Li Mei could only handle one bad news at a time for right now.

"Listen, Li Mei, there's something you need to know," Alex began to say.

Li Mei noticed the worried look in her friend's eyes. "What is it?"

"Well… what were you told about Shang Tsung before now?"

"Chun Li said Kenshi killed him with Ermac's help and that they saved you. That's about it. Why?"

Alex shook her head. She knew that no matter how she said it, it was not going to be easy, so she blurted out what came to her.

"He's alive. I don't know how, but the theory is that Shao Kahn resurrected him for this invasion."

As expected, shock came over Li Mei, her green eyes widened with horror. She had the swallow the lump that suddenly developed in his throat before she could speak. "How… how's that possible?"

"I don't know, Li Mei. But one thing's for sure… he has a personal vendetta against Kenshi, which is not really a surprise considering that it was his sword that cut him down."

"If there was only a way to cut down his soul too," Li Mei whispered.

"I don't think he has one to begin with," Alex guessed. "After all, he has to take the souls of others."

Li Mei nodded. "True." Her fists clenched, suddenly feeling anger well up inside her. "But his return spits on the grave of my village! And… damn it, even if we kill him again, how many times will he be resurrected? And how many times do we have to kill him before it's permanent?!"

She practically shouted her last words, but soon calmed herself, realizing that others around them may have heard her. "I'm sorry…"

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Alex said. "If anything, I'm almost as angry about it as you are. Maybe… if Shao Kahn dies, then it'll make it easier to get rid of him once and for all."

"Maybe," Li Mei said. "Assuming Kenshi knows, how is he handling it?"

Alex nearly snorted in frustration. "To say he's pissed off would be an understatement. Otherwise, I have no idea what's going through his mind."

That confused Li Mei. "What do you mean? Weren't you two getting close during the tournament?"

"Yeah… we were. He even stayed with me afterward and, well, he even got a 'job' until the invasion. The thing is, when Shang Tsung showed up at the camp a couple of weeks ago, the first thing he did was go after me while I was scouting."

That earned a gasped from Li Mei. "How bad was it?"

"I was out for nearly a week with multiple cuts, nearly bone-deep bruises, and a broken nose. It… could've been worse, but I got lucky because Ermac showed up. The whole thing made Kenshi withdraw from the rest of us, and I only spoke to him twice since… one was after I woke up, and one was… well… that's a long story, but it wasn't pleasant. I'm hoping this is just until Shang Tsung's dead, but… I don't know…"

Li Mei placed a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Even if we're not the ones to get him, the bastard will pay for his atrocities. When that time comes, the souls who have suffered, alive or dead, will rest easy."

Alex slowly nodded. "I hope it won't take long…"

Late into the night, Cammy found that she couldn't sleep. She mostly blamed it on the fact that the ship would soon be departing Earth and heading into Keisei. It would be another step closer before they took the fight to the Outworld Forces.

The thought of that final step alone nearly shook her. She knew that getting there was most likely the way to end this chaos not only for Earth, but for the rest of the universe as well.

 _To think that the tournament was the beginning of all of this,_ she thought grimly. _I can only hope the end is much better…_

Cammy knew she needed the sleep, but with her mind racing, she found herself walking the ship instead. Eventually, she found herself outside. There was a lot of wind, but not as bad as she thought it would be considering that she was on a flying vessel. It was pretty cold, however, and she figured that she wasn't going to stay up here for very long.

After a few minutes of walking and enjoying the view, Cammy decided to head back inside, hoping that the walk would help her get back to sleep. That's when she noticed a figure gazing out towards the dark sky not too far from her. She was just beginning to walk away, but soon stopped. It wasn't hard to recognize Jin's pointed hair and bangs even in the dark.

There was so much that she wanted to say to him. The few times that they ran into each other since she got on the ship, they could only stare at each other before one of them walked away. Cammy intended to leave, not feeling up to trying to talk about what happened all those months ago.

To her surprise, she barely took two steps before Jin spoke. "You seem like you have a lot on your mind."

Cammy froze in her place. By then, Jin had turned to face her. She had almost forgotten how nice his voice sounded, his light Japanese accent pleasant to her ears.

She blurted out the first thing she thought of. "There's a lot at stake."

Jin nodded in agreement. "And it's up to us to end this."

Cammy nodded as well. "Yeah."

The British woman finally took a deep breath, trying to calm the sudden nerves she felt under her skin. "But yes, there is a lot to discuss."

"Like why I left the way I did?"

Cammy's eyes widened for a second, but she quickly composed herself. "Something like that, yes."

Jin folded his muscular arms in front of him. "There… was something I had to do."

"And you wanted to protect me from it," Cammy said, remembering the letter he left her. That suddenly felt like a lifetime ago. "It sounded like something you've carried for a long time from what I've read in the letter."

"It's too much to explain even now," Jin replied.

"It would be nice to know what it was months ago. I could have helped you, you know."

Jin shook his head. "This… is not something you can help me with. It's something I must deal with on my own."

Cammy nodded, giving up on making him explain to her. "Okay."

Then, Jin asked her a question she didn't expect. "Are you okay? I mean, with these past few weeks and all…"

She slowly nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."

"There you are," another voice joined in. Cammy recognized it and soon turned her attention to Steve. "I was looking for you."

"I had to walk for a little while," Cammy admitted. "I couldn't sleep."

"I imagine with what we're facing, that's bound to happen."

Then, Cammy noticed Steve looking at Jin. She stepped in between them. "Steve, this is Jin Kazama. We met at the tournament and, well, he actually was a runner up."

"Runner up?" Steve said, astounded. "That must've felt nice to get that far. Sorry you didn't win."

Jin shrugged a little. "These days, I wonder if it's for the better. Who knows what they would have in store for me if I won."

"Maybe." Steve then turned his attention back to Cammy, placing an arm around her waist. "Come on, you need to get some sleep."

"Okay." Cammy turned to Jin, noting that his expression remained neutral despite Steve's arm around her. That look somehow made her feel a tad bit disappointed. "Good night, Jin."

Jin nodded in reply before the two of them headed off to the crew deck.

Not long after, Jin remained where he was before he heard another pair of footsteps nearby. He turned and saw a familiar figure in a white gi, the tail of his red bandana flapping in the wind behind him.

"Don't tell me you can't sleep," Jin said.

Ryu turned to him. "You can't either?"

"It's not that I can't," Jin mentioned. "I just can't seem to stay in my quarters. There are too many people around, I think."

"It's something we'll have to get used to," Ryu said. "We'll be around them for quite a while."

"Yeah. Maybe you're right."

"Perhaps meditating will help," a new voice suggested. The person had surprised both Ryu and Jin. Neither of them heard the person approach them. Turning around, they found out why as they noticed Dhalsim floating a few feet above the deck, his body contorted in a lotus position.

"Meditation is always a good idea," Ryu agreed.

"It is another way to rest the mind and body."

Jin shook his head. "I don't think it'll help right now."

Dhalsim seemed to look at Jin with slight concern. "You carry a great burden inside you. I know there are… certain energies you can't let go, but there are some that, if you let yourself, you can release from your soul."

Suddenly, Jin felt like an open book, and he instinctively folded his arms in front of him. "No offense, but I don't like it when people get inside my head like that. I've already dealt with enough of that before."

Dhalsim bowed his head. "My apologies, I was only trying to help."

Ryu turned to Jin. "Dhalsim is a yoga master and, as you just guessed, psychic."

That got a raised eyebrow from Jin. "Sounds like you two know each other."

"World Warriors Tournament some years ago," Dhalsim mentioned. "Normally, I'm a pacifist, but at the time, I was the only one to be able to help my village, so it was necessary for me to fight."

"And I assume that's the same for this chaos," Jin guessed.

There was a bit of silence as Dhalsim stretched his legs a bit until his feet were firmly back on the ground. "Yes… the fate of the universe hangs in the balance, and it's up to… let's just say key components."

"Do you think we can win this?" Ryu asked.

Dhalsim nodded. "If things go right, we may have a chance."

"With all of us here together, I'm sure we can do it. Once we get our allies in Keisei, it will better our odds."

Then Jin realized something that the yoga master said earlier. "Key components? What are you talking about?"

He and Ryu heard Dhalsim take a deep breath before speaking. "Four individuals are the key components in winning this fight. You two are a part of it."


	62. Chapter Sixty-One

**The Skies of Earth**

In a secluded spot on the upper deck of the flying ship, Dhalsim had gathered Ruby Heart and Fujin to meet with Ryu and Jin. The pirate and the wind God were already aware that Dhalsim discovered the first two of four chosen ones. Everything was explained to Ryu and Jin; the legend of _Ano Sentaku Bou_ and what it means for the fate of the universe.

It was a lot to take in for the two young warriors. All this time, they had thought that they would face the Outworld Forces with their allies to end this chaos. Now, they find out that they were two of only four people in the universe who have the power to stop the conflict.

But one thing was for sure… as the legend mentioned, the war was indeed a threat in the universe. They were also sure that Shao Kahn was the 'main source of the conflict.' Of course, Dhalsim didn't have to tell them that.

After all was said and done, Dhalsim only had a simple request. "It is best that this is not discussed with the others, only amongst the five of us. The less people know, the better the chance that you and the other two will make it to the confrontation with the Emperor."

Jin and Ryu nodded in understanding. "Do you have any idea who the other two are?" Ryu asked.

There was a brief pause. "They've… yet to be discovered," was all the yoga master said.

One thing lingered in Jin's mind. "You said that the reason Ryu and I were two of the key components was because of the balance of good and sin within us?"

Dhalsim. "Yes. That's what the tablet indicated."

Jin shook his head a little. "I… see."

Fujin stepped forward. "We will be nearing the portal to Keisei momentarily. I suggest you both rest until our arrival."

Ryu nodded before departing. Jin lingered for a moment, staring at the three of them before following Ryu.

Once they were out of earshot, Ruby Heart spoke first. "That's nice! Finding two of the chosen ones at the same time! It's nice to know we're halfway done."

Dhalsim nodded in agreement. "Indeed. I can only hope that the other two come just as easily."

"They both seemed to react differently to the news," Fujin mentioned. "Do have any idea of what they might be thinking?"

Dhalsim gazed up towards the night sky. "They both know what's at stake. That is for sure. Ryu seems to be the most… accepting of the news. Jin, however, seems more conflicted. There is so much inner turmoil for me to really tell. I think it will be best to talk to them individually when the time comes. Most likely, that won't happen until we reach Keisei."

Then, almost on cue, the ship began to shake bit. The three gazed up towards the sky and immediately noticed the purple energy forming above them. It only meant one thing.

"We are closing in on the portal," Fujin announced. "I will make sure that we get through to Keisei."

The ship was eventually surrounded by a swirl of the purple energy. It increased every second until it was completely engulfing the flying transportation. Then, the energy faded along with the ship.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortess, Outworld**

The world outside of the fortress was still dark, which was not surprising considering its location in the middle of the forests. The only light in Kira's sleeping quarters was the lit candle that was placed on her desk nearby.

For the first time since she could remember, Kira craved a cigarette. In Outworld, she only had a choice between those long pipes that looked too complicated to use or Outworld cigars, which tasted bitter the one time she tried it. She settled for a few shots of Outworld whiskey instead.

The whiskey made her feel a bit more relaxed and she felt the soothing warmth coming over her body. She let her arms and most of her legs exposed, but the rest of her nude form was covered by a single sheet.

At this point, she was wide awake and Kira was sure that the whiskey will eventually make her sleepy. Next to her, she could hear the deep, even breaths coming from Mavado. Another sheet covered him from the waist down and his bare back faced in her direction.

Kira smirked with amusement as she thought about the last few hours since they both came in here. For one thing, it felt good to get all that energy out. It was more about fighting to be the dominant one more than anything, and the way they both yelled out, she was surprised no one came to see if an enemy came by.

Kira nearly snorted with amusement at that last thought. _Sleeping with the enemy…_

She was sure that Mavado's Red Dragon clan would blow a gasket if they ever got wind of this. Mavado, the second-in-command of the entire clan, was in bed with a former Black Dragon, their arch-nemesis. Kira was sure if she was still with the Black Dragon, they would blow a gasket as well… except maybe Havik. He would've actually found it amusing.

Kira shivered in disgust, remembering Havik's rotting flesh. If only her knife had gone deeper into his forehead the day she left the clan. Then again, she wouldn't be surprised if she had succeeded, but it turned out that there was nothing left in that head of his. The man could snap his own neck and still live for crying out loud!

Shaking the thoughts from her head, Kira took a deep breath. There was still a few hours left before her shift began. The red-haired woman briefly turned her head to Mavado.

Kira wouldn't mind going one more round with him, but the bastard was passed out and she was sure an earthquake wouldn't wake him at this point. She'd like to think with that in mind, she won their little battle. The truth however, was that they were both even. She just wouldn't let him know that.

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

There was not a single cloud in the skies of Chili-san throughout the day, and the people of the city went out to enjoy it the way they want to. The weather was still like that by the middle of the afternoon.

Duties at the Coast Guard headquarters were few today, so once they were done with their usual routine, the group consisting of Hwang, Kilik, Xianghua, Maxi, Jade, Sophitia, and Rothion strolled through the headquarter grounds through a well-manicured garden area.

Maxi was busy talking about one of his past adventures. While the others were distracted by his tales, Sophitia turned to Rothion. "I got another letter from mother this morning," the blonde-haired woman mentioned.

Rothion smiled. "What does she have to say?"

"Only that everything is well and the children miss us. She even sent us a drawing Pyrrha drew of all of us."

Xianghua happened to listen in on their conversation. She turned her attention to them with a cheerful smile. "That sounds so sweet," she said.

"Would you like to see it?" Sophitia asked as she turned her attention to her.

Xianghua nodded in reply. Sophitia reached into her pocket and unfolded a piece of paper. She first showed it to her husband, who looked down at the drawing with pride. Then, she passed it over to Xianghua. The drawing that definitely that of a young child, no more than five, she guessed. Pyrrha had done the best she could to draw a portrait of her parents, herself, and her younger brother, Patroklos.

"I wouldn't mind having children someday," Xianghua mentioned. "Not now of course, but someday."

Sophitia decided to tease her. "Did you want that family with anyone special?"

Xianghua had not expected that question and found herself swallowing nervously. It took a lot of her to try not to turn her head to see Kilik, who only stood a few feet away while listening to Maxi.

"Well, I-" she started to say.

She was suddenly disrupted by a few guards who were running towards them. Maxi stopped himself in the middle of his story as the whole group turned their attention to the rushing guards.

Eventually, they reached them and one of them saluted Hwang. "Sir, we got reports of an unidentified ship coming towards the city. The Admiral has ordered all troops to report to the docks immediately."

Hwang nodded and the group began to head out of headquarters. As they did, Hwang turned to the dark-haired Edenian who walked next to him. "Jade, do you think you may be able to figure out whether or not the ship is from Outworld."

"That all depends," Jade replied. "I could definitely tell if the ship was from that realm. However, it's also possible that the Outworld Forces may have commandeered a ship from anywhere in the realms."

Hwang sighed. "And the sad thing is, that wouldn't surprise me. In that case, we'll all have to take every precaution. I just hope this isn't the start of the invasion."

"You and me both."

Some minutes later, the group gathered at the docks with the rest of the Coast Guards gathered. All soldiers were armed and ready while lookout posts prepared cannon just in case. Hwang was able to spot Admiral Lee just at the edge of the docks.

About what he guessed was five miles out, Hwang spotted the ship in question. Lee was looking through a telescope in order to get a better detail of the ship.

"It's definitely not from around here," Lee mentioned. "There are no flags and… it doesn't look like they're preparing to fire at us."

The wind suddenly picked up in high speed, causing everything loose in its path to be blown back. Those wearing items like hats began to chase after them on the streets. Hwang had reached up to his head to make sure his bandana was still placed over his forehead.

"Fine time for the weather to start getting bad," Hwang mentioned.

"The strange thing is that there are no clouds indicating an incoming storm in the distance," Lee mentioned.

Before any more could say, the onlookers suddenly started yelling out and pointing towards the sky. Hwang was confused for a moment… until he suddenly saw a flying figure coming towards the docks from the waters.

"Cannons and rifles ready!" Lee ordered at the top of his lungs. "Do not fire unless fired at first!"

That was when Hwang got a better look at their visitor. His long hair was tied back in a braid which fell to his lower back. Pale eyes glowed, but they did not look threatening. If Hwang hadn't known better, he could have sworn it was…

"Could that be Raiden?" asked Kilik.

"It might be," Maxi replied. "But… I don't remember him having hair _that_ long."

Soon, the flying figure was close enough so that he could speak to the crowd. By then, the strong wind that had hit them a moment ago died down. "We are not here to hurt you," he assured them. "My name is Fujin, the God of Wind. The ship that is approaching behind me contains survivors from Earthrealm."

Admiral Lee stepped forward, making himself known. "We have too many refugees from many other realms already!" he confirmed.

"We are not here for refuge," Fujin mentioned. "We are here to help. We only ask that we stay for a few days. Then we will be on our way."

The Admiral seemed to think about this for a moment before finally nodding to Fujin. "Then they are welcomed."

~~~

Upon arriving in Keisei, the ship survived intact. However, one of the engines in the propellers suddenly shut down, and Ruby Heart was forced to travel the rest of the way by water. The misfortune, most likely caused by the swift transport through the portal, made Ruby Heart curse out every profanity she could think of like a true sailor.

Still, at least they made it to Keisei, and as far as everyone knew, they had yet to be affected by the chaos. Hopefully, that was still true.

It was an hour before they saw the city of Chili-san. Fujin made the decision to introduce himself to the citizens just in case they were any issues with their arrival. He left the vessel once they were five miles away.

It turned out to be a wise decision by the time the ship docked. A large crowd had gathered, and Ruby Heart didn't miss the fact that every soldier there was carrying a rifle and there were cannons pointing in their direction. She couldn't blame them for being cautious, she supposed. Yoshimitsu's Manji Clan did warn Keisei and many other realms about the incoming invasion after all.

As the ship was anchored, Fujin approached Ruby Heart. At the same time, Dhalsim joined them. "The Admiral welcomes us and has offered to accommodate the chosen ones to their military's headquarters."

"Good," Ruby Heart replied. "He does know how many of us he's accommodating, right?"

Fujin nodded. "He is. He also will be ordering the cooks to prepare dinner for them. It will be ready in a few hours."

"Wow," Ruby Heart replied, feeling baffled by that information. "It wasn't even dawn when we left Earth and now it is what, the middle of the afternoon?"

"Just about. We will be staying for a few days."

"Hopefully, that will give me time to fix that propeller engine."

Fifteen minutes later, everyone was cleared to leave the ship. Hwang and his friends had decided to stay to greet the Earthrealm natives.

Little did they know was that the visitors were actually familiar to them.

Xianghua gasped. "I… didn't think we'd see them again!"

Maxi laughed. "Something tells me they're not just here for a stop. They're here to pick us up!"

"I don't know whether to be thrilled or frightened."

As they talked, Hwang happened to turn his head before he suddenly found himself freezing in his place. Amongst the crowd, a familiar figure was dressed much differently than he was used to, but her hair and face were recognizable.

Without thinking about it, Hwang called out to her. "Seong Mi-na!"

Mi-na's eyes widened, recognizing his voice. She looked around for a moment before spotting him waving his arms to get his attention. A grin suddenly came over her face as she started running towards her friend.

Just as she got a few feet away, Mi-na stopped, and the smile on her face faded. The two seemed to stare at each other for what seemed like ages before she finally mustered the courage to speak.

"My God… I can't believe it's you, Hwang," she said.

Hwang couldn't help but chuckle. "I should be the one saying that."

Mi-na brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes. "I was so stupid to just leave everything behind like that-"

"Hey," Hwang cut her off. "I was the one who encouraged you to go. You're not the only one to who's at fault."

"Well… neither are you. I'm sorry and… wow, there's so much to talk about…"

Hwang decided to cover the distance between them and pulled his long-time friend into an embrace. "We'll talk it about it later once you're settled. It's good to see that you're all right, Mi-na."

Mi-na found herself smiling a little as she returned the gesture. "Same here, Hwang."

"Hey! I didn't know you had a boyfriend!"

Hwang nearly chuckled as he heard Mi-na growl in frustration next to his ear. She quickly pulled away from the hug and turned to face a red-haired male who had a sly grin on his face.

"Hwang, this is Hwoarang. He and his master, Baek, took me in during my stay on Earth. Hwoarang, this is Hwang, my childhood friend."

"Nice to meet you," Hwang said.

He was just beginning to extend his arm out to shake's Hwoarang's hand before Mi-na suddenly jumped in front, her eyes wide. "Father! Is he-"

"He's fine," Hwang assured her. The hand he had just started to extend ended up moving to rest on her left shoulder. "He's ill, but fine."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Ill? What are you talking about?"

"To make a long story short, he's been worried about you ever since I returned from the tournament. It got worse once we got word that Earth was invaded. But trust me when I say that he'll be fine. He just needs to rest."

Mi-na took in a deep breath as she closed her eyes. Hwang was sure that she was trying to hold back tears, but she refused to shed them. "I… guess I'll settle in first. Once I get something to eat, I'd like to go see father."

Hwang nodded. "Okay."

Meanwhile, the small group consisting of Mika, Asuka, Karin, and Cassandra walked together as they departed the ship. Cassandra took a deep, contented breath. No, this part of Keisei was not where she grew up, but either way, it felt good to be back on her homeworld.

"You're right, Cassandra," said Mika. "It does look a lot like Earth. And the buildings remind me of these pictures that were taken hundreds of years ago."

"Guess our worlds are not all that different after all," Asuka mentioned.

"If I recall," Karin added. "They say that both Earth and Keisei have similarities, but with historical differences."

"That's what I've heard too," Cassandra replied. "And after seeing Earth, I can definitely say that-"

She suddenly stopped walking as she stopped in the middle of her sentence. It took a few seconds more for her friends to notice that she stopped.

"Are you all right, Cass?" asked Asuka.

However, Cassandra didn't hear her. Instead, she was too busy staring at a blonde-haired woman within the crowd. The woman wasn't paying much attention to the incoming passengers as she was speaking to someone who stood next to her. At first, Cassandra thought her mind was playing tricks on her… until she saw who the blonde was talking to.

_Rothion!_

"Gods…" she whispered. Suddenly, Cassandra started sprinted towards the two. "SOPHITIA!"

Cassandra didn't miss the wide-eyed look that came over her sister's face. She blinked a couple of times before turning her head to see who was calling her. Cassandra yelled her name out again and it only took Sophitia two seconds to finally spot her. She seemed to go in shock for a moment, not believing what she was seeing, but then Rothion said something next her. Whatever it was, it made her snap out of it.

"Oh my… CASSANDRA!"

Sophitia suddenly shot off into a sprint like a bullet. Before they knew it, the sisters met halfway and immediately pulled each other into a tight embrace. The relief they felt in seeing each other again overwhelmed them, and both found themselves crying into each other's shoulders.

This lasted for a few minutes while Rothion and Cassandra's friends looked on. Mika, Asuka, and Karin realized pretty quickly that the woman Cassandra was hugging was the older sister she always talked about. The resemblance was there. Once more, another ray of light shined through these dark times.

At the same time, Sophitia and Cassandra pulled back, the two smiling at each other. It was Cassandra who spoke first. "I… didn't expect to see you so soon."

"And I thought you were dead," Sophitia replied. "The whole family did."

Cassandra frowned at that. "I had a feeling that's what everyone thought. Sis, if there had been a way for me to contact you, I would have."

"I know," Sophitia said. "But what matters now is that you are alive and we're finally reunited."

Cassandra smiled again before turning her attention to her brother-in-law. "It's good to see you again, Roth. How are my niece and nephew?"

"They're fine. They're at home with your mother and father," Rothion answered. "It's good to see you again."

Cassandra then pulled back and turned her attention to her friends, who she knew were right behind her. "Girls, I want you to meet my dear sister, Sophitia and her husband, Rothion. These are some of my friends from Earth; Mika, Asuka, and Karin."

"Hello," everyone said.

"Come on," Sophitia suggested. "Rothion and I are staying at the same headquarters you and friends will be staying. Let's go get you settled and once that's done… I have a feeling that we have a lot of catching up to do."

Cassandra nodded. "That sounds wonderful."

Not too far away, Siegfried took the time to look at his surroundings upon leaving the ship. It felt like a long time ago since he was here… fighting with his inner demons as well as the one that took over his body. His time in Outworld in both the tournament and helping the city of Lei Chen was also a long one, and even the few weeks he's spent on Earth felt like an eternity.

Despite the linger chaos beyond Keisei, it was good to be home.

Their current location was very far from his actual home. Either way, Siegfried hoped that at least one of the pubs in Chili-san served his favorite beer, preferably on ice. He definitely needed a mug or two after going so long without it.

As he walked, Siegfried suddenly felt someone staring at him to his left. Even before he turned to see who it was, he could practically taste the person's resentment towards him. Turning his head, he admitted to himself that he was surprised to see the Edenian Jade in the crowded staring back at him with a look that would make even a shokan cower in fear.

No, he and Jade were never close to being even remotely acquainted during the tournament… but Jade was Kitana's best friend. With the way his last meet with Kitana ended, Siegfried wasn't surprised by the resenting look etched onto her face.

 _Huh… I haven't even thought about Kitana since before I went to Earth,_ he realized.

A couple of men Siegfried didn't recognize approached from behind Jade, one with brown hair and the other with black hair. They hadn't really noticed him as far as he could tell, but they did get a good look at Jade's scowl. "Is everything all right?" the brown-haired one asked with concern.

Jade blinked a couple of times. "Yeah Kilik, I'm fine." Without another word, Jade walked off without a second glance. Siegfried only sighed before walking off a few seconds later, making sure to avoid her.

Maxi whistled a little. "I sensed tension there with the way she was staring at that blonde guy. I wonder what that was all about."

Kilik could only shrug in reply.

"YOU!" a male voice suddenly yelled out. They both turned to the voice and soon noticed Kazuya barreling through the crowd.

"Heh, I didn't think he come out of his hidey-hole," Maxi said.

They can only watch as Kazuya pushed his way through the crowd. He didn't stop until he was face to face with the person Kilik and Maxi both didn't expect to see again.

"Hey it's Jin!" Maxi called out. "And… he and Kazuya have the same… hair."

"Oh boy…" Kilik mumbled as he figured out how they knew each other.

Anger flashed through Jin's eyes as he and Kazuya glared at each other with malice. The tension between Siegfried and Jade a few moments ago was like child's play compared to the one radiating between these two.

Kazuya finally spoke after a minute. "What are _you_ doing here?" he growled.

Jin's eyes narrowed even more as he folded his arms in front of him while leaning his weight onto his left side. "I should be asking you the same thing."

Kazuya also folded his arms, soon leaning his weight on his right. Neither one of them even noticed that they practically mirrored one another. "You should be dead, boy."

"As should you." A sadistic smirk came over Jin's face. "I see you're becoming more and more like the old man with each new meeting."

Anger flashed through Kazuya's eyes briefly, but Jin saw it… he definitely hit a nerve. Still, Kazuya regained his composure. "We'll settle where we left off in Outworld soon enough."

Xianghua, who had been standing next to Kilik and Maxi, suddenly spoke up without thinking. "OH! No wonder you looked familiar, Kazuya. Now that Jin's here, you two are definitely related! I can see the resemblance and-"

She suddenly stopped mid-sentence up receiving death glares from the both of them. It was definitely enough to frighten Xianghua into silence and she swallowed nervously.

Kilik whispered in her ear. "Um… I don't think it's the right time to be all… cheerful."

Xianghua whispered back. "Lesson learned, I promise."

By then, Fujin had intervened. Kazuya tried to argue with the Wind God, and it gave Jin the opportunity to take his leave. Normally, he would have started a battle with Kazuya right then and there, but after learning of his responsibilities hours ago, he realized that their long-awaited battle will have to be put on hold until it the universe was saved.

Jin had approached the trio and Maxi greeted him first. "It's nice to see you again, Kazama. I'm going to take a wild guess here and assume that you and your… brother? Don't get along very well."

Jin snorted with a lack of amusement. "More like my mother's sperm donor."

"Oh… OH!" Maxi called out as Jin's words hit him. "Um, sorry… wow, I have to admit, Kazuya looks good for his age. I would've never guessed he was your father."

Jin gave him an annoyed look that told Maxi to drop the subject. Kilik decided to step in before Maxi dug himself into a bigger hole. "Welcome to Keisei," he said.

Jin nodded. "I assume you are staying at the place our group will be going to for rest."

"We are," Kilik replied. "Keisei has been trying to prepare for the invasion since we've heard about it."

"I see," Jin said. "There's a lot that'll be discussed later, and I'm sure that you'll be asked to help since you were at the tournament."

"We'll help anyway we can."

Amongst the crowd, Yoshimitsu was thrilled to be reunited with members of the Manji Clan who had stayed in Keisei. It was his second-in-command, Akio, who was the first to step forward to greet his leader.

"Welcome back, Yoshimitsu," he said with pride. "It is good to see you again."

"Likewise," Yoshimitsu replied. "I would have returned sooner, but my sword was stolen from me almost two months ago when Earth was first invaded."

"We know," Akio admitted. "A few weeks ago, we discovered that your sword was in the possession of the Black Dragon clan out in the woods. We've lost a few of our men just from recon work trying to figure out how to get it back. As far as we could tell, the sword is being held by a pale, white-haired man with scars on his torso."

Yoshimitsu took a deep breath underneath his mask. It was good to know that his beloved sword was not too far from him… but it also meant that Bryan Fury was also nearby. He would get his in the end, but right now, there were other things to take care of.

"We will get my sword back in time," Yoshimitsu said after a few moments of silence. "For now, there is much to discuss and I must prepare. We will meet again after supper."

Akio bowed to him. "We will see you at nine o'clock at the usual meeting place outside the city."

Yoshimitsu bowed to him as well before Akio and the other clan members with him departed. The clan leader watched them go for a minute before following his Earthrealm allies to the Coast Guard headquarters.


	63. Chapter Sixty-Two

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Around seven o'clock that evening, Admiral Lee was able to reserve a large, private room for everyone who arrived on the unusual ship just a few hours ago for tonight's dinner. Once it was confirmed that Hwang personally knew many of the fighters who came, Lee allowed him and his friends to join them for supper.

Hwang knew that a lot of food was going to be served on the two, long tables that just managed to fit everyone in the room. After all, the cooks Lee ordered to make the meals had over fifty people to serve. However, the amount of food that was eventually served was enough to feed half of Chili-san… okay, that was an exaggeration, but Hwang couldn't help but feel like his jaw had dropped to the floor.

 _Well, at least it's the stuff we're usually served,_ he thought.

It was both sad and amusing to watch everyone eat. Rarely anyone talked because they were all too busy shoveling food into their mouths like their lives depended on it. The truth was, everyone in the room that came here by way of Earthrealm either had to ration their food, or it was the simple fact that they hadn't had a good meal in the last few weeks.

Once the group was mostly done with their meals, Ruby Heart couldn't help but worry a little. Sitting between Dhalsim (who was enjoying a simple bowl of vegetable soup with a side of toast) and Fujin (who's plate was definitely packed less compared to everyone else), she whispered to the both of them. "Do you think it's wise to speak to them so soon after supper?"

"What is your concern?" Fujin asked curiously.

"Well… something tells me that everyone will be in a food coma."

"I can see where you are concerned," said Dhalsim. "But to discuss the current situation and sharing information with our Keisei allies cannot wait."

"I understand."

A few minutes later, the three of them stood up, the movement catching everyone's attention. As Ruby Heart suspected, most of them were on the verge of a food coma since everyone did take a little time. Either way, everyone made sure to pay attention to what was being said.

"Once the engine in the propeller is fixed, we will then begin to head to Outworld," announced Fujin. "There, we will begin the fight against our foes and end this conflict once and for all."

"Um," called out Wagner. "What about Jane and Amy? We can't just take them to Outworld."

"We can make arrangements to accommodate them here," suggested Hwang. "I'll talk with Admiral Lee about it in the morning."

Jane seemed to sigh in relief at that. "Thank you. My daughter and I have seen enough horrors to last a lifetime."

"Since we're all gathered here, would anyone like to share their knowledge with what's been going on?" asked Dhalsim.

Jade was the first to speak, briefly clearing her throat. "I can tell you first hand that Outworld is not going to be easy to maneuver. I was there briefly after Edenia's fall as a prisoner, but I managed to escape. I have troops who are imprisoned there as we speak. I hated abandoning them…"

"I know what that's like," said Yoshimitsu. "Leaving behind allies who trust you is not a decision to be taken lightly. Sometimes, you have to make the hard decisions to see better results."

Jade nodded. "I can only hope that it was the right decision in the end. I guess I'll know once this is all over."

"How long ago did Edenia fall?" asked Chun Li.

"Just a few weeks ago… it feels so much longer…"

Ermac spoke up next. "With assistance from Siegfried, we tried everything we could to protect a city in Outworld called Lei Chen. It was the last city to resist the Outworld Forces."

Siegfried continued from there. "Ermac and I tried combing through Outworld trying to find an available portal in hopes of getting the citizens of Lei Chen to safety. Unfortunately, we were not successful, and the moment we came back…" the blonde-haired man shook his head. "The city was already being overrun by the Outworld Forces. Even though we fought back, it wasn't enough."

"We would have been on the run in Outworld had we not had the opportunity to escape to Earth," Ermac added.

That confused King. "If you failed to find the portals, how did you end up on Earth?"

Although some in the room knew how Ermac and Siegfried managed to get to Earth, specifically those who stayed at the Rockies, there were many others who didn't know. They would find out sooner or later.

"Shang Tsung's alive."

There was a moment of silence before Smoke spoke up. "I thought he was dead."

"Who's that?" asked Marduk.

"A sorcerer and a servant of Shao Kahn," Ermac replied. "He had hosted the Blood Tournament during its run in Outworld." He turned his head to his blind companion down at the end of the table. "Kenshi had killed him with his own sword afterward, but he has returned nonetheless."

"Most likely, Shao Kahn resurrected him," said Kenshi, whose hands were clenched in fists on top of the dinner table.

"Earth's already been invaded twice," mentioned Paul. "Makes me wonder how long it can keep standing."

"I'm sorry," spoke Asuka. "I know this meeting is very important, but Paul… it's so weird to see you without your hair standing on top of your head."

That earned a few chuckles from some of the fighters. Paul sighed. "Lack of hair gel access tends to do that."

"Okay, okay, let's try to keep on track," said Lita. "Cammy, Steve, Juni, and I… oh, and Nina, too, spent most of our time helping survivors after the first invasion."

"Hrm," was all Nina said.

"Come to think of it, we had it pretty okay compared to what I've heard about some of you," Steve admitted with Cammy nodding in agreement.

"Walking in the Russian blizzard for six weeks was _not_ my idea of surviving," spoke Raven.

"At least you weren't alone," said Dan as he turned to Dragunov, who was sitting next to the Saikyo fighter. In reply, Dragunov turned to Dan with the neutral expression. Still, it made Dan uneasy and he forced himself to stare down at his empty plate in front of him.

"We had it pretty okay, too," said Yang. "We were at a place with decent weather, shelter, and food."

Maki took a hold of his hand. "It still didn't help that I was worried about you before I knew all of that."

"I know."

"Ugh, get a room," grumbled Hwoarang.

"The monks there were a big help," added Lei. "I wouldn't mind visiting them again if we survive this."

"We walked through the snow ourselves," said Sub-Zero.

"That must've been easy for you," quipped Julia.

"Not for me…" mentioned Sareena. "I'd say the term, 'cold day in hell,' applies to that situation." A few chuckled at that, but only Sub-Zero, who stared at the demon knowingly, caught the irony of her words.

"Staying on an island wasn't so bad," said Mika.

"Ugh, the humidity was awful," said Karin. "It did horrible things to my hair."

"At least we had Jin's cabin," Seong Mi-na reminded her. "We could've been outside the entire time."

"You have a cabin on an island?" asked Xianghua, looking at Jin who sat diagonally from the left of her.

Jin didn't look up from his dinner as he stabbed his fork into some mashed potatoes. "Grew up there," he replied. "I thought it was a good idea at the time."

"It was a good idea," said Ryu. "We were able to gather some of our allies and were able to stick together. We hoped to fight back against the forces."

"Even though it wasn't exactly planned, we got the chance to fight back after all," mentioned Cassandra.

Cassandra's words caught Sophitia's attention. "You stayed on that island?"

The younger Alexandra sister smiled. "Yeah. I guess you can say I got lucky after the first invasion."

"The camp we stayed at was in the mountains full of snow," said Marshall. "That was fun…"

"No setting up camp in the planes or somewhere in the southwest US?" asked Cammy.

"Then the invasion would have happened in the summer instead," answered Wagner.

"Yeah, that would've been just our luck," quipped Cody.

"Still, we had to deal with the cold, our clothes getting wet, the smell of blood and rot for the food we hunted…" said Juli.

"Getting attacked twice and all of us nearly killing each other," added Ken.

"You almost killed each other?" questioned Juni.

Paul cleared his throat. "Long story."

"But it was resolved… mostly," said Alex.

"But at least now, we've gathered together to fight back, even though it took a pretty long time to get to this point," spoke Kung Lao.

"By the skin or our teeth," added Li Mei.

Next to her, Cyrax looked over at Feng Wei, who sat on his other side. "Hey, are you going to have that cake?"

Feng Wei gave him an odd look. "Can you even eat that?"

"So for those who live here, what is your story?" asked Bo' Rai Cho.

"Some of us got together and ended up here in Chili-san to help prepare for the invasion," replied Maxi. "It was all actually Kilik's idea."

"It was a good idea," said Sophitia. "Because we were able to all unite together in the end."

"Eh, thanks, I think," replied Kilik.

Yoshimitsu cleared his throat. "My clan is posted around the city, so if anything happens, we will be warned ahead of time."

"That's good to know," said Ruby Heart.

"There's something else we need to confirm to you," spoke Ermac. "It's about the tournament winner, Ivy."

"No one's really sure what happened to her after the tournament from last I heard," said Ryu. "Though there were heavy rumors that she remained in Outworld."

Ermac nodded. "She did… as Shao Kahn's Empress."

"I can vouch for Ermac," added Jade. "I even spoke to her when I was briefly imprisoned at their fortress."

"…Why am I not surprised," sighed Sagat.

"We also need to add that whatever happened to Raiden at the tournament, he's no longer himself," said Kung Lao. "Something has tainted his soul and his methods in protecting Earth has become too violent. He's convinced that he no longer needs the assistance of mortals."

"In other words," mentioned Cody. "He went bat shit crazy."

"That's a shame," said Hwang. "And that would explain why he's not here with us now."

"And why it took a long time to finally get us all in one room," added Paul.

"So how are we getting to Outworld exactly?" asked Xianghua.

"The same way you may have entered the portals on your way to the tournament," answered Ruby Heart. "That's how we managed to arrive here."

"As the God of Wind, I am able to use my deity powers to guide the ship to your realm," Fujin explained.

"Except the portal screwed up with one of my propeller engines," Ruby Heart grumbled.

"I believe the repairs will be better than after your last crash," Dhalsim tried to assure her.

"Thankfully, yes," the ship captain said. "As long as I have the necessary resources, I'll get it done in no time."

"We'll make sure to get it done," Hwang told her. "I'll see if I can speak with the Admiral about providing the necessary equipment for you."

"I'd appreciate it."

"Is there anything else that's need to be mentioned?" asked Dhalsim.

Cody took a deep breath. "There is… do you remember when Guy was brainwashed?"

Everyone who was at the tournament and who heard the story nodded. Cody continued. "Well… he isn't the only one of our friends to get captured and put under mind control."

"My brother Yun is one of them," sighed Yang.

"So is my master, Baek," mentioned Hwoarang.

"Sonya got resurrected and now under their control," said Alex.

Cammy's eyes widened in shock upon that news. "Seriously?!"

"I was forced to fight her myself," Wagner confirmed.

Cammy frowned at that. "I'm sorry, Scott."

"My colleague, Jax, is amongst them," Cyrax added.

"As is Guile," said Ken.

Jade took a deep breath. Even though she was still angry with Siegfried over his last encounter with Kitana, she chose to look over towards him. "Kitana and Sindel are brainwashed, too…"

Siegfried didn't turn to Jade, but she saw his eyes widen a bit at that. He kept his composure in front of the group, keeping his eyes staring down in front of him as though he was focused on eating.

"Something tells me that freeing them will be difficult," said Maki.

"We will find a way when the time comes," replied Dhalsim. "In the meantime, I suggest that all of you take your leave and rest tonight. While we remain in Keisei, I ask that you do what you can to prepare for the trip to Outworld. It is all we can do until then…"

~~~

Just outside the dining quarters, Siegfried found himself approaching Jade. "May we talk privately?"

Personally, Jade had it in mind to say no. However, considering that he only _just_ found out what happened to Kitana and Sindel, plus with the possibility of impending doom lingering in their future, Jade knew that now was not the time to be petty. She tilted her head in one direction, indicating to Siegfried to follow her. They both began to head out.

The two of them walked outside and out into the garden area, the only source of light being lit torches. Just hours ago, Jade was here with her Keisei friends listening in on one of Maxi's tales of adventure. Whether they were false or not, she admitted that Maxi was a good story teller.

At one point, Siegfried stopped in his tracks and Jade walked a few more feet before stopping. She folded her arms in front of her and stared at the bed of flowers that were beginning to bloom from the ground. They nearly reminded her of the gardens around Sindel's palace…

"Look," Jade finally spoke up, keeping her back to the Keisei native. "I'm sorry you had to find out in front of everyone, but it was essential to relay that information to our allies. The conversation in there was the best time to tell them."

"I understand," Siegfried replied. "It had to be done."

"You don't sound worried."

"There's a lot at stake. I can't let it get to me."

Jade raised an eyebrow. "Can I assume that you did care about Kitana?"

Siegfried was silent for a moment before choosing his words carefully. "She's a good woman and deserves better."

Jade turned to face him then, her eyebrows arched down in a frown. "So why did you leave her in her room like that at the tournament?"

A sigh escaped Siegfried as he folded his arms in front of him. "Seven months ago… I would've been unable to answer that question."

"And now…?"

"... I left that night in order to save her."

Now Jade was confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"

It was the story Siegfried wanted to share to Kitana all those months ago, but couldn't. "Have you heard of the legend of Soul Edge?"

"Only vaguely during my time here," Jade replied. "Something about taking a person as a host for its own deeds and-"

She stopped for just a moment as realization dawned on her. "You were its host, weren't you?"

Siegfried nodded. "It's a long story of how it happened, but it was why I wasn't honest with Kitana in the first place. It was my own burden to carry, and I didn't want to put her, you, and Sindel in any further danger than it was necessary. I tried to keep away, but we kept running into each other."

"And you went to her that night if I seem to recall," Jade said with a little more malice than she intended.

Siegfried sucked in a sharp breath in reaction to her words. "Yes. I don't regret that night, but like I said, I left to save her. As Soul Edge's host, it devours souls like Shang Tsung and it demanded Kitana's. I had to get the hell out of there before that happened. I was possessed that night and I have no memory of it. All I know is that when I woke up, I was in a large pile of rubble and the tournament grounds were abandoned of life. I later realized that I was free from my curse, free from that damn sword. Until today, I had no idea what became of any of you. I thought of all of you, including Kitana, whenever I wasn't busy guarding an Outworld city, and I have occasionally asked myself, 'what happened to them?'"

Siegfried felt frustrated suddenly, and he tried to calm himself by brushing his fingers through the roots of his long blonde hair. "Look… I'm man enough to admit that it's over between Kitana and I. It was just… bad timing and I shouldn't have let it happen. I'm trying to atone for my atrocities. There's so much that I've done, whether I was possessed or completely naïve, that I am not proud of. All I can say at this point is that I'm sorry."

Jade was silent for a moment, chewing on her lower lip as though thinking about what he had said. Soon, she spoke up. "Did Kitana ever mention about Liu Kang?"

Siegfried shook her head. "No."

"They met at the Mortal Kombat tournament about a decade ago, back when Earth was threatened by Outworld the first time. They became close and, later, she even asked him to join her in Edenia. He only declined because of his duties. Then… he was murdered. I still remember the day she received the news. I think… even before she was brainwashed, she still wasn't over him."

"Even during the tournament?"

"Maybe, but even I'm not so sure," Jade admitted. "The point I'm trying to make is that it was hard to see her heartbroken like that. After what happened between you two in Outworld, I was angry. Until a few minutes ago, I wanted nothing more than to rip your head off myself for hurting her."

Siegfried raised an eyebrow at that. "That's… comforting to know."

Jade sighed. "You had noble intentions, but I can't forget what that did to Kitana. For now, I'm indifferent, but I believe I'll be able to forgive you in time, mostly likely when she does."

Siegfried shrugged. "I guess that's all I can ask for from you."

Jade nodded. "So… how does it feel to be home?"

Siegfried was a little taken aback by the more casual change of subject, but went along with it. "Well, this isn't the part of Keisei I'm from, but it's nice to be surrounded by familiarity again. I'm kind of hoping they have my favorite beer here."

"I've only had the generic stuff since I arrived here. Why don't you go to the pub and find out for yourself?"

"I think I'll do that."

With a nod, Jade began to depart with Siegfried going in another direction a minute later.

~~~

Just outside of headquarters, Hwang took Seong Mi-na to her father's dojang. The adjacent home where Mi-na grew up was where Han-myeong was staying as he recovered from illness. Hwang had come to visit his master here every other day since, and today was supposed to be an 'off' day. He was sure that Han-myeong would consider the visit unusual.

Once they arrived, Hwang went ahead to the master bedroom. Meanwhile, Mi-na looked over the foyer of the house, taking in the surroundings she had not seen in months. Then, with a deep breath, she followed Hwang.

The two men were already talking by the time Mi-na reached the door. She suddenly felt nervous upon hearing her father's voice. The last time they saw each other, it had ended in a heated argument that made her make the decision to run away from home. He had wanted her to marry the rich man who was rumored to be a wife beater, something that Han-myeong had taken as false information… before it turned out to be true long after.

Finally, without letting herself thinking about, Mi-na took a deep breath to calm her nerves before taking a step forward.

Han-myeong was in the middle of telling a joke when he saw movement by the door. He turned thinking it was one of the caretakers… he ended up gasping in shock upon seeing his daughter enter the room. She looked a little thinner than he remembered, but other than that, it was still his daughter standing there.

Hwang, realizing that Mi-na came in the room, turned his head to her. A warm smile appeared on his face. "Master, did you hear about the unusual ship that came to dock today?"

It took a moment for the older man to find his words. "I did, yes…"

"Well… Mi-na was on that ship."

Mi-na began to slowly approach the bed. By then, Hwang got up from his chair and moved over to the door frame, staying behind just to see the long awaited reunion. Mi-na room reached the bed and sat down. She managed to smile. "Hi, father."

Immediately, Han-myeong reached for Mi-na and pulled her into an embrace. Mi-na returned the hug and soon found herself crying into his shoulder out of relief.

"My dear daughter," Han-myeong whispered. "You're alive! I thought I'd never see you again."

Mi-na managed to get herself under control before pulling. She took a moment to wipe the tears off her face before taking hold of her father's hands. "I didn't think I'd see you again, either."

"Hwang told me how you ended up on Earth."

Mi-na shook her head. "It was selfish and stupid of me. I shouldn't have done that."

"Hey, I was the one who suggested it," Hwang reminded her.

"Well… you shouldn't have talked me into it then," Mi-na said with a smile.

Hwang had to chuckle at that. "Well, in that case, I'm going to head out." With that, he turned and took his leave.

Han-myeong spoke again. "Mi-na… I'm sorry I tried to push you into something you didn't want. I just wanted you to be happy and well taken care of."

"I know you had the best of intentions, but my gut feeling was telling me that something didn't feel right about the arrangement," Mi-na replied. "And you didn't listen."

"I know," the older man agreed. "I was too blind to see that that man would have hurt you in the end. It was hard enough losing your mother and brother all those years ago…"

"Well, I'm here. I'm planning to fight against the invasion, but I'm here."

"You've always been brave, and I don't expect any less. Just know this… from now on, you decide what you want. Whatever and whoever makes you happy, you take it by the hand and do not let go."

Mi-na smiled. "Glad to hear it." Then, her smile faded. "How are you feeling? Hwang told me you were sick…"

"The stress from the past few weeks got to me, but I'll be all right. Now that you're here, life seems to be might brighter now despite these dark days lingering over our realm."

"Yeah… it's strange how that works out, doesn't it?"

"I couldn't agree more."

From there, father and daughter found themselves talking to each other for most of the night.

~~~

Earlier, while everyone was gathered for dinner and talking about what's happened, something caught Fujin's attention. Kilik had sat only a few chairs away from him across the table. The dark blue shirt that Kilik wore was stark contrast to the green artifact he wore as a necklace.

Fujin was able to get a sense of the stone's powers. It was as though it was working to suppress something within Kilik. At one point, the Wind God rubbed his chin throughtfully. _I wonder…_

So when everyone separate, the first thing he did was approach the younger man when he was alone.

"May I speak with you, Kilik?" Fujin asked politely.

Kilik was a little taken aback by the request. Then, he became more curious about what the God of Wind wanted from him. The two went outside and went over to a more secluded area.

Fujin immediately got to the point. "I couldn't help but notice your necklace. Is that what I think it is?"

With a bit of reluctance, Kilik traced his fingers over the stone. "The Dvapara-Yuga."

That confirmed it to Fujin. "The holy mirror in which purifies the evil from tainted souls. May I inquire in how you got it?"

That was a sensitive subject for Kilik, so he chose to be vague. "It… was given to me for my own safety."

"I see."

"If you're looking to obtain it, I'm afraid it'll be at the cost of my sanity, and I don't think now would be the time."

"I know. Otherwise, you wouldn't be wearing it to begin with."

Kilik nodded. "Okay… I wasn't being completely truthful… this is only a piece of it I received from my mentor, Edge Master. It used to be one whole piece before it shattered. It was given to me by... someone I once knew."

"Do you believe that your mentor may have more of these fragments in his possession?"

"It's possible. You just have to go to the Proving Grounds in Ming Dynasty. That's where his temple is."

Kilik's eyes suddenly widened as he thought about what was talked about at dinner. "Do you think using the Dvapara-Yuga might help Raiden?"

Fujin sighed. "I don't know… but with a few days to spare, I plan to find out…"

Meanwhile, Ruby Heart and Dhalsim stayed behind, neither of them saying a word until they were the only ones left. The conversation didn't start until the door closed with a click.

"I admit, I haven't had a meal like that in a long time," Ruby Heart admitted. She then sighed a little. "I imagine you felt quite a few mixes of energies amongst the fighters."

"Most of them were too busy enjoying their meals to think too much," Dhalsim said with a ghost of a smile. "It's good for them given what's happened these past few weeks."

"Were you able to get the chance to analyze some things?"

Dhalsim was quiet for a moment before turning his head to the pirate. "I was able to get more of a sense of how Jin and Ryu are coping. It's the same as it was on the ship. Ryu seems… content. It tells me that he has accepted the responsibility placed upon him."

"And Jin?"

"He's just as confused as before, perhaps even more so than earlier. I sensed some disturbance on the ship when he asked about the balance of good and sin within him. I think it just didn't make sense to him, believing that the tainted side of his soul outweighs the good. I… believe his participation in assisting in the tournament and helping out now, fighting against this kind of evil, may be the key to keeping his soul balanced."

"It almost makes me wonder what would happen if, suddenly, Ryu gains more good." It was something Ruby Heart wondered about a few times. "Doesn't that, like, screw up the good and sin balance and make him no longer a candidate?"

"I think the change has to be a drastic one for that to happen," Dhalsim said. "It would have to be a big occurrence. Like today, I saw Ryu offer a loaf of bread for a poor mother and her son not long after we arrived here. It was a good deed, but not enough to outweigh anything. At dinner, his soul color remained the same."

"I see. And what do you mean 'soul color?'"

"It's the color that indicates that they are the chosen ones," Dhalsim explained. "I saw those colors in my vision and I knew that if they matched perfectly with the person that they would be the ones. Ryu's was red like a cardinal, while Jin's was green like a mawsitsit stone. They represent the dormant powers within which, combined with the other two, can become a weapon against Shao Kahn."

That reminded Ruby Heart… "And… the other two?"

Dhalsim turned his head away, glancing over the large, empty room that was full of life only moments ago. He took a deep breath. "I'm still trying to sort this out. Even Ryu and Jin took a little time for me to realize that they matched."

Ruby Heart was a bit disappointed by that answer, but there was nothing she can do about it. "I see." She then stood up from her seat. "I guess I'll head back to the ship. I'll see you in the morning." With that, Ruby Heart departed.

Dhalsim sighed. The truth was that what he just said was actually a lie of omission. He hated to do that, especially since Ruby Heart has been loyal to him since day one. He had his reasons…

Dhalsim actually realized who the third chosen one was during dinner. However, with the person's current frame of mind, the yoga master knew that he had to approach them about their new responsibility cautiously.

~~~

**Outworld**

"So… you think this whole invading the realms is going to work out in the end?" a guard stationed at the front of Shao Kahn's fortress asked.

His buddy, who was standing on the opposite side of the door, shrugged. "Hell if I know, as long as I survive this whole damn thing."

"You said it."

"We've got Earth beaten down at this point," the second guard mentioned. "A couple of more trips there and it will finally merge with Outworld."

"Hopefully, Keisei would fall just as fast… perhaps faster."

Suddenly, the second guard's eyes widened and he grabbed his kwan do. "Hey, we've got company."

The first guard grabbed his own kwan do, then looked over towards where his friend was staring. He suddenly became confused upon seeing who was walking towards the front door.

The young girl approaching them now could not have been any older than eighteen. Her raven hair was a contrast to her deathly pale skin. It made her red eyes stand out.

"What the… don't tell me she's Shao Kahn's illegitimate daughter or something."

"Highly doubt it," the second guard guessed. "He already has Mileena… unless she's some new clone we don't know about."

When the girl was ten feet away, the first guard spoke. "HEY! What are you doing? Don't come any closer!"

The girl ignored them as she continued to approach. The second guard spoke. "Halt! If you come any closer-"

Suddenly, the girl put out a glowing hand and a red ball of energy quickly emerged. It hit the second guard with such a force that he ended up snapping his neck upon hitting the wall behind him. He then falls forward like a rag doll.

"SHIT!" the first guard yelled out. He then attempted to go after her, but the girl suddenly jumped up, extending one leg out before spinning towards him rapidly. Seeing the move in time, the guard managed to get underneath her attack. However, she ended up behind him, and before the guard could turn around, the girl suddenly grabbed his head and swiftly snapped his neck, killing him.

When that done, she waltzed right inside as though the last few seconds didn't happen. Not too far behind her, Shin Akuma began to approach the fortress, his entire body glowing in a blood red aura. Dark Sakura had done her job by gaining access to the entrance. Now she'll serve as a distraction while he made his way to the main throne room. This was the plan for weeks.

Shin Akuma had waited long enough. The time had finally come to confront the Emperor of Outworld.


	64. Chapter Sixty-Three

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Jin Kazama couldn't remember the last time he smelled fresh, clean air. Surely he would've had the chance while staying in Yakushima, but with so much on his mind at the time, he wasn't able to truly take the opportunity.

In the early morning when most were just getting up around this time to have breakfast, Jin chose to go to the wooded area just outside the city. With the thick trees surrounding him, it gave the young man some privacy.

However, the privacy didn't last very long before he felt a presence coming up from behind him. Feeling the person's aura, Jin realized that it wasn't hostile like Kazuya's (of all the places to run into him at a time like this…). Even so, he whirled around, keeping himself in a fighting stance just in case.

He relaxed immediately upon recognizing Dhalsim.

"Good morning Jin," Dhalsim said. Once more, he was floating a few feet from the ground in a lotus position, his hands rested on his knees. "Did you rest well?"

Jin didn't bother to answer that question. "I assume you're here to talk about the… legend."

"Actually, not at this time," Dhalsim admitted. "I… had this dream last night about a man. I realized upon awakening that you have a connection with this man."

"What man?" Jin questioned.

"I'm not sure, but he is near, outside the city. I wish for you to accompany me to confirm you possible association. However, I must warn you that-"

That was when Jin felt a hostile aura. He turned his head and was not surprised to see Kazuya approaching them while going up a hill. He hasn't looked up to see them just yet.

Jin was about to protest, but Dhalsim immediately cut him. "He has a connection to this man as well."

 _Someone from my past, I assume_ _,_ Jin guessed. He had a bad feeling about this.

Dhalsim continued, lowering his voice enough for only the younger man to hear. "I've already informed him that you will be coming along. I've also convinced him to stand his ground. The last thing I need is for the both of you to start another war, a two-man one at that."

Jin snorted. "How did you manage that?"

Dhalsim folded his arms in front of him as he placed his feet firmly back on the ground. "Careful diplomacy."

"I… don't think I want to know what that means."

"It wasn't easy if that's anything to go by."

By then, Kazuya had reached the two of them. Naturally, he glared at Jin for a moment before turning his head to the yoga master. "Let's get this over with…"

Dhalsim nodded and the three began to walk. Dhalsim made sure to not only keep his eyes on the both of them, but to also make sure that he remained in between them. Once again, he trusted Jin, but it was Kazuya he had to really watch out for.

"Once this is done," Dhalsim began to say. "This… reunion won't occur again."

Upon hearing that, Kazuya had to wonder… _No… it can't be…_

Meanwhile at the city docks, the small group consisting of Mika, Maki, Asuka, Karin, and Cassandra all sat the edge, their feet dangling a few feet above the calm water. The sky was a bright blue without a single cloud in sight.

"It's such a pretty morning," said Maki. "And the water in front of us is just so blue!"

"Tell me about it," replied Mika. "And clear at the edges too. I wouldn't be surprise if we saw some little fishes swimming around here any minute now."

"That'd be cool to see," agreed Asuka.

Karin turned to Cassandra. "So how does it feel to be back in your home clothes?" she asked.

Cassandra gazed down at the blue button-down shirt and white skirt she was wearing. "It does feel refreshing to wear the clothes of my home world again, even if this particular outfit was imported."

"It's better than nothing," said Asuka.

A small sigh escaped Mika's lips. "The sight really is nice… peaceful even… but at the same time, it makes me feel guilty."

"What do you mean?" asked Karin.

Mika leaned herself back a bit, supported herself with her hands behind her. "Even with all this peace surrounding us, the universe beyond it is still being invaded. Should we really be relaxing and enjoying ourselves like this when the other worlds are suffering?"

"I know what you mean," Asuka replied. "But… I think that with what we're about to face once the ship is fixed and ready to go to Outworld, we should take the opportunity to, well… not think about it. I mean… we can't deny what's going on, but we also can't let it consume our minds every minute of the day."

"I think being here in a realm that hasn't been invaded yet is helping with that frame of mind," Maki guessed. "I… guess I'm still stuck with my Bushin training. It tends to make us all pessimistic."

Karin took a deep breath. "If it's any comfort, I'm glad we're all together in this. It makes me glad I got to know all of you, and that I'm not alone in this war."

Asuka turned her. "If I didn't know better, I think this whole experience has humbled you."

"I think it's humbled everyone for the most part," said Cassandra. "Maybe… when this hell is all over, it'll give everyone the chance to come together and make this universe a better place."

"It doesn't seem to always work like that if the past has shown anything," replied Maki. "But one can only hope."

"Hope… it's what we've been doing since the beginning," said Mika.

"But at least we're not alone," added Asuka.

Karin smiled. "Yeah… I'm glad to be with you guys. It almost makes me wish I never missed the boat to the tournament."

As they spoke to each other, Xianghua happened to be walking through the docks before she noticed them, their backs turned to her. Decided to see what they were up to, Xianghua approached them from behind.

"What are you doing?" she asked cheerfully.

However, none of the five had even heard her approach, so when Xianghua spoke, they all shrieked in surprise, catching the attention of everyone within earshot at the docks. At the same time, Maki, who was sitting closest to the edge, began to slip off from jumping. Mika grabbed her, but Maki began to take her down with her. The other girls tried to grab them, but it ended up creating a chain reaction that resulted in all five of them tumbling into the water with a big splash.

Xianghua could only stare at the mess she just made, suddenly realizing that this was similar to an event that happened during the tournament at the hot springs. "I have to stop doing that!" she said to herself. "Well, at least there weren't any naked guys this time."

She made a dash for it as soon as the five girls began to emerge from underwater. "My hair!" Xianghua heard Karin cry out just before she was out of hearing range.

~~~

**Proving Grounds, Ming Dynasty, Keisei**

Compared to Chili-san, the area surrounding the proving grounds was much colder. The temple where Kilik was training mere weeks ago had a spectacular view of what the locals called _Da Bai_ Mountains. There was also a large river that ran under part of the temple, specifically the training platform.

It was at the training platform where Fujin was met with an older man who he realized was Edgemaster. Edgemaster seemed to look over Fujin curiously, and the Wind God guessed that the old fighter was trying to decide whether he was a friend or foe. In these dark times, Fujin didn't blame him for being cautious.

After some silence, Edgemaster finally spoke. "I sense that you are a deity," he said. "However, I do not think I have seen one such as yourself."

"That is because I am a deity of Earth. My name is Fujin, God of Wind."

"And what brings you all the way out here to the proving grounds?" Edgemaster asked.

"I've met a student of yours, Kilik," Fujin replied.

Edgemaster's face beamed with joy upon hearing his student's name. "I'm glad to hear that he is alive. How is he?"

"Very well," Fujin confirmed. "He's currently in Lee Dynasty helping to prepare the fight against Outworld."

Edgemaster nodded. "Good, good."

"He has shown me his piece of the Dvapara-Yuga. I've heard of it before, but have never seen it in person until now. It helps to quell evil within the soul."

Edgemaster realized then what the Wind God was possibly asking for. "You are here to obtain a piece of the Dvapara-Yuga for yourself?"

"More for the sake of a friend who is in danger… or, a danger to others, I'm not so sure anymore," Fujin sighed.

Edgemaster then turned around. With a wave of his hand, he encouraged Fujin to follow him back to the temple itself. Once Fujin caught up to them, the two men strolled side by side.

"How dangerous is this friend of yours?" Edgemaster asked.

"If it's any indication, he is another deity; Raiden, God of Thunder."

"Hm," Edgemaster hummed. "Kilik mentioned him before. He had assisted him in Outworld during the tournament. What has happened?"

"It's not completely clear even to me. All we know is that he became… darker after his battle with the Fighting God, Ogre. He's sworn to protect Earth, even at the cost of his sanity and the lives of mortal beings."

"Are the Elder Gods doing anything about it?"

Fujin shook his head a little. "They've sent their champion named Scorpion to deal with him, but that's better said than done. Other than that, no, they're not."

"I imagine they would if he was a direct threat to them… or… perhaps broken some cosmic rule that they themselves have set."

"Precisely."

By now, they were inside the temple. They went into what looked like a large, indoor training room. Edgemaster and Fujin walked over to a small shrine in the back of the room. Edgemaster kneeled close in front of it with Fujin joining next to him on the right.

"I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for two things… your association with my student, and the fact that you are a deity." He reached over to open what looked like a secret compartment right at the edge of the table that held everything. Pulling it open, Fujin saw a handful of the green stones set on necklaces similar to the ones Kilik wore.

"They're known to all to Keisei as _the holy stone_ _,_ " Edgemaster explained. "As you know already, they are a sacred mirror with the ability to purify or quell those corrupted by evil energy. These used to be one stone that Kilik once wore, but it was shattered in battle. I've kept them here ever since and have given one to Kilik long ago."

There was one thing Fujin wondered about. "What kind of evil lies within him?"

Edgemaster was quiet for a moment before deciding to share the story. "It had happened by accident. Several years ago, an Evil Seed rained down on all of Keisei. It affected many. Some experienced temporary insanity while others completely lost their minds, that which became permanent. The former happened to Kilik, but remnants of the seed still exist within his soul, thus the need for the pendant."

As he spoke, Edgemaster took out of the pendants, the stone glittering a bit in the light provided by the candles on the shrine. "It has done well with quelling the evil within my student. However, I am not sure if it will be powerful enough to help Raiden."

"But it's worth a try," Fujin said. "It's the least I can do for my friend. The universe needs his assistance now more than ever, but his state of mind is not allowing him to be rational. If there's a chance that the Dvapara-Yuga may quell the evil within him, then it is something I am willing to try."

Edgemaster nodded as he passed the pendant over to Fujin, who took it in his hand. Already, he could feel the shard's power. "Very well, then. I wish you the best of luck."

The two walked outside afterwards. They bid each other farewell before Fujin heads to the closest deity portal that will return him to Earthrealm.

~~~

**Somewhere Not Far from Chili-san**

A pair of villagers gently banged on drums as though preparing for a ritual. All the others were gathered together. Minutes ago, they were preparing a feast of sorts, but with exception of the drummers, they suddenly stopped as something happened before them…

Within the crowd, Heihachi Mishima sat up in his lawn chair. His arms were folded in front of his broad chest and there was malice in his eyes as he stared up at the three new arrivals that approached him. He barely noticed the bald-headed stranger because his attention was on the other two who stood on either side of him.

At some point of his life, Dhalsim had heard the phrase, 'you could cut the tension with a knife.' He was sure that it would take more than a chain saw to cut through what was floating between the three men. He thought the aura between Kazuya and Jin was bad enough, but now seeing their father and grandfather respectively, Dhalsim realized that perhaps he should have spoken to them about his discovery first.

 _This… wasn't exactly one of my wiser decisions in my lifetime,_ he thought to himself with a small sigh.

Finally, Heihachi spoke up. "If this is some funny idea of a family reunion-"

"Don't flatter yourself," replied Kazuya.

Dhalsim rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I admit, I should have just done this alone, but the reason I brought the two of you along is that, first, to confirm that you know him, and two, I need to encourage cooperation if this is going to work."

Jin shook his head. "I honestly don't think this is a good idea. There isn't enough room on the ship for Kazuya and I, let alone Heihachi… blood shed is inevitable."

"I agree for once," added Kazuya.

"And what makes you think you'll be sticking me on a ship with these two?" Heihachi asked, his narrowed eyes directed at Dhalsim.

"As you know, the realms are in peril. I've gathered many warriors to fight back. I sense the warrior spirit in you and I am asking for you to join us in the fight."

Kazuya raised an eyebrow at that. "You mean to tell me that you want to bring _him_ along? And it also seems as though you volunteered me to go to Outworld!"

"I doubt you gave him the chance to ask," growled Jin. "Though I really think he shouldn't…"

"And what makes you think I'll go with you?" Heihachi questioned, cutting his son off before he had the chance to retaliate against Jin.

Dhalsim took a deep breath again, trying to keep his patience in check. "I sincerely doubt that a fighter such as yourself would bask within this village where there is a chance for… a glorious battle."

"You have no idea…" Kazuya grumbled.

"I also sense that you wish to leave."

Heihachi raised an eyebrow. "What are you, a psychic?"

"Your presence was at the Blood Tournament in Outworld. You were also in some coma for a few months after G Corporation attacked you and Kazuya on Honmaru."

Heihachi rubbed his chin with his hand. "Well I'll be damned… well…" He quickly stood up on his feet before he went over to approach the yoga master. "I'll join you… and just to make things clear, I'm only willing to do so because I'm _that_ desperate to get the hell out of here!"

"Great…" growled Jin.

"BUT!" Heihachi called out, raising a finger. "I cannot promise that things will be… peaceful."

Dhalsim took another breath. "I do not care if the three of you kill each other later so long as innocent people are not in your way. Right now, I need you to set your differences aside just long enough to win against Outworld and get everyone else home safely."

"What are you, my father?"

Kazuya snorted in disgust at that comment.

"Fine," Heihachi said. He then switched between pointing at Kazuya, then Jin. "Once this Outworld business is over, we will resume where we left off."

"You can't leave us!" cried out one of the villagers.

"You are our God and our protector!" yelled another.

Jin's eyes widened. "Seriously? What the hell do they see in you?"

Heihachi shook his head. "Hell if I know."

"They were planning to sacrifice you to their true God," Dhalsim suddenly said as they began to depart. "Their constant worship of you was a way to bring you into a false sense of security."

Heihachi growled. "I knew it!"

Kazuya shook his head. "No you didn't."

"Shut up, boy!"

Jin rolled his eyes at the both of them.

 _Damn, if only we got here later…_ thought Kazuya.

As they left the village (with the villagers attempting to coax them back, but they simply ignored them… the strong aura of four warriors combined was definitely keeping them from going near them), Jin walked next to Dhalsim. He waited to say what was on his mind once the other two were out of earshot (and arguing).

"Please… do NOT tell me that they're the other two chosen ones…"

A ghost of a smile came over Dhalsim's face. "Very far from it. I didn't even need to look at either of their souls to know that."

"Good."

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

It didn't take long after Shin Akuma and Dark Sakura stormed into the fortress to alert the other guards. They immediately went after them, but to their surprise, the seemingly meek girl managed to take them down like they were nothing.

As they went after her, Shin Akuma began searching around for the throne room. Only a few times did he fight someone who dared to approach him. There was a hand swipe here, a punch there, and a neck break here.

Then, he found it… two heavy large doors. He was sure that this led to the throne room. He quickly charged up some energy before swiftly kicking the doors open.

Inside, the Emperor and Empress remained on their thrones, both staring at the intruder who just barged in. Ivy sighed. "It looks like we need to train our guards better."

"No matter," Shao Kahn said, leaning forward. "I've… encountered him before. Even our best generals would not be able to take this one down."

That got a raised eyebrow from Ivy.

Shao Kahn stood from his throne. "So, you've finally managed to crawl out of the Netherrealm where I sent you all those months ago!"

Shin Akuma snarled. "You have what is rightfully mine! The power you possess does not belong to you!"

Shao Kahn nearly laughed. "Please… even when that small amount of power I took from you was still in your possession, I still tore you apart in our last encounter. Do you really wish to challenge me with less than what you came with all those months ago?"

Before Shin Akuma was able to answer, the Emperor turned to the woman sitting in her own throne. "Ivy! Take care of this one."

That order surprised Ivy for a moment, but she still stood up none the less. Naturally, this made Shin Akuma more annoyed. "Coward! Are you afraid to face me?!"

"I'm merely seeing if you are even worthy of my attention." Shao Kahn then sat back down in his throne. "If you defeat her, then we will see. I may even return your powers in addition. Ivy, dispose of him."

"With pleasure," Ivy replied as she drew out her beloved sword. Shin Akuma was definitely something she had not faced before, but if she could fight against those in the possession of Soul Edge, then this was nothing.

With a growl, Shin Akuma covered the distance between them, beginning the fight…

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

The sun had set in the city for the evening. Most of the chosen ones were encouraged to explore, though one could suspect that most of them will end up at one of the various pubs around.

Just on the outskirts of the city, there was a lone, abandoned cabin, and Dhalsim realized that this was a good place for some privacy. For a while, he meditated here, feeling better after a couple of hours considering the kind of day he had.

The morning with Jin, Kazuya, and Heihachi was something the yoga master didn't care to repeat anytime soon. He, Ruby Heart, and Fujin (once he returned from his journey) would have to keep an eye on them. Dhalsim was sure, no matter how much he wanted to, that Jin wouldn't start anything, but he wasn't sure about the other two. Jin and Kazuya's meeting when they came here yesterday was definitely an accident, and Dhalsim realized only after the fact that he may be doing more harm than good by recruiting Heihachi. Jin himself had warned them; if a fight suddenly began between two of them, or even all three, most like there was not much anyone could do to stop them.

Dhalsim just hoped that Fujin returned soon before that happened.

Upon their return, Dhalsim took care of his next errand, which took almost an hour to get done. The task was a bit complicated as he expected, but it was definitely better than what he dealt with earlier this morning. Then, he asked both Jin and Ryu to meet him at this very cabin at a certain time. Dhalsim went up there afterward and has been here ever since.

Dhalsim finally stopped meditating upon hearing footsteps coming into the cabin. Opening his eyes, he saw Ryu approaching. Three candles in the room provided the only light inside.

"You wanted to see me?" Ryu asked.

"Yes. Sit down," Dhalsim requested, which Ryu complied.

While they waited for Jin, Dhalsim decided to ask him a question. "How are you feeling?"

Ryu shrugged. "I'm all right. Mostly I did some training with Ken and-"

"Sorry, let me clarify. I mean, about being one of the four chosen ones."

He heard Ryu inhaling through his nose before the younger man answered him. "I admit… the idea of being one of the key components is astonishing… overwhelming, really. It's…" He chuckled lightly. "There's definitely a lot of pressure."

"I can only imagine," Dhalsim said.

Ryu shrugged. "Until we get to Outworld, I'm not going to think too much about it. Just know that I've accepted his fate and I will honor it until my last breath."

Dhalsim nodded. "I had believed that this was how you felt. I am glad to know that I was correct."

"I just hope that the _Satsui No Hadou_ doesn't get in the way when the time comes…"

Before Dhalsim could reply, he saw Jin entering the cabin. "Come sit," he said. Without saying a word, Jin joined the two on the floor, sitting in a lotus position in front of Dhalsim and next to Ryu.

"I… assume this has more to do with… the legend," Jin guessed.

"You are correct," Dhalsim nodded.

At first, Ryu thought that the yoga master was going to ask Jin the same question he asked him a moment ago. Perhaps this was Dhalsim's way of evaluating both of their feelings on being part of the _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend.

"We have found the third key component."

That got wide-eyed looks from the other two, both of them not expecting this news so soon.

Then, as though on cue, a new person entered the cabin. "You wanted to see me?" they asked.

Dhalsim nodded, looking over Jin and Ryu's heads. "Yes. Come sit down. There is much to discuss."

Ryu and Jin both turned their heads at the same time to see who entered the cabin…


	65. Chapter Sixty-Four

**Sky Temple, Earthrealm**

Hours after speaking with Edgemaster, Fujin found himself back on Earth, specifically at the ground level of Raiden's Sky Temple. As always, the dark clouds above were heavy and thick enough to engulf the top half of the tower.

Fujin took a deep breath, his thoughts on the last few times they met up. Each time, the God of Wind tried to all he could to reason with his old friend, but it had only seemed to make Raiden angrier. This time, he would have to bite his tongue and jump into the fight. He was here for one reason… to place the Dvapara-Yuga pendant around Raiden's neck in hopes of quelling the evil taint in his soul.

He then found himself thinking back on their last friendly encounter months ago…

_Raiden didn't even notice when Fujin entered the room, at least until he spoke. "I wish you luck my friend."_

_The wielder of Thunder turned around facing the God of Wind. A smile appeared on Raiden's face. "Thank you my friend. I knew that you would have understood most."_

_"I wish I could go," Fujin replied. "But my duty for now is to stay here. If the other Elder Gods believe that the world will be in danger, I will be there."_

_Raiden nodded and placed his staff in his scabbard behind his back. "The realms must stay secure. If no one can do that, who will?"_

_Fujin nodded in agreement. "I have a few suggestions that I discovered after the brief meeting."_

_Raiden looked at him waiting for the information._

_"While all the other realms have one ship leaving a dock, Earth has two due to its large population. Go to the one in Hong Kong. Another with the same enthusiasm as you will be heading to the one in San Francisco. I recommend joining with her and those helping her and devise a plan to defend the universe. Her name is Rose, a psychic with soul power. Seek her out and you have more of a chance against your adversaries."_

_Raiden nodded. "Once again my friend, thank you. I will take your advice and meet this Rose in Outworld. With this, I believe she will be a worthy ally. Farewell."_

_With that, Raiden opened up a portal to Earth. Fujin watched until he disappeared._

Fujin sighed at that thought. As far as he knew, he did unite with the Rose, and the soul psychic had perished in the fight after the tournament. Despite their missing presence, he was glad to see their chosen ones reunited to fight against this threat under his and Dhalsim's guidance.

Briefly, Fujin gazed at the Dvapara-Yuga in his hand. He can only hope that this plan will work. This was for Raiden's sake and for the realms as well. They needed the God of Thunder in this fight.

Having the feeling that Raiden was aware of his coming, Fujin began to make his way up to the rooftop.

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Just outside of the city, a small group of the chosen ones gathered around the campfire. It was Bo' Rai Cho's idea, feeling that some of the fighters should take the opportunity to enjoy themselves during this brief period of rest after everything they've been through in the last few weeks. The fighters consisting of Lei, Chun Li, Wagner, Juli, Li Mei, Kung Lao, Yang, and Maki took up the older mentor's suggestion.

The group talked about good times, whether it was something personal or a memorable fight. Eventually, stories of the Blood Tournament came up. One infamous story didn't take very long for someone to mention.

"So there I was sitting around a campfire similar to this one along with Ken, Yang, Cody, Wagner, and a soldier named McCoy," began Lei.

"Oh God, do you HAVE to bring that up," groaned Yang, who buried his face into his hands.

"I want to hear about it again!" cried Li Mei with a grin on her face.

"I'm curious myself now," admitted Kung Lao.

Wagner sighed. "Oh fine, put me in further misery over one of the most embarrassing moments of my life."

Juli chuckled. "In that case, I want to hear about it."

"Don't encourage him, babe…"

Wagner was, of course, ignored as Lei continued the story. "So we were all just talking about the tournament since, at the time, it was still round one. McCoy, rest his soul, produced a bottle of Outworld liquor."

Bo' Rai Cho laughed. "I have a feeling that I know where this is going." He then took a swig of some unknown liquor that smelled oddly sweet from his canteen.

"Twenty minutes later, we were all drunk like we were drinking for hours…"

"Or was it ten minutes?" questioned Yang. "Needless to say, everything was fuzzy."

"There were WAY too many colors that I don't even think some of them had names…" groaned Wagner.

"And I remember screaming something about being drowned," Lei sighed. "Anyway, Cody… or was it Ken, can't remember, ended up tossing what was left of the bottle into the campfire. The second it landed… **_KABOOM!_** It's quite a wonder how we all managed to not lose our hair from the heat."

"Outworld liquor is very potent," Bo' Rai Cho explained. "It has been known to cause forest fires just using a few drops and a match."

"Yeah… we found that out the hard way," said Yang.

"Needless to say, the noise scared the crap out of everyone within a one-mile radius," said Chun Li. "We thought the camp was being attacked."

"I just remember Guile being pissed after that, even though all I did was drink the stuff," Wagner replied.

Chun Li chuckled. "He did drag you by the ear after all."

Kung Lao had to laugh. "That story is quite amusing."

"I wasn't there when it happened, but when I heard about it, I couldn't stop laughing," said Li Mei.

"At least no one was hurt," mentioned Maki.

"It almost makes me wonder how you would handle rice wine," Bo' Rai Cho mentioned after taking another long swig of his drink.

"I don't ever want to know," replied Wagner.

Chun Li shook her head. "I remember the next day, our group was separated. The girls went hunting for berries and the guys went fishing."

"I was too busy falling into the hot springs that day," said Maki.

"We barely picked anything before an Outworld wart hog tried to go after us… then some living tree ate it."

"Naturally, we all ran for our lives," added Li Mei.

"Hey, the fishing trip was far from pleasant," said Lei. "We weren't told that they were seven feet long! And we had to catch five of them by the end of the day."

"We only ended up catching four before the last one tried to eat our faces off," mentioned Wagner. "We pretty much said, 'screw it' after that attempt."

" _Then_ ," Lei continued. "We have to push them on ice blocks Sub-Zero created. Those with telekinetic powers helped a bit, but it still wasn't enough, they were _that_ heavy."

"Going back to the berry picking," said Maki. "What was up with those living trees?"

Bo' Rai Cho took another, much long swig of his drink. By now, he was tilting a bit and his eyes were a little unfocused, but he still got a good grasp of the conversation in front of him.

"There's a legend behind that," he said, his words slightly slurred. He took a much quicker swig before proceeding. "No one is sure why it became what it is, but one thing is for sure… those who don't tread lightly into the forest end up becoming the forest. They even say that the faces on the trees are of those who perished. Rumor has it that even Shao Kahn himself would not venture into the living forest because he respects it that much."

The group was silent for a few moments before Lei spoke quietly. "That… was more than I wanted to know…"

Naturally, the mood became somber, so everyone fell quiet for a while. The silence soon broke as Bo' Rai Cho suddenly passed out, landing into the ground with a thud after drinking one took many swigs of liquor. A few seconds later, he started snoring.

Kung Lao sighed a little. "He does that some times. It happens when he drinks more than his usual share."

"Oh good," Chun Li sighed with relief. "For a moment there, I thought he croaked out on us."

"That would not be a good way to go," said Juli.

Li Mei decided to lighten the mood suddenly. "He's got this really interesting talent. He'll take a swig of his drink, and then take a lit torch, and pretty much turn himself into a human blow torch."

"Did he try that earlier when he lit the campfire before we came here?" asked Chun Li curiously.

Kung Lao shook his head in what looked like disbelief. "Yeah… except… um… he didn't exactly us his mouth."

"How else would you-" Wagner started to say. Suddenly, realization dawned on him and his face changed to one of horror. "Ugh! Seriously?!"

"Tooooo much information for me!" cried out Juli.

"Good thing I ate before we got here…" said Yang.

"Same here!" Maki agreed.

"I'll take that horrible thought anytime over all the things we've seen the last few weeks," mentioned Lei.

"I'm with you there," agreed Li Mei.

Wagner realized something as his eyes widened. "Um… have you guys noticed how his back is currently turned towards the fire…?"

The group turned their heads to look at their passed out comrade. Wagner's thoughts slowly dawned on them. Quietly, the younger soldier, along with Lei and Kung Lao, got up from their seat and began rolling Bo' Rai Cho away from the fire before he had the chance to cause any unintentional damage in his sleep.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

"Ivy, dispose of him," Shao Kahn ordered as he stared at Shin Akuma.

"With pleasure," Ivy replied as she drew out her beloved sword. Shin Akuma was definitely something she had not faced before, but if she could fight against those in the possession of Soul Edge, then this was nothing.

With a growl, Shin Akuma covered the distance between them, beginning the fight. From there, he attempted to throw various punches and kicks, aiming in different directions in order to throw his opponent off. However, Ivy was much quicker than he expected as she dodged and blocked his moves.

With a growl, Shin Akuma pulled back a few feet, his fists clenched tightly on either side of him. Ivy narrowed her eyes at him as she prepared for his next wave of attacks. "Your punishment will be quite severe," she warned him.

Shin Akuma nearly laughed at her words. "You'll regret your words once I'm through with you."

He suddenly jumped up diagonally forward into the air. Outstretching one hand downward, a purple projectile flew forward in Ivy's direction. Seeing this in time, Ivy swiftly moved to the side, the projectile exploding against the ground instead. As he came back down, Ivy uncoiled her sword and attempted to slash her weapon at him in a criss cross fashion. The second spin managed to hit Shin Akuma on his upper left arm. It was nothing more than a scratch, but it didn't take long for it to start bleeding red.

Shin Akuma pulled back in order to leave room in between them. He gritted his teeth in a near snarl at Ivy, who noticed the sharp row of white teeth. "You think you are invincible with that mere weapon. You'd be nothing more than a weakling without it."

A side smirk came over Ivy's lips. "What's wrong? Is a demon like you afraid of fighting against someone with a sword?"

"Enough talk!" Shin Akuma growled as his body was suddenly surrounded by a red aura. It was almost as though he was charging his powers because the next projectile he threw was more like a fireball. Ivy was taken aback for just a split second, but she quickly got herself back together before jumping out of the way. The fireball ended up hitting a nearly statue, leaving a blackened dent in its wake.

While she was distracted, Shin Akuma quickly teleported behind her. Ivy had looked up afterwards, confusion coming over face. She then heard a noise behind her and, as she started to turn around, her face was met with Shin Akuma's foot as he spun himself around rapidly in the air with one foot extended out.

Ivy was knocked to the floor by the force of the kick, and she was seeing stars in front of her. She blinked a couple of times, trying as fast as possible to clear her vision before she was attacked again. By the time she was able to see properly again, Shin Akuma had just finished approaching her and was lifting a foot up.

Glad to be able to see this, Ivy rolled out of the way before Shin Akuma had the chance to stomp his foot down. As he began to turn back to her, Ivy managed to get herself back on her feet. With her sword still uncoiled, she jumped up, spun around mid-air, and as she faced back to him, threw her sword down in his direction. Once again, the move left another gash on Shin Akuma, this time across his torso, cutting through the top half of his dark gi and leaving another welt on his chest which started to bleed.

Shin Akuma hissed against the pain as he pulled back. At the same time, Ivy pulled her sword back, making it coil back into a single piece. Then, she stabbed the sword into the ground and, before he had the chance to comprehend what she was trying to do, the sword uncoiled underground, extended out, and the end emerged underneath him. Seeing this now, Shin Akuma jumped forward and then began making his way towards his opponent.

As Ivy unburied the sword, Shin Akuma was suddenly in her face. He managed to land a few palm strikes to her chest and face, the force of it making her stumble back. Before he tried to cover the space between them again, Ivy uncoiled her sword again, this time spinning it in wide circles, a laugh escaping through her lips.

The move forced Shin Akuma to fall back, avoid the weapon's sharp edges. Then, Ivy pulled her arm back before pushing it forward, sending her sword into a spinning frenzy as it darted towards her opponent.

To her surprise, however, Shin Akuma managed to grab the rope portion of the weapon.

Before she could react, Shin Akuma quickly pulled her forward by her weapon. When she was within reach, Shin Akuma delivered a head-butt right into her forehead. She let out a cry in pain as she stumbled back, giving Shin Akuma the opportunity to perform a _shoryuken_. The uppercut sent her flying into the air before crashing back down onto her side while Shin Akuma landed back down with ease.

Standing above her now, Shin Akuma began to collect some dark energy into his hands from mid-air. He was preparing for the final kill, specifically his feared _Raging Demon_. From the ground, Ivy stared up at him, her eyes narrowed in defiance.

Before Shin Akuma had the chance to move, a portal suddenly appeared from behind. Ivy was just beginning to wonder what the hell was going on before Shao Kahn's hammer appeared, smashing into Shin Akuma's chest hard enough for him to tumble back into the portal. Once he went through, the portal immediately closed.

"Nothing more than a nuisance," grumbled Shao Kahn, who stood just a few feet behind Ivy.

Gathering her dignity, Ivy slowly got herself back on her feet. As she did, Shao Kahn spoke. "I'm impressed. You were defiant even in the face of a violent death."

Ivy turned her head to look at him. "I thought you would want him dead. Why send him off through a portal?"

"I merely transported him to the wastelands of Outworld," the Emperor explained. "He'll serve well, taking care of the 'leftovers' who have wandered away from this prison." He nearly laughed at the thought. "He'll be a servant and he won't even realize it."

So that was it… Shao Kahn found the demon to be useful. Therefore, he sent him away rather than fight him in a battle that would have surely been met with his demise.

Ivy didn't miss the frown on Shao Kahn's face. His red eyes stared down at her, trying to give her an intimidating look, but even so, she didn't falter. "I do wonder, however… what would have happened had that been during the Blood Tournament?"

"He would have had his full powers," Ivy pointed out.

"Hmm… yes, he would have," Shao Kahn said thoughtfully. "And yet even without it, you were still defeated."

Ivy only stared up at him in reply. At this point, there was nothing more to say because, yes, she was defeated. She knew at this point that punishment was inevitable. Being the Empress, she was sure that whatever it was, it would be very mild compared to those ranking beneath them.

To her surprise, Shao Kahn turned and began to head out of the throne room quietly. For a moment, Ivy thought that she got off free.

Then, his next words chilled her to the bone…

"You are to lead the Outworld Forces into the invasion of Keisei in three days."

She could only widen her eyes at that, lost for words. Unknown to Ivy, Shao Kahn smirked, expecting her to not say anything.

As he reached the doors, a guard came up to him. "Sir! The other intruder managed to escape the fortress! We tried to stop her, but-"

He never got to finish as Shao Kahn quickly grabbed him by the throat, snap his neck in two like a twig, then carelessly toss him aside in just less than two seconds.

~~~

Hours after the chaos within the fortress had died down, Shang Tsung and Quan Chi met up in a quiet corner of the dungeon. Once they were settled, Quan Chi couldn't help the smug look on his face.

"What are you laughing about?" Shang Tsung asked.

"Sometimes, I wonder where the Emperor and Empress hire their guards," the necromancer wondered. "Most of them were beaten or killed by a mere Earth girl. If I had to guess, she could not have been any more than twenty Earth years."

Shang Tsung had to chuckle at that. "Well, they are considered cannon fodder after all." He decided to get to the point of their meeting. "So what is this all about?"

"I received word that the Keisei invasion will occur in three days," Quan Chi informed him.

Shang Tsung raised an eyebrow at that. "Really?"

"Yes… and it gets even better."

"How so?"

"… The Empress will be leading the invasion."

That brought sadistic grins on both of their faces. They were definitely thinking the same thing. "It sounds like she fell out of favor."

"Apparently she has an assignment that she failed, but I don't know the details yet," Quan Chi explained. "Whatever it was, it was enough for Shao Kahn to assign her this… punishment."

"Perhaps it is time that she proved her loyalty," Shang Tsung said. "This would be the best way for her to do so."

"I agree. Meanwhile, we will see how this… event plays out before we make our move." Quan Chi suddenly started to walk off. "In the meantime, I'll be gone for a day or two."

Shang Tsung narrowed his eyes. "Where are _you_ going?"

Quan Chi didn't bother to turn around as he created a portal. "Let's just say that I have some… business to attend to." Before Shang Tsung had the chance to make him clarify, Quan Chi jumped through the portal, soon disappearing through it before it closed up.

Naturally, that made the sorcerer suspicious.

~~~

**Sky Temple, Earthrealm**

Fujin immediately went to the rooftop of the high-rise tower. The last few times he had been there, he would always find his old companion on the top, especially during a storm like the one raining upon him at this very moment.

To no surprise, there was Raiden. He stood in the middle of the roof, his glowing red eyes staring straight at the Wind God with his arms folded in front of him. Thunder clapped around him as the rain continued to pour.

Fujin realized that the Thunder God had been expecting him.

"Hm, I thought as much," Raiden said once Fujin landed a few feet away. "You're not one to give up easily, I see."

In reply, Fujin posed himself into a fight stance. A smirk appeared on Raiden's face upon seeing this. "Not willing to talk this time? I think that's the smartest thing someone's done in months."

"Just fight!" Fujin demanded.

"Very well."

Without any more hesitation, Raiden darted forward, throwing his clenched fist at his former ally. Fujin had expected this and immediately blocked the move. Finding himself on defense already, Fujin blocks all of Raiden's incoming attacks before finally forcing himself to fly back, maneuvering himself into the air. Raiden immediately followed, and the two fought in the air for a bit, letting themselves gradually fall until they both found themselves in the woods at the base of the tower. By then, they were a few feet away from each other.

"If it wasn't for me, Earthrealm would have been merged with Outworld this very minute!" Raiden then shot a bolt of lightning, which Fujin immediately flew away from, avoiding the attack.

"You would do better if you were helping your former allies!" Fujin yelled as he created a small tornado to literally throw Raiden off. Raiden saw it in time and teleported from it quickly.

"You mean the mortals who failed to secure the _Chishio No Me_ medallion?" He shot off another bolt of lightning, once again missing as Fujin moved. "Why would you trust _them_ with saving what's left of the universe?"

"Unlike you, I have faith in them!" Fujin then ripped a branch from a tree and, creating a large gust of wind to hurl it towards Raiden.

Raiden immediately flew up, the branch flying underneath his feet and crashing onto the grass below. "I once had faith in them, too! But soon, you will learn as well that they only serve to make things worse!"

"That's not you talking, Raiden!" Fujin called out. "This… thing that's taken over you has tainted your mind!"

"Enough talk!" With that, Raiden performed his torpedo move, yelling out before managed to hit Fujin square in the chest. With a grunt, Fujin fell back down towards the ground before landing hard on his side.

Raiden hovered over him after flying back down. "Now to finish you off!"

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

"You wanted to see me?" the person who just entered the cabin asked.

Dhalsim nodded, looking over Jin and Ryu's heads. "Yes. Come sit down. There is much to discuss."

Ryu and Jin both turned their heads at the same time to see who entered the cabin…

A memory came over Ryu as he remembered something from his time in Outworld…

_Ryu got himself out of bed. Wearing only the bottom half of his white gi, he took the top portion from his duffle bag and placed it over his bare chest before tying it with his black karate belt. Then, he put on his brown fighting gloves just to be safe. Afterwards, he stepped out of his room and began heading outside._

_Once he was outside, he took the few minute walk over to the beach area. Ryu had expected to be alone there, but upon seeing the beach water, he noticed Jin Kazama standing there looking out at the water._

_Jin was able to hear someone coming up from behind him. He shifted his eyes over a bit as he turned his head to see Ryu. "Can't sleep either?"_

_Ryu stopped walking just a couple of feet away and looked at his ally. "How did you figure?"_

_"Just a guess," Jin answered. "I can't sleep myself either."_

_"Why so?" Ryu asked curiously._

_Jin sighed to himself a bit before replying. "Something came up this evening…something I have to take care of upon my return. I get the feeling that's what I've been losing sleep over."_

_"You had yourself quite a day," Ryu reminded him._

_"I know," Jin said. "So I'm surprised I'm still even up."_

_At that moment, they both heard another set of footsteps not too far from them. Jin and Ryu turned their heads and were a bit surprised to see_ Kenshi _coming up to them._

_"Can't sleep either?" asked Ryu._

_"You could say that," the swordsman replied. "I can't quite figure out why though."_

_"Any guesses?" Jin asked curiously._

_Kenshi was silent for a moment as though he was trying to get an idea of something. Soon he was able to answer. "I got this feeling about something I can't describe… a dark feeling might I add."_

_"Perhaps some bad omen may take place?" guessed Ryu._

_"It's possible," Kenshi answered. "But I wouldn't jump to conclusions."_

_Jin then figured out something. "With your keen senses, I'm getting this feeling…" He then looked at Ryu. "Do you think whatever Kenshi is feeling is perhaps the same reason the both of us are up?"_

_"It may be," Ryu replied. "But if that's the case…wouldn't the rest of the cave be up as well?"_

… Now months later, that night started to finally make sense to Ryu. Whatever energy kept him, Jin, and Kenshi up that night, it most likely had something to do with the _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend.

Why else would the blind swordsman be introduced as the third key component?

Kenshi walked a few feet into the cabin, but he chose not to sit down. Instead, he leaned himself against the wall, folding his arms in front of his chest. He then slightly turned his head as though acknowledging Ryu and Jin. "I assume you two are the other chosen ones."

"I've spoken to Kenshi earlier today about his part in the legend," Dhalsim explained. "So he knows all the details. I discovered that he was the third chosen one during dinner last night."

That raised a question from Jin. "Wait… you were able to figure this out with me and Ryu before we even arrived in Keisei. Kenshi was on the ship too and he's only finding out now?"

"My fault for remaining scarce during the trip," Kenshi explained.

Dhalsim continued from there. "Also, I had to make sure that you were the right one, which was why I offered to spar with you today. After finding Ryu and Jin, I had believed that the other two would possess the same kind of good and sin within."

"What do you mean?" Kenshi asked, confused.

Ryu explained it. "For me, I fight against evil, but I also have the _Satsui No Hadou_ within me, which is most likely what is causing the balance within me."

"It's… complicated with me," was all Jin said.

"But your soul color matches the one from my vision. That's how I knew for sure that you were the third key component," Dhalsim mentioned.

"I… didn't realize we had soul colors," said Ryu.

"They represent the power that, once combined between you three and the fourth chosen one, will become a powerful weapon against the key source of the conflict… that being Shao Kahn, of course. Ryu, yours is red like a cardinal. Jin, yours is green like the mawsitsit stone. Kenshi, yours is blue like the aura of your psychokinesis."

"You mentioned a balance of power involving good and sin," Kenshi said. "You didn't exactly explain earlier what you meant about mine specifically."

"I apologize for that," Dhalsim answered. "If you don't mind, I'd like to explain it here."

When he didn't receive a reply, Dhalsim proceeded. "You are a warrior who fights for good. You help those you feel are deserving of it. This including assisting the enigma Ermac during the tournament. Also, there is your work as a vigilante, fighting the wicked and protecting the meek. This has helped you more than anything.

"The sin that balance the good was actually a long-time process. You have noble intentions, but you would do anything to reach your goals. Pride and overconfidence is your biggest enemy, and it had cost you greatly in the past. Your vengeance has fueled you enough to sacrifice much and to give little mercy to those who stand in your way. Worse, your enemy, Shang Tsung, died by your hands and was resurrected, causing you to-"

"I get it," Kenshi cut in. "One half of my soul is tainted from my past deeds and it is why I am standing here now. To be honest, I'm not comfortable with you going into my head like that."

"I can agree with you there," said Jin.

"He's only trying to help," spoke Ryu.

Dhalsim nodded. "I'm simply trying to help you understand your position as one of the four key components in stopping this threat once and for all. Your allies are strong and capable of fighting back, but it is you three, and the last chosen one, who will ultimately decide the fate of the realms."

"Do we have any idea who the fourth person is?" asked Kenshi.

"I'm… still working on that."

Briefly, the room was quiet as Kenshi gently pushed himself off the wall, unfolding his arms and letting them fall back on either side of him. "To be honest… I would rather take the time to hunt and kill Shang Tsung. Considering that he is working with Shao Kahn, he is just as much as a threat as the Emperor."

Kenshi could hear at least one person taking a quick breath as though they were ready to protest, so he immediately raised a hand up to stop them. "However, I understand that this is… important. As we speak, my sword cries for the blood of 'the main source of the conflict.' But even if Sento was silent, I accept this fate. When the time comes to take down Shao Kahn, I will be there."

Within his own mind, Dhalsim was glad to hear the truth in Kenshi's words. He knew that, with all that's happened in the last few weeks, his mind set wasn't in the right place. To know that he was willing to put his issues to the side and focus on taking down Shao Kahn along with the others was a relief to the yoga master.


	66. Chapter Sixty-Five

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

It was another beautiful morning in Keisei. It was the kind of morning that made one forget that the remainder of the universe was fighting against the invasion.

Still, it didn't stop Paul Phoenix from grumbling, still feeling half asleep as he dragged his tired body to the public rest room. Once inside, he started to wonder what time it was. It was hard to tell without looking at the town clock.

The bathroom reminded him of Earth's medieval times. There were four toilet facilities that might as well be porta-potties (he felt bad for the poor bastards who had to clean it up every single day). There were also two bathtubs that actually had plumbing, though if someone wanted a hot bath, they were out of luck unless they brought a large pot of hot water from the kitchen.

There was only one sink and a mirror, and Paul noticed Maxi using it. Maxi looked to have just finished with shaving as he wiped down an old-fashioned razor with a cloth, cleaning off the leftover shaving cream with it. "Morning," Maxi said upon seeing Paul through the mirror.

"Morning," Paul croaked before entering one of the toilet facilities, closing the wooden door behind him.

"Some of the others are going to do some sparring over at the garden area. You're welcome to join if you're up to it."

"Yeah sure, once I get a cup of coffee or whatever this place serves," Paul replied.

Maxi only chuckled at that before leaving the rest room.

A few minutes later, Paul was washing his hands in the sink. As he did, he happened to look on the sink and noticed a mostly-filled glass jar. Curious to know what it was, Paul took the jar in his hand and brought it closer for a better look. Upon closer inspection, Paul realized that inside the clear, mostly-filled jar was a gel-like substance that contained a cologne-like scent.

A smirk came over his face…

Twenty minutes later, Paul stepped out of the bathroom, brushing a hand over the side of his head just above his ear. For the first time in nearly two months, his long blonde hair was once again standing up on top of his head.

"Paul Phoenix is back in action!" he declared before strutting down the hall, intending to get some breakfast.

Ten minutes later, Maxi realized he forgot something in the rest room and went back. He found the bottle of hair gel he left behind, only to see that there was only two drops left inside…

"WHO USED MY HAIR GEL?!"

~~~

**In the Forests of Keisei**

Around the cave hideout, a member of the Black Dragon clan approached Havik, who stood in between two lit torches just near the cave entrance. The cleric of chaos simply stared at the clan member before he spoke.

"The leader of the Manji Clan has returned."

Bryan Fury, Kabal, and Tira happened to be nearby when that was announced. Naturally, Bryan turned to the clan member. "You mean Yoshimitsu?"

"Yes."

Havik rubbed his chin with his fingers. "Hmm, this is a very interesting development. Today's already been a good day, seeing that we _finally_ showed those villagers that were guarded by the one with the funky hair the true way of chaos."

"At least I got a few kills on those who preferred order," added Tira with a sadistic grin on her face.

Havik continued. "I believe that it would be a good time to finally make our way to Chili-san… perhaps maybe in two days or so!"

Kabal turned to Bryan. "Hopefully he doesn't change his mind within an hour."

"Don't be surprised if he does," Bryan replied with a roll of his eyes.

Tira seemed to be confused. "Why not attack now?"

"Waiting is the best way to build up suspense and excitement. It makes is all worth the wait in the end."

Tira only grumbled under her breath before walking away.

Havik turned his attention to Bryan, shrugging a bit. "As for Yoshimitsu… if he happens to, well, show up close to here suddenly, go ahead and kill him as you please. If I could make a suggestion, put his head up on a stake… and use that sword of his as the stake! I just love a good irony!"

Bryan had to smirk at that suggestion. "That's… not a bad idea. I think I might do that."

Havik only cackled at that before walking off into the cave.

~~~

**Earth, Unknown Area**

A knee to the face sent Fujin flying back before hitting his back against a tree. Gritting his teeth from the sudden pain, he could feel blood trickling down his lip from his nose. He was sure that his nose was broken, but it was going to have to be taken care of later.

Opening his eyes, Fujin saw Raiden shoot out another bolt of lightning. The God of Wind flew up into the air before the bolt hit him.

Taking advantage of this, Raiden immediately teleported himself behind Fujin. From there, he attempted to grab him. However, Fujin sensed his presence behind him, and he was able to counteract the grab by grasping Raiden's wrists. Once he got a good hold, he rolled back, sending Raiden somersaulting in the air before falling back to the ground.

However, before he landed, Raiden managed to get himself to float just a couple of feet off the green grass below. Fujin spotted him from the sky and flew down so that they were face to face again. With a growl, Raiden ran forward to meet with Fujin, who stood in a fighting stance ready to defend himself again. Once the Thunder God was close enough, Fujin managed to get himself behind Raiden and grabbed him before hurling him

Once again, Raiden managed to get himself afloat before crashing into the ground. As he repositioned himself to face Fujin, he noticed the Wind God attempted to close the distance between them again. Once close enough, Raiden performed a roundhouse kick, his extended leg surrounded by electricity. However, Fujin managed to duck away from the move.

From there, they exchanged various punches and kicks for a short time before Fujin managed to land a knee to Raiden's face by jumping up. With a grunt of pain, Raiden reared back, holding his face. With that distraction, Fujin managed to get himself behind Raiden and place him in a chokehold.

For a few moments, the two struggled to dominate the other. Fujin didn't miss the fact that Raiden's body increased in electricity. He knew right then that it was now or never.

In one swift motion, Fujin slipped the Dvapara-Yuga around Raiden's neck.

Once that was done, Fujin quickly backed away, giving Raiden a bit of berth. Fujin wasn't sure what to expect in that moment. For the first time since he could remember, the God of Wind held his breath.

The moment he was let go, Raiden fell onto one knee, using both of his hands to keep himself balanced. For a minute, he stayed in this position while catching his own breath.

Fujin wondered at some point if he should attempt to approach his friend, but he soon noticed him starting to stand up. Fujin then got himself in a fighting stance, preparing himself for another onslaught.

Four heartbeats after standing up, Raiden turned to look at the God of Wind. Upon seeing his face, the tense muscles in Fujin's body relaxed, but he remained guarded just in case. The Dvapara-Yuga glowed in a bright green color, its energy working to suppress the taint in Raiden's soul.

But that wasn't what made Fujin relax… it was the fact that the God of Thunder's eyes were no longer a blood red. There were white as it should be.

"My friend," Raiden said quietly.

Fujin straightened himself up, his arms dropping to his side. "Raiden?"

Raiden tilted his head down to gaze at the glowing artifact that rested upon his chest. His hand reached up to it as though to touch it, but his fingers never grazed the crystal.

"The artifact it's doing its job in suppressing the corrupt part of me. However, I'm afraid that it will not last. Even now, it fights back, and I sense that it is strong enough to withstand the crystal's purity."

As though on cue, Raiden's eyes flashes red for a brief second before they turned white again. To say that Fujin was disappointed to hear this would have an understatement.

"Raiden-"

"I'm sorry," Raiden replied. "With the little time I have left, I have a couple of requests."

Fujin could barely hid the frown on his face as he suspected what his friend was about to ask of him, but he pressed on. "Go on."

Raiden took a deep breath as he gazed up towards the dark sky above. "The darkness within me… it's too powerful for even myself to beat on my own. The only way to truly save me now… is death."

Fujin shook his head. "Is there no other way?"

"If there is another option, I don't see it," Raiden answered. "Besides, with all the atrocities I've committed, I doubt the Elder Gods would just forgive and forget. Death will not only free me from the corruption, but my sacrifice will spare what remains of Earth of my wrath."

"How did this happen?" Fujin asked.

Raiden shook his head quickly as his eyes flashed red again, but after blinking a couple of times, they changed to white again. "Even I'm not sure, but I suspect my essence after I sacrificed myself to destroy Ogre took the dark energy of both the Fighting God and Outworld with it."

The Thunder God took a few steps forward so that he could place his hand on Fujin's shoulder. "I've been fighting for months to get rid of this, but it's no use. Killing me is the only way to end this."

Fujin shook his head. "There has to be another way! We can't just-"

"There's no other choice!" Raiden called out. "Either I die or destroy what's left of Earth! Promise me that you'll see it done. I don't care who does the killing, just as long as it's done."

Fujin took a deep breath as he bowed his head down a bit. He shook his head a little as he reluctantly said, "I promise."

Raiden then bowed his own head and closed his eyes. "Tell _her_ I'm sorry."

That confused Fujin and he was just raising his head up to ask who he meant by 'her.' That was when he felt Raiden's hand squeeze his shoulder in a vice-like grip.

Raiden then looked at him, his eyes a blood red once again.

Fujin immediately pushed his hand away before flying up to avoid any incoming attacks. He looked down just in time to see the Thunder God rip the Dvapara-Yuga necklace off of him. He threw it down to the ground before a bolt of lightning from his hand turned the artifact into ash.

In that moment, Fujin knew that he needed time to both comprehend Raiden's request and hope that he could find another way to free his friend. With that in mind, he began to fly away from the scene.

He wasn't surprised when he heard Raiden yell out, "COWARD!"

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

In the garden area of the Coast Guard Headquarters, Sagat was alone as he worked on his training. He only wished that his mind was cleared from thoughts. However, he couldn't help but think back on an event back at the Blood Tournament…

_"Are you Julia Chang?"_

_"Um, yes, that's me," she replied._

_"My name is Sagat," he introduced himself. "I was the one who sent you the letter concerning your mother."_

_Julia stared up at him as hope began to gleam in her eyes. This was the very reason why she came to Outworld in the first place. "So… you know what happened to my mother."_

_"Yes," Sagat answered. "First, before I explain everything, I'll get one thing to the point… unfortunately, your mother was killed over a year ago."_

_A grim look came over Julia's face and she felt as though she was just stabbed in the heart. Although she was prepared for such an answer as this, she was still feeling the sorrow and pain just like any other person who lost a loved one._

_Despite her throat feeling tight, Julia managed to ask one question. "What happened?"_

_Sagat took a deep breath before proceeding. "She was captured by Shadaloo, an organization I used to be a part of, and brainwashed into an assassin. Michele had arrived in Japan some two years ago. She was being driven by a limo that was owned by the Mishima Zaibatsu when Shadaloo elites captured her. As a matter of fact, she was mistaken for you. Because of your fighting abilities, you were intended to be captured and brainwashed into an assassin…"_

_Julia kept silent as Sagat continued. "Yes, we've captured the wrong person, but it turned out that Michelle was useful. She became an assassin…against her own will…and went on assignments to assassinate our enemies. Michelle was one of the best in Shadaloo and she never failed a mission…save for one…the one that killed her."_

_Sagat took another deep breath before proceeding. "She was fighting the person she was supposed to assassinate in Cambodia. The person, however, ended up knocking her off a cliff in self-defense… the fall had killed her."_

_For a while, there was silence between the two as Julia tried to get all the information sorted in her mind. She felt a couple of tears fall down her face, but she quickly wiped them away with her hand._

_"Tell me one thing," she managed to say. "…Who was the target that killed her?"_

_Sagat was silent as a grave, not answering the question right away. Julia wondered if the silence was telling her that he wasn't sure…or perhaps he was the one who killed her. Before she could speak, Sagat opened his mouth and a name came out…_

_"…Ryu."_

Not long ago while helping out with cleaning up what Shadaloo left behind, Sagat found a disc that contained a recording of that fateful day. In it, he saw something that he wasn't aware of.

It turned out that there was more to the story than what he was initially told. From there, he was starting to travel to the states, feeling that speaking with Julia in person was the best thing to do.

Since Outworld invaded Earth, Sagat chose to withhold the new information from Julia, at least for now. Because the disk required the use of a computer, naturally they had no access to one at the camp since there was no electricity.

Now, however, he was fully aware that the disk was back on the camp in the Rockies. In their fight against the invaders and the rush to get to Ruby Heart's ship, Sagat didn't have time to grab the disc from his tent. So even if he did try to talk to Julia now, Sagat didn't have the proof with him.

Unless their situation with Outworld becomes drastic, Sagat decided to wait until the chaos ended.

~~~

Meanwhile in the forests just outside the city, Yoshimitsu had gathered some of his Manji Clan forces for a meeting. Mainly, they were trying to plan our more measures in protecting the city, at least before he noted one of the recon scouts running towards them in a hurry.

Of course, that caught Yoshmitsu's attention. "What is it?" he asked.

The scout took a moment to catch her breath before speaking. "The Black Dragon just finished with a meeting. They're planning to attack Chili-san within the next few days."

"Damn," grumbled Akio. "It was only a matter of time before they moved towards the city."

Yoshmitsu checked his surroundings. "At least for right now, we have enough clan members to surround the city, so they'll have to fight through us. Still, we must warn the Coast Guard of their arrival as soon as possible."

The clan leader turned back to his troops. "Return to your posts at once! I also want a change of guards every six hours. Make sure the others know and spread the word about the clan."

"Yes, sir!" everyone called out before dispersing. Only Akio, his second-in-command of the clan's Keisei faction, lingered behind, staring at him knowingly even through his own mask.

Yoshimitsu turned to him. "Is there something you need, Akio?"

"Please forgive me for turning into an insubordinate, but… you seem tired."

Yoshmitsu took a deep breath before letting out a long exhale. "These last few weeks have been… long."

Akio nodded in understanding. "Will you be okay?"

"… I'll feel much better as soon as my sword is back in my hand."

"You'll get it back soon, sir."

Yoshimitsu only nodded in reply.

~~~

**Unknown**

It had taken quite some time, but the ninja spectre Scorpion finally reached the Sky Temple after being transported away from here. This particular journey had been longer than before, and at this point, he definitely didn't want to repeat it again.

 _One just has to hope that the Elder Gods don't bring me even further back… again,_ he thought with some annoyance.

He then took two steps ahead when a bright, white light suddenly hit his eyes. For a moment, he shielded the light with his arm, waiting for a moment to let himself adjust. Upon putting his arm down, he was met with the familiar shapes of the three Elder Gods.

 _Now what?_ he thought.

"Scorpion," the three said at the same time. Well, that was new. Usually they would speak one at a time, but they seem to want to chat with him like they were one entity tonight.

"A decision has been made," the Elder Gods proceeded. "For quite some time, you have served as our Champion, the instrument of our will. However… due to recent events, we have decided that you no longer needed."

Scorpion's eyes went wide at that. "What do you mean?" he demanded.

"Your mission has gone on for too long," they replied in the same, neutral tone since their arrival. "You are no longer needed for your mission to eliminate Raiden. The time it has taken for you to complete the mission proves that you are no longer capable for complete the task given to you. This is why your status as Champion of the Elder Gods will be relinquished, effective immediately."

Scorpion's eyes narrowed, and his void hinted malice in his next words. "What about your promise to reunite me with my family and clan?!"

There was a moment of silence before they answered. "Your task was incomplete. Therefore, we deem it unnecessary to hold our end of the bargain."

Immediately, Scorpion lashed out with a roar. He shot out a fireball in the Elder Gods' direction, but their image disappeared before it hit them. Instead, the fireball hit a nearby tree, leaving a blackened scorch mark on its bark.

Pure anger was all the spectre was feeling in this very moment. His revenge on Quan Chi would be mere child's play compared to what he planned to do against the Elder Gods who defied him.

Scorpion looked up towards the sky. "You DARE to go back on your word?! _Do_ _not_ _think this is the last that you've seen of me!"_

With another roar, he disappeared in a burst of flames. Then, with the exception of the light wind, the area became silent.

From behind a nearby tree, the sorcerer Quan Chi emerged from his hiding place, a sadistic smirk playing on his face.


	67. Chapter Sixty-Six

_Almost Seven Years Ago…_

_It was only a couple of days ago when Jin had celebrated his fifteenth birthday. The day before, his mother had a strange premonition, feeling that evil would soon arrive here at their home on Yakushima Island. She made him promise that if anything happened to her, he should seek out his paternal grandfather, Heihachi Mishima._

_Jin had secretly hoped that the premonition was nothing more than a dream. However, within a few days, the 'dream' came true as the Fighting God Ogre showed up. When he saw her fighting Ogre, her words rang desperately in his ears._

_"_ _Jin! Go! Run away!"_

_"_ _No! I'm not leaving!" the young boy had called out. Ignoring her pleas, he jumping into the fray, not willing to see his beloved mother harmed by the beast._

_He barely got a few moves in before Ogre knocked him out cold. The last thing he heard before darkness took over completely was his mother screaming out his name…_

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Jin jolted out of his meditation after the images of his final moments with his mother left him. The muscles in his body had tense and he felt a sheen of sweat covering his skin.

 _I must've been seeing all of this for a while if I'm feeling like this now,_ the young man guessed.

His thoughts were running rampant from the images, but they suddenly stopped upon hearing footsteps approaching him from behind. Before he started to turn to see who was coming, a voice spoke. "Jin?"

It was simple, just saying someone's name, but Jin would have recognized that British accent anywhere. Turning, he saw Cammy White just stopping a few feet away before crouching down on one knee so that she was eye level with him. A look of concern etched on her face.

"You look shaken up. Are you all right?" Cammy asked with worry. She had been walking through the garden area more so to take a break from working with the Coast Guard over defense plans. She happened to notice Jin meditating in the garden and was originally going to leave him alone until he suddenly shook as though he was woken from a nightmare. Without thinking about it, she went up to him.

Jin took a deep breath as he wiped the sweat off of his face with his hand. "Yeah, I'm fine… just… thinking about my mother…"

Cammy frowned at that. He had told her back at the Blood Tournament that his mother had died, though he never told her exactly what happened on that fateful day. She was reminded of one thing… Jin was usually good at keeping secrets when he wanted to.

Of course, one little secret of Jin's was revealed to everyone here… he did have a father and grandfather who were at the palace. Almost none of the chosen ones had to say anything because the resemblance was there. Cammy was also sure that even Kenshi could make that guess (considering that he was blind). From the way the three were around each other, Cammy could understand why Jin never talked about Kazuya and Heihachi. To put it plainly and mildly, they were assholes.

Back at the tournament, Jin had said that he 'never knew his father.' Most would have interpreted that as, 'I never met them.' Cammy could see why he said it that way… it was as though he never got to truly know the man underneath his dark nature. She couldn't blame him… the glowing left eye on Kazuya alone was unsettling to look at… and Heihachi was not only as dark, but he was also a pervert. Poor Lita had been caught in his net as he tried to 'woo' her just yesterday. It took a slap to the face and a comment along the lines of 'old fossil' for him to get the message. What was creepy was that he just merely laughed in a maniacal matter as they left.

Clearly, Jin's kind nature came from his mother.

"Did you want to talk about it?" Cammy asked him after a pause.

Jin took another deep breath. "No, thank you. To be honest, I'd rather be left alone right now." He turned his head so that he was staring at her. "I appreciate your concern, Cammy, but it's not needed."

Cammy frowned more, wishing that she could get him to talk to her. However, it was best for her to respect his request, so she stood up. "If you… do ever want to talk, I'm here."

Jin simply nodded before closing his eyes in order to focus on meditating again. With nothing else left to do, Cammy walked away.

While that exchange was going on, Steve and Lita had been in the area, knowing that Cammy was around. Upon seeing her, they were both starting to approach, but stopped by some hedges upon noticing her talking to Jin. They seemed to be chatting in hush tones, so they both realized that whatever they were talking about, it was private.

"Huh," Lita said out loud to herself. "I'm not surprised she's still trying to talk to him after all that's happened between them at the tournament."

This earned a wide-eyed look from Steve and turned to look at Lita. "Wait… _Jin_ was the one she was seeing?"

Lita's eyes suddenly widened. _Oh… bollocks…_ She slowly turned her head, trying her best to give the boxer an innocent look. "Steve… I'm so sorry. I… I thought she would have told you by now…" At least she was truthful. _Dammit, Cammy, why didn't you talk to Steve about Jin!?_

Steven frowned as he shook his head. "You know… you were the one who told me she had been seeing someone at the tournament, though you didn't tell me exactly who at the time. At this point, Cammy _still_ hasn't mentioned anything about it, let alone the fact that it was Jin, though I should've expected it when I saw her talking to him back on the ship. That and what I'm seeing now, it makes me wonder if she's… over him at all."

Lita then took a deep breath as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm sorry, Steve. I had… trusted Cammy to tell you the truth." _Dammit, I feel like I suddenly betrayed her…_

"Yeah…" Steve turned back to look at Cammy in time to see her beginning to walk away from Jin, who remained in his place. "I'm sorry, too."

Lita raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?" she asked curiously.

Steve shrugged. "I'm not sure, myself. The only thing I can do right now is talk to her. That's the only way it can be resolved." He then placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'll try my best not to bring you up if that helps just in case she asks how I knew."

Lita shrugged. "Something tells me she'll figure it out anyway, but… thanks, I guess."

Without another word, Steve turned around and began to walk back towards the headquarters building. In his mind, he decided to talk to Cammy after dinner...

~~~

**Earth, Unknown Area**

For the past few weeks, Fujin had come to realize that wherever Raiden was located, Scorpion wasn't too far away. So it came as a surprise when he couldn't find the ninja spectre right away.

Fujin had his confrontation with Raiden only a mere few minutes ago, leaving their battle when he came to understand that freeing his friend from the dark hold was going to be a lot more complicated than he realized. Even now, the Wind God couldn't shake Raiden's words from his head;

_"_ _Killing me is the only way to end this. There is no other choice! Either I die or destroy what's left of Earth! Promise me that you'll see it done. I don't care who does the killing, just as long as it's done._ _"_

Fujin wondered in his mind if making such a promise was wise. Either way, he would have to dwell on it another time. Seeking out Raiden wasn't the only reason he came to Earth…

Not long after the first Earth invasion, a time that felt so long ago, Fujin had a conversation with the hellspawn spectre…

_Fujin looked up at Scorpion. "You know of the Outworld invasion of Earth?"_

_Scorpion nodded. "But only from my own point of view. I saw Quan Chi lead a group to destroy a village. From their clothes, I knew they were from Shao Kahn's army."_

_Fujin almost smiled at the mention of Quan Chi. He knew that Scorpion sought out to torture and kill the sorcerer since he was the one responsible for his family's murder. With that in mind, an additional idea came to him._

_"You're a demon of the Netherrealm," Fujin began. "But you had something in you when you were originally invited by Raiden to join with the other chosen ones in their quest to obtain the_ _Chishio No Me_ _medallion. I witnessed Raiden inviting you. And you had declined the invitation."_

_"Because I prefer to work alone," Scorpion reminded him. "And I had no need to work with those other mortals. If you are asking for my help in stopping Shao Kahn and his forces, then you are asking the wrong being. My only mission right now is to kill Raiden."_

_"I can make it worthwhile for you," Fujin mentioned. "I'll be making some other plans in the meantime, and I hope you can stand by until then. If you help me, I will personally see to it that you, and only you, will have the opportunity to eliminate your nemesis, Quan Chi."_

_Scorpion folded his arms. "And how do you plan to do that?"_

_"I'm a God, I can find a way. Even a sorcerer such as Quan Chi has his weakness."_

_Scorpion nodded. "In that case, only summon me when the time is right. In the meantime, I will continue with my quest the other Elder Gods had given me."_

_Fujin sighed, realizing that his plan to stall Scorpion was slipping. "I was hoping you would stand by until then."_

_Scorpion immediately shook his head. "I refuse to waste time while I wait for you. I will continue my quest as I was a few minutes ago."_

_He turned his back to Fujin and began to walk away. As he did, the spectre spoke once more. "When the time comes to take down Shao Kahn and his minions, you may summon me."_

Fujin knew that the chosen ones will be heading to Outworld within the next few days once the propeller in Ruby Heart's ship was repaired. With that in mind, the God of Wind believed that now would be the time to meet with Scorpion and arrange for him to go to Outworld.

However, it ended up taking him a while to find the spectre, which Fujin found a little strange. He would have believed that Scorpion would have been very close to the Sky Temple at this point.

Eventually, he found a section of the forest filled with thick smoke. Having a feeling over the cause of it, Fujin made his way to that area, soon noticing the trees and grass ignited in flames. Not surprisingly, he noticed Scorpion right in the middle of the small inferno, his pale eyes staring forward in an almost catatonic state.

Using his powers, Fujin released a very strong gust of wind that was enough to extinguish the flames, preventing them from spreading further. Naturally, this caught Scorpion's attention, and he whirled around to face the God of Wind.

Fujin began to speak. "Scorpion, I came to-"

" _ **RAAAAAGH!**_ " Scorpion suddenly shoutd out right before he vanished in a burst of flames. Because Fujin had not expected the spectre to suddenly lash out, he didn't have time to defend himself before a kick to his back sent him flying forward before crashing into the new ashes on the ground.

Scorpion's voice echoed menacingly as he approached Fujin, who was starting to get himself back on his feet. "You DARE to approach me after the Elder Gods' betrayal?!"

Immediately after hearing that, Fujin's face contorted in confusion. "Betrayal? What are you talking about?"

With another roar, Scorpion attempted to shoot out his spear. However, Fujin was prepared this time and quickly stepped away from it. "Your lies are pointless! You will die like the Elder Gods will when my chance comes!"

Fujin shook his head. "Scorpion, I barely had contact with the Elder Gods since before the Earth invasion! Think for a moment before you let your anger cloud your judgment… do you _really_ think I know anything about this?"

Scorpion's eyes narrowed at him, but the spectre didn't make any other movement. Noting that, Fujin straightened himself and spread out his arms a bit in a show of good gesture. "I approach you because I've come to summon you to Outworld as we talked about earlier. The fight against the Outworld Forces is coming. Remember, when it's over, I will see to it that you will get your fight with Quan Chi."

Scorpion's eyes were now practically slits. "What makes you think I'll believe you after what the Elder Gods pulled?"

Fujin frowned. "What happened?"

The spectre seemed to relax a little since his eyes widened a little. However, his eyebrows remained furrowed. "Ironically, I finally arrived at the temple when they came to me. They told me that my mission has gone on long enough and the time it has taken so far to assassinate Raiden proves that I'm no longer capable of completing the task. Not only did they strip me of my title as Champion, but they have also pulled back on their promise to reunite me with my family and clan."

Fujin's own eyebrows furrowed at this. "Are you sure?"

"I have ears, God of Wind."

"I only ask because in my time as an Elder God, we've never backed away from our word unless the reason went against our rules and nature itself. From what you've told me, this is unusual. We've had those under our guidance on certain missions for almost their whole life."

"So, why is this different?" Scorpion asked with a growl.

Fujin shook his head. "I don't know, but I plan to get to the bottom of it. I'll seek out the Elder Gods and I'll demand to find out why."

Scorpion was silent as though he was contemplating what he had just heard. Soon, he pulled back his spear which had laid on the ground after shooting it at Fujin. "Very well," the spectre spoke almost quietly. "But know this, Fujin… if you back out on your word, you and the Elder Gods will die."

"Don't threaten me," Fujin demanded. "Just know that it will be done. Keep in mind, however, that there may be compromises, but we will discuss them before we take action."

With nothing more to say, Scorpion disappeared in a burst of flames. With a deep breath, Fujin left the area, intending to make his way towards the Heavens.

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Sitting upon the hills just outside of Chili-san, Sareena gazed at the sight of the city close by. She found herself doing something that she had rarely done… admire the view in front of her. A soft wind tickled her face, her shoulder-length hair brushed back with each breeze. Her ears picked up the sounds of people enjoying the nightlife, and the streets were lit with various colored lanterns whether they were street lights or strung across ropes in a crisscross pattern.

Looking and hearing it all, it was as though the war against Outworld wasn't happening at all…

"I was wondering where you were," a familiar voice said to her right. Sareena turned her head in time to see Sub-Zero starting to sit next to her just a foot away. "Smoke told me you were out exploring."

"I felt like taking a walk," Sareena admitted, her eyes turning back towards the city. "But then I found myself here… I kind of like it… the peace and all."

"It's good when you can find peace," Sub-Zero agreed as he looked at the city with her.

"Yeah, it is nice," Sareena said. "Speaking of which, I would believe that the people of this city would be more concerned with what may be coming. Why are they acting as though nothing is happening?"

"It's a coping mechanism," the Grandmaster explained. "They know what's coming, but it's something that they don't want to think about all the time. They would rather cling to something familiar rather than let themselves think about the inevitable."

Sareena shrugged a little. "Makes sense, I suppose."

For a minute, the two fell into a contented silence, enjoying the view that was in front of them. However, Sareena didn't want the quiet to last long and said the first thing that came to mind…

"This… peace… it's hard to believe sometime. I know that it won't always last, but compared to the Netherrealm, it's… better…"

"You're right," Sub-Zero began to say as he lifted a hand, his palm facing up towards the night sky. "Peace doesn't always last, but when it happens, the best one can do is enjoy it."

It suddenly became cold in the area. Sareena had a feeling she knew where it was coming from. Turning her head, she noticed the ice crystals forming just above Sub-Zero's open palm, and she watched until the crystals formed into a shape… it didn't take long for the former assassin to recognize the body of an Asian dragon.

Sareena had to give him a bemused look. "Now that's something I've never seen you do before."

Sub-Zero let out a small huff, though it nearly sounded like a laugh. "Yeah… to be honest, I don't think I've done this in a long time." The crystals suddenly changed and took a new shape, this time into a weapon that looked similar to his kori blade.

"I almost wish I can do something like that," Sareena admitted.

"It's a skill that can take some time to develop," Sub-Zero explained. "Back when I was just a subordinate, I used to do this to pass the time. It… also helped with communicating silently to my fellow Lin Kuei."

Sareena decided to make a request. "Can you make a kama out of that?"

Sub-Zero's reply was to once again reform the ice crystals, shaping them into Sareena's weapon of choice. The blade did look a little longer than a normal kama had, but she chose not to correct him on that slight overlook.

Nothing was said for a while as Sareena gazed back at the city while Sub-Zero created more shapes with his powers. Then, to Sareena's surprise, Sub-Zero extended his arm out in front of her. From the corner of her eye, she noticed a new ice shape in his hand. She looked at it to see what it was…

To her surprise, it was a fully-bloomed bud of what looked like a rose.

"Well," Sareena managed to say, regaining her composure. "That's… not what I was expecting."

"Neither did I," Sub-Zero admitted with another amused huff.

Either way, Sareena took the rose bud in both of her hands. Of course, it was freezing the moment she touched it. She frowned a little as she stared at the ice crystal. "Thank you. It's almost a shame that it'll eventually melt."

Sub-Zero ended up saying nothing and instead turned his head back towards the city. Feeling the ice starting to melt, Sareena placed the rose on the grass in front of her before she too began to view the city again.

Her hands were still freezing from the ice… but after spending an eternity surrounded by the inferno of the Netherrealm, Sareena realized that the cold felt good…

Meanwhile back at headquarters, Cammy had finished dinner when she decided to spend the rest of the evening in her assigned quarters, the one she had been sharing with Lita since the Coast Guard Headquarters preferred separate sleeping areas for each genders (unless there was marriage involved). She wasn't sure what to do with herself once she was there, but she would figure it out once she was dressed in her sleeping clothes.

 _Modern society has definitely made us rely on computers so much,_ she thought with a small laugh as she reached the doors to her room. _Even playing Solitaire on the computer sounds entertaining right about now._

Upon opening the door, she noticed Steve sitting on the foot of her bed. He looked up at her once she entered the room.

"Hey, Steve," Cammy said in greeting. "What are you up-"

"We need to talk," Steve suddenly said, cutting her off. His voice was void of emotion, but the look in his blue eyes told her whatever he walked to talk about, it was serious.

Cammy had a feeling that she wasn't going to like what she was about to hear. Taking a deep breath, she wrapped her arms around herself as a coping mechanism. "Okay… what did you want to talk about?"

Steve stood up from the bed before placing his hands in the pockets of his pants. He looked straight at her, the seriousness of his eyes still there.

"A lot has been going on," Steve started. "Especially with doomsday getting closer and closer each day. I… imagine a lot has been on your mind that you haven't had the chance to talk about… certain things."

Cammy had to raise an eyebrow at that. "What are you talking about?"

Steve took a deep breath as he reached up to rub the back of his neck. "Listen, Cammy, I'm just going to be straight with you… someone here told me that you had been in a relationship with someone during the tournament…"

 _Lita…_ Cammy thought with a frown.

"But if it's any comfort, they didn't tell me who you were with. I figured it out on my own that it was Kazama. I had my suspicions back on the ship, and, well, seeing you two talking in the gardens this afternoon put things into perspective."

Ah, that explained it…

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner Steve," Cammy said sincerely. "Yes, a lot happened, but I also didn't want to burden you with stories of my ex. Of course… I could've talked about after we met up with Jin, but… I guess I just didn't have the nerve to tell you."

Steve frowned at that. "I suppose you expected me to react negatively. Come on, Cammy, you can't just make assumptions unless you go and do it, like when I won my last boxing match."

"And because you were _too_ confident, look what kind of mess that got you in!" Cammy reminded him, her voice rising a little. She inhaled deeply to calm herself. "Sorry, I guess… the relationship stereotypes got to me. Foolish, really…"

"So… with that in mind, what was your assumption then?" Steve asked, now folding his arms in front of his chest.

Cammy sighed. "That you wouldn't be too happy about it."

"Maybe, maybe not," Steve replied. "But to be honest, Cammy, it would have been better if you told me in the first place. Maybe not before getting on the ship because I can admit that the information would have been irrelevant, but once we actually met up with him…? That would have been a good time for you to inform me…"

Steve then began to pace the room, and Cammy noticed the sad look on his face. It made her frown even more. She was just thinking about reaching for him, but then he suddenly turned his head to look at her.

"Look, Cammy… I saw the way you looked at him at the garden. I guess I shouldn't read too much into it, but… I need to know whether or not you've really moved on from him…. Because if you haven't, then the best thing we can both do is to end things between us."

Cammy's eyes widened and her jaw slacked a little. "What!? Steve, I-"

"The universe is going to hell," Steve cut in, his eyes boring into hers. "There are a lot more things to worry about besides whether or not our relationship will work anymore… so I'd rather resolve this now so that we both have a clear head once we're in Outworld."

Anger took over Cammy suddenly. "Do you honestly think that would help!?"

Steve shook his head. "I don't know… but I don't want to keep this problem lingering on. So tell me… are you really over Jin?"

Cammy suddenly found that she couldn't answer the question… and the silence Steve received was enough of an answer.

Steve approached her until they were just a foot away. The disappointing look he was giving Cammy nearly broke her heart. She suddenly wanted to stop this, to try to convince them that they would be okay… but in the end, she realized that no matter how much she begged and screamed, the damage was done… it was too late to take it back.

"You're a good woman, Cammy," Steve said quietly. "I appreciate the time we've spent together, but clearly it was never meant to be. Good night…"

Cammy didn't bother to say anything as he walked past her, leaving the room before closing the door behind him. The clicking sound from the door jolted her out of her stupor, and she found herself blinking rapidly over what had just transpired.

Turning towards the door, she wanted to run out and try to stop Steve from walking away… but suddenly found that she couldn't take those simple steps forward. Instead, she collapsed onto her bed. No tears were shed, but Cammy couldn't help but think that her life was now spinning out of control…

~~~

**The Heavens**

It nearly seemed so long ago since Fujin's eyes met with the bright, soft lights of the Heavens. As he entered, he came to realize that being a God had one benefit… he could come and go as he pleased. Seeing the other beings that have ascended here after the demise of their mortal forms, he knew that they were more than content to remain here.

If Fujin didn't know better, he was sure that there was no invasion going on at all with the way some of the people here carried themselves. Ignorance is bliss, he supposed.

Ignoring his surroundings, Fujin made his way to the temple where the Elder Gods were sure to be located. He only had to think about where he wanted to go before he was brought there. Naturally, Daichi, Hinote, Mizu, and the other Elder Gods were all there as though they were expecting his arrival.

“Welcome, Fujin,” the Elder Gods all said in unison.

“If I may, I wish to speak with Daichi, Hinote, and Mizu alone.”

As though on cue, the other Elder Gods left the room. Soon, Fujin was left alone with the three he requested to speak with.

"What do we owe the pleasure, Fujin?" greeted Daichi.

Under normal circumstances, Fujin would have returned the smile Daichi had given him, especially since the God of Earth was always friendly to him. However, the God of Wind was in no mood for pleasantries.

"You seem rather calm considering… recent events…"

"If this is about the invasion-" Hinote started to say.

"Far from it," Fujin said, cutting the God of Fire off mid-sentence. "This is about your Champion, Scorpion… or rather, your _ex_ -champion."

This earned a baffled look from all three Elder Gods, a reaction Fujin was not expecting. "What do you mean?" Daichi asked.

Fujin's eyes widened. "You mean… you don't know?"

"Just because we are Elder Gods, that doesn't mean that we have eyes and ears on everything at all times," Hinote pointed out. "You of _all_ people should know that, especially considering how you've relinquished your status-"

Mizu groaned at that. "Hinote, clearly this discussion is not about Fujin's status. He has come to discuss what has happened to our champion. I suggest listening before you attempt to jump to other matters."

Hinote exhaled through his nose briefly. "Very well."

From there, Fujin explained exactly what Scorpion had explained to him; how, apparently, the Elder Gods relinquished his Champion title because they believed his mission 'had gone on long enough.'

Mizu frowned after Fujin was finished. "This is an unfortunate turn of events. We have been occupied with other matters as of late. Had we known this happened, we would have immediately intervened. Perhaps it may be best to talk to him about-"

"No, that can't happen," Fujin suggested highly. "The way his mindset is right now, he'll only attack you the moment he sees you. He swore to kill you if you went anywhere near him."

Hinote snorted. "Even if he tried, he'll be obliterated before he had the chance to attack."

"I know, but either way, that's not something that's needed. Not only was he deceived, but he believes that you also backed out on your promise to reunite him with his family and clan."

Daichi then remembered something. "Hinote… I seem to recall the last conversation we had with Scorpion. I believe your exact words to him were, 'I'm starting to wonder if you are still capable of your mission,' as well as, 'if you fail your mission one last time…'"

"Oh great…" mumbled Mizu, realizing what has been done.

Hinote folded his arms in front of his chest. "I'm merely trying to get him focused on his task."

"And because of that, look at his reaction!" Fujin called out. "Are you really surprised that he would fall for it? Hinote, I know you are the God of Fire, and naturally, you're personality reflects that, but there are times where you are too harsh."

Hinote shook his head. "Perhaps you should stick to the current subject rather than-"

"Enough!" Daichi called out. "No matter how much we argue about it, what's done is done. Clearly, someone had manipulated Scorpion into thinking that we had pulled back on the deal, someone who would know the spectre's quest."

In his mind, Fujin had a feeling that he knew exactly who the manipulator was. _Quan Chi_ … Who else who have an interest in the ninja spectre? And an even bigger question… for what purpose did the sorcerer have to do such a thing?

"All we can really do is let him continue his mission as though none of it happened," suggested Mizu.

"No!" Fujin called out. "I know that we usually let missions like this go on for years, but at this point, with what has transpired, we need to make an exception."

"We can't just do that," said Hinote. "Not only can't we get involved, but it would not be fair to those who have met their end of a mission after many years."

"He's right," agreed Daichi. "Perhaps there's another way we can resolve this."

That was when an idea came to Fujin, his pale eyes widening. "I have a suggestion if you'll allow it."

"Of course," said Mizu.

"The mortals who are gathered to fight against Shao Kahn will be arriving in Outworld within the next few days. Let Scorpion fight alongside them in their battle. If they win and the universe is safe once more, fulfill your end of the bargain."

"If I recall," said Daichi. "You made your own bargain with him. If he did the same exact thing, he would earn the right to fight against Quan Chi. Changing one end of a deal goes against our usual protocol."

"Make an exception," Fujin suggested.

Mizu had an idea. "The only way I see this changing is if Quan Chi is in the battle itself. If that happens…"

"But because of the change, we won't be able to fulfill our deal," Hinote reminded them.

"A compromise will have to be made," said Daichi. "I think I have an idea. It may not be the most ideal for Scorpion, but… I think this compromise may be one he would agree with."

"And that is…" Fujin began to ask.

From there, Daichi began to explain his suggestion…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Late in the night, the large moon overlooking Outworld was high in the sky, casting light upon everything it was able to touch. This included the windows of Ivy's sleeping quarters. Aside from that light, a single candle was lit on one of the nightstands in the room.

A loud snap was heard as Ivy secured a piece of armor over her left arm, checking it over briefly to making sure the clasps were secured. She then lifted a leg to let it rest on a chair, checking it over to make sure that her white, thigh-length boots were also secured properly.

The plans to invade Keisei were set and ready to go. At dawn, Shao Kahn would open the portal and the invasion of a new realm would commence on her lead…

Ivy was suggested to get some sleep. However, for hours, she had been feeling restless. After a while of tossing and turning, she simply decided to get herself ready. She had taken a long bath, dried her short hair, put on her makeup, then she began to slowly dress into her battle outfit. Any other time, she would have Tanya pick out her outfit, but considering the circumstances, Ivy decided to do that herself this time.

Besides, she would rather be alone for a while.

It was an outfit that was much more modest than her usual, a traditional soldier's uniform (short, long-sleeved jacket, pants, and shirt) that was mostly red with gold trimmings, black gloves, a black sash going around her abdomen, and a white cloth resting in between her collarbones. Aside from the gold armor along her left arm, the only other armor she had were the two around her ankles.

With that done, she had nothing else to do… and there was still only a few hours left. Sure, she could try to do some training, but the Empress figured that she would need to conserve her own energy until the time came.

Ivy took a deep breath as she sat down in her chair in front of the vanity, looking at the mirror in front of her. The inevitable had come, and it was something that she had tried to delay for so long. Delaying has now run its course, and unless some miracle came around (she very highly doubted that), the invasion of Keisei would go on as planned.

To say that she wasn't looking forward to it would have been an understatement. However, as Empress of Outworld, she had her duty. Besides, it was her choice to remain loyal to Shao Kahn and Outworld. She could have left to return to Keisei at any time.

Apparently, she was infatuated with Shao Kahn enough to remain here after all this time. Even so, that was a trivial excuse. What else had compelled her to remain here?

The door to her quarters suddenly opened, drawing Ivy out of her thoughts. Only one person in the entire fortress was allowed to just waltz into her quarters without knocking. Standing up from her chair, she turned so that she was face to face with the Emperor of Outworld.

"In just a few hours," Shao Kahn began to say. "Outworld will finally invade Keisei."

Ivy nodded, keeping her face neutral. "Yes, it was only a matter of time."

"It's a shame that we didn't merge Earth in the second run. Once the two realms are fully in our grasps, the entire universe will be ours."

It was something that was well known since the invasions of the realms began. More than a decade ago, the invasion of Earth was thwarted by those from that realm, making it more powerful than any other. And although Outworld has never attempted to even touch Keisei until now, the energy of that realm and the resources they had was enough for that realm to be just as strong as Earth.

Once both realms were merged, it would be much easier for Outworld to invade what remained of the universe.

Shao Kahn continued after a brief pause. "Once the invasion of Keisei is done, I need you to help with securing the realm and take out any pockets of resistance you run into. I'll have that only last a few days before you return to the fortress."

Ivy nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

Shao Kahn then took a few steps forward before stopping, barely leaving enough space between him and his Empress. He then reached up to caress her cheek with the back of his calloused fingers. Ivy gazed up at him as his glowing red eyes stared down at her. It was the kind of sight most would have coward in fear over, but Ivy was never afraid.

"I know you won't fail me," the Emperor said. He then took his other hand up to his own face before tilting his helmet up just enough to fully reveal his lips. Before Ivy knew what he was about to do, he leaned down to give her a hard, bruising kiss.

Ivy returned the gesture just as eagerly and they were both like this for a few moments before Shao Kahn abruptly pulled away. He pulled his helmet back to its normal position before backing away to leaving Ivy's quarters. Nothing more was said as he exited the room, closing the doors behind him.

Even a few minutes later, Ivy was reeling from the kind of kiss that had reminded her why she was willing to fight by Shao Kahn's side.


	68. Chapter Sixty-Seven

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

The morning sun had risen not too long ago. With the cloudless blue sky above, the light breeze from the ocean nearby, and the temperatures at a comfortable level, many could consider it a beautiful day.

Within the Coast Guard Headquarters, some of the soldiers who live there also had families there as well, though there weren't too many of them. Some of the children who lived at the headquarters were close to Amy Guile's age. Naturally, she befriended them and has played with them every day since arriving in Keisei. The kids living here had initially been curious because they never met anyone who lived outside of their world, but it didn't take them very long to get past that.

After over a month in a cold base back on Earth with no contact with other children, Amy's mother, Jane, could only imagine how good it felt for her daughter to talk to other kids. Right now, Amy and the other children were playing in a small field not too far from the main Coast Guard building playing tag. They ran around and were yelling and laughing with each other. Clearly, they were having fun.

The universe may be falling apart around them, but Jane was glad to see Amy being happy, carefree, and just being a kid in general. It helped her daughter keep her mind off of all that's happened. Heck, watching her daughter play was even helping her.

Jane can only hope, especially for the sake of the kids living here, that Keisei never experiences the invasion. They were prepared for what's to come, but it would be nice if it didn't happen at all.

Jane's train of thought broke off as she heard light footsteps coming up to her. Turning her head, she noticed the Keisei native Sophitia approaching her.

"Hi Jane," Sophitia greeted cheerfully. "Mind if I sit with you?"

Jane patted the empty spot next to her on the wooden bench she was sitting on. "Sure," she replied. Sophitia took a couple of steps forward before sitting next to the older woman.

The two women had met during dinner on the first night of their stay here. Sophitia was kind to both her and Amy almost immediately. Jane later found out that Sophitia was also a mother, her two children remaining at home with their maternal grandmother while she helped with the fight against the possible invasion. Jane had no problem with talking to those around her, but she found Sophitia to be the easiest person to talk to.

Sophitia spoke after a moment of silence. "It must be nice for Amy to keep her mind off of things for a while."

Jane nodded in agreement. "I was just thinking that. She's been more relaxed… happier, since we left Earth. I think having other children around has really helped."

Sophitia nodded. "I remember when I found out that I was expecting for the second time. It had been a surprise for Rothion and I because we had our daughter not all that long ago. We thought she would be our only one for a while, but, well, I guess fate had other plans."

Jane shrugged. "My husband and I had talked about having other children when Amy was just starting school, but… a lot was going on at that time, so Amy's been our only one. It would've been nice for her to have a playmate, but having friends in her school and cousins to play with helped."

Sophitia sighed a little. "Sometimes… I do wonder if leaving home was the right thing. I mean, I'm glad that Roth is here and that my family is caring for our children, but a part of me wonders if it was better to stay with them with what's looming over our heads."

"You're fighting against something that threatens the lives of many," Jane reminded her. "We're not just fighting against evil… we're fighting for our future… our children's future."

Sophitia turned her head to where Amy and the other kids were playing. "You're right. It doesn't make it easier, but reminding ourselves of that does help."

There was a brief silence before a thought came to Sophitia. She turned her head back to Jane. "I… hope you don't mind me asking but… what happened to Amy's father?"

Jane looked down at her feet, keeping the tears that threaten to spill from her eyes. She found herself remembering the last time she saw Guile… those pale eyes, the _sonic boom_ that almost hit their daughter… and no matter who tried to talk to him, he wouldn't snap out of it. Amy's confusions and questions as to why her father was acting this way made Jane's heart break even when she thought about that day.

"We… got separated during the first wave," Jane replied quietly, not wanting to reveal the whole story.

Sophitia frowned upon hearing that. "I hope he's okay."

"… Me, too…"

Meanwhile, in the garden area, Feng Wei was the only one there as he sat in a lotus position while meditating. The only sound that was heard in his surrounds was the light, blowing wind.

The last few weeks have been… interesting to the kenpo fighter to say the least. One minute, he had been traveling through Asia looking for the God Fist scroll to learn its secrets and obtain the power it contained… the next, he found himself fighting against an army that threatened the entire existence of mankind. He learned of things he only thought were nothing more than myths… the existence of the Elder Gods and the worlds beyond that of his own.

For some reason, despite his dark deeds, he had been chosen to help fight against the threat. According to Fujin while they were on the ship coming here to Keisei, it was about his strength, willpower, and desire to be the best warrior… and apparently, there was still some good in him.

Whatever it was that Fujin saw, Feng Wei couldn't see it.

Even after all that, he still couldn't understand why he was here. However, despite his doubts, Feng Wei was highly looking forward to fighting in Outworld. It was why he was willing to join up… to test himself against warriors from another world.

Suddenly, Feng Wei snapped his eyes opened as he heard footsteps close to his proximity. Just a few feet away, he saw Sagat walking by through the garden. The Muay Thai fighter eventually stopped when he felt a pair of eyes staring at his right side. Turning in that direction, he noticed Feng Wei not too far from him.

Once the two made eye contact, Feng Wei took a moment to stand up on his feet. From where they both stood, they continued to stare at each other, both keeping their faces neutral. The wind around them seemed to pick up a bit as they both felt the other's energy.

Then slowly, Feng Wei got himself into a fighting stance. Knowing what the kenpo fighter was asking, Sagat got himself in his own fighting stance, accepting his silent offer to spar. The stare down from there only lasted a few more seconds.

Then, they both covered the distance between them at the same time. Once they were both within reach, the two exchanges various punches and kicks while switching between offense and defense.

Soon, Feng Wei managed to get past Sagat's defenses with two punches to the face. He then followed with a shoulder ram hard enough to make Sagat stumble back. Taking advantage of the space, Sagat quickly took a step forward and extended both of his arms out in front of him.

" _Tiger!_ " Sagat yelled as a fire-like projectile shot out from his fists. Seeing this, Feng Wei immediately stepped to the side, the projectile flying until it hit a nearby wall and leaving behind a small scorch mark.

" _Tiger!_ " Sagat yelled again as another projectile shot out, aiming towards his opponent's shins this time. Luckily, Feng Wei was prepared again and jumped over it before he was hit.

As Feng Wei fell back to land on his feet, Sagat jumped up, his fist connecting underneath the kenpo fighter's chin. " _Tiger uppercut!_ " he called out as they both flew in the air. Soon, Sagat landed gracefully on his feet. While Feng Wei did land on his side, he quickly rolled back before standing up, immediately getting back in a fighting stance.

Sagat was sure that the landing had to hurt. However, with how quickly Feng Wei stood up afterwards, the Muay Thai fighter couldn't help but admire his resilience.

In a fast pace, Feng Wei flipped forward, a foot striking Sagat's chest, making him stumble again. As he regained his footin, Feng Wei, now standing upright again, spun around before delivering a roundhouse to his opponent's side. Sagat once more stumbled but kept himself from falling.

At this point, a few of those at the Coast Guard Headquarters ended up noticing their sparring session. A few were from their group of chosen ones and others were soldiers from the Coast Guard. Some watched them silently while others talked amongst themselves. Either way, the sparring session caught their interest.

Both back in fighting stances, one waited for the other to make the next move. Eventually, Sagat decided to cover the distance between them. Once he was close enough, he jumped forward with one leg bent up for his next attack.

" _Tiger knee!_ " he called out. However, Feng Wei saw the move coming and he managed to get out of the way before he was hit. Then, while Sagat tried to recover, Feng Wei took the opportunity to hit him with a high kick, knocking him back. He then jumped up and, as he fell back, delivered two more kicks to Sagat's chest, making him fall back even further.

Either way, Feng Wei still couldn't seem to make the much taller fighter fall down.

As Sagat straightened himself back up, Feng Wei's hands were suddenly surrounded by a yellow aura. Sagat was trying to comprehend what he was about to do before Feng Wei quickly jumped forward and delivered a palm strike to his chest. The force of the strike sent Sagat sliding back and crashing back first into a nearby wall.

And even after that, Sagat still managed to keep himself upright.

Feng Wei, with gritted teeth, ran towards Sagat for another strike, but the Muay Thai fighter was ready this time. When Feng Wei was close enough, Sagat managed to grab the kenpo fighter by the head. Before Feng Wei even attempt to begin struggling out of the grip, Sagat raised an elbow before slamming it into the back of his head. He then lifted a knee and Feng Wei's face met with it in force.

After that was taken care of, Sagat heard Feng Wei let out a grunt as he held his face, the pain intense. He was also temporarily blinded from the attack and he was trying to keep himself upright.

Even after that, Feng Wei managed to keep standing.

Once Feng Wei's vision returned, he noticed Sagat a few feet away in his fighting stance. Feng Wei also got into a stance, not ready to finish sparring yet. Once more, the two stared at each other, leaving their watchers anticipating over what will happen next between these two warriors.

A small smirk appeared on Sagat's face after a few seconds. "It looks like neither one of us are going to keep the other down any time soon."

Feng Wei's face was neutral, but he managed to give him a single nod of agreement in reply. From there, the two of them continued to spar.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

The Emperor Shao Kahn entered a small room he hadn't been to in a while. As he had expected, the lone Shadow Priest in the room sitting readily in a chair. In front of them was a table with a crystal ball on top of it.

Dawn was coming. His Empress and their troops will be heading to Keisei very soon. There was one thing that he needed to know.

"Show me where the strongest warriors will be in Keisei," he requested.

Silently, the Shadow Priest raised their hands, only their long fingernails exposed from under the long sleeves of their heavy cloak. The crystal ball was activated, soon showing Shao Kahn an image of a city. To his delight, it was a bright, beautiful day and the people he saw on the streets were going about their business like everything was normal.

A day like that was always the perfect time to invade. Mother Nature there did not give these people any hint of an ill omen, so naturally, no one expected anything bad to happen. How little they knew what would happen today…

The Shadow Priest whispered a name, and it took a moment for the Emperor to understand what they had said.

"Chili-san," Shao Kahn repeated. He turned to the Shadow Priest and nodded. "That will be all."

Turning around, the Emperor left the room and began to head to the throne room. There, Ivy and the troops will meet him there. He would send his best Chili-san… it was the perfect place to wipe out the fighters.

~~~

**Earth, Unknown Area**

For the past few days, Quan Chi had remained on Earth. For a while, he had been spying on the ninja spectre Scorpion. Those who knew him, specifically Shang Tsung, would have shaken their heads over it, thinking how Quan Chi was obsessed with getting even with Scorpion for sending him back to the Netherrealm after the Blood Tournament. The notion would have made him laughed had he actually heard that… he was no Shang Tsung, not by a long shot. He could imagine that they wouldn't believe him no matter what he said.

However, the necromancer actually had a genuine reason for being here. His presence here on Earth was actually under the orders of the Emperor, Shao Kahn.

Quan Chi thought back on the exchange he and Shao Kahn had right after the second wave of the Earth invasion…

_"_ _You wanted to see me, Emperor?" Quan Chi asked as he kneeled down to bow to Shao Kahn. In a rare moment, the necromancer noticed that Empress Ivy was not present._

_"_ _Rise, Quan Chi. I haven an assignment for you," Shao Kahn replied._

_Quan Chi got to his feet, standing in a parade rest as he awaited his orders._

_"_ _The assignment is… of a sensitive nature," the Emperor began to explain. "Not even the Empress knows about it."_

_Well, that explained her absence._

_"_ _Clearly no one has succeeded in assassinating the Thunder God, Raiden," Shao Kahn continued. "Something tells me that while he is on Earth, getting rid of him won't be easy."_

_Quan Chi almost raised an eyebrow, but he managed to control it, knowing that the gesture would be considered questioning the Emperor. The reason for it was because he realized what Shao Kahn wanted him to do._

_"_ _Quan Chi… I want you to go to Earth and find a way to lure Raiden here to Outworld. If there is one thing that's well-known, it's that, as a God, his powers will weaken the longer he remains here. Draw him to Outworld by any means necessary. The rest will… take care of itself."_

_Quan Chi nodded. "It will be done._ _"_

The necromancer had departed for Earth late that night.

Normally, Quan Chi would have finished his assignment by now, but there was only one obstacle in his way… Scorpion.

Between the other times Quan Chi was here, he was able to put some pieces together as to Scorpion's purpose here. Apparently, the Elder Gods had made the spectre their Champion and had assigned him to eliminate Raiden once and for all. It was why whenever one saw Raiden or Scorpion, the other was not too far away. For some reason, however, Scorpion hadn't succeeded in his mission just yet.

Quan Chi was very, very sure that the reward for Scorpion's success involved him reuniting with his family and clan. The thought only amused the sorcerer.

Quan Chi knew he had to find a way to get Scorpion out of the way. He first thought of sending him back to the Netherrealm… but another idea came to him.

Using his powers, he manipulated images around Scorpion to make him think that he was speaking with the Elder Gods. He made them sound like they were talking at once because Quan Chi wasn't sure if he was able to successfully manipulate their individual voices correctly since Scorpion had talked to them on more than one occasion. He made them tell him that they no longer needed him and that he would not reunite with his family.

To the sorcerer's delight and expectancy, Scorpion's rage took over at the injustice of their 'decision.' He disappeared in a blaze of fire and has not been seen since.

Emerging from behind a tree in the immediate aftermath with a smirk on his face, Quan Chi felt satisfied with his work. Now with Scorpion out of the way, he can now focus on getting Raiden to Outworld.

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Just after lunchtime, Cyrax and Smoke had decided to go outside to spar on a field at the Coast Guard headquarters. It didn't take them long before they managed to attract a small audience consisting of Hwang, Mi-na, Hwoarang, Julia, and Cody. All five sat either on the wooden bench or the large boulder next to it.

"You know," said Cody. "For a couple of cyborgs, they move pretty fast."

"The clan they were from must've made sure their agility remained when they changed them," guessed Hwang.

"Wait, they changed them?" asked Hwoarang.

"It wasn't their choice…" mentioned Julia, who remembered the story Cyrax told her about the cybernetic initiative during their stay on the Rockies.

"I remember Cyrax said something about that," Cody said.

Hwoarang shook his head. "That sucks that it wasn't their choice. I wonder why their masters did such a thing?"

To their surprise, both Cyrax and Smoke had heard them talking, and the two cyborgs had stopped what they were doing to acknowledge them. "Our master at the time didn't even explain that to us too well," said Cyrax.

"But there was word that it had something to do with eliminating insubordination," explained Smoke.

"Hmm," Hwang began to wonder. "We have young recruits in the Coast Guard who I overheard on more than one occasion complain about having to do everything their superiors tell them without saying no. I bet if they heard your story, they won't complain about subordination again."

"Well, we don't have anything to do until we leave for Outworld," said Cyrax. "You can always set up a meeting with them so we can tell our story to those kids."

"Like a school assembly," Julia mentioned.

Cody groaned at that. "Ugh, I hated those when I was in school. A lot of it was pointless at times. The only good thing about them was getting out of class."

"Hey," Hwoarang cut in as a thought came to him. "Can either of you access the internet right now? It'd be nice to, like, go on my usual social networks for once."

"Sorry, I already tried that," replied Cyrax. "Because Keisei lacks wireless technology, connection is impossible."

Mi-na sighed as she rested her cheek on her hand. "I admit, that is one thing I'm going to miss about Earth… internet."

"What's an internet?" asked a confused Hwang.

"A blessing and a curse," answered Cody. "You guys have encyclopedias here, right?"

"Yeah?"

"It's like that, but it's all in one place and you can find anything you can think of on there."

"Unfortunately it can be addicting," added Julia. "Worse, it attracts those who think they have the freedom to spew their hate whenever they like because otherwise, they're too afraid to say it in person."

"Especially when you read the comments sections on news sites," Hwoarang said. "Heck, the social network sites and message boards can be like that sometimes too."

"There's even a song from a play, forgot the name, that claims that 'the internet is for porn,'" Cody said while air quoting the last five words. "It's… actually pretty true."

"Not always!" called out Julia. "It can be for communicating with friends as well, especially those who live far away."

Cody grinned. "Yes, but what do you think we do _after_?"

Julia covered her face with her hands. "Ugh…"

Hwang only shrugged at all of this. "Sounds… fascinating…."

"Hey when this whole invasion crap is over," Mi-na began to say. "I have to take you to Earth for a visit. Of course, we'll have to find a way without using portals in the middle of the ocean, but I think you'll have fun."

"Maybe," was all Hwang said.

"I'll just be in the mountains when this is over," Smoke mentioned.

"And I'll be… somewhere," added Cyrax.

"Why don't you two continue sparring," suggested Julia. "I'm sure some of us could benefit from watching in preparations for Outworld."

"Good idea," agreed Smoke as he and Cyrax returned to what they were doing.

Meanwhile, after having a light meal, King decided to do some training in one of the training rooms at headquarters. There were actually plenty of choose from considering how many soldiers they housed here throughout the year. King decided to go for one of the bigger rooms since he liked to train with plenty of space around him.

Once he decided which room to go in, King entered before closing the door behind him. By the time he did, he realized that there was someone else in the room, punching and kicking at the dummy. Their back was turned to him, but King had no doubt over whom it was…

Of all the people to run into, it just had to be Craig Marduk.

King let out a growl in frustration, but Marduk ended up hearing it. Stopping what he was doing, Marduk turned around to face him. Immediately, the Vale Tudo fighter's eyes narrowed and King's fists clenched by his side in reply.

"Hmph," Marduk began to say as he took a couple of steps towards King. "I can't remember the last time it was just you and me in the same room without anyone else around."

"With that in mind," King began to say. "We can settle this once and for all. You will pay for what happened to my master!"

Marduk shook his head at that. No matter how he explained his side of the story, King was not going to let it go, not until he was satisfied. Marduk decided to finally go ahead and indulge him.

If there was one thing he learned about invasions, it was that it was best that all involved went into battle with a clear head. They were going to wait until the deal with Outworld was over, but perhaps it was best to… get it over with. At least now, there was no one around to interrupt them.

"Since this… invasion… I've changed my ways," Marduk declared. He then pointed at King, a determined look on his face. "I'll take you down fair and square."

King immediately got in his fighting stance. "I don't believe that… but we'll see."

Marduk didn't bother to get into his own stance. Instead, he jumped forward with a growl, ready to take King down once and for all.

King was already prepared, so by the time Marduk was within reach, King jumped up in an attempt to deliver a body slam. However, Marduk saw this in time and managed to get himself out of the way before he was hit.

Quickly, Marduk turned around as King attempted to get back up. Using this as leverage, Marduk delivered a punch to King's face, causing him to be disoriented. He then bent down to grab his ankles before tumbling back to throw him overhead. King went flying a few feet until he crashed landed on the mat back first.

Despite the pain that suddenly hit him, King managed to roll in a direction away from Marduk as he got himself back up. Once standing again, King covered the distance between them. Briefly, they exchanged a few punches before Marduk managed to land a kick to King's side. The Vale Tudo fighter then followed with a punch to the gut, making King double over, clutching his stomach. Taking this opportunity, Marduk clasped both of his fists and raised them above his own head before smashing them down on the back of King's head, knocking him face first to the floor.

Marduk then attempted to lift his foot to slam down, but King managed to once more roll out of the way before that happened. With just a small struggle, King got up. By then, Marduk attempt to approach, but King was ready this time. He jumped up and performed a double kick to Marduk's chest, causing the larger wrestler to stumble back. King then grabbed him and turned them halfway before slamming Marduk to the floor with both hands.

It was Marduk's turn to avoid King's foot stomp as he rolled out of the way. On his feet moments later, they got into each other's face again, and the two of them ended up in a lock, hands pushing at shoulders and necks.

For a while, it was a struggle for one to overpower the other. Eventually, they were both bent down to where Marduk pulled back a little to deliver a knee to King's face, causing the Mexican wrestler to stagger back. Marduk then delivered one punch, but when he tried to follow with a second, King managed to block it with his forearm.

King then gave Marduk a few of his own punches to the face, making Marduk fall back on the ground. King then reached down, grabbed his ankles, and spun around a few times before letting go. Marduk flew a few feet before crashing into a wall and landing on his side on the floor.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" Marduk called out as he slowly stood up moments later. By this point, King attempted to cover the space between them again. Marduk clasped both fist together again. When King was close enough, Marduk dodged to the side before slamming his fists upwards, catching King's chin. The move caused King to fly up a few feet, but as he fell back down, Marduk kicked him causing him to fly back before hitting the floor again.

Despite that, it didn't keep King down, and Marduk watched with curiosity

"Giving up?" Marduk said with a smug look.

Even with the mask, Marduk swore that King was glaring daggers at him. "Never."

King ran towards him, and Marduk once more stepped to the side. However, King knew this would happen, so he knew what to do next. Jumping up, King's feet hit the wall and he used it as leverage to bounce off of it. Turning, he delivered a kick to Marduk's head, sending the larger fighter stumble forward.

Landing back down, King took advantage of Marduk's distraction. Grabbing Marduk, King quickly lifted him up to perform a German supplex. Marduk grunted as his head took most of the impact. At this point, Marduk was sure that King would let go. Instead, to both his surprise and dread, King somersaulted back before flipping over again, taking Marduk over his head with him. Once more, Marduk's head made contact with the floor in a second German supplex.

Then, finally, King let go before standing up. This time, he stood ready, waiting for his opponent to get up.

Marduk did try to stand up despite feeling very dizzy, but the immense pain got to him. Realizing that he was no longer in the condition to fight, the Vale Tudo fighter said two words he never thought he would say to King...

"You win."

Marduk had expected one of two things at this point… the mostly likely one was that King would simply walk away at this point. The other, a small possibility, was that the Mexican wrestler would kill him right then and there.

He _never_ expected King to outstretch his hand towards him, offering to help him up.

For a few moments, Marduk simply stared at King's hand, unsure of what to expect. He then decided to take his chances… he reached up to grasp King's hand, who then pulled him up with ease onto his feet.

Marduk hunched a little from the pain he was feeling at the moment. Still, he raised his head up high and eyed his rival. "You were hell bent on vengeance. Why the sudden change of heart?"

King's hands clenched a little, but they room relaxed. Even with his leopard mask, the eyes seem to stare right through Marduk. "For a long time since you killed Armor King, I wanted nothing more than to see to your death. An eye for an eye… however, the more time passed, the more I realized that avenging him by seeing to your death isn't the way… I should've known that a while ago when I… sent you to the hospital. Now, I know for sure that simply defeating you in a fair fight with no interference was good enough…"

King began to turn around to walk out of the training room. He then stopped just as he reached for the door and slightly turned his head towards Marduk. "The possible end of the world can also put things into… perspective." He then left the room, closing the door behind him.

Marduk had the feeling that he was going to spend a good chunk of his free time reflecting on all of this for quite a while.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

The crack of dawn could be seen through the windows of the throne room. There, Shao Kahn stood to face his generals, guards, and others of the Outworld Forces who will be making their way to Chili-san. In front of the group, Ivy looked up at him, a neutral look on her face. She was dressed, her blade was sharpened, and all was good to go.

"You know how it goes," Shao Kahn announced as he began to open the portal to Keisei. "Weaken the realm's defenses. You are to fight until a retreat is called as always. Then, when the time comes, we will come back to finish them. Now, go!"

With many in the room yelling battle cries, they all began to enter the portal. The portal spread them throughout the realm where they were needed. Of course, the strongest were sent to Chili-san.

Naturally, Ivy was the last to go. As she approached the portal, she stopped for a moment to turn to face Shao Kahn. The Emperor had already sat down at his throne, his red eyes staring at her.

He smirked under his mask. "Go, my dear. Do not fail me."

Ivy managed her own smirk briefly before turning around and entered the portal. It didn't take long before she found herself in Keisei.

Upon recognizing the city she was fighting in, Ivy took comfort in knowing that she wouldn't be fighting in her own homeland.


	69. Chapter Sixty-Eight

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

In the gardens, Dhalsim sat in the middle of the area in a lotus position. His eyes were closed, though he could still feel the mid-afternoon sun shining down on his face. For currently being in a cold area, the weather was pleasant today.

For a while, his mind was clear, and he was able to focus on his breathing. However, for the first time since he could remember, his mind ended up drifting to one of the last good memories he can remember of his family…

… _He was met by a young boy about the age of ten. The young boy smiled upon seeing Dhalsim. "Father!" he called out happily._

_Dhalsim smiled as his son embraced him, not seeing much of him all day. He patted the boy's bald head, which matched his own with the exception of the stripped red paint on the older man's head._

_"Is supper almost ready, Datta?" Dhalsim asked him._

_"That's funny, I was just coming to tell you that it was ready," Datta chuckled. He grabbed his father's hand before leading him further into the small village towards their home. "I don't know what mother made, but I hope it's nice and warm."_

_"Yes, it has been unusually chilly lately," Dhalsim agreed._

_Soon, father and son reached the hut they called home. It wasn't very large, but it was still very comfortable for three people to live in. The two reached the kitchen, where Dhalsim's wife, Sally, was seen setting the plates on the wooden table. She looked up to see her family coming in and smiled._

_"There you are," she said cheerfully. He looked up at her husband. "I made you your favorite today."_

_Dhalsim sat at the table and looked down at his plate. He smiled upon seeing a serving of curry vegetables. Indeed, it was his favorite. And best of all, Sally made the best curry vegetables he had ever tasted._

_"Thank you, dear," Dhalsim said as his wife and son settled themselves at the table._

Dhalsim's eyes suddenly snapped opened as the memory left him. Even with the visions gone, he could still clear hear her warm voice and see his bright smile. He found himself frowning as he looked upon towards the sky. He could only hope that his family and those in his village were amongst the stars and not in the grasps of the Outworld Forces.

He also understood why those in mourning tended to keep themselves busy.

Suddenly, a feeling came over him and Dhalsim checked his surroundings. There was no one around him as of now. His eyes widening, Dhalsim stood up from his position, his gaze remaining on the sky.

The feeling was dark and all too familiar.

It didn't take long for the area to darken around him despite the cloudless sky above. He knew that this meant from what he witnessed on Earth over a month ago.

"The time has come," he whispered. "I can only hope that Keisei is ready." He then ran forward and headed back to the main headquarters building, intending to meet with the others.

Meanwhile, Fujin had just returned to Keisei after his meeting with the Elder Gods in the Heavens. They had discussed the compromise that Fujin would personally deliver to Scorpion. He was just about to do just that when the Elder Gods highly suggested that he should go back to Keisei right away.

"Why?" Fujin had asked, confused.

"It's most important that you return to Keisei immediately," Daichi had said, almost repeating himself.

The Elder Gods didn't say it outright, but Fujin quickly realized what they meant. The invasion of Keisei was about to start, and the Elder Gods were directing him to help anyway he could.

His talk with Scorpion would have to wait.

Using the deity portal, Fujin returned to Keisei and headed immediately to Chili-san. The minute he arrived, he noticed the area darkening as though the sun's rays were dimming. He was glad to have returned when he did.

Quickly, Fujin flew over to the Coast Guard Headquarters. There he noticed the troops and the chosen ones coming out of the main building, preparing for what was to come. Fujin looked around until he spotted Ruby Heart running out the door, her sword in hand.

Ruby Heart seemed to sigh with relief upon noticing the Wind God. "Great timing!" she called out. "I knew you were busy, but I was starting to wonder if you knew what was going on."

"Luckily, the Elder Gods warned me of what was to come," Fujin explained. "In their own subtle way, of course."

"Were you… successful in your mission?" Ruby Heart asked.

Fujin slowly shook his head. "Too many complications arose."

Ruby Heart frowned. "I'm sorry."

Fujin then gazed up towards the sky. "They'll come soon. Get yourself prepared while there's still time."

Ruby Heart nodded. "A lot of us are going to defend headquarters. We'll be evacuating civilians to this foothold and a good chunk of us will guard it with our lives."

"Good," Fujin nodded. From there, Ruby Heart began heading out. With a deep sigh, Fujin could only hope for the best…

In the forests on the outskirts of Chili-san, the members of the Black Dragon clan took notice of the darkening sky. Some of them were confused about this since the sun was still high up.

It was Bryan who realized what was going on. "Huh… looks like the Outworld invasion has finally hit this realm. Naturally, it had to be on the day when Havik _finally_ decides to bring chaos to Chili-san."

"This ought to be fun," Tira bemused.

"Unless you get captured," mentioned Kabal.

Havik ended up folding his arms in front of him as he gazed at the city below the hill they were on. "I don't know whether to be delighted or insulted," he said.

"How so?" asked Tira.

"On one hand, I'm highly looking forward to witnessing their kind of chaos. For a while there, it was actually quite fun witnessing the chaos on my world. On the other hand, the chaos would eventually lead to enslavement, something that's considered a great insult where I come from."

"I can see where you're… conflicted," said Bryan. After saying that, he couldn't help the scowling look that appeared on his face. He had definitely spent _way_ too long with this group.

Finally, Havik threw his arms up in the air. "Oh, what the hell! Have fun! Try not to turn into a slave!"

With that in mind, the Black Dragon clan began to march down the hill and towards the city.

~~~

With the warnings in place all around, the people of Chili-san were suddenly in disarray. Most weren't sure exactly what to do since many were not expecting the invasion to happen so soon. Eventually, members of the Coast Guard directed them to stay indoors unless they had the ability to fight back. That's what most did. Some stayed outside and got ready to defend their homes. Others simply wandered around, still unsure of what to do.

Then, time was up… the portals opened. Immediately, the Outworld Forces came pouring in and started their onslaught.

Many of the Outworld Forces ended up being surprised by the immediate resistance they were met with. In the past, it didn't take too much effort for them to take the citizens down. Any resistance that did occur usually would take some time. Now, not only did they meet with the resistance right away, but it was almost overwhelming.

Stepping out of the portal, Ivy couldn't help but gaze at her surroundings. The area was darkened despite the cloudless, sunny sky. Those not fighting back were running, screaming, dying, or trying to find a place to hide. The guards were already beginning to set buildings on fire as a way to lure the citizens out onto the streets.

Ivy had witnessed this kind of chaos before in past invasions. The difference was that she was witnessing the destruction of her home world. At least it wasn't the city she grew up in.

She then realized how much she missed blue skies and green grass. Too bad the smokes from the fires will cover them from view soon enough.

What did catch her interest was the resistance of their opponents. She supposed it was bound to happen sooner or later. At least Keisei and Earth were the last two worlds they needed to merge with Outworld before the job got easier.

Whipping out her beloved sword, Ivy stepped into the fray.

~~~

In the streets, Nina Williams was one of the first of the group to go head to head with the Outworld forces. The first thing she did was step aside and clotheslined the first Outworld guard that ran up to her. Her forearm striking his neck, he went down with a choking sound before smashing back first into the stoned road she was standing on.

Immediately after, another guard attempted to attack, a kwan do in hand. Nina stepped aside from the weapon. Quickly, she pushed it away before landing an open palm strike to the guard's face. As he stumbled back, she crouched down and struck him at a pressure point in the back of the knee. Naturally, the guard buckled as he went down screaming in pain. Once that was done, Nina reached down with both hands and swiftly broke his neck, killing him.

Another guard attempted to approach from behind, but Nina heard his footsteps in time. She quickly turned and jumped at the same time before landing a foot to the guard's face with enough force to push him away into the crowd surrounding her.

A third guard appeared this time. Turning her attention to him, Nina kicked him in the chest, forcing him to stumble. While he was attempt to regain his footing, Nina quickly grabbed him before flipping back, bringing him over her head before smashing him onto the road. As he was dazed, Nina straightened herself up and turned her attention back to him. Without hesitation, she lifted a heeled foot before bringing it down onto his neck, breaking it.

Once that was done, Nina checked her surroundings, waiting for more enemies to approach. In the back of her mind, she wondered if Anna had showed up for this…

At the water docks, Kung Lao was easily taking down the guards who approached him. Some he managed to knock out, while others he killed with the bladed brim of his hat. Only a few minutes had passed since the portals opened, and already his surroundings were a bloodbath.

After chopping off the head of the last guard he fought, Kung Lao happened to turn his head in time to see a Coast Guard soldier scream in agony as he burned to death. Kung Lao turned to the source of the fire being blown onto him, soon noticing the familiar shokan looking at his 'work' with satisfaction.

The shokan was about to do the same thing to another guard whose back was turned to him. Quickly, Kung Lao threw his hand in the shokan's direction, aiming for his arm. However, the Shokan must've had sensed the attack coming because when it was close, he quickly stepped back, letting the hat pass by. The hat eventually returned to him and Kung Lao caught it in his hand with ease.

The shokan turned to Kung Lao, who now got a good look at his face… one he hadn't seen since Shao Kahn's last attempt at invading Earth.

"Kintaro…" he growled.

In reply, Kintaro let out a loud roar before leaning forward to blow fireball from his mouth. Quickly, Kung Lao backed away before the flames could lick his clothes, and the fireball ended up barely landing near his feet.

Swiftly, Kung Lao jumped up into the air before disappearing. Kintaro attempted to search around for him, but Kung Lao ended up reappearing through the ground behind him. Kintaro sensed his presence and began to face him, only to be met with an uppercut under his chin. Normally, a move like that would have sent Kung Lao's opponent flying upwards, but because of Kintaro's heavy weight, the shokan only stumbled back in pain.

Shaking it off, Kintaro let out another group before jumping up high into the air. He then came back down in an attempt to stomp Kung Lao with both feet. However, the Shaolin warrior saw what was coming and managed to run out of the way before he was hit.

Once Kintaro straightened himself back up, Kung Lao covered the distance between them, delivering a palm strike. However, Kintaro blocked the move before pushing his arm away. He then attempted to slam his fist into his opponent's head, but Kung Lao immediately ducked underneath it. Leaving Kintaro open, Kung Lao took the opportunity to slam two punches into his gut before straightening up to deliver two kicks to the same area. Kintaro merely let out a growl and only lost his footing briefly.

Kung Lao then attempted to pull back, but Kintaro managed to grab him. Before Kung Lao would counteract, the shokan lifted him up and simply threw him over his own head backwards, sending the Shaolin warrior flying before landing hard on his back. Despite the pain that suddenly hit him, he managed to roll back onto his feet.

As Kung Lao attempted to get up, Kintaro opened his mouth and let out a long line of fire like a blowtorch. Kung Lao barely managed to roll out of the way as he felt the heat of the fire. He ran as Kintaro turned his head in an attempt to burn his opponent (meanwhile, accidentally burning two Outworld guards).

Eventually, Kintaro had to stop to take the time to inhale. Kung Lao took this opportunity and once more covered the distance between them. Grabbing him, Kung Lao leveraged himself so that he was hand standing on Kintaro's shoulders. Then, with all of his strength, he grabbed a handful of Kintaro's skin, fur, and muscles before somersaulting forward. With dismay, Kintaro found himself behind lifted up as Kung Lao threw him overhead. Kintaro had expected to hit the ground… instead, he found himself overboard the docks and heading straight to the water.

Kung Lao watched with satisfaction as Kintaro's fell into the waters, his screams stopping the second he was underwater. Of course that didn't kill him, but at least he was out of the way for now.

Kung Lao took a moment to catch his breath, feeling the beads of sweat on his face. Hearing the fighting behind him, he turned his attention to the chaos on the street. The invasion was far from over.

Right by the Coast Guard Headquarters, Maki was one of many attempting to help civilians get to safety. It was easier said than done because it seemed as though every other step she took, there was another guard ready to attack her.

Maki had just finished getting a mother and her young son past the fence. She turned her head to see who else she could help when someone in an orange gi caught her attention. Maki attempted to get a better look, but the person disappeared amongst the chaos.

Shaking her head at the brief distraction, she noticed an Outworld guard attempting to harm a young couple trying to get to headquarters. Quickly, Maki ran forward before smashing her baton to the side of the guard's head, knocking him out cold.

Maki turned to the couple. "Go and don't look back!" she called out. The couple quickly thanked her before they ran towards the fence.

At the corner of her eye, Maki noticed the color orange again and quickly turned her head. This time, she noticed the male figure fighting hand-to-hand with a member of the Coast Guard. Getting a good look at his dark brown hair and stern face, Maki found herself gasping in horror.

_Oh my God… Guy!_

Sure, Cody had his run-ins with Guy twice since the invasions of the realms started, but this was the first time Maki had seen him since the end of the Blood Tournament. He looked just the same as that day, but those colorless eyes still remained.

At one point, Guy managed to knock the soldier he was fighting to the ground. Without hesitation, he lifted a foot in an attempt to stomp his neck. By then, Maki had snapped out of her stupor and ran forward. Once within reach, she bent forward and tackled him to the ground. She heard him let out a surprise ' _oof_ ' upon landing on his side.

Quickly, Maki got on her feet, knowing now that she had started her own trouble. She was also pretty sure that Cody would have killed her for her irrational decision to fight Guy… that's if Yang didn't kill her first. Although Maki was damn sure that the influence and brainwashing from Outworld made Guy stronger, Maki knew that she could hold her own for a while. After all, she had trained for years in order to defeat Guy and become the next Bushin Master.

Once he was back on his feet, Guy glared at Maki, his pale eyes unsettling to her. "You made a big mistake," he growled.

Maki stood in her fighting stance and gave him a determined look despite how shaky she was feeling right now. "Guy, do you have any idea who I am? Hell, do you even remember who you once were?"

"It doesn't matter," Guy replied coldly. "You will die like the others."

Before Maki had the chance to say any more, Guy quickly darted towards her. Instinctively, Maki jumped up, and when he was close enough, she fell back down and delivered a kick to his head. She landed on the ground and as he began to regain his footing, she grabbed for him before flipping backwards, forcing him to hit the ground again.

Maki straightened back up, but to her surprise, Guy was already up and covering the space between them. He pulled a fist forward and Maki was ready to parry the attack. However, just as she was pushing her arm forward, Guy jumped up and over her, getting himself behind her. Maki attempted to turn around, only to be met with an elbow to her face. Letting out a cry of pain, Maki stumbled away from him, but managed to keep her footing before she fell.

Shaking the dizziness away, Maki noticed Guy approaching again and quickly hit her baton onto his face with enough force to cause him to stagger back, and he held his face in pain. Immediately, Maki felt guilt for doing that, wondering for a moment if she had broken something.

She had to remind herself, however, that Guy wasn't who he once was.

Despite the pain still lingering, Guy turned his head and he happened to notice a wooden barrel just a foot away. He quickly delivered a roundhouse kick at it. The force of the kick split the barrel in half and the two pieces ended up being hurled towards the young woman.

Maki quickly got herself out the way, and the two barrel pieces ended up hitting the back of a nearby Outworld guard, knocking him forward. She then swiftly approached Guy and for a brief moment, they exchanged a few punches and kicks before Maki managed to deliver a roundhouse kick to his shoulder, pushing him to the side.

She then attempted to extend her arm, aiming her fist, but then Guy ducked underneath it. He then managed to grab Maki by the shoulders and pulled her down with a bit of force. Without waiting another second, Guy drove his knee into Maki's abdomen three times before letting her go.

The immense pain that hit her forced Maki to drop to her knees, and she struggled to breathe as she coughed violently. She then let out a cry as Guy grabbed her by her thick ponytail before pulling her back up on her feet so that she was eye level with him. At that point, she lost her grip on her baton. Maki gritted her teeth, trying to will the pain in her body away, as she was forced to stare back into Guy's stern face, his pale eyes narrowing at her.

 _There has to be a way to free him!_ she cried out in her mind. _There has to be!_

Maki's brown eyes suddenly widened with terror as she saw Guy's fist pull back, and she began to anticipate the bone-crushing blow to her face…

Meanwhile within the city, Ken Masters found himself surrounded completely by Outworld guards and they attempted to close in on him for the kill. Most would have been nervous at this point. However, Ken couldn't help but think of it as an opportunity to get rid of more Outworld scum.

Jumping into the air, Ken extended one leg out and began to spin rapidly. " _Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!_ " he yelled out as his foot hit multiple targets. Most were unfortunate that their faces met with Ken's foots. Only a few were lucky as they simply backed away from the attack.

Once that was done and Ken's feet landed back on the ground, the guards that managed to avoid the last attack attempted to approach him again, their weapons out and ready to kill.

" _Hadouken!_ " Ken yelled out as he released a blue projectile from his hands. The force of the ball ended up knocking two guys a few yards back. Ken then turned around, noticing a guard with a sword running towards him with a battle cry. Quickly stepping to the side, Ken reached out to grab him before landing a punch to the guard's face, knocking him out. Then, another guard managed to get close.

" _Shoryuken!_ " he yelled as he jumped up to perform an uppercut. The force of the punch caused the guard to fly up in the air with Ken before he landed hard back on the ground. Landing gracefully after that attack, Ken noticed more of the Outworld Forces approaching him.

 _Good,_ Ken thought while clenching his teeth. _The more who come, the more I'll get rid of._

Back near the Coast Guard Headquarters, Mika just finished performing a flying peach at a guard, knocking him away from her. She then attempted to get up, but then she finally found another guard nearly on top of her.

She was just about to yell out when she suddenly heard someone yell out, " _Gadouken!_ " A small, blue projectile emerged from the fighter's hands at close range of the guard and the projectile managed to send the guard flying over Mika's head.

Mika looked up at the familiar pink-clad Saikyo fighter. "Thanks Dan," she said.

Dan reached his hand to her. "No problem, I'm glad I noticed you were in trouble before anything worse happened."

Grateful, Mika grabbed onto to his hand and he pulled her back on her feet. She was just start to suggest helping out civilians when they suddenly heard a low, feminine growl just behind them. The two of them turned around, only to come face to face with the shokan, Sheeva.

"Time to meet your demise!" Sheeva promised with a sneer.

Dan blinked a couple of times. "Is it me or is this totally a déjà vu moment for me? Of course, I-"

"DAN!" Mika yelled out to get his attention.

Dan cleared his throat in embarrassment, willing himself to concentrate. "Oh, right!" He threw his hand forward. " _Gadouken!_ "

He realized too late what he had done. As a part of his training with Nightwolf back at the tournament, he was advised to give time in between his projectile attacks because he needed to practice honing his energy for a stronger attack and faster 'load time' as Dan took it. It was something he was still trying to train with, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise when the energy ball he released popped like a bubble before it could reach Sheeva.

" _Yabe!_ " Dan cried out as he and Mika backed away to put some distance between them and the shokan.

With a sneer, Sheeva jumped up high in the air in an attempt to stomp on the two. Seeing this, Dan and Mika got themselves out of the way and Sheeva ended up landing in between the two of them.

Mika made the next move by delivering a few backhands to Sheeva just below her collarbone before backing away quickly in an attempt to deliver another flying peach. Jumping backwards, Sheeva saw this coming and simply stepped aside, letting Mika pass her before the young woman crashed back first into a wooden food vender on the street corner.

Dan attempted to approach Sheeva this time. Sheeva turned his attention to him and managed to shoot out a fireball from her hand, forcing Dan to jump out of the way. He then attempted to approach again, but Sheeva simply grabbed him once he was within her reach. Lifting him up to eye level, she punched him in the face three times before simply tossing him to the side like a rag doll. Upon landing, Dan could've sworn that he heard birds chirping around his head.

By this point, Mika was back on her feet. She ran forward before crouching low and sliding down for a sweep kick. She successfully landed her foot into Sheeva's shins, causing the fighter to fall back onto the ground, giving Mika the chance to leave some space between them.

Despite the pain from Sheeva's attacks moments ago, Dan covered the distance between them once the Shokan was back on her feet. " _Ko_ _ryuken!_ " he yelled out as he performed an uppercut, hitting Sheeva under the chin. She stumbled back, only to be met with a double kick from Mika after she ran and bounced her feet off a nearby brick wall. Once more, Sheeva stumbled, but she managed to stay up this time.

" _Dankukyaku!_ " Dan cried out once again as he jumped forward in an attempt to deliver a few kicks. However, Sheeva was more alert by then and stepped out of the way, causing Dan to fly past her and hit the same broken food cart Mika did moments ago.

Mika tried to follow with another attack, but then Sheeva landed a few of her own punches on Mika before grabbing her in a chokehold. Mika struggled to get out of the grip, but then she suddenly cried out as Sheeva lifted her off the ground.

Seeing this after getting back on his feet, Dan attempted to save Mika, but then Sheeva quickly reached out and grabbed hold of his own neck. Like Mika, Dan also tried to get out of the grip before he too was lifted up into the air.

Sheeva sneered as she looked at the two of them. With her two free hands, she slapped them both hard a few times. Then, she threw them both in the same direction and they went flying into they hit the grass hard.

Dan managed to speak after catching his breath. "That… was not how I was hoping that would go."

Mika happened to look to the side and saw that Sheeva was now distracted by a new opponent. "If we live through this, we are both going to be in a lot of pain in the morning."

"Agreed."

Near the docks, Sareena had just taken down an Outworld guard, cutting them down with one of her kamas. She then turned to see if anyone else was approaching when she noticed more than just Outworld guards… there were also figured dressed in all black with an all too familiar emblem on their outfits.

 _The Brotherhood of Shadow_ _,_ she growled in her mind. _If they're here, Noob can't be too far. And if Noob is here, then-_

Sareena's thoughts were suddenly cut off as she was kicked in the head, sending her flying forward until she landed on the ground face first. Clenching her teeth in pain, Sareena turned onto her back, her eyes met with the familiar woman with short blue hair.

"You!" she growled.

A sadistic laugh escaped Frost's lips as she grinned behind her mask. "I admit, I wasn't expecting to see you here," she said as she slowly approached Sareena, the heels of her black boots clicking against the stoned road. "But no matter, it'll give me the chance to send you back to hell where you belong!"

Frost swiftly extended an arm and a ball of ice emerged from her hand. Sareena rolled away from the attack before it hit her, getting herself to stand up even with the pain still throbbing in the back of her head. Reaching for a pouch, Sareena quickly threw a handful of shurikens at Frost, but the blue-haired woman managed to flip out of the way, the shurikens whizzing by her without doing damage. The small weapons ended up embedding themselves into a nearby wall of a building.

"Pfft, predictable," Frost grumbled as she used her powers to form a pair of ice daggers. Knowing what was coming, Sareena raised her two kamas before the two women began to run towards each other, their blades hitting each other once they were within reach.

For a minute, their weapon's clashed against each other as the two tried to get themselves on offense. Eventually, Sareena managed to get the upper hand by slicing one of Frost's daggers with her blade, the one half shattering once it hit the ground. Taking advantage of Frost's surprise, Sareena lifted one leg and kicked Frost in the face and chest four times before leaning down to land a blow to the gut with her fist. The last move sent Frost rearing back a few feet, but she managed to stay upright.

Once she regained her composure, Frost then extended her hands, her ice powers quickly freezing Sareena's feet in place. Frost watched with amusement as Sareena attempted to get her feet out of the ice hold, but found herself more frustrated with each pull.

"I'd kill you right now, but I'm actually having fun," Frost said sadistically as she once again approached Sareena. "So I'm going to let this linger on a little while longer."

Once she was at arm's length, Frost quickly kicked her leg upwards, her foot hitting under Sareena's chin, with enough force to send her into the air and freeing her from the ice hold. Frost then waited until Sareena almost landed back on the ground. From there, she kicked Sareena again, who flew back until she hit the wall of a building. With a small cry, Sareena landed face first on the ground.

Shaking her head, Sareena looked up and saw Frost running up to her. Feeling a trickle of blood going down her own head, Sareena gritted her teeth as she willed herself to stand back up before Frost had the chance to execute her next attack…

Not too far away, Feng Wei's fists were glowing yellow as two guards began to approach them. He simple waited until they were close enough before he extended both of his fists out, punching the two guards at the same time with enough impact to sending them flying backwards.

A third guard began to come up to him from the side, but Feng Wei was able to turn his attention to him before he reached him. The kenpo fighter dodged away from the guard's attack before landing a few various punches on the guard's body before grabbing him by the shirt. The guard was just beginning to try to get out of Feng Wei's grip before he quickly delivered a headbutt right into the guard's face with enough force to render him out cold.

Another opponent, dressed in all black, ran up to him, but Feng Wei simply punched him hard enough to send him crashing back first into the wall. For good measure, Feng Wei ran forward and body slammed the guard further into the wall, leaving him near stuck in a dent.

With the guard stuck and in a daze, Feng Wei turned around to face the street, waiting for more opponents to approach.

Back just outside the Coast Guard Headquarters, Alex Walker was also helping with making sure that civilians got inside the compound safely. She had fought off a few guards since the chaos started, grateful that she, so far, hasn't felt any muscle strain from the injuries she received back on Earth.

Alex had finished helping a middle-aged woman get past the fence when she suddenly heard screaming nearby. Moving her head towards the sound, Alex noticed a few civilians trying all they could to get away from a young woman dressed in red and black. Two metal bracelets on each wrist linked to four foot long chains connected to an ax blade. Clearly the weapon was man made.

She swung the weapon rapidly at anyone who got near her. Some weren't so fortunate and ended with either a lost limb or their heads being chopped. Alex realized that despite the screams, no one in the area noticed the attacker, so she decided to run over to her.

Once Alex was in reach, she was forced to duck underneath one blade while grabbing the second one by the chain. Naturally, this caught the woman's attention. She glared at Alex, who now got a good look at her face. She was much younger than she looked, no more than twenty-five, Alex guessed. Her short black hair had a blue tint to it and she also had two different colored eyes; the right one a violet color, the other a blood red.

Alex wasn't sure why, but there was something familiar about the girl. However, she didn't have time to analyze as the girl pulled back with a growl.

"Donna, look out!" someone nearby called out. The girl, who Alex realized was named Donna, turned around just in time to catch a member of the Coast Guard approaching her. With a simple swing of her weapon, she managed to slit the soldier's throat. Alex watched in horror as he fell to his knees, his own blood gushing out with each rapid heartbeat. Eventually, his eyes rolled into the back of his head before he fell dead to the ground.

"I'm usually not the… violent type," Donna admitted as she turned her attention back to Alex. "But I must admit, this is kind of fun."

"Well, looks like someone lost their marbles," Alex said as she got into a fighting stance.

With a yell, Donna lashed out her blades again, forcing Alex to dodge away from them. However, it didn't take long before Alex got close enough to deliver a kick to Donna's face. With a cry, she reared back, holding onto her face. While she was distracted, Alex delivered another kick towards her side, making her stagger back a few more feet.

Alex waited while Donna regained her composure. Once she did, the younger woman quickly covered the distance between them. Holding the actual blades in her hands, Donna attempt to slash them at her opponent, but Alex managed to land a hard chop to Donna's left wrist, breaking one of the bracelets open. The move also forced Donna to drop the now-free weapon, only leaving her with just the one on her right arm. Taking Donna's distraction as an opportunity, Alex somersaulted back, her feet hitting under Donna's chin and sending her flying back until she landed hard on her back.

Once more, Alex waited until Donna was on her feet. Donna growled at her. "You'll pay for that!" she cried out as she ran towards her again. She had pulled back her weapon, so Alex had anticipated another slash, but instead, Donna jumped up and performed a double kick on Alex's chest. It briefly knocked the wind out of the older woman and she nearly lost her footing.

Donna then removed the other bracelet, freeing herself from her weapons completely. "Lucky for you, I'm willing to fight hand to hand, but only because I find it more fun." Quickly, Donna covered the space between them and before Alex could block her, Donna landed two punches to her face before hitting her with a roundhouse kick, forcing Alex to fly sideways until she hit a nearby wall. From there, Donna attempted to attack again, but Alex got herself away before she was hit, making Donna kick the wall instead.

"Damn it!" the younger woman growled. She ran back towards Alex, but the moment she reached her, Alex sidestepped and immediately lifted one arm for a clothesline. Donna ran face first into it, flipping her onto her back.

Alex backed away after that, giving Donna room to get herself back on her feet. Once she was up again, Donna shook her head from the pain she felt. Narrowing her eyes and clenching her teeth, Donna quickly approached Alex again. For a few seconds, they exchanged punches, all which were parried by the other. Eventually, Donna managed to get past Alex's defense and land her fight right into Alex's nose. It was an injury that was still healing, so the second she was hit, Alex saw nothing but a bunch of lights behind her eyes, and she held her nose, screaming out in immense pain.

Donna then reached over and grabbed Alex's shoulders from behind before flipping backwards, slamming Alex's body in a German supplex.

Donna wait until Alex was back on her feet, through it was a slow process. She figured since Alex gave her the chance to get up, she could at least return the favor… for now. She noticed the blood trickling from one nostril and Alex's eyes blinked rapidly as she tried to clear her vision.

Once she was sure that her opponent was somewhat ready, Donna quickly covered the distance. Grabbing onto Alex's jacket, Donna drew her arm back for another punch. However, Alex was ready for her this time and immediately blocked the punch with her forearm. Using the same arm, Alex landed her own punch onto Donna's face, snapping her head sideways. Using her other arm, Alex slammed her elbow into a pressure point into Donna's inner elbow on the arm holding her jacket. That caused Donna to cry out in pain as she was forced to release the military soldier. Alex then pushed the injured arm away from her, backhands into's Donna's face, deliver a hand chop into her stomach, then finally, she landed a punch at the base of Donna's neck, knocking her face first into the ground.

Alex snorted as she backed away from Donna, who was struggling to get back up. The series of moves she just used were kajukenbo moves she hadn't used in a while. If only she had pulled that off back on Earth…

Suddenly, Alex was grabbed from behind by another guard, but she quickly elbowed him in the ribs before following that with a hand chop to his throat. She heard him choke as he attempted to gasp for breath. Alex then turned her attention back to Donna, only to find that the girl was no longer there. More than likely, Donna escaped into the chaotic crowd…

Further within the city, Sub-Zero had just finished freezing a guard before kicking him to the side. Nearby, Smoke had just delivered a blow to the head onto the guard he was fight, knocking him unconscious.

Having a moment for a break, the two long-time friends turned to each other. It was Smoke who spoke first. "Have you noticed a few members of the Brotherhood in the fray?" he asked.

Sub-Zero nodded. "I did. I'm expecting _him_ to show up any minute now."

"I'm surprised he didn't run off to attack you right now… unless he, uh… "

"What?" Sub-Zero pushed.

He could've sworn that the cyborg took a breath. "He could've gone after Sareena."

Before Sub-Zero said anything, a familiar voice spoke from behind them. "You're former student is taking care of her,'" he said.

Sub-Zero and Smoke whirled around and came face to face with Noob Saibot. Right next to him stood Matrik.

"Why am I not surprised that it came down to this?" Smoke muttered as he got into a fighting stance. He noticed Matrik doing the same right afterward.

"You are weaker than I realized, Sub-Zero," Noob said as he paced around a little. "You shouldn't care about the well-being of others, least of all a demon."

Sub-Zero clenched his fists as he got into his fighting pose. "Enough talk. If you want to kill me, then do it."

Noob seemed to nod in some sort of approval, something Sub-Zero definitely did not need from him. A split second later, Noob quickly sunk into the ground by some black portal he created. Sub-Zero attempted to try to figure out where he was, but Noob ended up reappearing from the sky behind him. After landing, he quickly grabbed Sub-Zero and jumped up with him in tow before flipping backwards and slamming Sub-Zero into the ground back first.

Meanwhile, Smoke and Matrik already found themselves exchanging various punches and kicks, both trying to get themselves on offense. Eventually, Matrik pulled back and attempted a roundhouse kick, a small buzz saw emerging from the bottom of her foot. Smoke managed to back away quickly before the saw hit him.

By then, Sub-Zero was back on his feet and he and Noob exchanged their own punches and kicks. At one point, Sub-Zero managed to kick Noob in the gut, causing the wraith to stagger back. Sub-Zero then shot his hands out and froze Noob in his place with a thin layer of ice. He then jumped forward with a flying kick, the ice layer shattering as Noob flew backwards.

Next to them, Smoke just disappeared into a puff of smoke to avoid another roundhouse kick from Matrik. He then reappeared behind her and struck and elbow into the back of her head, causing the green cyborg to stumble forward. By then, Sub-Zero was there to greet her and he managed to grab her before landing a head butt into Matrik's head, causing her to stagger again.

Smoke couldn't help but rub his own head. "That had to hurt," he said.

"You just have to know the right place to hit and hit right," Sub-Zero explained.

"What happened with Noob?" Smoke asked.

Just as he said that, Noob and Matrik managed to grab the gray cyborg at the same time, taking him by each arm. Together, they twisted his arms and flipped him into a somersault before he landed hard on his back. The two were just beginning to turn around before they were each met with a kick to the face by Sub-Zero, knocking them back.

Quickly, Sub-Zero helped Smoke back up on his feet before they moved just enough to leave room between them and their two opponents. One thing was for sure, the fight wasn't over just yet…

Not too far from that battle, Steve Fox was fighting against his own group of Outworld Forces. One attempted to slash him with a sword, but the boxer managed to duck underneath it before punching him in the stomach, forcing the guard to keel over. He then delivered an uppercut to the guard's face, knocking him away from him.

From behind him, another guard attempted to approach him, but Steve turned around to deliver another uppercut hard enough to make the guard fly up. Steve waited until the guard came back down before landing another punch on him, sending him flying away and crashing into two more guards who tried to approach him.

Then, another guard came up to him, but because he didn't expect Steve to give him any attention right away, he was caught by surprise when Steve delivered two punches to his face before knocking him out with a head butt to his forehead. Steve then turned his attention to the other nearby guards who were just beginning to go up to him.

"Come on, who's next?!" he yelled out.

Once more by the docks, Chun Li had just knocked a few guards into the nearby water. Brushing her hands over a dust on her leg, she sighed to herself. "At least that will keep them out of the way for a little bit."

"You really are overconfident, aren't you?" a female voice said

Chun Li's eyes widened as she immediately recognized it. Turning around, her eyes met with Kira, who she hadn't seen since the first invasion back on Earth.

"You…" she growled through clenched teeth.

Kira gave her a smug look as she placed one hand on her hip. "I can see that you're hard to kill. Perhaps we can see whether or not you can try to arrest me this time around."

In reply, Chun Li shot out both of her hands in front of her. " _Kikoken!_ " she yelled out as a projectile shot out. Kira had anticipated that move and immediately ducked underneath it as she covered the space between them. Kira managed to get close quickly enough to land two punches on Chun Li's face before following that with a high kick, her feet landing under Chun Li's chin, causing the Interpol cop to stagger away. Using that as leverage, Kira quickly jumped up, turned herself, and then shot out a backward kick into's Chun Li's stomach, forcing her back and landing onto the ground.

Kira just got herself back on her feet when Chun Li suddenly turned herself upside down and began to spin with both legs extended out rapidly. " _Spinning bird kick!_ " she yelled out, a few kicks managing to hit Kira and forcing her to get away.

Once Chun Li was upright again, Kira had already taken out a handful of pink powder from a pouch. She waited until Chun Li faced her again before Kira attempt to blow the powder into the face. Lucky, Chun Li was able to move away from the powder before it hit her eyes.

"What the hell?!" Chun Li yelled out as she glared at Kira.

The red head smirked at the Interpol cop. "Like it? Let's just say I borrowed it from an old… _friend_ _._ "

Chun Li knew that she meant Sonya, remembering how Sonya used the same move at the tournament. She realized then that this was a way for Kira to mock Chun Li considering her reason for attempting to arrest the red head to begin with.

" _Kikoshu!_ " Chun Li cried out as she jumped forward. Attempting a handful of kicks while moving upwards, Kira was able to get out of the way before the first hit, leaving Chun Li open. Kira waited until she was just landing. Kira quickly landed a punch and then turned herself before attempting to elbow her opponent's face. To her surprise, Chun Li managed to parry the move away from her.

With determination on her face, Chun Li pushed Kira away from her, but only enough so that the red head was still at arm's length. Extending one leg out, Chun Li delivered a series of lightning kicks to Kira's face and torso, the rapid speed not giving Kira the chance to block the move. With one last kick to the face, Chun Li used enough force to not only push Kira away, but to also knock her out cold.

Before Chun Li acknowledged her win, two guards had approached her and she was forced to turn her attention to them…

Not too far from there, Xianghua had just finished taking out a few guards with her sword. She had initially been helping to evacuate civilians, but at one point, she ended up being pulled into the chaos. She had been fighting for her life ever since.

The battle she had been in left a few cuts on her clothes and the headband on her head had loosened from its hold. She happened to look down and noticed how much blood covered her blade. The sword had tasted blood plenty of times, but she had never seen so much on it at one time.

Finally taking a moment to breathe, Xianghua checked her surroundings to make sure that no one else approached her just yet. When she was done making a complete turn, a figure standing still caught her attention. Xianghua shifted her eyes towards them…

She suddenly wished that she had never noticed.

Steel blue eyes gazed back at her through a white, porcelain mask with a scripted T on one side of it. Blonde hair was pulled back into a long braid, pale skin shimmering even with the darkened sun, and the purple snake tattoo wrapping around his torso was as menacing as he was.

Xianghua's mind flashed back to that horrible evening at the tournament where she came close to meeting a fate worse than death itself. She could still hear her own screams as she fought to free herself as calloused hands touched her and his cold eyes glaring down at her. Who knows what would've happened had Maxi and Mi-na not shown up that night.

Didn't Maxi say he was dead? That's what he said! And yet, here he was standing just a couple of yards away, well and alive!

 _Vega's alive!_ she screamed out, hearing the rapid pounding of her own heartbeat in her ears. _It… it can't be! No! NO!_

Suddenly, she noticed Vega approaching her. He wasn't running towards her, but the speed of his walk indicated that he was trying to get to her as quickly as possible. Xianghua found herself hyperventilating and was in enough shock that she was frozen where she stood.

_Snap out of it Xianghua! Get out of here! RUN!_

Just as Xianghua was blinking and was trying to get a grip, a battle cry was heard and Vega was quickly knocked a few feet back. Xianghua shook her head before she finally noticed a figure standing protectively in front of her, his nunchakus out and ready for battle.

"Maxi!" Xianghua called out.

Maxi didn't turn to her, but he did reply. "Go help the civilians!" he ordered.

That was something he didn't have to tell her twice. She quickly picked up her sword (she hadn't realized that she dropped it until now) before making a run for it.

By then, Vega stared at Maxi with amusement. "So… still protecting the meek, I see."

"I saw Nina shoot you!" he growled. "How the hell are you alive?!"

"She only shot me in the shoulder!" Vega said as he pointed to the shoulder in question. Maxi noticed the scar then. "For an assassin, she has _really_ bad aim."

"Or you just got lucky," Maxi pointed out.

Vega's eyes seemed to narrow into slits. "I noticed that Xianghua is as lovely as ever. Don't you agree?"

"Nina may have failed to kill you, but I won't," Maxi promised through clenched teeth. "And let's get one thing straight… you mess with Xianghua, you mess with me! Are we clear?"

Vega chuckled underneath his mask. "Crystal," he said sadistically.

With a loud yell, Vega suddenly jumped back before hitting his own feet again the wall. Bouncing off of it, he flew forward with his claws aimed and ready to taste blood. Quickly, Maxi jumped out of the way, letting Vega get past him. Before Vega could turn around, Maxi managed to close the distance and deliver a back kick, causing the former matador to stagger forward. Maxi then followed by spinning to face him before performing an uppercut with his nunchaku, hitting Vega in the chest and causing him to stumble a little.

Vega then attempted to approach, but Maxi started spinning his weapons rapidly in order to keep Vega at bay. Eventually, Vega pulled back before quickly crouching low, sliding forward and managing to hit Maxi's ankles. The move made Maxi fall into the ground.

Before Maxi could get up, Vega grabbed him by his jacket and pulled him up before slamming his back into the wall. He then pulled his clawed hand back and attempted to stab Maxi. However, the Keisei native managed to get out of the hold and duck right under the attack, causing Vega's claws to briefly get stuck in the wall. Maxi took a moment to leave some distance between them, at least until Vega finally managed to pull his claws out.

Maxi swung his nunchaku, which hit Vega right under the chin. The force of it caused him to spin, giving Maxi the chance to perform a flying kick, knocking Vega back and into the ground.

Now in a fighting stance, Maxi watched as Vega attempted to get himself up. With his eyes narrowing at the Earth native, Maxi swore to make sure that Vega stays dead this time…

Just near the outskirts of the city, Kazuya easily cleared house, taking out every single enemy that came within a few feet from him. Bodies practically littered his surrounds, all in a state of disarray with a pool of blood forming on the ground.

He would never admit it out loud, but Kazuya was glad for the invasion in a way… he had been itching for a fight ever since Jin and Heihachi showed up, so this was a good way to let out his aggression.

After breaking the neck of yet another guard (he lost count after a while), he suddenly ended up bumping his back into someone. Immediately he turned to see them. The person also turned around to see who he bumped into. Kazuya immediately narrowed his eyes as he recognized Heihachi.

"YOU!" they both yelled out at once.

They both happened to feel the presence of two guards coming up from behind them, both holding a kwan do. At the same time, they sidestepped to avoid it. They were only glaring at each other, never noticing how the two guards ended up stabbing each other through the chest instead of their intended targets.

A sadistic smirk appeared on Heihachi's face. "I don't know about you, but even though it's fun to knock the heads of Outworld guards, I think this is the perfect opportunity for us to… settle the score. Whoever wins will have the 'honor' to take down the whelp."

Kazuya quickly pushed him back so that there was space between them, his fist briefly surrounded by red electricity. "For once, I agree."

The second Kazuya's words left his mouth, the two quickly approached each other and immediately got themselves on both offense and defense. It didn't take long before Kazuya landed the first hit, delivering an uppercut to Heihachi's face before punching downward with enough force to nearly have Heihachi fall onto his knees.

Heihachi managed to straighten back up almost right away. As he did, he delivered his own punch to Kazuya's gut, causing the younger man to keel over. While he was down, Heihachi quickly leaned over to head butt him in the face, the force causing Kazuya to stumble.

"I believe you're getting rusty," Heihachi noted out loud.

Kazuya merely narrowed his eyes at the older man before quickly stepping forward. He took a moment to pull back his arm before punching Heihachi with enough force to send him crashing into a boulder, nearly shattering it. Even with the hard impact, Heihachi still managed to stand up after that.

"I believe you're getting slow," Kazuya pointed out.

With a growl, Heihachi jumped forward before performing a spin kick mid-air. Seeing the move coming, Kazuya stepped to the side, and waited just briefly for Heihachi to land back down. Once he did, he lifted his foot high up before bringing it down onto Heihachi's shoulder, kicking him face first into the ground.

Kazuya then lifted his foot again, intending to stomp on the old man, but Heihachi rolled out of the way before that could happen, making Kazuya stomp on the ground instead.

Back on his feet again, Heihachi covered the space between them again. Briefly, they exchanged more maneuvers before Heihachi managed to punch Kazuya in the face. He then performed a downward handchop with enough force to knock Kazuya face first into the ground. Then, before Kazuya could start getting up, Heihachi stomped his foot into the back of Kazuya's head, burying his face halfway into the dirt.

Pulling a few feet back afterwards, Heihachi folded his arms in front of him as he stared down at Kazuya. "Hmph! Let's see you get up from that!"

Unknown to him, Kazuya was still wide awake…

Near the docks, Ruby Heart's sword was nearly covered completely in the blood of the enemies who were unfortunate to meet their end. Her wavy blonde hair was in disarray and her outfit had some cuts from previous attacks, a few of them covered in her own blood. Still, she pressed on, knowing that she needed to eliminate as many of the Outworld troops as she could.

She was surprised that her hat still remained on her head after this whole time.

After cutting down another guard, someone caught Ruby Heart's eyes and she turned to get a better look. A woman with platinum hair dressed in elegant battle clothing began to approach Ruby Heart.

"Impressive," the woman said coolly as she stopped in her tracks. "For a pirate."

Ruby Heart narrowed her eyes at the woman. "Who are you?"

The woman half smirked. "My name is Ivy Valentine. You may or may not have heard of me."

Ruby Heart sucked in a breath. "So… you're the Empress. I'm surprised that your Emperor is letting you be a part of this battle at all."

"He needs the strongest to fight and I happen to be one of the best," Ivy explained.

"Is it every day that he orders you to invade your own home?"

The smirk on Ivy's face faded. "It's time to die."

Ivy began to raise her sword, which uncoiled into eight pieces upon her quick movement. Ruby Heart began to raise her own sword, ready to fight.

"Looks like I hit a nerve!" Ruby Heart called out as she jumped forward, swinging her sword down. Ivy managed to back away from the attack before she lashed her uncoiled sword forward, leaving another cut on Ruby Heart's arm. The pirate hissed as the cut stung her arm and she felt the warmth of her own blood slowly beginning to seep out.

Ivy smirked as she noticed the damage she left behind. "And that's just a taste of the kind of wrath you will feel soon enough."

Ruby Heart snorted at this. "Sounds like you're a little _too_ confident. That'll cost you in the long run."

"We'll see," Ivy replied as she lashed out her sword again. This time, Ruby Heart was prepared and she was able to get out of the way of Ivy's attacks. Eventually, she found an open and jumped forward again, lashing out her

Ivy pulled her weapon back quickly, making it coil back into a normal sword. From there, the two women duked it out as their swords collided, the sounds of steel hitting against steel the primary sound between them.

The whole time, Ruby Heart found herself switching between offense and defense as she and Ivy tried to overcome the other's attacks. This went on for some time and the pirate eventually was starting to feel the beads of sweat developing on her forehead.

 _This is not an easy fight,_ she thought to herself.

Then, the swords clashed again, and from there, the two women leaned their respective weapons against each other in an attempt to dominate the other in their fight. They pushed with such a force that both of their arms began to shake. Their blue eyes glared at each other and Ruby Heart clenched her teeth in determination to win this.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, an arm wrapped around Ruby Heart's mid-section and she was pulled back with force.

"What- AH!" Ruby Heart yelled out as she was pulled a few yards away before crashing on her side into the ground. She looked up see Ivy, only to see the Keisei woman's attention turned away as she fought one of the Coast Guard soldier who began to fight her. Annoyed, Ruby Heart turned her head to see who dared pulled her away from her fight against Ivy.

She was surprised to meet Dhalsim's eyes.

Ruby Heart's own eyes narrowed. "What the hell are you doing?!" she demanded through clenched teeth.

Dhalsim gave her a solemn look. "Stopping you!"

"From what?!"

"From killing the fourth and last chosen one!"


	70. Chapter Sixty-Nine

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Ruby Heart stared at Dhalsim in shock. She couldn't believe what Dhalsim had just revealed. No… no… _she_ couldn't be the last chosen one, there's just no way!

"… Are you _fucking_ kidding me?!" Ruby Heart yelled out. "Ivy's the Empress of Outworld for crying out loud!"

"I know!" Dhalsim called out. "I know it's hard to believe, but her soul color match the one from my visions. I wouldn't have said anything if I wasn't so sure!"

Ruby Heart stood up from where she landed, her good eye glaring at the yoga master. Already, she was sick to her stomach. After all this time, she had thought that the hardest part about gather the four chosen ones was actually finding them before everything went to hell. Never did she imagine that one of the four chosen ones, the ones responsible for ending this chaos once and for all, was on the side of the enemy.

"How you plan to convince her to join our side?" Ruby Heart asked.

Dhalsim looked at their surroundings, the onslaught and the smoke from the fires still going strong. "I don't know, but we'll worry about that when this fight is over."

Then, as though on cue, two guards quickly approached them. Ruby Heart immediately stabbed one through the stomach while Dhalsim delivered a kick to the other's face, knocking him out cold.

Once that was done, Ruby Heart turned back to Dhalsim. "Well, whatever you plan, I hope it's a good one. Without her, we're screwed!"

Dhalsim nodded solemnly. "I know…"

Near the docks, Marshall Law was mostly fighting against those on the side of Outworld. A good chunk of them were Outworld guards while there were some dressed all in black with glowing whit eyes. There were others, dressed in black and red with red dragon symbols on various parts of their clothes. Marshall wasn't sure what clan the last two were from, but whatever they were, they worked for Outworld _and_ trying to kill him.

One shadowed warrior attempted to deliver a few kicks, but Marhall easily dodged them. When the enemy attempted to pull back, Marshall took the opportunity to flip backwards, both of his feet hitting the opponent under the chin. The shadowed figured went up a few feet before he began to fall back down. Still on his hands, Marshall waited for him to be at the precise spot before kicking a foot forward, knocking the shadow warrior back.

Back on his feet, an Outworld guard attempted to swing a bo staff at him, but Marshall quickly grabbed it. Using his strength, he pulled the weapon away before tossing it aside. The guard stood there in shock, giving Marshall the chance to grab him and knee him in the stomach. He then followed with a karate chop to the shoulder, two punches to the face, and ending it with a jump kick to the chest, sending him flying away.

A warrior with the dragon symbol tried slashing him with daggers, forcing Marshall to dodge them before he was cut. Then, he found an opening before jumping and performing two flip kicks under the fighter's chin. Once more, he was sent away.

Once that was done, Marshall landed on his feet before getting into a defensive position, ready for more attackers…

By this point, the Black Dragon had arrived in Chili-san. It was no surprise to most of them that there was chaos everywhere. Havik personally took delight in seeing it… at least for now.

"I'm going to enjoy cutting their hearts out!" Tira nearly squealed in delight.

Kabal happened to turn his head when he noticed a figure wearing a leather trench coat with the Red Dragon symbol on his back. The figure then quickly turned as he slashed a Coast Guard soldier's throat with his hookswords. Kabal got a good look at his face… it was Mavado with no doubt.

"The Red Dragon is here," Kabal announced with a growl.

Bryan raised an eyebrow. "Red Dragon, huh?"

Kabal pulled out his hookswords. "I found their second in command. I'll take care of him."

"Try not to die!" Havik said in an almost sing-song voice. By that point, Kabal wasn't listening as he approached

He was only a few feet away when Kabal stopped in his tracks. "MAVADO!"

Mavado immediately turned his head, and he was soon face to face with Kabal. A smirk appeared on his face. "I see that you're still alive."

"And I see that you got yourself a replica of _my_ weapons," Kabal pointed out. "You should've died in our last encounter!"

"And you should've died in our encounter before that!" Mavado replied. "You know, I found out a few things about your 'clan' from an old acquaintance of yours. Sounds like the Black Dragon has gone… 'crazy.'"

 _That can only be Kira,_ Kabal thought as his hands clenched tighter on his hookswords. _Treacherous bitch!_

"You always were the inferior clan, which really shouldn't be a surprise," Mavado continued. "After all, the Black Dragon started when a fraction of Red Dragon members left… those who weren't able to handle the old traditions! It was only a matter of time before-"

"Enough talk!" Kabal yelled out. Quickly, he jumped forward before their respective hookswords slammed against each other with a loud _clang!_ From there, the sound of steel clashing against steel was heard as the two slashed their weapons at one another. This went one for a while with neither one of them letting up any time soon.

At one point, their hookswords collided and from there, they leaned against each other in their attempt to overtake the other. In between the blades, the two glared at each other, both promising a painful death.

Both would make sure that the other stayed dead this time.

Then, Kabal immediately pulled back before shooting out a purple projectile. It knocked Mavado back a few feet and though he was able to stay upright, he ended up losing his grip on his hookswords. As he turned to face his opponent again, Kabal was running towards him.

Hooking down a pair of red elastic bands onto the ground, Mavado quickly pulled himself back before lifting his body up, hurling feet first almost like a slingshot. He managed to land both of his feet onto Kabal's chest, knocking him to the ground. On the way, Kabal also lost his grip on his own hookswords.

As Kabal got himself back up, Mavado threw down an elastic band again, helping him quickly glide behind him. Before Kabal could turn around, Mavado swiftly kicked him in the small of his back and Kabal tumbled forward before landing face first into the road.

This gave Mavado the time to run over and pick up his hookswords. Once they were back in his hands, he got himself into a defensive pose, waiting for Kabal to get back up.

Once on his feet again, Kabal turned to Mavado, seeing that he had his weapons in his hands again. Seeing this, Kabal quickly ran forward in almost an inhumane speed, not giving Mavado the chance to even lift his weapons. He ran past Mavado, who suddenly began to spin rapidly. Kabal then stopped in his tracks, turned around, and delivered a kick of his own, sending Mavado flying away.

This also gave Kabal the chance to pick up his own hookswords.

When Mavado was up, the two fighters covered the distance between them. Once again, their hookswords collided in another weapon battle. However, this was a bit briefer before Mavado attempted to swing on of his hookswords in a sweep, aiming for Kabal's ankles. Kabal saw this in time and swiftly jumped over it. As Mavado tried to straighten himself back up, Kabal immediately hooked his weapons onto Mavado's clothes around the shoulder area. Then, using his strength, Kabal lifted him up and spun him around in the air a couple a couple of times before slamming him to the ground.

Kabal was about to go up to him when two Red Dragon members suddenly attacked him. Kabal was able to take them down easily, hooking one of his hookswords into one's neck, and the other into another's stomach. Once they both collapsed, Kabal turned his attention back to Mavado, only to see that he had taken the opportunity to flee.

At least now, he was sure that the Red Dragon second-in-command was alive…

Back near the docks, Sareena just managed to get herself back on her feet, ignoring the blood she could feel trickling down the side of her head. Her opponent, Frost, was attempting to cover the distance between them.

Quickly, Sareena pulled back a fist, which was surrounded by an aura similar to flames. Once Frost was within arm's reach, she extended her arm forward, punching Frost in the chest with enough force to send her flying backwards and landing hard on the ground.

Sareena went up to her in an attempt to stomp her face, but as she lifted her leg, Frost rolled herself out of the way before standing herself back up. As Sareena attempted to pull away, Frost glided herself forward, leaving behind a trail of thin ice. She managed to get under Sareena's legs, knocking the former Brotherhood assassin up into the air before she crashed into the ground on her side.

It was Frost's turn to try to stomp Sareena with her boots. "DIE!" she screamed as she lifted her leg up. Her eyes widening, Sareena quickly rolled out of the way and she heard Frost's foot slam into the ground right after that.

Rolling backwards, Sareena got herself on her feet again and leaving space between her and Frost. Frost attempted to cover the distance between them, but Sareena quickly delivered a roundhouse kick, her foot in an aura of flames. However, Frost managed to duck right underneath it, leaving Sareena open. Frost swiftly jabbed Sareena's stomach, causing her to keel over. She then kneed her in the face, snapping her head up before delivering a roundhouse kick that forced her to stagger sideways.

Shaking the pain, Sareena managed to block another of Frost's incoming attacks with her forearms. The exchange was brief before Sareena pushed her back a little. Grabbing Frost's shoulders, she delivered a knee to her stomach, making Frost let out a strangled cry. Sareena then used Frost's shoulders as leverage as she jumped over her, using her strength to knock Frost face first into the floor.

As Sareena turned around, Frost was already on her feet and was also started to face her. Quickly, the two women covered the distance between them and began to exchange a few punches while also trying to defend themselves. Eventually, Frost managed to break through Sareena's defense and slam her fist into her face. She followed with two more punches before kicking Sareena with enough force to send her flying back through the wooden wall of a building. Seconds later, Sareena landed with a loud crash.

Forming ice daggers again, Frost decided that now was the chance to go in for the kill. Approaching the hole in the wall, Frost could see Sareena lying on her back in a pile of rubble, dazed from the attack.

Sareena felt sheer pain through her body. Despite feeling dizzy and having double vision, she could see Frost starting to approach her, her two ice daggers in hand. Sareena took a deep breath, feeling very certain that she was about to be sent back to the Netherrealm again…

Suddenly, a member of the Coast Guard tackled Frost from the side, knocking her away and out of Sareena's sight. Sareena was sure at this point that the guard would keep Frost's attention. Despite her best efforts, Sareena couldn't keep her eyes open and she eventually fell into unconsciousness…

Not too far from the Coast Guard Headquarters, Kilik was one of many who was helping to defend the fortress and making sure that civilians got inside safely and were well protected. There were less civilians coming in at this point compared to when the Outworld Forces first arrived, but it did give the defenders a chance to focus more on the enemies who tried to breach the perimeter.

At one point, a member of the Red Dragon attempted to get past him. Planting one end of his Kali-Yuga staff into the ground, Kilik jumped forward, using his staff as leverage as he maneuvered towards the enemy and kicked him squarely in the chest. With a grunt, the Red Dragon member flew backwards and disappeared into the chaotic crowd.

Getting his feet back on the ground, Kilik turned around and saw an Outworld Guard approaching him with his own staff. Swiftly, Kilik spun his staff with lightning speed, knocking the guard's bo out of his hands. The guard then attempted to back away, but then Kilik continue to swing his staff rapidly, hitting the guard in multiple spots on his torso. Then, with one last spin, Kilik jabbed on end of his staff hard into the guard's chest. With a yell, the guard was knocked backwards before landing hard into the ground.

Then, a shadowed figured attempted to deliver a roundhouse kick to Kilik's head from the side, but the Keisei native saw it coming in time and managed to duck under the attack. Quickly straightening himself back up, Kilik quickly kicked the enemy in the chest before jabbing his staff into his abdomen, causing the soldier to keel over.

Pulling back, Kilik charged some aura into his staff, the weapon glowing in a fiery orange-yellow color like fire. Before the soldier was able to straighten himself back up, Kilik jumped forward and raised his staff before smashing it into the soldier's back with enough force to knock him face first into the ground, leaving behind a dent where he landed.

Kilik pulled himself away from the shadowed enemy once that was over. "Nothing personal," he said to him before turning his attention to other enemies…

Only a few feet away, Sophitia was also helping to make sure that the civilians got into the fortress safely. She also fought to keep the Outworld Forces at bay with her trusted sword and shield.

At one point, she helped a mother and her two children get into the compound. As they went through the gate, the woman turned to her. "Thank you! Thank you so much! I didn't think anyone would help me and my children get to safety!"

Sophitia managed to smile. "I'm a mother, too. I would have the same concern as you if I was in your shoes. I can only hope my own children are safe back home with my family."

The woman seemed to nod in understanding before she led her children to the safety of the Coast Guard headquarters.

That was when Sophitia heard a voice behind her. "You abandoned your children? Sheesh, you're such a horrible mother!" What shocked the blonde-haired woman more was the fact that the words were said in such a cheerful tone.

Sophitia immediately turned around and spotted a brunette with uneven pigtails, a highly detailed red and gold costume that reminded her of a circus performer, and she noticed a pair of purple-pink colored eyes gazing at her. A smile was upon the younger girl's face, but Sophitia saw that the look she gave her was one of malice. Twirling her ring blade in one hand, she definitely did not have good intentions.

Sophitia narrowed her eyes at the younger woman. "It is because I am a mother," she said in a neutral tone. "That I raise my sword to protect my children."

The brunette, Tira, seemed to snort in some dark amusement. "Don't worry… I'm not expecting much from you."

Suddenly jumping forward, Tira began to spin her ring blade rapidly at Sophitia, who was forced to dodge from it before she was hit. Eventually, Sophitia was able to find a moment to raise her sword, blocking the next incoming attack.

From there, the two exchanged blade maneuvers, mostly finding themselves blocking and dodging the other's attacks. Sophitia was already aware before the fight how unusual the ring blade was because it was a weapon she had never seen before. She figured that Tira has had years of experience using this weapon.

A part of her also wondered what kind of childhood she had growing up.

Eventually, Sophitia managed to push Tira back a little, leaving some space between them. Jumping up, Sophitia spun around while charging her sword with blue light. As she came back down, she quickly slashed her sword in a downward, diagonal motion. Seeing this coming, Tira managed to block the move with her own weapon.

As Sophitia recovered, Tira quickly planted her blade into the ground. Grabbing the top half of the ring with both hands, she quickly flew forward with both of her feet out, a sadistic grin coming upon her face the moment her feet connected to Sophitia's chest, knocking the blonde-haired woman back before she crashed into a wall back first.

Tira then took the opportunity to angle her ring blade forward before jumping on it. The motion helped to make the blade glide forward as though it was on ice. Seeing the attack coming, Sophitia managed to step out of the way before she was hit.

As Tira turned around, she was suddenly met with a couple of sword slashes from Sophitia and was forced to block. However, at one point, she moved herself in a way that left her open, giving Sophitia the chance to deliver a back kick to the stomach, causing the brunette to stagger back.

Clenching her teeth in anger, she narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "It's over… your luck just ran out!"

With a yell, Tira quickly covered the space between them, but Sophitia was ready. She simply stepped aside and, without even thinking about it, smashed her shield into the back of Tira's head. With a yelp, Tira fell forward, the blow ending up knocking her out cold.

When that was over, Sophitia found herself staring at her shield. "Huh, Cassandra was right… that _is_ very effective."

Moving on, Sophitia continued with helping out the civilians…

Further within the city, both Sub-Zero and Smoke still found themselves in the fight against Noob Saibot and Matrik. The battle was still raging and no one was about to let up just yet.

Sub-Zero performed an ice glide and, once within reach, smashed his fist into Noob's abdomen. The force of the blow sent Noob flying backwards until he crashed into a nearby wall. Meanwhile, Matrik managed to grab Smoke, turn a full circle while lifting the male cyborg off the ground before slapping him into the ground, the force leaving a dent where Smoke landed.

Seeing this, Sub-Zero immediately shot out an ice ball to freeze her, but Matrik saw this in time and managed to flip backwards and away to avoid it. This gave the Grandmaster a few moments to run to check on his friend.

"You all right," he asked.

Smoke was able to sit up, shaking his head as though he was trying to shake off what he just experienced. "I've had worse," he replied as he started to get himself back up. Once on his feet again, Noob and Matrik began to cover the distance between them again. This time, the two Lin Kuei warriors were ready.

Sub-Zero managed to duck underneath a palm strike attack Noob attempted to deliver. With the miss leaving Noob open, Sub-Zero took the opportunity to land two punches to his chest, knocking him back. Then, he kicked his leg up, sending Noob up into the air. He didn't give the Brotherhood leader the chance to fall back down before delivering a high kick, sending himself further up into the air. Sub-Zero then back away, leaving some space as Noob crash landed back to the ground.

Meanwhile, Smoke and Matrik exchanged a few of their own punches and kicks before Matrik broke through Smoke's defense. She managed to land a couple of punches to his face before Smoke pulled back, leaving a couple of feet between them.

Matrik was just about to run towards him when Smoke quickly shot out a puff of smoke from his hand. Aiming it at her feet, the smoke landed on the ground, opening up a kind of void that made her fall right through. Turning around, Smoke watched as Matrik reappeared from above and, as she fell back down the ground, he quickly executed a high kick, sending her flying back and crashing through one of the windows of a building.

Smoke turned his attention to the fight between Sub-Zero and Noob. Apparently, at some point, Noob managed to get the upper hand, landing two punches to Sub-Zero's face before jumping up to perform a roundhouse kick. The move connected and sent Sub-Zero flying sideways before his body slammed into another building. Not hesitating, Noob began to head over to where the ice ninja landed.

Taking Noob's distraction as an opportunity, Smoke quickly disappeared in a puff of smoke before reappearing in front of Noob. Smoke knew that his sudden appearance surprised Noob by the way his pale, glowing eyes widened, and he didn't give him the chance to regain himself before Smoke slammed his fist into his stomach, sending him stumbling back a few feet.

Smoke shook his head at Noob. "I'm more of a brother to Sub-Zero than you ever were," he state almost in a matter of fact.

Noob laughed darkly. "Then you are weak," he declared. Suddenly, Noob's body seemed to split into two beings and the newly formed half quickly moved forward before it was close enough to deliver a few punches and kicks on Smoke before an ax kick knocked him to the ground.

By then, Sub-Zero was back on his feet and was running to rejoin the fight. As Smoke was knocked back, Sub-Zero delivered a roundhouse kick to the dark being, sending it to the ground before it disappeared through it.

Another sinister laugh escaped Noob. "I see you're back on your feet," he said to Sub-Zero just as Smoke was getting up. "You will meet your demise soon enough."

Suddenly, five small golden orbs flew in between them, and the three of them ended up looking down at the ground. It was Smoke who gazed up again, soon seeing Matrik with her arm extended out and a compartment on her palm closing up.

He realized what was about to happen.

"Shit!" he yelled out as he grabbed Sub-Zero before the two ran and dived into a building. As they managed to get inside, a loud explosion was heard and even through his mechanical body, Smoke was able to feel the heat emitted from the explosion. He was sure that Sub-Zero was feeling it much worse than he was right about now.

Once they were sure that they were out of immediate danger, Smoke managed to get himself back on his feet before helped Sub-Zero up. "Well… that was fun."

Sub-Zero rolled his eyes, through there was a small smirk on his face. "Tell me about it."

The two of them looked around the area, both seeing that Noob and Matrik were no longer in their sigh. Sub-Zero shook his head in disappointment. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath.

"Well, either they took the opportunity to escape or they're fighting other people as we speak."

Sub-Zero shook his head. "I believe the latter a lot more than the former."

Smoke nodded. "You're probably right. Well, let's either go find them, fight other enemies, or help the civilians."

Sub-Zero took a deep breath. "Most likely, we'll be focusing on the last two."

With that, the two began to head back to the streets of the city.

Not too far from that area, Sergei Dragunov found himself fighting a handful of Outworld guards, Red Dragon, and Brotherhood of Shadow members. Dragunov couldn't really remember the last time more than two different factions managed to end up working together.

An Outworld guard attempted to approach him and Dragunov immediately delivered three punches to his chest before he had the chance to attack. He followed it with an uppercut that sent him into the air before a roundhouse kick tossed him away.

Then, a Red Dragon member tried to slash him with a pair of knives. Dragunov managed to disarm him of both weapons with ease before grabbing for his head before bring it down. Lifting up a leg, he slammed the Red Dragon's face into his knee with enough force to shatter his nose. Blood immediately spluttered out of him as he fell back down, holding his face and screaming in agony.

A member of the Brotherhood of Shadow then attempted to sneak behind him, but Dragunov already knew he was there by the sounds of footsteps. Quickly turning to face the shadowed figure, Dragunov delivered a side kick, causing the shadow the stumble. Using the same leg, Dragunov rested his foot onto the figure's shoulder before flipping him, the both of them slamming to the ground. Using his free leg, Dragunov got a good grip on his neck before twisting, quickly snapping his neck.

When that was done and he was back on his feet, Dragunov gazed at his surroundings with cold eyes, waiting for more enemies to approach…

Near the Coast Guard Headquarters, Lita and Juni found themselves fighting through a crowd of enemies. Juni was using hand-to-hand skills that her body seemed to remember from her days as a Shadaloo doll. Lita was good with her combat skills, but it was times like these that she wished that she had time to grab her long sword before getting into battle. She had been out with Juni in the shopping district just as the realm became dark. They were both on their back to the Coast Guard Headquarters to prepare, but they barely got to the gates before the portals opened. By then, there was no time for Lita to grab her sword.

At least she had her throwing knives in handy, which she had used at one point when multiple enemies were inbound. Retrieving them, of course, proved to be a much bigger challenge.

Eventually, Lita was able to clear house, giving her some breathing room. She looked around frantically for Juni… when she found her, it was right as an Outworld guard managed to stab Juni right in the shoulder with a knife, the shocked look etching on the younger woman's face.

"NO!" Lita screamed as she ran forward. By now, she was seeing red… perhaps too much red. Memories flashed in her mind… the sight of tech expert George Ginzu being stabbed from behind by an Outworld guard, the light in his eyes fading as his blood seeped down his shirt… the horror of seeing Major Matthew McCoy on the ground, his throat slashed and bleeding profusely after being attacked by a tarkatan… the words Cammy told her as she informed her of Colonel Keith Wolfman's death and the realization that out of the five Delta Red team members who came to the tournament, only two survived…

Soon, the red disappeared and Lita found herself breathing heavily as beads of sweat covered her face. On the ground, the guard laid bleeding and his neck broken. Lita's own hands were covered in blood, but she hadn't noticed.

She was able to calm down as she noticed Juni on the ground. She was bleeding heavily, but her eyes looked up at Lita, still fully aware. Snapping out of her trance, Lita kneeled down to Juni, ripping one of the long sleeves of Juni's shirt before using it to press onto her wound to control the bleeding.

"You'll be okay," Lita promised her. "I won't let you die."

However, it seemed like the bleeding was nonstop and Lita was sure that the Outworld guard nicked an artery. That was when Lita noticed a Coast Guard soldier starting to run past them. Lita also noticed him starting to turn his head

"Help me!" Lita demanded through clenched teeth. "If we don't get her inside, she won't make it!"

The soldier seemed to snap out of it and sheathed the sword he had in his hand. By now, Juni was growing pale and her breaths were starting to become short. She was also starting to struggle to keep her eyes open.

Lita knew that there was no time to waste. She tried to continue to control the bleeding while the guard picked her up in his arms. From there, they both began to head through the gates.

 _Please don't die, Juni!_ Lita yelled in her head. _I won't forgive myself if you do!_

Back within the city, Hsu Hao was using his two sun-moon blades to take down anyone who was in his path. The blades were already covered in the blood of those who were unlucky enough to run into him.

He kept his concentration on his task… at least until he turned around and noticed a very peculiar person just ten feet away from him. The person started straight at him where he stood, a mourning star weapon in hand. What made the person peculiar was that the bottom of half of his skin was rotted of, revealing his full set of teeth, jaw, chin, and the hole that was supposed to be his nose.

Hsu Hao narrowed his eyes at his opponent, who seemed to be grinning at him despite a lack of lips. Eventually, the figure began to walk towards him. Naturally, Hsu Hao got himself into a defensive position, his sun-moon blades out and ready to taste blood again.

"Well, judging by the symbol on your trousers, it looks like the Red Dragon have decided to make themselves known for once," the figure said in a calm demeanor.

Hsu Hao remained silent as the stranger continued to speak in his well-mannered voice. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Havik, a cleric of Chaos… and if memory serves correctly, you are the enemy of the Black Dragon."

"If you are with the Black Dragon, then you will meet your demise," Hsu Hao promised.

Havik chuckled. "I'm not _with_ them, per se. I'm just merely… an adviser."

"That still makes you my foe. You are a fool to associate with an inferior clan."

Havik chuckled again at being called a fool. "I know you are… but what am I?"

Done with talking, Hsu Hao quickly covered the space between them, slashing his weapons at him. Havik immediately blocked the attack with his mourning star. From there, the two went back and forth, their weapon clashing with a loud _clang!_ At the same time, they were both forced to switch between offense and defense while trying to overpower the other.

Eventually, Havik managed to knock both weapons out of Hsu Hao's hands, sending them flying a couple of yards away from them. Havik then swung his weapon at Hsu Hao's head, but the Red Dragon loyalist immediately ducked underneath it before delivering a palm strike to Havik's stomach. The hit forced the cleric to keel over. This gave Hsu Hao the opportunity to get behind him. Quickly, he grabbed him by the shoulders before pulling him up and smashing his knee into his back. Havik let out a loud yell at the force of the impact before Hsu Hao lifted him up and tossed him to the side. Despite the pain his back, Havik managed to get himself on his knees. Looking up, he noticed Hsu Hao jumping high into the air before he began to fall back down, intending to stomp on him with both feet. Havik immediately rolled out of the way and Hsu Hao ended up missing by mere inches.

Getting on his feet, Havik extended both of his arms out to his side before he unnaturally twisted his torso a couple of times, his clenched fist plummeting Hsu Hao before he was forced to stumble back. Straightening himself out, Havik quickly extended his arms in front of him while bending _backwards_ by his knees. A purple projectile shot out from his hands and hurled towards Hsu Hao. It managed to hit him in the abdomen, knocking back before he landed on the ground.

The both of them got back on their feet at the same time. Hsu Hao wasted no time by shooting out a red laser beam from the device that served as an artificial heart. Havik managed to dodge from it, though the edge of his robe on his waist managed to catch one part of the shot, searing a small hole in it as though a knife cut through it.

Havik quickly jumped forward and high enough so that his feet landed on Hsu Hao's shoulders. Grasping Hsu Hao's head with his feet, Havik quickly flipped over, releasing Hsu Hao mid-flip. With a yell, Hsu Hao went flying, not stopping until he crashed through a window of one of the buildings.

The minute Havik got back on his feet, he suddenly found himself surrounded by other members of the Red Dragon. Havik laughed maniacally, knowing that these fools were here just help out their fellow clan member. He was also sure that Hsu Hao would take this opportunity to flee, if he wasn't knocked out cold by now.

_Well, it was fun while it lasted!_

Back just outside the gates of the Coast Guard Headquarters, Maki stared up at Guy's empty eyes as he glared down at her. One hand pulled on her hair while the other was pulled back, fist clenched and ready to deliver a bone-crushing punch.

 _There has to be a way to free him!_ she cried out in her mind. _There just has to be!_

She realized that it was something she couldn't worry about right now. Just as Guy brought his fist down, Maki lifted both of her arms, and managed to block the punch with her forearm. She cried out as it made impact and she knew that she was going to develop a bruise if she survived this. Then, she grabbed onto her hair with one hand and his wrist with the other. Quickly spinning herself, she delivered a sweep and knocked him off of his feet. Letting go of her hair, Guy fell to the ground with a crashing thud.

Maki rolled back before getting herself back on her feet. Some strands of her blonde hair had loosened from her ponytail and she was taking a moment to catch her breath. Guy got up faster than she had anticipated and, before she knew, he had closed the space between them. Maki immediately blocked his incoming punches and kicks. Having enough, she pulled back, leaving a few inches between them. Remembering the wall behind her, Maki immediately jumped back, used her feet to push against it, and then delivered a diagnol kick to Guy's chest. She managed to land the kick, making him stumble back a few feet.

As Maki landed on the ground again, Guy jumped forward, kicking her in the stomach, the force of it making her keel over in pain. He followed it with a punch before executing his _Bushin Senpuukyaku_ , the rapid kicks sending her flying back and crashing back first into the wall. Despite that, Maki managed to not fall forward.

Looking up, she noticed Guy attempting to attack again. Maki managed to duck under an incoming punch before she struck him with a palm strike to his chest hard enough to make him rear back. Before he could recover, Maki grabbed his shoulders and kneed him in the stomach three times before using her baton to bash him over the head in hopes of knocking him out cold.

Despite the punishment Maki just delivered, Guy still managed to stay on his feet… by the look on his face, all she really did was piss him off. _Shit!_ she called out in her mind. _This is_ not _good at all…_

When Guy tried attack again, Maki quickly extended her leg up into a high kick, her foot catching his chin and making his head snap back. She then lowered herself and slammed her fist into his stomach, but as she began to lower again for a sweep kick, Guy managed to grab her by the neck and swiftly lifted her up to eye level.

"What the-" Maki tried to say, but she didn't get the chance to finish as she suddenly found herself flying in the air. She realized that Guy had somersaulted just before she was slammed into the ground.

Even with the pain shooting through her and the blur that was starting to develop in her sight, Maki was able to notice Guy raising a foot in an attempt to stomp her. She managed to roll out of the way before he had the chance, but then it seemed as though Guy had changed his mind in the last moment. As Maki was on her back, Guy grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up from the ground.

For a split second, Maki thought that Guy would end up squeezing the life out of her. Instead, he released her, but in the same second, he started to deliver various punches and kicks at her, the speed and force of the attacks sending them both in the air.

A final kick sent Maki back first into the ground with enough force to send more pain through her body. By now, she was seeing stars and her vision was more blurry than a few moments ago. Still, it wasn't hard to miss the orange-clad figure hovering over her… for a split second, she was sure that he was going to kill her right then and there…

Instead, he merely snorted in disgust. "You're not worth killing," he finally declared before turning his back and walking away.

For a minute, Maki laid where she had landed, hoping that her allies around her won't let their enemies get past them and attack her while she recovered. She felt tears springing to her eyes, but she immediately closed them in order to keep them at bay. She couldn't help but think about what had transpired between her and her… former comrade.

_I wonder if… there may be no hope to free him at all…_

Not too far from headquarters, Jade quickly glided forward, a green shadow trailing behind her as she delivered a high kick to the face of one of the Outworld guards. With a grunt, he flew back several feet back before disappearing into the chaotic crowd around her.

Another guard approached her. With a battle cry, she slammed her staff into his shoulder, knocking him back first into the ground. She didn't give him a chance to even try to move before she stomped her boot into his head, the force of it knocking him out cold.

As she turned around, Jade narrowed her green eyes as another guard ran towards her. She found herself rolling her eyes. "How many of these guys are there?" she grumbled to herself.

As soon as the guard was within reach, Jade immediately kicked her feet up, her foot connecting to the guard's chin and sending him flying up into the air. She then placed her staff down, digging one end to the ground. She backed away just in time for the guard to land on the staff, letting out a scream as he found himself impaled.

Jade grabbed his head with both hands. "You should've known better," she told him before ripping his head off with all of her strength. She then placed the head at the tip of her staff.

"Hopefully that'll serve as a warning to the other adversaries," Jade said aloud. She then turned her attention back to the chaos around her, ready to fight once more…

Back near the docks, Ermac has been clearing house, defeating every enemy that came close to him. He noticed quite a number of Outworld guards going after him, which did not surprise him at all. The enigma was sure that there was some sort of reward for his capture, dead or alive.

After taking down the last guard, Ermac heard a voice behind him. "You sssshould've died back in Outworld!"

The hissing sound from the person's voice helped Ermac identify them easily. Turning around, he spotted Reptile just a few feet away. "We are not easy to kill as you may think," Ermac replied.

Reptile let out a hiss. "Your head will become my next meal!"

From there, Reptile spat acid from his mouth, the acid hurling towards his opponent. At the same time, Ermac shout out a green projectile from his hands. Both projectiles ended up colliding into each other, exploding upon impact.

When the explosion cleared, Ermac and Reptile covered the space between them and began to deliver various punches and kicks at each other, both switching between offense and defense. Eventually, Ermac chose to pull back. He barely left enough space before using his powers to raise himself a few feet up. Unsure of what he was about to do, Reptile made an attempt to scurry away, but then Ermac quickly landed hard back on the ground, the force creating a small earthquake around them and nearly knocking Reptile off of his feet.

Ermac got himself back up, but by then Reptile was ready for him. Getting on one knee, Reptile developed a force ball made of acid before releasing it. Ermac simply jumped over it as it floated forward, but the ball ended up landing on an unsuspecting Coast Guard soldier, his screams heard as the acid seared his skin.

Seeing Ermac approaching, Reptile immediately got himself into invisible mode. To his delight, his disappearance left the enigma confused. Taking advantage, Reptile delivered a few series of punches and kicks at his face and torso. Ermac was left dazed and flaring his arms around trying to figure out where the saurian was.

Eventually, Ermac got an idea of where Reptile was. Using his powers, he managed to catch Reptile in a telekinetic hold. Caught, Reptile's form came out of his invisible mode, now surrounded by a green aura. Ermac then lifted Reptile before slamming him to the ground hard enough to make him bounce off the ground a couple of times.

Ermac stood in a fighting stance as he waited for Reptile to stand up. With a snarl, Reptile ran towards his opponent and began to throw various punches and kicks at Ermac, who blocked them with ease. However, one palm strike Ermac attempted to block left him over, giving Reptile the chance to deliver a few more punches to the head and a kick to the stomach.

While Ermac was dazed, Reptile quickly grabbed him, moved around and onto his back, and then somersaulted backwards. However, in the middle of the somersault, Ermac managed to get out of Reptile's grip and twist himself around. When they landed, it was Reptile who ended up taking in the most impact from the ground from his front torso. Ermac ended up on top of him and immediately got back up once that was done.

Reptile released another snarl as he got back on his feet. Turning to Ermac, he immediately ran forward in an attempt to reach him. Before he was within arm's reach, Ermac used his powers to teleport himself behind Reptile, leaving him confused briefly. Taking the distraction as an opportunity, Ermac punched him a few times in the head before grabbing him. Spinning once, he threw Reptile across the street they were on and Reptile found himself flying until he landed in a pile of stacked barrels. Most of the barrels broke upon impact, its contents spilling onto the street and a dazed Reptile.

Ermac was about to walk over to Reptile, but by that time, more guards began to surround him. Ermac took care of them with the same ease as before, but by the time he was done, he realized his distraction had given Reptile the chance to make his escape.

No matter… Ermac was sure they'll run into each other again at a later time…

Near another part of the docks, Maxi stood in his fighting stances as he waited for Vega to get back up after he managed to kick him to the ground. Maxi felt anger coursing through his veins as he remembered the events of the Blood Tournament. However, because time has passed since then, at least he was able to fight against the bastard with a clearer mind set.

Still, it didn't mean that he wasn't going to make Vega suffer.

Once Vega was on his feet, the former matador's blue eyes narrowed through the eye holes of his porcelain mask. "I look forward to the moment my claw tastes your blood."

"And I look forward to smashing your face in," Maxi declared. "That mask of yours won't help you forever."

Vega let out a high pitch laugh as though he was amused by Maxi's words. "I'd like to see you _try_."

With a yell, Vega darted forward in fast speed, his claw out and ready to strike. Maxi managed to jump away before he was hit. In mid-air, Vega somersaulted, getting himself in position before his feet landed on the opposite wall. Launching himself off the wall with his feet, Vega flew forward, his claw prepared to taste blood. When he was close, Maxi quickly sidestepped before quickly executing a roundhouse, his foot connecting to Vega's side and sending him off course. As the former matador landed hard on his side, Maxi jumped forward in an attempt to lash his nunchaku at his opponent. Vega rolled himself back before getting up. With his claw, he blocked Maxi's incoming attack.

They went back and forth for a moment before Vega managed to slice his claw through Maxi's upper left arm. With a hiss, Maxi pulled back and took a moment to survey the damage. The cuts weren't as bad as the sharp pain made it out to be, but it didn't hesitate to slowly start bleeding.

Vega launched himself forward and managed to grab Maxi before he had the chance to get away. He then lifted him into the air before smashing him back down into the ground in a German supplex. Maxi let out a howl from the immense pain that hit him from the impact as Vega stood up. The Spanish ninja then attempted to stomp his ribs, but Maxi forced himself to roll out of the way, leaving some space between them.

From there, Vega tried to go over and stomp him again, but with a good grip on his nunchaku, Maxi swung his weapon sideway in fast speed, slamming hard enough into Vega's ankles enough to trip him. As Vega fell, Maxi quickly extended one leg, kicking the ninja in the chest and sending him hurling back until he was on the ground.

That gave Maxi the chance to stand up while Vega recovered from the attack. From there, Vega flipped forward until he was close enough to Maxi and aimed his claws to his face.

To his surprise, Maxi dropped his nunchaku before grabbing his left arm with both hands. Maxi narrowed his eyes at him at him.

"Not this time!" he called out as he twisted his arm until he heard a loud _snap!_ Vega screamed out in agony the second pain shot through his body. Using the now-broken arm, Maxi flipped him over until Vega's back landed hard on the pavement. He didn't give Vega the chance to even start getting up before he took his foot and smashed it into his face, breaking the porcelain mask into pieces that cut into his face.

It was no surprise to Maxi that Vega started screaming and flailing around like a raging animal as his hands covered his bleeding face. He was also screaming in a language Maxi couldn't understand, more than likely his native tongue. The insanity of the scene before Maxi would have unnerved an average person, but after everything he heard and witnessed about Vega, this was the kind of thing he deserved.

"Killing you would just be too easy," Maxi told him, though he was sure Vega wasn't able to hear him through his own rage. "And who seriously wears a _porcelain_ mask to battle?"

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Vega declared at the top of his lungs. "YOU'LL DIE A SLOW, PAINFUL DEATH, YOU UGLY PIECE OF SHIT!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Maxi snorted. "But right now, why don't you go back to your 'Emperor.' It doesn't look like you're capable of continuing this fight. And don't worry… I expect you to come back and finish me off. But know this… when you come back to kill me, I'll be ready. I won't make it easy on you."

Maxi began to turn to walk away, but he stated one last thing in the meantime. "Just keep in mind… if you so much as come within ten feet of any of my friends, I'll do worse to your face than I did today."

He could still hear Vega screaming in rage as he walked away…

Nearby, Yoshimitsu was fighting against a few Outworld Guards with his swords, easily cutting them down. When he cleared house, he heard someone screaming and cursing out nearby. Turning his head to the sound, Yoshimitsu happened to see a shirtless human with a snack tattoo around his torso lying on the ground. His face was covered by his hands, but it wasn't hard to miss the blood that seeped from between his fingers and the broken, sharp pieces of his mask lying around him.

Yoshimitsu cocked his head at the scene. "Well, that looks painful."

"Not as painful as the one I'll inflict on you momentarily," a voice said from behind him.

Yoshimitsu immediately whirled around to see the figure standing nearby. He had instantly recognized the voice… Bryan Fury. A sadistic smile was on his face and his left hand held the hilt of Yoshimitsu's own sword.

"You!" the Manji clan leader growled.

Bryan wasted no time as he pulled out a gun from its holster. Of course, he had the gun from when was back on Earth, but he had been saving his bullets specifically for this occasion. He pulled the trigger in rapid succession, forcing Yoshimitsu to run forward, forcing the bullets to trail behind him through the sidewalk. When the clan leader started to realized how close the bullets were, he quickly went into invisible mode.

Bryan looked at his surroundings, expecting Yoshimitsu to pop up and attack him at any moment. Yoshimitsu ended up reappearing from behind him and delivered a spin kick, knocking the gun out of Bryan's hand. Yoshimitsu then jumped up and kicked Bryan in the face, sending him stumbling back and crashing into a parked stage coach, the horses that were attached to it escaping a while ago. On the way, he had dropped Yoshimitsu's sword onto the pavement.

Bryan stared at Yoshimitsu as the clan leader began to approach. And idea came to him as a smirk developed on his face. Turning around, Bryan grabbed for the bottom of the stage coach and lifted it off the ground with ease. Seeing this, Yoshimitsu stopped in his tracks, realizing what his enemy was about to do. As he predicted, Bryan turned around and hurled the stage coach right at him.

"Oh crap!" Yoshimitsu called out. He quickly dropped down to the ground and the coach barely missed him. Instead it flew further into streets, knocking down others on the way before finally crashing into a large statue, the wood shattering into pieces.

When that was over, Yoshimitsu stood up, but Bryan was already on him. Bryan slammed his chin with an uppercut and followed it with a knee to his stomach before punching him in the face, forcing Yoshimitsu to nearly losing his balance. He managed to regain himself just as Bryan approached again. Quickly, Yoshimitsu leaned forward and a quick puff of purple smoke emitted from his mouth, shooting into Bryan's face and temporarily blinding him.

"Damn it!" Bryan yelled out as he tried to see through the mist. While he was distracted, Yoshimitsu noticed his sword not too far from him. Sheathing the sword he had been using since the Earth invasion, the Manji clan leader approached his beloved sword and picked it up by the hilt.

"Ah, much better," Yoshimitsu mused. "Hopefully the scoundrel hasn't corrupted you too badly."

A loud yell caught his attention, and he realized that Bryan was approaching him from behind. With his beloved sword in his artificial hand, Yoshimitsu spun the weapon rapidly and flew a few feet up into the air like he was a helicopter. Bryan wasn't able to stop himself in time and ended up running underneath him. As he did, Yoshimitsu took the opportunity to kick him in the back of his head, sending the cyborg stumbling forward.

Landing back on the ground, Yoshimitsu made an attempt to approach, but Bryan had quickly whirled around to face him. He managed to land two punches on Yoshimitsu's face before lowering himself for a sweep, but Yoshimitsu ended up jumping over that.

As Bryan stood up, he was met with a punch from Yoshimitsu's own fist before he grabbed. Jumping up, Yoshimitsu somersaulted so that when they landed, he would slam Bryan into the ground. Yoshimitsu then sat up and raised his sword up, ready for the kill he'd been waiting for.

"Now," Yoshimitsu growled. "You die!"

Suddenly, their surroundings grew brighter and portals began to reopen. Yoshimitsu made the mistake of looking at a portal that had opened nearby… he would call it a rookie mistake later on… Bryan took advantage of the distraction and pushed him off of him before standing up. He was just about to plummet the clan leader when he was suddenly tackled by a handful of members of the Red Dragon clan.

Yoshimitsu stood up and backed away from the new fight, one he was sure Bryan would win easily. With the portals opening, Yoshimitsu realized that the invasion was about to end… for now of course. As much as he wanted nothing more than to finish his fight with Bryan, it was going to have to wait again. It was clear that Bryan was on neutral ground if members of the Red Dragon were fighting him, so he was not working for Shao Kahn (not that he would as far as he was concerned)… he now had to focus on killing those in his path and saving anyone who was still alive and was about to be enslaved.

With that in mind, Yoshimitsu began to head in the direction of the Coast Guard Headquarters where the biggest of the portals would be located…

Just near the outskirts of the city, after stomping Kazuya face first into the dirt, Heihachi folded his arms in front of him as he stared down at Kazuya. "Hmph! Let's see you get up from that!"

Unknown to him, Kazuya was still wide awake. He stayed where he was until Heihachi's foot was close enough for him to grab. Heihachi hadn't expected that and before he knew it, he landed hard on his back. Kazuya quickly got back on his feet and as Heihachi sat up from the ground, Kazuya grabbed him by his hair and lifted him up. Before Heihachi had the chance to fight back, Kazuya swiftly turned in fast speed before letting go, hurling Heihachi through the air until the older man slammed into a nearby tree, the impacting bouncing him off before he landed face first into the floor.

Heihachi started to get up when he noticed Kazuya within arm's length. Heihachi immediately delivered a head-butt his son in the stomach, causing Kazuya to keel over in pain. That ended up leaving him open for an uppercut to the jaw, sending Kazuya into the air. When the younger fighter started to fall back down, Heihachi executed a palm strike hard enough to send him flying back until he skidded through the dirt.

Unknown to either of them, a portal opened nearby as their surrounding area brightened from the darkness that took over a while ago…

Heihachi let out a maniacal laugh as he approached his opponent. "Like I said before… you're getting rusty."

The moment he was close, Kazuya, who managed to get on one knee, spun himself quickly, one leg extended out for a sweep kick. Heihachi saw this coming and jumped over it fast. Just as rapidly, Kazuya straightened himself up and executed an uppercut, sending the older man into the air. However, Heihachi managed to catch himself so that he landed on the ground.

Kazuya was in his face at this point, landing two punches in his face before slamming a knee into the older man's abdomen. With an ' _oof!_ ' Heihachi reared back. Shaking his head, he jumped forward and punched Kazuya in the face, the power behind it dazing the younger fighter for a moment. Using the same hand, he backhanded Kazuya hard enough to make his head snap sideways.

Even with the pain in his face, Kazuya shook it off like it was nothing. Clenching his teeth in anger, he hurled forward and tackled Heihachi, sending them flying back… only now did they both notice the portal that they were suddenly about to fall into. Heihachi tried to dig his feet into the ground to slow down, but it was too late.

" _ **OOH SHIIIIIIIIIIIT!**_ " they both yelled out as they tumbled into the portal. Moments later, the portal closed…

~~~

Fujin wasn't sure how long the battle lasted it, but it didn't matter… the invasion of Keisei left quite a mark behind, and the Wind God was sure that the people who managed to survive today would not see their city the same for a long time. The dead lied where they fell, many buildings and homes were either damaged or destroyed, and smoke continued to billow from the fires that still raged.

By now, the portals that had helped any lucky follower of Shao Kahn escape with their lives. Anyone left behind and alive were sure to be interrogated and executed accord to the laws of this city.

"I'm glad you returned when you did," a voice said behind him. Fujin turned around and noticed Dhalsim approaching. The yoga master looked exhausted and had minor injuries, but he was definitely okay.

"Yes, the Elder Gods warned me that Keisei would be invaded," Fujin replied. "I wish I had come sooner."

Dhalsim nodded. "One of our chosen ones was hurt… Juni. She's currently in the medical wing inside. Also, I sense that both Kazuya and Heihachi are no longer in the area. Either they have escaped or they went through the portal to Outworld."

"I see," Fujin said. He gazed at their surroundings. "I know it looks bad… but compared to other words that had invaded, Keisei fared better."

Dhalsim agreed with him. "It would have been much worse had they not prepared for all these months and… had it not been for the assistance of the Manji Clan."

A thought came to Fujin then. "During my absence… you were able to find the other two chosen ones."

A frown came over Dhalsim's face. "Yes, but… the fourth one complicates things. I'll explain more after we tend to the wounded."

From there, the two men began to help anyone that needed it…


	71. Chapter Seventy

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Things were much calmer by the time the sun was starting to set for the evening. The smell of both smoke and death lingered in the air, and many volunteered to care for both the wounded and the dead.

In a small meeting room, Dhalsim, Fujin, and Ruby Heart gathered to discuss not only the fight, but also of other… interesting matters.

Fujin wasn't around when Dhalsim discovered that Kenshi was the third chosen one. Fujin was happy to hear that. Once the yoga master announced who the fourth and final chosen one was, the disbelieving look on the Wind God's face came as no surprise to both Dhalsim and Ruby Heart.

"During the battle," Dhalsim explained. "I saw her energy and it matched exactly as the one from my visions. I have no doubt that she's part of the _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend."

Fujin wrapped his fingers around his chin thoughtfully. "Were you able to determine exactly what balances of good and sin lie within her?"

Dhalsim shook his head. "There wasn't enough time to analyze. My guess for now is that she had a good heart, but was somehow persuaded to join with Shao Kahn. What for, even I'm not sure. I need to spend more time with her to figure this out."

"That's just _great_ _!_ " Ruby Heart groaned. "So… how will that happen exactly, because, you know, I have this _really_ bad feeling about all of this. Could it be possible to have, you know, a substitute chosen one?"

Dhalsim immediately shook his head. "Unfortunately it's impossible. Besides, at this point, there's no way around it."

Fujin sighed. "Getting her on our side is going to be easier said than done, that's for sure."

"Hey!" Ruby Heart called out. "We do have all these other great warriors who could take her place. Like Siegfried! And Kilik!"

"Have all the Outworld Forces retreated?" Dhalsim asked.

"Yes, as far as I can tell," replied Fujin.

"What about Kung Lao and Sub-Zero?" suggested Ruby Heart. "They're very strong warriors as well. I've seen them spar on my own ship!"

"Were you able to succeed in your mission?" Dhalsim questioned.

Fujin sadly shook his head. "I had the intention to free Raiden from the dark clutches with a Keisei relic, but the darkness within him was too strong."

"I see."

"How about that Cassandra?" Ruby Heart piped in. "I know she's very young, but she has quite the warrior spirit. Oh, and Chun Li! She wasn't kidding when she declared herself the strongest woman in the world!"

"I do plan to go back to Earth tomorrow," Fujin mentioned. "I imagine that we'll be heading to Outworld very soon. I'd like to transport the ninja spectre Scorpion there, and we can meet him there when the time comes to take care of our enemies."

Dhalsim nodded. "That is wise."

"Are we sure Scorpion's energy is considered too dark?" Ruby Heart asked. "You know what, I have a better idea. Could you double check _my_ own energy just to be sure?"

The door suddenly opened, starting the three in the room. They turned their heads and were able to relax upon seeing Yoshimitsu enter the room.

"I apologize for the interruption," the Manji Clan leader said. "But this is urgent."

Fujin nodded to him. "What is it?"

"My recon team just came back. There are still pockets of Outworld scouts just outside of the city."

Dhalsim sighed. "It seems as though not all of them have left." His eyes widened suddenly. "Yoshimitsu, do you happen to know if the Empress of Outworld was amongst the scouts?"

Yoshimitsu shook his head. "I'm not sure. None of my own scouts have reported her presence, but that doesn't necessarily rule her out."

Dhalsim nodded. "That will be all. Thank you."

Yoshimitsu bowed to them before turning around to leave the room. Upon exiting, he closed the door behind him.

"I'm going to investigate," Dhalsim announced. "If there's a chance that Ivy's there, this would be the best opportunity to tell her of her… destiny."

Ruby Heart took a deep breath. "Are you sure about this? For all you know, she'll kill you on sight."

"If she's is one of the chosen ones, she's not as ruthless as she may seem," Dhalsim replied. "Clearly there is much good in her, enough to balance whatever sins she has committed as Empress of Outworld. As long as I approach carefully, I am confident that she will not kill me on sight… as long as I avoid the rest of her troops of course."

Ruby Heart shook her head. "All right, if you say so. Just… be careful. We need you in this fight."

Dhalsim simply nodded before he began to depart.

~~~

**Unknown Area, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

After the chaos they witnessed in Chili-san, the surviving members of the Black Dragon returned to their hideout within the forests outside of the city.

"So we didn't really get to spread the chaos like we hoped," said Havik. "BUT! We were all able to experience even more chaos and get away without falling to order. That alone deserves a party."

Bryan turned to Kabal. "I didn't realize invading a realm was a cause for a celebration," he whispered. Kabal simply shrugged in reply.

"Still," Tira called out as she brushed a hand over the side of her ring blade. "It was marvelous that I got the chance to kill."

"Where do we go from here?" asked Kabal.

Havik rubbed his fingers over his chin. "I'm not sure, but I did have this idea for-"

He suddenly stopped mid-sentence as a portal suddenly opened in front of them. Instinctively, the group got themselves in fighting stances, unsure of what to think of this new development. Eventually, they watched as a few groups of figures, all dressed in black, emerging from the portal.

The last of them, through dressed similarly as the others, was clearly the leader by the way he carried himself as he walked. He stood tall with a seven foot scythe in his hand, all black except for the sapphire jewels on the blade.

Tira couldn't help but smile. "That scythe is so pretty…" she said out loud.

"You are the Black Dragon, are you not?" the leader asked them.

Kabal nodded. "Yes, we are. And who are you?"

"We are the Brotherhood of Shadow, and I am Noob Saibot."

Bryan snorted at the leader's name. "Noob? Seriously?"

Two of the shadow warriors attempted to approach Bryan in a hostile manner. Bryan was just lifting his fists up in defense when Noob quickly slammed the bottom end of his scythe down to the ground. It made a loud _clang!_ noise despite hitting the grass. Clearly it caught Noob's minions' attention because they immediately backed away.

"STAND DOWN!" he demanded, his voice booming. Bryan simply gave them a smug look as the two shadows pulled back.

"It is clear that you are here for something," Havik spoke up as he stepped forward. "If you are here to… oppress us in some way, the best choice in this situation would be for you to leave."

Noob turned his attention to the Cleric of Chaos. "The Brotherhood of Shadow prefers to get to the point when it comes to our brutality." Noob walked a couple of feet forward. "I was there when your group was in Chili-san during the invasion. I am here to make… an understanding."

"What kind of… understanding?" asked Tira as she looked at Noob with suspicion.

"Have you heard of Quan Chi?" Noob asked.

Kabal immediately nodded. "The guy's a scumbag if I remember correctly."

"Yes… as of now, he's serving under Shao Kahn, and we, the Brotherhood, 'serve' under Quan Chi. Recently, some of my shadow warriors infiltrated his meetings with another of Shao Kahn's minions, Shang Tsung. The two of them plan to overthrow the Emperor and take over the throne themselves."

"If you ask me, they'll be doing the universe a favor," said Bryan.

Kabal turned to the cyborg. "There's a lot of history behind these two and there are good reasons that those two possibly ruling Outworld would not be good… I'll explain more later."

Bryan simply nodded as Noob proceeded. "The Brotherhood plan to let this happen… and when it does, that's where you come in."

"How so?" asked Kabal.

"The forces of chaos will make their move and overwhelm Quan Chi, Shang Tsung, and anyone who gets in their way. Once your work is to your satisfaction, the Brotherhood will move in and take over the throne. We will rule both the Netherrealm and Outworld."

Havik let out a maniacal laugh. "Finally! Someone outside of the Black Dragon understands the way of chaos! To spread chaos in Outworld, especially in the Emperor's hideout, would be magnificent! Outworld has already violated the ways of the people of Chaosrealm, so it would be… fitting, that the chaos would be spread there. It would be what my people would just _love_."

Havik then gave Noob a serious look. "Do keep in mind, however. If things start to get too… orderly…" That word always made him want to chew his own tongue off. "Then we will pull out of this… understanding."

Noob nodded before putting a hand out. Havik knew what this meant… it was a way to bind a 'contract' of sorts. His people didn't believe in contracts. However, he thought about it more and figured, well... why the hell not? The Outworld Forces had dared attempted to place order on those who didn't believe in it… to place chaos on them would be what Havik considered… poetic.

In one of his rare moments, Havik clasped Noob's hands. Neither of them shook hands, but it was enough. It was a simply sign of their partnership, one that Havik would be able to pull out of if necessary.

"Now that that's settled," Noob said as their hands unclasped. "We will transport you to Outworld."

From there, the members of both the Brotherhood of Shadow and the Black Dragon began to depart through the still-open portal. The last to go was Tira, who briefly looked back at the land in front of her… her home world. She realized in that moment that she was about to visit another realm for the first time in her life. It was exciting to think about.

With that in mind, Tira went through the portal before it closed.

~~~

**Not Too Far from Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

From where she stood, Ivy Valentine could still see the smoke rising from the city she had just helped in fighting against. The sun was mostly set far out in the ocean beyond the city. It would have been a beautiful sight had it not been for the devastation left behind.

Until now, it was easy to pretend that she wasn't fighting against her own home world. Perhaps it was because Chili-san, as well-known as it was, was a place that she never visited before until today, so her surroundings had been unfamiliar. Now, seeing what she left behind, even if she was lucky to live a full life, this was something that she was sure that she would never forgive herself for.

For the first time in months, Ivy began to question why she accepted Shao Kahn's offer to become Empress of Outworld. For power? For love? She wasn't sure anymore… all she knew was that Keisei will eventually fall completely just as many other worlds had before. She never really thought of the consequences until now. Why now? It couldn't be just because this was her home.

Or could it?

For now, she remained here under Shao Kahn's orders. She selected some of the more stealthy troops for recon missions to figure out the strong points that remained after the first wave. Eventually, the portals would open and they would be called back to Outworld again. What would be next afterwards? Attack Earth again? Plan another wave to take over Keisei again? Or move on to a lesser realm?

It was no surprise to Ivy that a good chunk of the Manji Clan survived. In a way, they had been a thorn on Shao Kahn's side since the beginning. It was they who were able to warn many realms of their coming. They were able to get rid of a good amount and imprison who they could, but Ivy was pretty sure that their clan was just as large as the Outworld Forces.

Ivy's thoughts were soon interrupted by footsteps. Turning around, she was sure that one of the scouts was approaching her. However, upon seeing who it was, she was stunned to come face to face with a dark-skinned, very thin man. For a brief moment, Ivy thought that he was simply a wandering monk just passing through… but there was something off about the man… she wasn't sure what it was, but her gut was telling her to be careful.

Although he seemed to pose no threat, Ivy instinctively grasped onto the hilt of her sword. "Who are you?" she demanded, her eyes glaring at him.

The stranger raised a hand in a gesture she realized was one of peace. "I assure you that I am not here to harm you, Isabella Valentine."

Despite sensing his honesty, Ivy couldn't help but feel suspicious. "How do you know who I am?"

"I'm a psychic," Dhalsim replied. "I also know that you are the current Empress of Outworld."

"Well, everyone knows that," Ivy said, still not convinced.

Dhalsim continued. "You were raised in the House of Valentine by a couple who had adopted you. Your adopted father had been studying your realm's ancient sword and it had eventually driven him mad. You then became an alchemist and had attempted to honor his memory by studying that same sword. Later, you found out that the sword was evil and you had set out to destroy it."

Ivy slowly removed her hand from the hilt of her sword. "Well… even Shao Kahn has no knowledge of my childhood or my mission… aside from my alchemy skills and who my parents were. I'm… almost impressed."

Then, suddenly, Ivy realized something. "Wait… Shao Kahn had wanted to eliminate a psychic who was considered a threat. Are you Dhalsim?"

Dhalsim's eyes narrowed. Now, he was unsure of what kind of danger he was in at this point. "I assume that is why you send those three brutes after me not so long ago."

Ivy nodded. "That was Shao Kahn's idea. Perhaps you can tell me something then. When they returned, they brought forth a tablet. He didn't read aloud what it said, but after he did read it to himself, he smashed and declared that he was, 'not going to be swayed by a mere legend.' Since the tablet came from your village, I'd like to know what it said."

Dhalsim's eyes suddenly widened. So Shao Kahn did find out about the legend. That was unexpected. Now there was a new concern… what kind of precautions would Shao Kahn be taking to make sure the legend didn't come true?

"I can tell you exactly what it said," Dhalsim said.

Ivy raised an eyebrow at that. She did not expect the psychic give out the information right away. She was all ready to threaten to bring him back to Outworld alive and make him suffer the consequences.

Dhalsim soon spoke. " _Ano Sentaku Bou_ _– The Chosen Ones - In a time of universal war, four individuals within this universe have the power to eradicate the main source of the conflict. With the perfect balance of purity and sins within their souls, their energies, when together, could be used as a weapon against the enemy._ "

Ivy folded her arms in front of her. "I'm surprised you were so willing to give that information away. Any reason for that?"

Dhalsim stared at her intently. "As it says, four individuals within this universe have the power to eradicate the main source of the conflict. That 'main source' is Shao Kahn." He then took a deep breath. "And you, Ivy, are one of the four individuals."

Ivy's eyes immediately widened with shock and horror. Still, she managed to speak. "And what makes you think that I will assist you?"

"Because if you don't help end this threat, there will be a future of nothingness. Shao Kahn's victories may be possible, but the consequences will be severe for all, even for those who willingly allied with him."

Ivy raised an eyebrow again. "I assume your… psychic abilities predicted this? How are you sure? And how are you sure that _I'm_ a part of this… legend?"

"Your soul, which is the color of purple like the amethyst stone, matches the one from my visions. It has been a legend passed down to me for many generations. My people have prepared for this. As the sole survivor of my village, it is my responsibility to make sure this threat ends before it's too late."

"Words aren't enough," Ivy declared. At this point, she could feel her hands shaking. "I can't just _assume_ there will be no future for all if Shao Kahn succeeds."

Dhalsim nodded. "I understand. The good news is that I can show you."

Ivy narrowed her eyes. "How?"

"With my abilities, I can temporarily transfer my visions to your own mind. However, I must warn you that it will not be pleasant."

Ivy nodded. "Let's get this over with."

Dhalsim walked up to her until he was in arms reach. He then reached up with both hands, placing his fingers over her temples. Ivy noticed the light aura emitting from the yoga master.

"Close your eyes and relax," Dhalsim advised. "This will only take a minute."

Ivy did just that… and it only took a few more moments before the visions flashes through her mind;

_Cities in ruins._

_Planets blown into pieces._

_Corpses laid where they fell in various decay with wide eyes and silent screams, surrounded by pools of blood._

_A crimson sky._

_The smell of death._

_Shao Kahn standing on top of a hill._

_Ivy's own body lying by his feet, a large hole in her chest, and her face were like those corpses from another vision._

_Shao Kahn's eyes glowing redder than ever._

_A scream of insanity echoes into the sky as his form shifts and changes._

_His armor turning into one that looked like muscles, tenderloins, and veins._

_A single sword in his hand, a sword that now matched his armor._

_The sword possessed a moving eye-_

" **NO!** " Ivy screamed out as her eyes snapped opened in horror. She quickly collapsed on her knees into the ground as Dhalsim removed his hands from her head. Looking down at the grass with wide eyes, she was gasping for breath to the point of hyperventilating, her skin was covered in beads of sweat, and her body was shaking violently. Somewhere in the distance, she heard the sounds of birds flapping their wings in a fevered attempt to get away from the scream she just let out.

Dhalsim eventually kneeled down in front of her. "I am sorry you had to see that, Ivy, but it was the only way I could convince you. If I understand this correctly, Shao Kahn managed to possess the energy of Soul Edge… the sword you had hunted to destroy for many years. Pieces of the vision are some that others have seen… the blood red sky, the corpses, and the smell of death… I had not told any of them because I need them to focus on victory, but what they are seeing is what will happen if we fail."

Even despite her shaking, Ivy managed to speak. "He… possessed the essence of… the evil sword… after the tournament. He said that… he had full control of it… it… _Chishio No Me_ … the medallion… it served as the window for Soul Edge… it was a way… for it… to pick its next host."

"And that host was Shao Kahn."

Ivy nodded. "He had… defeated the last host… I was so sure that he had… full control… but now… I wonder…"

"Perhaps he did have full control," Dhalsim suggested. "But eventually, or even starting now, the essence of the sword is slowly regaining its power. Eventually, it will be powerful enough to take over Shao Kahn."

Ivy looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears. "Maybe," she said bitterly.

"When that happens, he will kill anything in his way, and he will be even more powerful than ever. Even the strongest won't survive. I'm afraid… Soul Edge has more influence than even Shao Kahn knows."

Ivy looked down at the ground. "I wouldn't be surprised if the essence was influencing me."

"I do sense conflict within you," Dhalsim mentioned. "You are unsure about your position as Empress. Soul Edge does run in your veins, but that wasn't your fault. You are doing what you can to purge it from you, even if it means your own death. But you have a good heart, even if you don't know it. You may be ruthless in battle, but you do give those you plan to kill a chance… most of the time. You do help those who need it, specifically during your travels through Keisei. And…”

An image from the Blood Tournament came over Dhalsim's mind... one that was indeed an interesting coincidence to say the least. “...You even helped someone rescue a friend from the dungeons during the tournament."

Ivy snorted at that. "I haven't thought of that in a while. It… just didn't seem right at the time. I'm still unsure if he succeeded. There was chaos in the dungeons, but anything could have happened before our lackeys went down there."

Dhalsim nodded. He knew the results, but figured that it was best for her to find out for herself. She would definitely get her answer soon. "I know this is all a shock and difficult to comprehend… but we need you in this fight. You are our last hope in ending this once and for all."

Ivy shook her head. "It's… not that easy."

"I know… but know that there is hope if you join us. Hope is… not lost. Not completely."

Ivy let out another sigh as a lone tear slipped from her eye. "You're right about one thing… this is difficult to comprehend." She quickly wiped the tear from her eye. "And… I can't just leave Outworld behind. They'll be a witch hunt for sure."

"I know," Dhalsim said. "I do not expect you to turn your back on him now."

"Besides," Ivy began. "I imagine you still need to figure out who the other three are. You said there were four chosen ones if I remember right."

Dhalsim shook his head. "Actually, now that we found you, we have all four chosen ones."

Ivy stared at him. "Oh. Well… good… I think. Let me guess… one of them is Jin Kazama."

Dhalsim's eyes seemed to widen at that. "How did you know?"

"It makes perfect sense," Ivy explained. "He was a finalist in the tournament. Also, Shao Kahn had ordered to bring him dead or alive to Outworld some time ago because he was considered a threat. I wasn't surprised when the mission failed."

"I see," Dhalsim said.

"And now I can see why he considered you a threat," Ivy said. "You held the key to ending all of this."

Dhalsim inwardly sighed with relief. Although he can still sense her conflict within her soul, he could also sense her willingness to cooperate. The visions of Soul Edge taking over Shao Kahn seemed to have shaken her to the core. There was a very good chance that she wouldn't betray them.

Still, he was sure that they weren't out of the woods just yet.

"If you are able," Dhalsim continued. "I'd like for you to meet with me and the other three chosen ones tonight. There is a small, abandoned cabin southwest from here. It's the only one in the area, so it won't be hard to miss."

Ivy sighed. "We're not expecting to return to Outworld until morning, so I will be able to make it. I'll… see you then."

Dhalsim nodded before straightened up. He then turned around to walk away. Ivy remained on her knees, still trying to comprehend what she had just learned…

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Within the Coast Guard Headquarters, there was a small medical wing within the back section of the main building. It was where Lita had carried Juni to, thus making her one of the first patients to receive medical care immediately after the end of the invasion.

Things were a bit more settled hours after the invasion ended. The dead were being taken care of, those with critical injuries were beginning to stable, and those with lesser injuries were now resting. With the calm around them now, both Cammy and Lita decided to head down to the medical wing where they knew Juni was staying.

When the two MI-6 soldiers entered, it was no surprise to them when they saw Juni being cared for by Jane Guile. Jane had pulled her long blonde hair back into a bun, and she was currently cleaning Juni's face with a washcloth. The young woman was currently unconscious, but her face was relaxed and not in any pain. Clearly she was under a sedative.

Hearing the two women coming in, Jane turned her head. "Working with the old school medical equipment was quite a challenge," she admitted. "But despite that, I'm optimistic about Juni's recovery. Still, I'd like to keep her under observation for a couple of days to make sure that nothing drastic will change."

Lita seemed to sigh with relief. "If there is some 'drastic change,' hopefully it's for the better."

"You and me both," Jane replied. A frown then came upon her face. "However, I have to advise that Juni… remained here on Keisei when it's time to go to Outworld. I don't think she'll fully recover in time to join you all in the fight."

Cammy pinched the bridge of her nose as she let out a breath. "She's going to be so disappointed when she hears that."

Lita frowned. "She already lived a hard life and has been trying to make up for what she couldn't help because of Shadaloo. She really wanted to be a part of this."

Jane leaned back into the wooden chair she was sitting on. "I know it will be hard. I mean, I was a nurse trained to care for military soldiers. One of the hardest things to see was the look on those soldiers' faces when they're too injured to rejoin the fight, to rejoin their allies. Every single one of them had their reasons for not wanting to be left behind because of it. Some even feared that their absence may even cost the lives of their comrades. It'll make them wonder about the what-ifs, perhaps for the rest of their lives…"

"Something tells me it won't be all that different with Juni," Lita said.

Jane sighed. "Yeah. Well… if anything, Amy and I will be taking everyone's advice and remain here on Keisei when you all go to Outworld. Juni won't be alone."

Lita nodded. "That is true. Well, we'll both probably be back some time tomorrow. It's been… a very, very long day."

Jane nodded in agreement. "Good night."

"Good night."

Lita and Cammy both took their leave. The two remained silent as they closed the door behind them. Both alone in the long hallway now, Lita spoke up.

"I could use some sleep," she said as a yawn escaped her.

Cammy nodded. "I agree, though I think I'll hit the showers... or bathtub rather... beforehand. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

From there, the two women went into separate directions. At one point, Lita turned a corner and almost bumped into someone. As she pulled back, she found herself looking up at Steve Fox.

"Hi," she managed to say.

Steve nodded, his lips forcing a small smirk. "Hi."

A deep sigh escaped from Lita's lips, unsure of what to say. She was already aware of the fact that Cammy and Steve had broken up before the Keisei invasion. In a way, Lita felt like that the break-up had been her fault because she had let it slip up that Cammy had been seeing Jin during the tournament. Separately, both Cammy and Steve had assured her that not only was it not her fault, but they both had a feeling that the break-up was a long time coming.

"How's Juni?" Steve asked his voice cutting into her thoughts.

Lita blinked a couple of times before answering, forcing a smiling. "She'll be all right, actually. She'll need time to recover… however, Jane doesn't think she'll recover in time to go to Outworld with us."

Steve frowned at that news. "That's a shame."

Lita nodded. "Yeah. Damn… in a way, we've been all lucky, us 'chosen ones.' We mainly survived that invasion unscathed…"

With that sentence hanging, Steve had a feeling that she had more to say. "But…"

Lita sighed. "I think the anxiety is starting to building up… not that it has since this damned invasion happened to begin with, but… it's more about what we're all going to face once we get to Outworld."

"I've never even been there," Steve said. "I wish I was able to help with what you'll face there, but clearly I have no idea what to expect myself."

"Well, Outworld is… well… it's… unsettling in a way," Lita explained. "Having friends there does help, but back then, we were all in high spirits because we were in a tournament. There were some… dark times, and a few friends, some of them I was close to, who didn't make it out alive… I think I can at least imagine it being as hostile as it was on our last day there…"

Lita then took a deep breath as she raised her chin up. "But… now that I think about it, if we all fail… with Juni staying here in Keisei now, I'll at least die knowing that one friend lived through this nightmare."

To her surprise, Steve placed a firm hand on her shoulder before looking straight into her blue eyes with his own. "Don't think like that, Lita. We'll win this thing and end this threat once and for all."

Lita had to smile at that. "The way you say it, I can believe it."

Steve gave her his own smile, though this one was a bit more sheepish. "Well, you better believe it. Anyway, I'm exhausted, so I think its best that I head to bed. Good night."

Lita nodded. "Good night."

They walked by each other as they both headed in the direction of their own room. Briefly, Lita turned back and found herself staring at Steve's back until he turned another corner. When he was out of her sight, Lita walked forward towards her own room.

~~~

The darkness was brief, but as Sareena opened her eyes, she found her vision to be a bit blurry. She noticed how everything was bright, but in the back of her mind, she remembered how the rubble she ended up in was mostly filled with dark walls… the walls she was possibly seeing now was brighter in color.

That reminded her… her back hurt like hell, and she was sure that there was a headache developing at her temples.

She could hear voices speaking above her. Blinking slowly a few times, Sareena managed to clear her vision, soon recognizing the room she was staying in at the Coast Guard headquarters. One voice she head sounded artificial and robotic. The owner of that voice soon appeared in her line of sight, looking down at her. A pair of red lights where the eyes should be gazed at her and Sareena soon recognized the gray cyborg in front of her.

 _Smoke,_ she thought, feeling relieved. At least she wasn't in the hands of the enemy.

"She's awake," Smoke said, his heading turning to another direction briefly before looking at her again. "Sleep well?" he asked, almost jokingly.

That got a small chuckle out of Sareena, but she immediately winced as pain hit her. "Maybe," she managed to say. "What the hell happened?"

"Keisei was invaded," Sub-Zero explained as he appeared in her line of sight. "We-"

"No, no," she said, cutting him off. "I remember that. I mean… after I was knocked out cold," she said.

"We found you in a pile of rubble after the Outworld Forces retreated," Sub-Zero reassessed. "You were simply knocked out unconscious so we brought you here before caring for the others who were worse off. We came back here an hour ago to check on you since things are calmer now."

Sareena managed to nod as she remembered how she found herself in that rubble to begin with. "Frost was there. She pretty much defeated me in the fight, but clearly she didn't deliver the final blow."

"Noob and Matrik were there as well," Smoke informed her. "It's clear to us that the Brotherhood of Shadow have joined with the Outworld Forces… possibly for their own gain."

Sareena shook her head. "That doesn't surprise me at all. If I remember correctly, Quan Chi ran to Outworld to escape the Netherrealm. Either they went to rejoin him…"

"Or they are trying to take him out of the picture," Sub-Zero finished. "Something tells me that it's the latter."

"I believe it," Smoke said. He then stood up from the chair he was sitting in. "If you'll excuse me, I should go take this time to do some maintenance work. I'll see you tomorrow."

The two of them nodded to the cyborg before he departed. Once Smoke closed the door behind him, Sub-Zero turned his attention back to Sareena. "Speaking of Outworld, it's possible that we will be going there in a few days."

Sareena nodded solemnly, unsure of what to say. Sub-Zero had noticed her solemn look and he gave her a concerned look. "Do you think you'll be up for it?"

Surprised to hear him ask that, Sareena's onyx eyes gazed her at him, giving him a wide-eyed look. "I didn't travel all this way for nothing. I'm not going to let my defeat, a little back pain, and headaches keep me down."

She could've sworn that a small smirk was starting to develop on Sub-Zero's face, but the ice ninja managed to control it quickly. "I was just making sure," he simply said.

Sareena sighed a little. "Besides… fighting the Outworld Forces will not only prove my loyalty to the Lin Kuei… but it will also prove my loyalty to you."

Upon saying that, she gazed into Sub-Zero's blue eyes and noticed a change in his demeanor, one that she couldn't recognize. For a moment, she wasn't sure what he was thinking… then, to her surprise, he placed a cool, gentle hand on her shoulder.

"You proved your loyalty to me a long time ago."

Sareena found herself unable to speak upon hearing those words. So instead, she smiled.

~~~

**Evening, Outskirts of Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

"Well… to say I'm in shock would be the understatement of the year," said Jin Kazama. "I didn't think we find the fourth chosen one so soon."

"Neither did I," said Dhalsim as he stood before him, Kenshi, and Ryu. He had called the three of them to meet up to discuss 'new developments.' Once they were gathered, Dhalsim had immediately said, ' _We found the last chosen one._ '

Next to him, Fujin paced around a little. "However… well, they'll be here any minute now. All I ask is for the three of you to… keep an open mind."

Ryu was confused by that. "Why?"

Then, on cue, the door to the cabin opened. All five men turned around to see Ivy enter the room. She stopped right at the door as she noticed the shocked look on the faces of Ryu and Jin.

"Wh… what?" Ryu said feeling stunned.

Jin narrowed his eyes. "Ivy... you've got to be kidding me…"

Ivy glared at Jin. "Well Kazama, it's finally nice to see you again," she said almost casually. "I'm sure that-"

That was when she suddenly recognized the third, silent figure. " _You!_ "

The way she had said it, Kenshi had taken it as a threat. At the same time, he and Ivy pulled out their respective swords and immediately got into defensive positions.

Ryu shifted his eyes between them, clearly confused by the exchange. "You two… know each other?"

"We met once at the tournament," Kenshi explained.

Sure that there wasn't going to be a fight between them, Ivy replaced her sword back in its scabbard. "I… assume everything worked out then."

Kenshi nodded as he put his sword back in its own scabbard. "She recovered."

"Um… am I missing something?" asked Jin.

Ivy was the one who explained. "We had a prisoner who I felt didn't deserve to be there. She simply served as a… meal for the undead brute we had in the dungeons at the time. I helped… eh…"

"Kenshi," the swordsman said simply.

"Yes, I helped Kenshi gain access to the dungeons so he could rescue her. Until now, I wasn't sure of the results."

"I remember when Alex was imprisoned and came back in bad shape," said Ryu. He turned his head to the Keisei native. "I didn't realize you helped out back then."

"At the time, I didn't think mentioning her to anyone but Raiden and Rose would've been relevant," Kenshi explained. "Even then, I didn't know her name, at least until now."

Jin also turned his attention to Ivy. "I didn't realize you even had any sort of… mercy.”

Dhalsim immediately cut in before Ivy could protest. "She's aware of her role as one of the four chosen ones," he said. "Despite her… position in Outworld, she is willing to cooperate."

Jin narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"What other choice do you have?" Ivy asked the young man.

"You helped cost a lot of devastation around the universe, including your own home!" called out Ryu. "It'd be nice for us to be sure that you won't stab us in the back!"

"Without her, everything we know will fall," Kenshi pointed out. "Clearly she has a balance of good and sin as the legend says."

"That still doesn't help," said Jin. He then turned to Dhalsim. "Are you sure this was just some mistake from your visions? I'm finding it hard to believe she has any good at all."

"Would Dhalsim have risked our mission if he wasn't so sure?"

"Enough!" Fujin called out in a raised voice, silencing everyone. "Whether you like it not, Ivy is part of this legend." He turned to look at her. "I'm… confident that she will work with us."

Ivy gave the Wind God a single nod. "It won't be easy… but after the visions Dhalsim showed me, I give you my word that I will cooperate however I can."

Fujin knew one thing she could do. "With your position as Empress, it would be in our best interest if you serve as our inside source. However, it is also best to keep very minimal contact with you in order to ward off suspicion from Outworld."

Ivy nodded. "That would be best. Perhaps we will meet again once you have arrived in Outworld."

"We'll be there in a few days. I'll personally find a way to send you a message so that you may meet with us. I'm not sure how, but I'll figure it out."

"Okay. If that's settled, I think it's best if I leave."

"We'll see you in Outworld," said Dhalsim.

Ivy turned to the door. Before she took a step, she turned back to them. "If anyone is still expecting a knife in the back, you have nothing to worry about." She specifically eyed Ryu and Jin as she said that. Once that was settled Ivy left the cabin.

The second the door closed, Ryu immediately turned to the group. "I have about a thousand concerns over all of this."

"I know, but we have no choice in the matter," Dhalsim said.

"If you suggest that we 'hope for the best,' I'm not sure if that will work this time," said Jin. "I fought with her in the tournament. One of the toughest fights of my life with someone that wasn't a Mishima… I'm pretty sure if death was involved, she would not hesitate to kill me."

"She had every chance to kill me outright in our last encounter," Kenshi mentioned. "She even gave me _two_ chances to explain why I was near the fortress to begin with."

Ryu eyed the blind swordsman. "Kenshi, I know she helped you at the tournament, but do you really want to place any faith in her?"

"I'm not placing faith on this at all," Kenshi replied. "I'm as cautious as you are, but I'm also taking Fujin's advice to keep an open mind. You two should do the same."

"Listen," Fujin said calmly. "The last thing we need right now is to tear each other apart over this. I can understand you questioning Ivy's loyalty, but despite that, we need to work together. If we don't, then we will only make this worse than we need it to be."

Jin took a deep breath, realizing that Fujin was right. "Are you sure you can trust her then?"

Dhalsim replied. "I'm confident. I was able to prove to her that there is a future of nothingness if we lose. I won't lie… she's conflicted right now. At this point, the best thing we can do is give her time to figure this out. Ivy knows what's at stake. She can't ignore it anymore."

Despite his words, Jin still didn't feel convinced. "I hope you're right…"


	72. Chapter Seventy-One

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Just after sunrise the next morning, the group gathered for breakfast in the Coast Guard Headquarters dining room. Most ate their meal quietly since all of them were unsure of what to say after the events of yesterday.

Eventually, Marshall couldn't stand the silence any longer. "So," he said out loud. "What happens now?"

Ruby Heart chose to reply. "Well, if it's any comfort, I believe I'll have the ship fixed up and ready to go within the next two days. Once that's done, we will finally begin our journey to Outworld."

Maxi sighed. "Two days, huh?"

The pirate nodded. "Yes."

"That reminds me," spoke up Yoshimitsu. "Is there any room to spare for some of my Manji clan members? I feel that I should bring some of my soldiers with us to fight the battle to come."

Ruby Heart considered it. "It'll be tight, but as long as we're careful, we can fit more on the ship. We can only fit a certain amount so we don't want the ship to carry more weight than it needs to."

Yoshimitsu nodded. "Understandable. In the meantime, I'll also send out my best recon scouts to Outworld. I'll open a portal to Outworld with my sword to let them through now that I have it back."

A thought came to Paul. "Hey, wait a second… wouldn't it be easier if we just use your sword to open a portal to let us _all_ through rather than wait around to take a ship there?"

Yoshimitsu immediately shook his head. "Portal access is limited. It only lets a certain number through and it only stays open for so long. And when the portal closes, my swords needs time to regain its strength before I can open another portal. If my sword was able to do what you wanted, more people after the tournament would have survived the bloody siege."

"The more help we have, the better," spoke Dhalsim. He turned his attention to Yoshimitsu. "And we would be honored to have your clan members accompany us to Outworld. Your people have fought against this threat longer than many. It is fitting that you join us in the battle to come."

Yoshimitsu gave him a single nod in thanks. "In that case, I will speak with my clan later today. I'll report back once that's finished. Besides, with how recent Keisei was invaded, it'll be some time before they'll invade here again. It'll give us time to prepare."

The Manji Clan leader then realized something as he gazed at his surroundings. "Where is Fujin? I would think he would be joining us for breakfast this morning."

"Actually," Dhalsim began to reply. "There's a matter that he had to attend to. He should return within the next day."

From there, the room fell quiet again.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Walking through the portal, Ivy and the scouts who had been with her found themselves entering the throne room of the fortress. There, Shao Kahn waited for them, sitting on his throne as always. Ivy immediately noticed the frown on his face, though his glowing red eyes remained neutral. Clearly, something was bothering him, but it wasn't enough for him to set off into his usual rage.

"Despite some… success," Shao Kahn began to say once the portal closed behind the group. "I've come to notice that the invasion of Keisei has barely left a dent compared to the other realms." His eyes narrowed. "Why is that?"

"As you know, Keisei is the main base of operations for the Manji Clan," Ivy reminded him. "With their presence there, and their past operations, it was inevitable that they would be the realm more prepared than even Earth was."

"Hrmph," Shao Kahn grunted. "In that case, we will have to fortify our army for the next wave."

One of the guards who were scouting with Ivy spoke up. "I think I saw their leader, Yoshimitsu, while we were fighting in-"

"Unless you are one hundred percent certain," Shao Kahn suddenly called out, his voice rising. "Do **_not_** bring him up. Is that clear?"

The guard immediately bowed to him. "Understood, my lord."

Shao Kahn continued. "For now, while we regroup and plan to merge Earthrealm and Keisei, we will begin preparations for the invasion of the realm of Seido. Dismissed."

Everyone began to leave except for Ivy, who joined Shao Kahn in her own throne next to him. Nothing was said between them until the door to the throne room closed behind the last person to leave the throne room.

"Despite your… earlier reluctance," Shao Kahn began to say as he turned to his Empress. "I am pleased to see that you have come to realize who the real victor will be when this all ends."

A smirked appeared on Ivy's face as she turned her head to look at the Emperor straight into his eyes. "Yes, my dear… I did realize who would win in the end…"

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

When breakfast was over, Maxi was still feeling a little tired despite sleeping like a rock last night. Then again, the events of yesterday would tire out anybody, and with the trip to Outworld coming much closer than he had anticipated, he realized that he was thinking through his own life…

Maxi imagined that some would start… planning in case none of them made it out of this alive. He tried to think about what needed to do before he left Keisei. There was no family for him to contact… his mother died when he was little, his father died when he was an adolescent, and the crew of his ship, including his sworn brother Kyam, were all massacred by the golem Astaroth, who he had finally defeated once and for all at the end of the Blood Tournament. He had traveled to many places, befriended some of the best people he ever came across, and had even found himself one of a handful of people in the universe with the skills and good heart to help in defeating the evil that threatened mankind's very existence.

He was still young. He was going to turn thirty years old in just a couple of months (if he lived that long at this point), but perhaps, in a way, he lived quite a life that could be worthy of a nice tale in a book.

Maxi's thoughts of the future suddenly faded the moment he turned a corner in the hallway and saw Nina Williams walking by. He was suddenly reminded of the fact that it was _she_ who had shot Vega back in Outworld during the bloody battle after the tournament… and yet somehow, he was fighting the bastard just yesterday.

"Nina!" he called out as he ran to catch up to her.

He didn't miss how she stopped in her track, the way she placed a hand on her hip as she tilted her head slightly up towards the ceiling. Maxi was sure that she was rolling her eyes as well, but he didn't care. He was pretty sure that the woman would appreciate knowing what was going on even if she didn't say it outright.

Nina turned to face him just as he reached her. "What do you want?" she asked in a stoic manner.

"It's about Vega," Maxi informed.

The assassin folded her arms in front of her. "What about him?"

"Well… this is kind of hard to say, but… despite you shooting him back in Outworld, he, eh… somehow survived and-"

"I know."

Maxi found himself staring at her in dismay. "You… you _know_?!"

Nina raised an eyebrow at him. "I've known for a while after I got a report from-"

"W- Wait, wait just a minute," Maxi stuttered as he raised a hand to stop her from talking. He suddenly felt anger swell up within with core of his chest. "You mean to tell me that you _knew_ that Vega was _alive_ this entire time? So for some reason, you didn't bother to share this information?"

Nina narrowed her ice blue eyes at him. "I believed that the information was considered irrelevant-"

If Maxi wasn't angry before, he was beyond pissed now. "Irrelevant? _Irrelevant?!_ You know, it would've been nice for some us to know about this, you know! Just yesterday, he was here! HERE! In my home world, and until that moment, I had no idea that he had lived! If I hadn't turned around and spotted him during the invasion, Xianghua would've been dead by now, or worse!" He took a step closer to her. "So don't tell me that it's _irrelevant_ when lives are put on the line!"

Nina's eyes were now slits. "Then maybe Xianghua shouldn't be amongst the 'chosen ones' then if-"

Nina didn't even have time to finish when Maxi suddenly grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her towards him with force. His brows furrowed with rage and his eyes were just as narrow as hers. Despite being threatened, Nina kept her cool demeanor.

"It's _you_ who shouldn't be here!" Maxi growled through clenched teeth. "You're only in this little adventure for yourself because on the other side of that portal is a sister you're hell bent on killing! Everyone here knows that! Unlike you, I actually care about the people around me, and Xianghua happens to be like a sister to me… but naturally, you of all people wouldn't understand that!"

"Is everything all right?" a voice nearby asked. Maxi briefly turned his head and saw Cammy and Wagner just a few feet away, the two of them with perplexed looks on their faces. Clearly, neither of them were sure about what was going on.

Nina took Maxi's distraction as an opportunity. She delivered a hard palm strike to his chest, knocking him back and forcing him to release his grip on her before she plummeted her fist into his jaw, the force of it sending him flying a few feet to his right before landing hard on his side right at Cammy and Wagner's feet.

"Touch me again and I'll do a lot worse!" Nina warned menacingly before turning around to take her leave.

Despite the pain in his face, Maxi happened to look up at the two with a small grin on his face. "Worth it."

"Ha!" Wagner called out. "If I hadn't heard the tail end of that conversation, I would've thought you were trying to flirt with her."

Cammy snorted at that. "If that was true, I don't think you'd be alive right now. Honestly, it's about time someone said something to her, even if she wasn't fazed at all."

The two of them helped Maxi back up on his feet. "Well, either way, it was worth it. By the way, Wagner, about Vega-"

"I know… you saw Vega alive and kicking…" Wagner said with a shake of his head.

Maxi sighed. "I would've told you yesterday, but, well, the aftermath of the invasion kept us all busy."

"It's cool. Hell, I trust you telling me more than Nina," Wagner said.

Cammy frowned. "You don't think he would've got a hold of your sister, would he?"

Wagner took a deep breath. "Honestly, I hope not, but in a way, I don't think so. With what happened yesterday, I'm pretty sure that they would have had her fight against me like whenever they send Guy to fight against Cody…"

"I assume everything turned out fine after you got home," Maxi guessed.

Wagner nodded. "Up until the invasion of Earth, Lisa was readjusting to normal life. It's not easy when you lose ten years of your life."

Maxi shook his head. "I don't know which is worse… losing a good chunk of your life and then come back, or just… die young."

"I'd say the former," replied Cammy. "The same bloody bastards who brainwashed her had done the same to me. It's thanks to Rose that we were both able to get free."

Maxi took a deep breath. "Hey, let's not talk about grim stuff today. We may be practically heading to hell in a couple of days, but that doesn't mean we can't relax until then."

"I'm with you on that," Wagner said. "How about we go the pub later tonight?"

"Sure," Maxi agreed. "Of course, that'll have to be after I visit the medical wing. Damn, I think she cracked one of my back teeth."

"Oh boy," Cammy said. "You should definitely get that looked over then. The last thing you want is to develop an infection."

Maxi chuckled. "Yeah, huh? The universe goes to hell and I manage to beat the bad guys, only to be taken down by a tooth infection. Not a nice way to go."

"Hey, alcohol is known to be a good disinfectant," Wagner said with a grin. "This will be the perfect excuse to drink tonight."

Maxi laughed at that, but he suddenly winced at the pain in his jaw. "Owe, damn it. Stop making me laugh!"

Wagner grinned. "Now I'll be reading you a whole list of jokes for the rest of the day."

Maxi glared at him. "I hate you."

~~~

**Wastelands, Outworld**

In one part of the wastelands, a portal opens up from mid-air. With a yell, Kazuya fell until he hit the ground face first with an ' _oof!_ ' He then let out an annoyed groan.

_Not this again!_

Getting up onto his knees, Kazuya gazed at his surroundings. He noticed that he was in a large field with countless debris and broken statues here and there. There were a couple of trees in his line of sight, but all appeared to have burnt to a crisp a while ago. Upon looking up at the purple sky, Kazuya realized that he was back in Outworld.

"Hmph," he huffed as he got himself back on his feet. "At least I'm not surrounded by pests… for now."

To him, being back here in Outworld was a big nuisance. He had intended to find a way back to Earth, but ended up finding himself here now instead. No matter… he was sure that there was a chance that there was an open portal to Earth somewhere around here.

He just needed to avoid villages with tour guides…

Meanwhile, about fifty miles away in another part of the wastelands, a second portal opened in mid-air, and another figure came out of it with a yell until he also landed face first into the ground. When the portal closed, Heihachi Mishima let out an annoyed grunt.

By now, he was sick of falling through portals, let alone falling down cliffs.

"I'm getting too old for this shit," he grumbled as he sat up.

Once on his knees Heihachi got a good look at his surrounds. Upon seeing the sky, it didn't take him long to realize where he was now.

"Well, what do you know," Heihachi said to himself. "I didn't think I'd be back in Outworld so soon." He got himself back on his feet. "No matter… I'm sure there's some sort of portal somewhere that'll take me back to Earth."

He just had to avoid villages with worshipping cannibals…

~~~

**Earthrealm, Unknown Area**

It came as no surprise to Fujin when he was able to find Scorpion just a few miles away from Raiden's Sky Temple. In the forests surrounding the temple, Scorpion sat in a lotus position hidden among some bushes and deep in his meditation.

Scopion opened his pale eyes the moment Fujin appeared before him, a gust of wind picking up around them both. "I've been waiting for some time, God of Wind," the spectre said as he got to his feet.

"I apologize for the delay, Scorpion," Fujin replied. "There was an urgent matter I had to attend to that couldn't wait. I came back here as soon as I was able."

Scorpion folded his arms in front of his chest. "Very well… so what do the Elder Gods have to say about their betrayal?"

Fujin shook his head. "Despite what you saw, they had nothing to do with the decision to end your quest. We believe that someone had use some… sorcery to manipulate images to make you think the Elder Gods were speaking to you. They would have spoken to you, but in your state of mind, I realized that it was unwise for them to approach you."

Scorpion immediately realized who was responsible. Unfolding his arms, his fists briefly glowed in a fiery fire. "Quan Chi," he growled menacingly.

Fujin's eyes widened at that. "How do you figure?"

"It's obvious," Scorpion began. "He had been here on Earth when the invasion first happened here. It would not surprise me if he was spying on me and figured out why I'm here."

Fujin nodded. "I can see where you're coming from with this, but keep in mind that Quan Chi may not be the only one who could be the suspect. It's possible that even Raiden himself may have manipulated the images just to get rid of you."

Scorpion huffed at that. "That… is possible as well…"

"Aside from that," Fujin proceeded. "I managed to convince the Elder Gods that there needs to be… a change."

The spectre narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What kind of change?"

It was Fujin's turn to fold his arms in front of his chest. "Scorpion… the Elder Gods are willing to offer a compromise after your mission was jeopardized by the manipulation-"

"Get to the point!"

Fujin took a deep breath. "You… won't be reunited with your family."

The God of Wind immediately raised a hand as Scorpion took a step forward, intending to protest. " _However_ … if you, Scorpion, help with the fight against the Outworld Forces and the good side is victorious, then the Elder Gods will resurrect your family and clan. They will be among the living once more. And, as a token of good will, if there is ever a time when your family and clan are in danger, you will be called upon to protect them from harm."

"And what if the good side loses?"

"Then you may continue with your original quest to assassinate Raiden and reunite with your family in the Heavens," Fujin said. "But keep in mind… your original quest has not been an easy journey, as you know. Although it will reunite you with your family if you defeat Raiden… I won't lie to you, Scorpion… with how powerful he is now, your chances of victory are slim. This compromise the Elder Gods are offering gives your family and clan the chance to walk the Earth again amongst mortals. And all you need to do is help defeat the Outworld Forces."

The menacing look in Scorpion's eyes relaxed upon hearing the new terms the Elder Gods offered to him. He had been looking forward to finishing his quest to assassinate Raiden. However…

"All I've wanted since my death," the ninja spoke quietly. "Since _their_ deaths… is simply for my family and clan to walk the Earth again. That was before I was considering the idea of reuniting with them in the Heavens." He gazed up at the Wind God. "It's not my ideal trade, but it is… acceptable."

Fujin let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Unfolding his arms, he took a step towards the spectre. "In that case, let us go. We will be heading to the deity portal in the Mediterranean, where I will make sure you get transport to Outworld, where you will meet the other warriors who will join you in the fight to come."

Scorpion nodded. "Very well."

With a gust of wind and a flash, the two disappeared from the forest.

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Just outside of the city within the forests, Yoshimitsu met up with most of the other members of the Manji Clan. He had sent a message to them earlier telling them to meet him in this spot for an important meeting concerning their fight against the Outworld Forces. There were those who had their duty and were unable to attend, but a majority of the clan members were able to show up.

"It's been confirmed that the chosen ones will depart for Outworld in approximately two days," Yoshimitsu informed them. "For now, we will prepare, but first…"

From there, he picked his six best scouts to make their way to Outworld to begin their recon mission. Yoshimitsu would open the portal for them tonight and, hopefully, they will have information for him upon his arrival to the realm.

"All that needs to be done is to figure out the area where the fortress is and what kind of resistance we need to expect," Yoshimitsu continued. "Of course, that is if there is a fortress to find at all. I will personally seek you out upon my arrival."

He then turned his head to face the rest of his clan members. "I will begin selecting those who will accompany me to Outworld for the final battle. Now, everyone has circumstances in their lives, so I won't lie to you… there is a chance that some of us may not come back from Outworld alive. You do not need to state your reason, but if there is any reason why you cannot go to Outworld, step forward now."

Yoshimitsu's chest swelled with pride when no one in the clan made a move.

~~~

**Sky Temple, Earthrealm**

For the first time since he could remember, Raiden found that he could not focus on his meditation. It wasn't because there was some dark energy looming ahead, threatening the existence of Earth. As a matter of fact, it was because everything around him was… unusually quiet. There was no wind or the distant sounds of thunder… just… nothing.

Although there was no dark energy present, Raiden realized after a while that something was not right.

Standing up from his lotus position, Raiden flew away from his usual place on top of the Sky Temple and began to descend towards the ground below. As always, it only took a moment before he found himself within the forests at the base of the temple. Once more, he realized that his surroundings were unusually quiet… no wind, no thunder, not even the sound of birds chirping.

Raiden narrowed his red eyes towards the sky. "Something's not right," he said out loud.

Suddenly, he did hear a noise from right behind him as though something was flying in fast speed. The louder it became, the more he realized that whatever it was, it was hurling right towards him!

Immediately, Raiden teleported away, only going a few feet to the left so that whatever was thrown at him missed him completely. He soon saw what it was… a green projectile shaped like a skull. It continued to fly until it made impact with a nearby tree. It dissipated right after that.

Raiden turned around to see who had attacked him. He was not surprised upon spotting the necromancer, Quan Chi.

"It was only a matter of time before we met again, Lord Raiden," Quan Chi said calmly with a smirk on his face. "Or should I say, _former_ Lord Raiden."

Once again, Raiden narrowed his red eyes at him. "What do you want, Quan Chi?"

A dark chuckle escaped Quan Chi's throat. "It's actually quite simple, if you are willing to cooperate of course. All that needs to be done is to simply transfer you to Outworld. And in case it needs to be made clear, you do not have a choice in the matter."

Immediately, Raiden got into a fighting stance, his body surrounded by electricity. "You'll have to kill me first!"

The smirk on Quan Chi's face faded before he too got into a fighting stance, ready to battle. "I figured that you would want to do this the hard way. So be it!"

From there, the two covered the space between them, ready to attack.


	73. Chapter Seventy-Two

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

"FINALLY!" Ruby Heart called out as she raised both of her hands in triumph. Looking up towards the blue sky, the engine that was damaged between the travel between Earth and Keisei roared and the propellers above spun rapidly and flawlessly.

Nearby, Dhalsim had been meditating in mid-air while Ruby Heart ran the tests. A thinly veiled smile appeared on his face the second she hollered out her excitement once she realized that her ship was once again fixed and ready for flight. The blonde hair woman approached the yoga master, who opened his eyes once he heard her footsteps.

"The ship's ready to go to Outworld," she announced. "I'm not sure how the propeller will hold up when we go through the portal, however."

Dhalsim nodded. "Good. And as for the concern, we'll worry about it once we are through the portal. We'll wait for Fujin to return… then, we will depart Keisei for Outworld."

Ruby Heart frowned as she placed one hand on her hip while she looked out towards the ocean. "It's almost hard to believe… it was only a few weeks ago when my ship crash landed near your village. Now, we're so close to ending this threat once for all."

"Indeed," Dhalsim agreed. "But with so many great warriors on our side, we have a good chance of seeing to its end."

"And that's why I have good feelings about this particular journey."

A thought came to Dhalsim suddenly as he gazed around the dock. "I've known this ship since your arrival… and yet, I don't think I've heard you refer it by its name."

"Huh," Ruby Heart bemused. She cocked her head thoughtfully. "You know… I've had this ship for a long time… and I never named her. Any ideas?"

"That's up to you," Dhalsim suggested. "You're the ship's captain."

Ruby Heart smirked. "I think I got one… if we win this thing, I'll celebrate by calling her _Victoire_ _._ "

It was Dhalsim's turn to cock his head. "I assume that means 'victory' in your native tongue."

"Well actually, Norwegian is my native tongue, but I tend to use French more since my mother is from France," Ruby Heart said. "What does victory mean in your language?"

Dhalsim answered. " _Jita_ _._ "

"Hmm, sound like someone's name," Ruby Heart said. "So any idea when Fujin will come back?"

"Hopefully, he'll be back soon. The sooner we leave for Outworld, the better."

"I couldn't agree more."

Meanwhile, inside the Coast Guard Headquarters, Julia Chang had already got herself dressed for the day. In a rare moment for her, she had slept in a little later than she normally did, but that was only because of the book she found herself immense in at the moment.

Although a majority of the books in Chili-san were written in their native tongue, they did have a very small collection of books from other worlds including Earth collected by those who have traveled outside the realm (mainly the Manji Clan). She had ended up finding ' _A Farewell to Arms_ ' by Ernest Hemingway within the collection and has been reading it since last evening.

Briefly looking around, Julia made sure that she didn't bump into anything while walking forward with the book in her hand. Still, she didn't expect someone to suddenly bump into her moments later.

"Oh!" she called out as her book drop out of her hand and her red-rimmed glasses slipped off her face. The dropped book she can deal with, but she _really_ hated it whenever her glasses fell off her face.

"Darn it!" she grumbled as she picked up her book. She then went to get her glasses, but the person she had bumped into had picked them up and started to hand them over to her. Julia gazed up at the person she bumped into… she didn't need her glasses to see that it was Ryu.

"Um… thanks," Julia managed to say as she took her glasses and put them back on. "Um… sorry I bump into you."

"It all right," Ryu assured her, his voice sounding unsure.

Hearing his voice like that made Julia frown a bit. She went ahead and struck up a conversation. "So… I hear we're leaving here soon… back to Outworld."

Ryu nodded. "Yeah, that's what I've been hearing."

"Are you ready?"

He shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be." He sounded unsure, which surprised Julia.

"You're usually confident," Julia pointed out with a small smile.

"There's a lot on the line," Ryu reminded her. "Like everyone else, I'm just hoping that we'll win this in the end."

Julia could agree with that. "Me too." She then took a quick breath. "Well… I'm going to grab something to eat, I'll… um… see you around."

Ryu was just about to reply to that, but Julia ended up walking past him before she heard what he was about to say. As she did, Julia realized how fast her heart was racing underneath her ribcage and how hot her cheeks felt. She was sure they had some color on them without looking at a compact mirror.

 _Damn it_ _,_ she thought to herself with a frown. _Even after everything that's happened, I… still have feelings for him… but it's so hard to look past what happened..._

Gazing up at the ceiling, Julia prayed to the spirits for strength, especially to get through the next few days…

On the field, Yang sat on a stone bench as he watched Maki and her friends spar together. The young man noticed that even though they were clearly having fun… chatting about mundane things and laughing over silly things… it all seemed somewhat forced. Everyone who was going to Outworld knew what was coming… and there were those like Maki and her friends who didn't want to think about it for as long as possible so they kept themselves busy. He didn't blame them one bit.

Being separated from Maki for the duration of the invasion suddenly seemed like a nightmare that happened ages ago. Even so, Yang could still remember how much he worried for her, wondering day in and day out if she had even survived the first onslaught. He knew that she was strong warrior, training in the art of Bushin since she was child, so he had hoped that all of her training would help her get through the battle they were all forced to fight.

Maki had the same worries for him, of course, and it was his martial arts training since childhood that helped him survive this far… but it wasn't enough to get both him and Yun out of Hong Kong safely.

Yang frowned and bowed his head as he thought about his brother. As far as he knew at this point, Yun was still alive but brainwashed, just as he had suspected would happen when he disappeared. When they got to Outworld, would Yun be there? And if he was, would he be able to find a way to free him from the brainwash?

"Yang?" a female voice said next to him. Startled from his thoughts, Yang blinked a couple of times before turning his head. Maki was sitting next to him on the stone bench, a soft smile on her face. At some point, she had decided to depart from her friends and join him here.

"Hey," Yang managed to say, giving her his own smile. "Had fun?"

Maki chuckled. "Yeah, but I figured three on two was a little unfair, so I decided to take a break for right now."

Yang frowned a little. "Hopefully we don't find ourselves in that situation in Outworld."

Maki sighed. "I know… but we do have to be prepared for anything that's thrown at us no matter how hard it gets. We can't let it get to us no matter how much we think about the worst case scenario."

It was that kind of wisdom that reminded Yang of their seven-year age difference. Maki's spirit was youthful, but she still carried some of the wisdom of all she's learned in her life. It also made him smile inside because he was sure that she would never had considered a relationship with him due to that age difference… he was so glad that he was wrong. He then chuckled at remembering when Yun teased him about Maki 'robbing the cradle.'

Maki tilted her head in curiosity. "What's so funny?" she asked.

Yang shook his head but still smiled. "Nothing… I was just thinking about… some old memories."

"Good ones I assume?"

Yang nodded. "Yeah… good ones."

Maki wrapped an arm around his torso. "If we win this thing, we'll definitely make some new good memories. Remember, I'll be sticking around Hong Kong when we return to Earth."

Yang began to lean towards her. "That's definitely something worth fighting for."

Maki closed the last couple of inches between them and the two began to kiss. However, it didn't last long before they heard Maki's friends; Mika, Cassandra, Asuka, and Karin, starting whistling and going, 'Woooooo!' at their display of affection. They both pulled back before glaring at the four girls.

"AWWW how cuuuuute!" called out Asuka as the other girls giggled like crazy.

Maki folded her arms in front of her as she cheeks turned rosy. "Remind me to tease you when you one of you gets a boyfriend!"

"Until then, we'll coo over how adorable you two are," said Cassandra with a wide grin.

Yang sighed. "Suddenly, I feel like we're a pair of kittens put on display for all to see."

Maki laughed. "Me too… but is it really that bad?"

Yang had to chuckle at that question. "I guess not."

Back inside, Steve Fox was delivering rapid punches at a punching bag in the training room. His hands were taped up with white tape and the force of the attacks left some dents in the bag. He wouldn't be surprised if the bag eventually ripped open.

Steve had been in full concentration and was personally glad that no one else was in the room right now. It wasn't like he didn't want any company right now, but it did feel good to get some alone time after spending so much of it with people in the last few weeks.

At one point, he threw a left hook at the bag and, before he hit it, a sharp pain like he was being stabbed suddenly hit his left arm. With a hiss, he held his arm with his right hand, looking down at it. He saw the scars there, the ones he never figured out the origins to. His adoptive parents weren't sure of their origins either and he wondered if he would ever figure out the story behind them in his lifetime.

As fast as the pain came, it subsided. Steve took a deep breath. _This would be a_ really _bad time to pull a muscle,_ he thought to himself.

He was about to continue his exercise when he saw a figure come into the room. Turning around, he soon noticed Lita walking towards him.

"Hey," Lita said. "Have you seen Cammy around?"

Steve shook his head. "Not today at least. But to be honest… we haven't really spoken since we… called it quits."

Lita stopped in front of him and frowned. "I'm sorry."

Steve nodded. "Me too. She's a good person, but, well… as the romantics say, it wasn't meant to be."

"You know I still feel bad about it," Lita quipped.

Steve shook his head. "I said it wasn't your fault and that it was going to happen sooner or later."

Lita sighed. "I know, I know… it's just, well, with all of us leaving here in a couple of days, I find myself suddenly thinking about all my past mistakes and regrets… like… what could I have done different?"

"Hurling ourselves into a battle that decides the fate of the realms tends to do that, I suppose," Steve guessed. "But if it makes you feel better, I'm not sure what to think of the odds on our side after everything I've heard about Outworld and its minions…"

Now it was Lita's turn to give him advice. "Think positive. It's all we can do right now."

Steve sighed. "Maybe."

They fell silent for a moment, unsure of what to say at this point. Instead, they stared at each other as they waited for the other to say something.

Lita suddenly took a step without thinking, getting herself close to Steve's personal space. Before he said anything, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. She was not surprise to feel his muscles tense at the gesture. Whether he would have eventually returned the kiss or pulled away, Lita wouldn't know because she quickly pulled back, her eyes widened in shock. Steve's own eyes were wide with bewilderment, though his lips were pressed in a thin line.

"I-I'm sorry!" Lita called out, her face flushing with embarrassment. "I… I had no right to do that and-"

Now lost for words, Lita turned around and started to bolt out of the training room before Steve had the chance to say anything…

~~~

**Earthrealm, Mediterranean Sea**

In the middle of the sea laid a large round platform that looked like nothing more than an arena to battle in. Four pillars rose up in angle and nearly met in the middle, stopped by a floating white orb that emitted electricity in a rhythm similar to a heartbeat.

A large gust of wind blew around the area for a moment before a small portal appeared in the middle of the platform. There, Fujin and Scorpion stepped onto the platform moments before the portals closed again.

Scorpion looked at his surroundings, his pale eyes filled with curiosity. "What is this place?" he asked.

"As I said before," Fujin began to explain. "This is one of the few deity portals that exist on Earth. This particular one leads to Outworld. It can only be used by deities and sorcerers at their leisure. Non-deities, such as yourself, can use them… but they must earn that right."

"How?"

"You must face and defeat a representation of your most powerful adversary. Once you defeat them, then you may proceed to Outworld. If you lose, we will find another means of getting you there."

Scorpion narrowed his eyes. "I will _not_ lose."

Fujin nodded. "Very well. Just remember… the adversary you will fight is nothing more than an illusion. I will return when the battle is over."

With another gust of wind, Fujin went through the portal he developed and disappeared. For a moment, all was quiet around Scorpion as he waited for the illusion to make their appearance.

Scorpion suddenly heard footsteps from behind, and he knew that the illusion was here. Whirling around, it came as no surprise that the representation he was going to fight came in the form of his nemesis, Quan Chi. It may have been an illusion, but that wasn't going to stop the ninja spectre from unleashing hell.

Without hesitation, Scorpion shot out his hand, his spear shooting out and immediately impaling his opponent, who howled upon the kunai piecing the skin of their shoulder.

"GET OVER HERE!" Scopion roared as he pulled the illusion forward. As soon as Quan-Chi was close enough, Scorpion delivered an uppercut that sent Quan Chi up into the air. Using his spear again, he shot it forward, stabbing him in the same spot a moment ago before hurling him up diaganolly and far enough until the rope pulled tight. The spectre then let his adversary drop to the floor with a thud.

The illusion stood up quickly before shoot their hand down to the ground, his hand surrounded by a green aura. Knowing what was coming, Scorpion flipped back, avoiding the burst of magic that exploded on the ground.

The illusion ran a few steps before gliding forward and kicking up, catching Scorpion and knocking him back. In mid-air, the spectre caught himself by somersaulting back, letting himself land on his feet gracefully.

Quan Chi then came up to him and threw a right hook, followed by a left hook. Both were blocked by Scorpion's forearms. He then tried to knee him, but Scorpion blocked that with a hand before pushing back. The illusion hurled another punch, but Scorpion ducked underneath it this time.

Taking advantage of the opening he saw, Scorpion used his kunai to slash at his opponent a couple of times, but he ended up missing as Quan Chi jumped back both times. With a roar, Scorpion suddenly flipped backwards, a trail of flames following his feet. The attacked connected under his opponent's chin, sending him flipping onto his back.

The illusion seemed unfazed by the attack as he stood back up. As Scorpion attempted to cover the space between them, Quan Chi raised his hands, both glowing in a green aura. He chanted a spell in an old language and Scorpion suddenly stopped in his tracks as he felt frozen and paralyzed no matter how much he tried to move.

The spectre's arms were raised and he legs started to move on their own, making him look like a walking zombie, the green aura surrounding his hellspawn body. When he was within arm's reach, Quan Chi grabbed him by the shirt and slapped him from left to right with his fists before kicking him in the chest, sending him hurling away.

Scorpion landed hard on his back with a grunt and he suddenly saw stars in front on his vision. He could hear his opponent's footsteps approaching him again.

Rage filled the spectre… he was not going to let the sorcerer win.

~~~

**Sky Temple, Earthrealm**

The area had darkened to the point where the average mortal could not see much in front of them without some sort of artificial light. Rain fell heavily almost like a waterfall and thunder clapped loudly all around. The lightning that flashed came occasionally.

The rain soaked the two fighters on the rooftop of the Sky Temple, but neither one of them cared as they unleashed their fury while trying to overtake the other. One, the Thunder God Raiden, fought to defend himself from his opponent's plan. The opponent, Quan Chi, had every intention of dragging the Thunder God to Outworld. There, his powers would weaken there giving the Outworld Forces the opportunity to take Raiden out of their way for good.

With that, Earthrealm would be left vulnerable, giving the forces the chance to finally merge the powerful realm with Outworld.

Still, Quan Chi understood before the battle that luring Raiden to Outworld was not going to be easy. He had already avoided Raiden's torpedo maneuver along with his lightning strike that barely grazed the necromancer. Quan Chi had retaliated by, first, shooting out his green skull projectile at his adversary, then, while exchanging punches and kicks, he attempted a sweep kick, but Raiden ended up jumping away before the move connected.

From there, Raiden kicked him in the face, knocking Quan Chi onto his back. He then stomped on his chest a few times, causing the necromancer to yell out with each blow before finally rolling out of the way before another stomp of Raiden's foot smashed into him.

Summoning his magic, Quan Chi let himself sink into the ground before reappearing from the sky, his feet stomp into Raiden and forcing him into the ground on his side. From there, it was Quan Chi's turn to stomp his foot rapidly into the Thunder God before he rolled away as well.

That was a taste of Raiden's own medicine.

Raiden then quickly teleported from the ground and then reappeared from behind Quan Chi. Quan Chi immediately whirled around, but was then met by two punches to the face before he was grabbed and lifted up into the ground. Briefly, Quan Chi was electrocuted and he let out a howl in pain before he was tossed aside.

Even so, that didn't stop Quan Chi from getting right back up as the Thunder God approached him again. Raiden tried throwing more punches at him, but Quan Chi ended up blocking and dodging them before delivering a right hook to Raiden's face, making his head snap sideways. He then grabbed the Thunder God's head, smashed his face into his knee, then kicked him in the chest, knocking him back.

As Raiden attempted to get back on his feet, Quan Chi glared at him from where his stood, his pale arms folded in front of his chest. "I expected better from a Thunder God," Quan Chi said. "Then again, with the realms in peril, it almost surprises me that you're not leading the forces of good into battle. I'm not surprised, not after your battle with the Fighting God, Ogre. The fight had unleashed your darker side, hasn't it?"

Raiden was back on his feet at this point. "Enough!" he growled through clenched teeth. "If you wish to take me to Outworld, stopping talking and fight me!"

Quan Chi gave him a thinly concealed smirk. "Very well."

From there, their battle continued…

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

Sitting at the docks, Wagner and Juli gazed out at the ocean in front of them. There were people walking about on the streets behind them, but it wasn't as busy as it was before Keisei was invaded. The citizens here suffered as much as those who experienced the invasion on Earth. One thing was for sure… no one was going to come out of this war the same whether they were military or civilians.

So when Wagner turned his head to his girlfriend, he decided to bring up happier thoughts. "Did I ever tell you about the town I was born in?"

Juli immediately shook her head. "I don't think you ever did. Tell me about it."

Wagner leaned back, placing his hands on the ground behind his back for support. "Well, as you know, I was born in California, but in a small town called Brockport… it's not too far from Monterrey, which is a pretty famous city for tourism… lots of beaches and old school buildings to check out. Until I was eleven years old, that was the life I knew."

That was when Wagner realized something. "I… haven't been back since I was eleven."

"Maybe you should take a vacation on up there when we're back on Earth."

Wagner shrugged. "Maybe. If Lisa survives this, maybe the three of us can take a road trip up there." He gave her a serious look. "But to be honest, I'm not all that sure about going back… the trauma from my parents' death wasn't exactly pleasant. I was in the hospital for two weeks and was in too much shock to even attend their funerals. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've visited their graves once since they died."

Juli frowned. "Well… whenever you're ready, we can go together."

Wagner nodded. "Maybe. What about you? Would you want to see Germany again?"

Now it was Juli's turn to shrug. "Maybe. The thing is, I can't seem to recall where I was originally from because my memories are still working themselves out. Even before… Shadaloo… I haven't been back in a while. I wouldn't mind going to Mexico to revisit the tribe my father and I helped out all those years ago. Something tells me that they may have a few answers I'm looking for."

Wagner leaned forward and gave her a peck on the cheek. "We can do that. Maybe these trips can both help us… put some ghosts to rest. But first, let's go to Outworld and kick ass. And when we're victorious, we'll jump back on Ruby Heart's ship and have the most awesome victory sex."

Juli laughed. "Tactful as always."

Wagner grinned. "You know you love it."

Her only reply was to kiss him on the lips, which he returned eagerly…

In the garden section, Lei and Chun Li strolled through the walkway together. Both found themselves admiring the flowers that bloomed in the ground as well as the neatly cut green hedges that stood either to their waists or tall just above their heads.

"I'm going to miss this place when we leave," Chun Li admitted. "Walking through here since we arrived has been so nice. It's offered some semblance of peace for me."

"I can see why," Lei said as he gazed up at the blue sky above them.

"It also reminds me of the lotus garden my father had at our home so many years ago… of course, they never had any actual lotus because neither of us had the time to maintain it."

"Well, maybe when this fight is over, you can take a crash course in gardening," Lei suggested.

Chun Li bumped his arm with her elbow. "And you can take a crash course in cooking."

Lei couldn't help but grin. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

Chun Li chuckled. "Nope. But I've always said that I appreciated the gesture back at the cave in Outworld."

"And I still won the girl anyway," Lei said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

The mention of Outworld suddenly put a frown on Chun Li's face and she stopped walking. Naturally, Lei noticed her sudden mood change and he gazed at her with concern. "What are you thinking?" he asked patiently.

"I've practically come face to face with death on more than one occasion since I became a detective," Chun Li said. "Talking down insane criminals with bombs and military-grade weapons, hunting for my father's killer and facing his organization, fighting in a tournament that turned out to be a trap… I could go on and on… so why is this different?"

"Because this fight will be the difference between saving the universe and losing it for good."

"Huh… that makes it even worse."

"How so?"

Chun Li sighed. "I guess it's because of the million questions running in my head. Will we all survive? How many more innocents will die? Will we succeed?"

"Yes," Lei suddenly said on the third question as he squeezed her shoulder in reassurance. "We will succeed and we will win this thing. Then, when we get back to Earth, we'll go home, get married, and, eh… continue our careers. From there, we'll be the next ' _Hart to Hart_ ' or Mulder and Scully _._ "

Chun Li laughed. "I like the last part." She leaned into his shoulder. "That's why I love you… you're optimism is a good match with my pessimism."

"They do say opposites attract," Lei pointed out.

Chun Li smiled. "I think that's one of the few differences between you and me."

Lei then leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I love you, too."

They stood there in contented silence as they continued to admire their surroundings…

In another part of the garden section, Alex decided to take the time to stroll. She hardly found time for herself since before leaving Earth. Even if no one was around, it didn't last long. There were those like Li Mei who wanted to just talk about even the most mundane things, and then there was Jane Guile, who would check over her previous injuries every few days just to make sure that they were healing well. It was no surprise when Jane checked her over in between helping those hurt from the attack on Keisei, even when Alex herself was checking to make sure the civilian she was helping was still breathing.

In a way, it felt somewhat good to get some alone time for once. One of the things she liked about walking is that it cleared her head from any thoughts, especially when the scenery was nice. The garden's peacefulness also helped to not remind her of the chaos beyond the walls of the Coast Guard compound, even if it was just for a little while.

No wonder she's seen the other chosen ones spend a lot of time here.

As she turned a corner near one of the hedges, it revealed a somewhat open space in the garden… along with a lone figure that was slowly moving in one of a series of katas. Alex immediately stopped in her tracks, realizing that the figure was Kenshi.

For a split moment, Alex thought to turn around and head back inside, only to remember one thing… despite him being blind, she was pretty sure that he was already aware of her presence. So instead, she leaned her right side into a nearby stoned pillar, folded her arms in front of her chest, and watched. Kenshi had his sword in hand as he continued his slow movements while he took slow, even breaths. The blade of his sword glowed with its blue energy with each movement.

Any efforts to quell the thoughts in her head were now in vain.

Alex ended up thinking over how distant he's been since the events back on Earth… at least she wasn't alone since he was distant to pretty much everyone around them. Most would take it as him trying to stay focus, perhaps preparing once more to destroy the sorcerer. However, only those who didn't stay at the Rockies would think that. Only a handful realized how rough those staying at the Rockies had it, though everyone was aware that it really wasn't as bad as those like Raven had it. At least she and the others had some form of shelter most of the time.

Still, Alex remembered the last time Kenshi even spoke to her… the day when everyone nearly ripped each other's throats out. She had been taken aback when he demanded she went back to the tent and even had a retort ready after her initial shock, but by then the argument between everyone had escalated.

Since that day, Kenshi made himself even more scarce from the group. It wasn't like he was the most social person in the world to begin with, but apparently, when you spend enough time with a small group for a while, people end up noticing these kinds of things.

But why make himself more scarce from her?

Alex understood that Kenshi had lived a different life compared to the average person, mostly a rough one. Since their time in Outworld, Alex had learned to be patient with him. Although Kenshi considered himself more humbled after he went blind, Alex was sure that he still retained some of his pride and arrogance from his younger days. He was a very skilled swordsman who, at one time, simply wished to be the best. His wins had boosted his ego to the point where he became overconfident.

It was that ego that convinced him to follow an old man to find the sword he held now. The event had blinded him and nearly killed him. The old man turned out to be Shang Tsung who needed the access to the well (where the sword was) to devour the souls that turned out to be Kenshi's ancestors.

Kenshi swore to exact revenge and free his ancestors… and after over a decade, he was finally able to achieve that goal. Alex could only imagine how frustrating it must've been for him for go through all of that, only for the bastard to be resurrected merely a few months later.

Maybe if someone killed Shao Kahn once and for all, then there would be a chance that the sorcerer will never have another opportunity to return once he was taken care of…

Alex's thoughts were suddenly cut off as someone approached her. For a split moment, she thought it was Li Mei, but upon looking up, she realized that it was Kenshi. Suddenly, her throat felt dry, but she forced herself to swallow.

"Hey," she managed to say.

Kenshi simply nodded in reply. At this point, Alex was sure that he would walk away. Instead, he proceeded. "Are you ready for the fight in Outworld?"

Alex shrugged, even though he couldn't see it. "Aside from dealing with the nightmares, especially after remembering my time at the dungeons… just about…"

One of the frustrating things about him wearing a blindfold over his eyes and eyebrows was that it was hard to see his facial expressions at times (though she guessed that was the point). She usually went by his lips to get a sense of what he might be thinking, but right now, they remained neutral.

Kenshi then turned around and walked a couple of feet forward before speaking again. "I've had time to think since we came here to Keisei. Couldn't really do that back on Earth, being on high alert and everything, you know?"

"Sure… and?"

She noticed him folding his arms in front of his own chest. "I'm sure you can understand the frustration of Shang Tsung's return, after everything I've done to… see to his death, so to speak."

"I always thought that," Alex said. "I'm sure some of the others would feel the same way if they were in your shoes."

"Hmm," Kenshi hummed. "Well, like I said, I've had time to think with… everything that's been going on and what we'll be up against. You know, before the Blood Tournament, I've always preferred to work on my own."

Alex snorted. "If I recall, you still do. Either way, none of us expect you to suddenly become an extrovert, but you also don't want to completely distance yourself from those we're fighting alongside with. We may all live different lives, but we all want the same thing; to defeat the Outworld Forces… Shang Tsung included."

She felt her voice waver, but she quickly cleared her throat to get it under control. "He'll die just as he deserves and all of us will make sure it happens, even if you're not the one to cut him down again. Personally, at this point, I don't care who kills him as long as he dies for good! I'd kill him myself, but we both know how that'll turn out…"

Kenshi slightly tilted his head down towards the ground, the twin tails of his crimson blindfold swaying in the wind. "I'm sorry."

Now Alex was confused, not expecting him to respond with that. "What?"

Kenshi tilted his head back up. "Keeping myself scarce from the others was one thing… but if anyone here didn't deserve it after what happened at the camp, it's you."

Alex pushed herself off the pillar she was leaning against, but her arms still remained folded. "Damn it Kenshi, I understood your position with the bastard being resurrected and all, but aside from my parents' deaths, those were some of the worst days of my life. I don't expect you to pamper me like a princess or anything, and frankly, that would drive me bat shit crazy anyway. But I was hurt that you… didn't really come by when we were at the camp. I know you prefer to be alone and, heck, I don't mind some alone time myself, but…"

Alex found herself whispering her next words. "Sometimes, being alone kind of, well… sucks, especially after something like that. Back at the dungeons, the two things I remembered the most was how dark it was and knowing that aside from that monster, there was no one else around… I never felt so alone and powerless than in that moment."

She then took a deep breath, leaving a long enough pause in hopes that Kenshi would say something, but it came as no surprise to her that he said nothing. She unfolded her arms and gazed down at her own feet.

"Listen," Alex said quietly. "If anything, I'm glad we could… somewhat talk about this before we left for Outworld. I'm just going to assume that you're still trying to… sort all of this out in your head. Just… let me know if you want to talk more again… preferably before we both meet death head on."

With that, Alex turned and began to walk away. However, she only took five steps before she heard Kenshi talk again. "In the woods, I should've been there… both times."

His voice was neutral when he said that, but those words made Alex suddenly realize why he had been distant towards her these past few weeks…

He felt that he had failed her. The guilt was most likely eating away at him and he didn't want her to see it. With his raw anger over Shang Tsung's return, it must've been very easy for him to hide that fact.

Alex immediately stopped in her tracks and turned back to face him. Kenshi had turned halfway around towards her, his head tilted in her direction, and she noticed how his shoulders drooped slightly as though he was carrying a heavy weight on them.

She walked back towards him until she could reach him. Closing the space between them, Alex wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She then stood on the ball of her feet so that she could whisper in his ear.

"It's not your fault," she assured him. "You had no way of knowing what would've happened, even with your abilities. What happened to me was not your fault… both times."

To her relief, Alex felt Kenshi's arms enclose around her in an embrace.

~~~

**Earthrealm, Mediterranean Sea**

Scorpion landed hard on his back with a grunt and he suddenly saw stars in front on his vision. He could hear his opponent's footsteps approaching him again. Rage filled the spectre… he was not going to let the sorcerer win.

Quickly, the hellspawn spectre pushed himself up off the ground and landed on his feet just as Quan Chi was within reach. The illusion briefly threw a few punches at Scorpion, who dodged them before a right hook smashed Scorpion in the face. Two more blows followed before Quan Chi crouched low for a sweep kick. Scorpion managed to back away before the move connected.

Immediately, Scorpion's hands were surrounded by fire with a roar, he rose his palms up towards the sky. A burst of flames ignited under his adversary's feet, catching him on fire. The illusion screamed as the flames licked his skin, but the screaming stopped the moment a roundhouse kick knocked him onto his side. By then, the flames dispersed.

Scorpion sprinted towards him, but by the time he reached his opponent, Quan Chi was back on his feet and had produced a skull surrounded by green energy. Scorpion attempted to stop himself, but Quan Chi managed to slam the skull in the space between where his neck met his shoulder. Immediately, the skull began to bit into Scorpion's shoulder like a rabid dog out for blood. Scorpion's howled echoed around the arena as he attempted to pry the skull off of him. Meanwhile, the skull's sharp teeth had pierced his skin and dark red blood began to weep from the wound.

Quan Chi then jumped up and smashed Scorpion's face with a spinning kick, sending the spectre hurling to the side. By now, the skull had left the ninja's shoulder and disappeared in a bust of green magic before it hit the platform.

Before Scorpion had the chance to move, Quan Chi grabbed him by his shirt and quickly pulled him up to his feet. He smashed his fists a few times into Scorpion's face and then attempted to knee him the stomach, but the spectre quickly parried the move before pushing

The illusion sprinted forward, but Scorpion was ready by then. In a burst of flames, the spectre quickly teleported behind him leaving the illusion confused. Taking his kunai in hand, he grabbed Quan Chi's shoulder, turned him around, and promptly stabbed him in the chest. The illusion howled in pain. If this was the real Quan Chi, it would have been music to Scorpion's ears, but the opponent in front of him was nothing more than a representation of his most powerful adversary. Sure, the real necromancer would have howled in pain, but the spectre realized that this being had not mocked him once since the fight began.

Even if he hadn't known that this was a fake, Scorpion would've figured out that this was an imposter by now.

Scorpion then grabbed rope that connected to the kunai, turned around, and promptly flipped his opponent over his shoulder until he landed on his back. He then used the same rope to pull him up to his knees before quickly wrapping the rope around his throat and began to tighten his hold, choking his enemy.

The imposter struggled to get out of the spectre's rope as his windpipe was crushed without mercy underneath it. He fought and kicked the air, but the more seconds past, the weaker he became.

Before Scorpion gave the illusion the chance to even pass out, he quickly twisted the rope at a certain angle and a loud, wet _snap!_ was heard as he broke his opponent's neck. His adversary instantly went lip, falling forward. Scorpion then released his hold on him, the corpse landing on the ground face first. Seconds later, the body turned into nothing more than ash.

Moments later, a gust of wind was felt, blowing away the newly formed ash on the ground. Fujin appeared next to the ninja. "You have done well," he said to him. "You have earned the right to pass through the deity portal."

Scorpion's eyes seemed to scowl. "Had this been the real Quan Chi, this battle would not have ended so quickly."

Fujin nodded. "Yes, that is very true."

Scorpion turned to the Wind God. "What will happen when I get to Outworld?"

Fujin had noticed the wound on the spectre's shoulder. He reached for it, barely touching it as a white light emitted from his hand, healing the wound. He spoke while he did this. "You'll have to wait a couple of days. The other chosen ones will be taking the journey to Outworld through another means. From there, we will plan our course of action, which many take a few days. We already have a few selected scouts checking around the realm so that we can get idea of our vantage point. I will let you know once we are ready to march."

Scorpion nodded in understanding. "In the meantime, I know where to hide in Outworld. It will be close to the former tournament grounds."

By then, Fujin had healed Scorpion's wound and he pulled his hand away. The blood from the wound was still there, but at least it was healed now. "Most likely, that's where the other chosen ones will be. I will call upon you when the time comes to face our enemies."

Scorpion narrowed his pale eyes. " _I_ will come to your group when the final battle commences. I have ways to find out when it will start to take place. When that happens, I will meet with the other… chosen ones… to fight against the Outworld Forces."

Fujin nodded. "Very well… step underneath the orb. I will see you in Outworld."

Scorpion gave the Wind God a respectful nod before walking underneath the glowing white orb. The electricity around the orb became more frequently and the current became louder and louder with each pulse.

A bolt of lightning from the orb struck Scorpion in a quickly flash. Just as fast, the spectre disappeared.

~~~

**Sky Temple, Earthrealm**

The battle between Raiden and Quan Chi continued from the grounds of the Sky Temple. The fight was becoming more brutal since neither of them were willing to give up on either defending themselves or luring the other to a portal which will take them to Outworld.

At one point, Quan Chi had activated a portal to Outworld, but Raiden made sure that they were too far from it for Quan Chi to try to kick him through it. "Your efforts will be in vain!" Raiden yelled out as he shot out a ball of electricity towards his opponent.

Quan Chi simply sidestepped away from the projectile. "You should know better than to underestimate me!" the necromancer shouted as he hurled two green skull projectiles at the Thunder God.

Raiden teleported closer to Quan Chi and the projectiles missed him completely. He managed to kick the sorcerer in the stomach twice before a spin kick sent him flying to the side. Still, Quan Chi stayed on his feet and waited until Raiden was close enough again. He ducked underneath a punch before he managed to grab Raiden in a choke hold. Quickly lifted him off his feet, he slammed his fist into Raiden's face twice before simply tossing him to the side.

Jumping forward, Raiden shot himself like a torpedo, but ended up missing as Quan Chi sidestepped out of the way again. As Raiden recovered, Quan Chi used his sorcery to create a glowing green skull in his hand. As he had expected, Raiden teleported closer to him and attempted a few punches, which Quan Chi dodged. Then, he found an opening and smashed the skull into Raiden's face with all of his strength. The skull shattered into pieces upon impact and the force of the blow knocked Raiden onto his back.

Using more of his sorcery, Quan Chi forced Raiden to stand up before pulling him forward. The magic forced Raiden to raise his arms in front of him before walking forward without any control. When he was close enough to the sorcerer, Quan Chi punched him twice, developed another skull, and slammed it into his stomach, causing it to explode upon impact forcing Raiden to keel over.

He then lifted Raiden over his head. By then, Raiden regained some control of his own body and he was able to speak. "It's like you to take the easy way out when you know you will lose."

Quan Chi laughed darkly at this. "No, Raiden… I just find any means necessary to get the job done. I'll see you in Outworld."

With that, Quan Chi hurled Raiden forward, sending the Thunder God through the portal. Immediately after Raiden fell through, the portal closed behind him.

Done with his work, Quan Chi opened up a new portal to another part of Outworld. Without another glance at Earth, he walked through the portal. Once he through, it closed behind him.


	74. Chapter Seventy-Three

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

In the dining quarters after everyone has had their meals, Dhalsim and Ruby Heart had stayed behind to discuss what to expect once they were in Outworld. They were barely in talks when a large gust of wind blew out of nowhere… considering how all the windows in the room were closed tight.

"Well, look who's back!" Ruby Heart called out with a smile as Fujin appeared in front of them.

Fujin nodded to them as he sat down in a chair next to them. "Sorry I'm late," he said. "It took longer than I had anticipated, but Scorpion is now in Outworld. He said that he would… find out when the time comes for the battle."

"Good to know… I think."

"What has happened during my absence?"

"Nothing urgent," Dhalsim informed him. "However, some of Yoshimitsu's clan members are currently in Outworld scouting the perimeter to see what we're up against. They will report to us once we get there. Also, more clan members will be accompanying us on the ship during the journey. They will join us in the battle against the Outworld Forces."

"And speaking of my ship," Ruby Heart cut in. "The engine is fixed and ready to go as of this afternoon."

Fujin nodded. "Good. In that case, it's best to leave in the morning, preferably after dawn. The sooner we get to Outworld, the sooner we can finally end this threat."

"I couldn't agree more."

~~~

In the medical wing, Juni was awake after being out for almost twenty-four hours. Sitting up in her bed and propped up by pillows, she listened as Cammy and Lita explained her injuries and why she wouldn't be able to recover in time to leave to fight against the Outworld Forces, which was incidentally tomorrow morning.

Juni found herself frowning over this. "After all this time… training with you, preparing for this fight… and I get taken down so easily and find myself bedridden."

"You'll be fine," Lita assured her with a pat on Juni's good shoulder.

"I should at least travel with you," Juni suggested.

"Too risky," Cammy said. "Even if you could, what if you stayed on the ship and the enemies attack you from there? And if you try to fight, that shoulder injury will distract you for sure. Of course, we could have someone stay with you, but you know we'll need all the help we can get."

Juni let out an exhale as she leaned back into her pillows. "Yeah, I guess…"

"Look on the bright side… you won't be alone here. Jane and Amy will be here with you as well as Sophitia's husband, Rothion. Even with the invasion yesterday, Keisei is still a lot safer than Outworld."

Juni shut her eyes, suddenly feeling exhausted. "I guess so…"

"Tired?" asked Lita. Juni nodded. "We'll let you sleep then. We'll stop by before we leave tomorrow."

Juni nodded again before turning her head away. From there, Cammy and Lita stood up and walked out of the medical wing. Neither of them talked until they were outside, both noting the sky turning into dusk.

"Poor Juni," Lita sighed. "I'd be going mad too if I was her."

"Me too," Cammy agreed.

Lita looked at her comrade. "So… are you ready for tomorrow?"

"No."

"Me neither… but we don't have much of a choice, do we?"

Cammy sighed. "Outworld only reminds me of what we've lost."

Lita nodded. "Yeah… who knew that when you got the invitation to the tournament that we would lose Wolfman, McCoy, and Ginzu all in one day…" Lita shook her head. "I still can't get their deaths out of my head. I've never hated blood more than on that day. Honestly, Cammy… if you had joined them that day, I'd be discharged from the military and in a mental institution right about now."

"Apparently, I'm hard to kill," Cammy said. "Shadaloo made it that way. At this point, I don't know whether to thank them or find what remains of their bases and burn them to the ground."

"Despite that," Lita continued. "Well… okay, this may sound crazy, but… you're not allowed to die in Outworld this time unless we both go. There's no way in bloody hell that I'm lugging all this guilt with me. It's heavy enough as it is."

Cammy placed a comforting hand on Lita's shoulder. "Agreed. We've already lost enough on top of our team… Ibuki… Rose… Sakura… Nightwolf… and maybe we should count our brainwashed friends, too."

"That depends on whether we can free them or not."

Cammy sighed. "Still… I don't want to imagine who else will join them…"

"Agreed."

Inside headquarters, Mika, Cassandra, Maki, Asuka, and Karin were gathered in the sleeping quarters that Asuka and Mika had shared since arriving in Outworld. In a very rare moment where all of them were together, none of them spoke a word to each other. Mika and Asuka laid on their own beds lost in thought while gazing up at the ceiling. Karin sat in front of the vanity brushing her curly blonde hair while gazing solemnly at the mirror in front of her. Maki sat on the floor while slowly twirling one of her batons in her hands, and Cassandra, sitting next to Maki, was looking down at her nails, noticing that the blue nail polish she had on before the Earth invasion had long since evaporated.

The five of them sat in silence for a long time before Maki finally spoke up. "Do you think Sakura will be there in Outworld?"

Mika sat up from her bed. "What makes you think so?"

Maki shrugged. "I just remember her going through a portal when she ran away on the island… the portal somehow reminded me of Outworld."

Karin sighed. "I guess we'll know when we get there."

Cassandra frowned. "Now that I think about it, do you really think it was a good idea for us not to share Sakura's fate to the others?"

It was Asuka's turn to sit up from her bed. In her mind, she could see the image of her cousin, Jin, holding Sakura's broken body at the Cathedral in Outworld. "No, it was right call."

"Well… maybe… maybe if we end this threat," said Karin. "We can tell the others and we can search for her."

"I agree," Mika replied. "I don't know if they'll believe us, really, but we have to try at least."

"So there we go," Asuka said. "We keep this quiet until this fiasco is over. Then, we can search for Sakura and… finally give her peace."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" asked Karin as she glared at her classmate through the mirror.

Asuka frowned as tears started to brim her eyes. "I don't know. I… I just don't know."

"We'll know when we find her," Maki said.

From there, the girls fell silent again…

~~~

When the sun completely set for the evening, the group consisting of Maxi, Kilik, Xianghua, Cody, Marshall, Paul, Li Mei, Dan, Bo' Rai Cho, and Cyrax all gathered at the campfire. Naturally, alcohol was involved as Bo' Rai Cho presented everyone with some glasses and two bottles of Chili-san's local _Dalda Sagwa_ wine.

"This is one of the finest and sweetest tasting wines I've had in a while," Bo' Rai Cho explained as the bottles were passed around. "And the good news is that it's designed to relax if you only drink in moderation, unlike Outworld liquor."

Paul tasted the wine and his eyes lit up. "You sure know your drinks, good sir. One of these days, I should take you to Germany for Oktoberfest. They serve some of the best beers in the world."

"That I got to see," Marshall said with a grin.

"No wonder it's sweet," said Cody after he tried his fill. "Taste like apples."

"It _is_ made from apples," informed Maxi.

Everyone fell silent as they drank more of the wine. The only one to not drink right away was Li Mei, who found herself staring down at the half-filled glass in her hand.

"Penny for your thoughts, Li Mei?" asked Dan who sat next to her and noticed the solemn look on her face.

Li Mei turned to him in confusion. "Huh?"

"It means, 'what are you thinking?'" explained Marshall.

"Oh!" Li Mei said. She blinked a couple of times before sighing. "I was… just thinking how nervous I am about going to Outworld."

"Most likely everyone feels the same way," said Cody.

"Well… sure, but… I'm _from_ Outworld."

"Oh… shit. That sucks," uttered Maxi.

"Classy," Xianghua replied with a roll of her eyes at Maxi's words.

"How do you feel about that, aside from being nervous?" asked Kilik.

Li Mei shrugged. "Well… I haven't been back since the end of the Blood Tournament. Sometimes, I wonder how I considered that place 'home' to being with…"

"It's because it's where you were born," guessed Bo' Rai Cho. "It's… where _I_ was born."

Xianghua frowned. "I can't imagine growing up someplace so… hostile."

Li Mei shrugged again. "I guess you get used to it, but many of us honest people end up escaping at the first opportunity. When I escaped my village, that's where I discovered the tournament and headed straight there because I didn't know where else to go."

"I remember that," said Cody. "You, eh… had quite a change in your personality from day one to the end of the tournament."

"I admit, I was a nervous wreck when I first met you all," Li Mei said. "So I started talking in run-on sentences and acting a little loopy… but… after what happened to my village, I realized that I couldn't let fear take over me anymore. I had to be brave… no matter how nervous I was."

"That's the way we all should feel," said Cyrax. "And when we win this, the bravery will be worth it in the end."

"You said it!" agreed Dan with a thumb's up.

Paul looked at his glass of wine and his eyes suddenly lit up. "Hey, eh… just throwing an idea here, but…"

"What kind of idea?" asked Cody.

"If we raid Shao Kahn's fortress and he happens to have a wet bar or something, let's stock up on everything there, _especially_ the Outworld liquor."

"Then we can sell the recipe!" grinned Marshall.

Xianghua raised an eyebrow at that. "We're about to head into a battle that decides the fate of the whole universe and you want to raid the fortress for alcohol?"

"Of course not!" called out Paul as he threw his arms up. "This is my coping mechanism… get me in high spirits before I run into the Grim Reaper's arms."

"Either that or it's the alcohol talking," guessed Kilik.

"I have an idea myself," Cyrax cut in.

"Shoot," pushed Paul.

"The first person to see the Emperor has to yell…" Then, Cyrax pressed a button on his arm panel that played a recording from a scene in a certain famous movie. " _KAAAAAAAHHHHHHNNNN!_ "

Naturally, all those from Earthrealm burst into hysterics while those from Outworld and Keisei gave them all a bewildered look.

"Um... why?" asked Kilik.

Cyrax shook his head. "Never mind, it'll take too long to explain."

"Clearly it's an Earth specific joke," sighed Xianghua.

Once those from Earth stopped laughing, Dan wiped a tear from his eye. "I have an idea… why don't we all sing _Kumbaya_ and lift our morale."

"I actually have the guitar solo downloaded on my panel for such an occasion," said Cyrax.

"You know what," started Cody. "I'm just tipsy enough to think that's a good idea."

"Then let's do it!" Paul called out with the same kind of determination he normally reserved for the battlefield.

Xianghua was about to ask them about the song, but by then, Cyrax pressed a button on his arm panel and a guitar solo began to plan a soft melody. Shrugging her shoulders, she thought she would enjoy the song... at least until they started belting out the lyrics.

The problem was the Earthrealm natives who were singing the song ended up singing in a horrible off-key tune. It was too much to bear for the ears.

"I'm out of here!" called out Kilik as he stood up.

"Me too!" agreed Xianghua.

"Me three!" yelled Maxi.

The three of them fled as fast as they could from the campfire as the others continued to sing.

In the gardens, the lit torches were the only source of light as Ryu strolled through the stoned walkway. He had it in mind to do a little training before going to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

Eventually, he could hear someone else within the gardens training. Ryu decided to take a moment to see who was nearby. It didn't take him long to find Ken training in the middle of the garden. He was in full concentration and Ryu could tell by the way that the blond millionaire's eyebrows furrowed that his mind was cleared from thoughts.

"Ken!" Ryu called out.

He managed to get his long-time friend's attention as Ken stopped what he was doing. He turned to the dark-haired warrior as he walked forward to where he stood.

"Hey Ryu," Ken said as his friend approached him. "Ready for tomorrow?"

Ryu took a deep breath at that. "As ready as I can be."

"I think everyone feels pretty much the same way. For me… I've been waiting to get my ass to that realm from day one."

Ryu frowned at that. "I see."

Ken then folded his arms in front of his chest. "Can I ask you something?"

Ryu nodded. "You know you can ask me anything."

"True. Well… what do you plan to do after we win this thing and get back to Earth?"

The answer was immediate. "The usual… travel, find more challenges, you know the drill. However… I have a feeling that the coming fight in Outworld will out-do every single one of my challenges, past and future."

"Why?"

For a brief moment, Ryu wanted to tell Ken about his destiny as one of the four chosen ones who would decide the fate of the realms. However, like the others, he was sworn to secrecy. Getting to Shao Kahn was of a delicate matter and in order to succeed, the others would have to be left in the dark, Ken included. It wasn't as though any of them would let the information leak, but one could never be certain, especially if any of them were unfortunate enough to be captured, tortured, and interrogated.

Ryu swore in his mind that when they won, he would tell Ken all about it. For now, however, he would have to be very, very subtle.

"Just a… feeling I have," was all Ryu said for now.

Ken patted him on the shoulder. "Well, it'll be a tough fight for sure."

"Out of curiosity, why do you ask?" Ryu questioned.

"About what you'll do?"

Ryu nodded.

Ken took a deep breath before answering. "Well… when this is over, and if you don't mind, I'd like to tag along with you on your journeys." He managed to grin. "I want to see what the fuss is about."

Ryu chuckled at that. "You know, it would be nice to have a traveling companion for once."

"Yeah… unless, you know... you want to bring someone else along."

That confused Ryu. "Like who?"

Ken was quiet for a moment, though he gave his friend a knowing look. He then shook his head in amusement when Ryu was clearly still confused. "She still cares about you… Julia I mean."

Ryu sighed as he gazed down at the ground. "And I still care for her, too… but the whole thing with her mother would be hard to get past for her. I don't want to be that reminder to her."

"I understand," Ken said. "But let me give you a quick advice… no matter what happens, don't waste the opportunity. If you still feel the same way when she wants you back, take it. She's a good person. Don't let her go."

Ryu smirked. "What? No advice about how to manage two dates at the same time?"

Ken laughed at that… a real laugh since before the Earth invasion. "Yeah, eh, sorry about that. I didn't realize that was going to escalate into a brawl… but hey, we did get an awesome match between Julia and Mika out of that, didn't we?"

"Ugh, don't remind me…"

"I'm afraid, my friend, that's something that we chosen ones will _all_ remember until the end of time… unless that end of time happens to be at the end of this week."

Ryu shook his head. "Comforting."

"Tell me about it."

Ryu had an idea then. "Do you want to spar?"

Ken nodded. "Always."

From there, they got into fighting stances, standing just a few feet from each other. "Just… no _hadoukens_ or fires or anything," Ken suggested.

Ryu furrowed his eyebrows. "Why?"

"This is a nice garden… reminds me of the one at my old mansion my parents owned. I hate to see it go to waste."

Ryu smirked. "Fair enough."

For the rest of the evening, the two friends sparred just like old times…

After another long day, Cammy decided to head into her room and go to bed. She planned to briefly make sure that anything she purchased in Chili-san was packed and ready to go. As much as she enjoyed her time here in Keisei, she was ready to move on and get to Outworld.

 _The sooner we finish this, the better I'll feel_ _,_ she thought.

As Cammy thought about this, she suddenly bumped into someone while turning a corner. She groaned at this because this had happened quite a bit at the Coast Guard Headquarters.

 _Damn it, stupid narrow hallways!_ she yelled in her head. She then looked up and suddenly felt her throat go dry. The person she bumped into just happened to be Jin Kazama of all people.

A flashback from their time at the tournament briefly flashed through Cammy's mind…

_"Say, we should get back to the cave grounds before-"_

_Unknown to Cammy, however, she ended up in the path of a large rock. The young blonde never saw the rock and ended up tripping over it, letting out a small yelp in the process. Jin saw her beginning to fall and tried to catch her, but Cammy ended up grabbing him and she took him down with her. Both of them landing on the ground with Cammy on her side and Jin right on top of her!_

_Cammy managed to shift herself so that she was lying on her back. Once she did, she realized that Jin was facing her. The both of them looked at each other, feeling a bit awkward at that moment._

_"Um, sorry," Jin said. "I didn't mean-"_

_"It's all right," Cammy assured him. "I was the one who pulled you down…"_

_As she was talking, Cammy suddenly found herself gazing into Jin's eyes, which were a light brown color. His bangs, which fell over just near his eyes seemed to bring them out more and Cammy wondered why she didn't notice this before. By now, she had already_ _forgotten about her newest addition to her embarrassing moments with Jin._

_Jin also found himself gazing into Cammy's eyes as well. They were a deep blue. Having been in Japan most of his life, this was an eye color he rarely saw._

_Then, to his surprise, Cammy ended up leaning her head upward and softly pressed her lips against his. Her eyes had already closed, but Jin had his wide open for a moment._

_Soon, Jin slowly closed his eyes and returned the kiss, causing Cammy to softly moan as she wrapped both of her arms around him. Jin placed his hands on both sides of her face as they both deepened the kiss. They let themselves get lost in their passion for just a minute as they parted their lips and let their tongues slowly dance together. Cammy brushed one hand slowly up and down Jin's back as he began to softly caress the side of her face which contained her scar._

_Neither one of them were sure how long their kiss lasted before they pulled away. They opened their eyes, finding themselves looking at each other again, neither one of them helping but smile._

_"We should get back before it gets dark," Jin suggested as he got himself back on his feet, helping Cammy up in the process._

_Cammy laughed a little. "Hey, I was the one who suggested that to begin with."_

_"I know," Jin said as he placed an arm around her shoulders. "But I thought it'd be nice to remind you."_

_Cammy smiled as she put her arm around his waist. "Well, thank you."_

After the memory left, Cammy frowned to herself, realizing that these should be good memories. All it did was remind her of what could've been.

With Jin still standing in front of her, Cammy was ready to go around and be on her way. To her surprise, Jin spoke. "You okay?"

Cammy managed to swallow, the dryness in her throat feeling better. "I've… been better," she said honestly. "Mostly, I'm worried about what will happen when we get there."

"Worrying will make things worse," Jin advised. "All you can do is keep your focus."

"Huh… easy for you to say."

"… I had to learn that lesson the hard way."

Cammy frowned again. She knew that no matter how much she tried to get around his cryptic words, he was not going to elaborate on the meaning behind them. Frankly, she realized that she was done trying to guess whatever secret he's been holding from her.

Instead, she looked up at those light brown eyes she used to dream of gazing into again after he left England. "You worried?" she asked.

She already knew the answer even before he said it. "No… there's too much at stake."

Cammy nodded. "Of course. Well… I should get to bed. Good night."

Jin nodded. "Good night."

They walked past each other and headed to their own rooms. As they did, another memory flashed through Cammy's mind…

_Jin leaned in again the two found themselves sharing a soft kiss. For a moment, the kiss went into a slow rhythm. Soon, their kiss deepened as they found themselves lost in the passion. During that moment, Cammy brought herself closer to Jin, having placed her hands on his broad chest. Jin had both of his arms around her as he began to slowly rub his hands up and down her back._

_Some time passed before Jin broke the kiss. For a second, Cammy felt a bit disappointed, but soon felt Jin's warm lips leaving a trail of kisses on her neck.. Cammy leaned her head to the side a bit to give him room. His kisses and touch began to send chills up her spine, even in a place as warm as the hot springs._

_Speaking of the hot springs, it suddenly felt much warmer to Cammy than before. She wasn't sure whether it was the springs itself, or the heat of the passion she and Jin were in at the moment._

_Soon, Jin pulled away from her neck and looked over at her. Cammy looked at him as well and once again the two shared another passionate kiss. This one lasted much longer than the last one, this time with their tongues dancing together in their mouths._

_After the long kiss ended, Cammy began to ache for Jin more. Jin knew this too as he noted the lustful look in her eyes. In reply, he slowly lifted Cammy up and out of the springs, causing her to let out a short squeal in surprise before chuckling. Her laugh made Jin smile…she indeed had a nice laugh._

_After placing Cammy down, Jin reached over for his towel and spread it out completely on the walkway. From there, he and Cammy laid themselves on the towel before resuming to their passion._

Cammy's eyes brimmed with tears at the memory, but she quickly blinked them away. The last thing she needed right now was to think about the only night they consummated their relationship, a time that suddenly felt so long ago.

 _It's over_ _,_ she thought to herself sadly. _I have to keeping reminding myself…_

~~~

**_The Next Morning…_ **

The chosen ones and selected members of the Manji Clan and the Coast Guard were all prepared and ready for their departure. Many of the Coast Guard soldiers and Manji Clan members who were staying behind were at the docks to bid their allies farewells and good lucks.

Hwang stood in front of Admiral Lee who, to his surprise, dressed in his finest uniform as though he was going to a ceremony. Hwang considered this an honor, and he hoped that his fellow allies understood the Admiral's gesture. It meant that he had a great amount of respect for them.

"I wish you and your friends luck on your journey," Admiral Lee addressed the younger man. "Your order, of course, is to make sure that the threat to the universe is permanently eradicated once and for all."

Hwang immediately stood at attention and saluted his superior. "Yes, sir. We'll get it done. We won't return until it's over. If we're not back for a while…"

Admiral Lee nodded. "Understood. But do us a favor… try to come back… you and your friends are our only hope right now. The spirit of this group is strong… that will help you and them more than anything else. Go out there and give the Outworld Forces hell."

Hwang nodded as he stood normally again. "We'll do that, sir."

Just next to him, Seong Mi-na was saying her own farewell, this time to her father, Han-myeong. Han-myeong was getting stronger each day and though he still needed a few more days of bed rest, he was determined to be at the docks so that he could say a proper goodbye to his only daughter.

At least now, she would depart her home on good terms.

"Don't worry, father," Mi-na assured him. "When this is over, I'll come back to Keisei. And after that, I won't go anywhere else for a little while."

Han-myeong smirked. "Well, if you want to go traveling the world again, I won't stop you."

Mi-na chuckled. "I know… but these seven months have been very long. It would be nice to just stay home after all this time… at least for a few months."

Han-myeong laughed. "Of course. Just… be careful, my daughter. No matter how tough the fight will be, you can get through it. I didn't train you well for nothing."

Mi-na then stepped forward and embraced her father, who returned the hug. "I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise."

"Don't make such promises," Han-myeong advised. "Just try to come back. And even if you don't… at least I'll know in my heart that you tried."

That brought tears to her eyes, but Mi-na blinked them back, refusing to shed them now. As she pulled back from the hug, Hwang had approached the two.

"I'll take care of her, sir," Hwang promised.

Han-myeong nodded. "Please. It comforts me to know that not only she has you, but strong friends who will be there for each other in the battle to come." He then turned to his daughter and gave her a warm smile. "I love you, my daughter _._ "

Mi-na smiled. "I love you too, father _._ "

Meanwhile, nearby, Sophitia held her husband Rothion close to her. Neither of them wanted to let each other go, but it was inevitable.

"If you don't come back for a while," Rothion whispered. "I'm going to head back home to be with the children."

Sophitia nodded in understanding. "I'll try to be back home soon, Roth. I love you."

"I love you, too."

They pulled back and briefly kissed before Sophitia heard footsteps nearby. She turned her head and saw Cassandra waiting patiently for her older sister. Sophitia turned back to Rothion and smiled. "At least I won't be alone."

"True," Rothion agreed.

"And let me guess, you're going to keep an eye on me, right?" Cassandra asked.

Sophitia gave her a knowing smile. "That is precisely the plan, dear sister."

"Great, I have a babysitter," the younger woman mumbled as she walked over to the waiting ship.

Sophitia gave her husband one last hug. "Goodbye, Roth."

"Goodbye, Sophie. Be careful."

An hour later, everyone at the docks waved goodbye as Ruby Heart's ship departed. Nearby, Jane Guile held her daughter Amy in her arms as they both joined in the farewell. When her arms got tired, Amy placed them on her mother's shoulders before turning her head towards her.

"Mommy?" she asked.

Jane turned her attention to her daughter. "Yes, honey?"

"Will they come back soon?"

Jane sighed as she looked at the flying ship one last time. "I hope so, sweetie… I hope so…"


	75. Chapter Seventy-Four

**Skies of Keisei**

Around Ruby Heart's ship was nothing but blue with the occasional cloud here and there and the breeze was gentle around those who stood on the outside deck for now. Near the edge of one part of the ship, Sophitita and Cassandra Alexandra gazed at the horizon of their home world. The sisters had traveled together before, but it had been quite some time since Cassandra last went with Sophitia on another adventure. This time, they were two of a handful of warriors who were off to not just save Keisei, but the entire universe.

"I must admit," said Sophitia. "Even though we are about to face danger, I can't help but feel somewhat excited."

Cassandra turned to her older sister. "Why do you think that?"

Sophitia shrugged. "Well, for one thing this is the first time that I'm traveling to another world, so that's thrilling in itself."

"Outworld isn't exactly a tropical paradise," the younger sister warned.

"After everything I've heard about it, I imagine not. When this is over, however, I am looking forward to returning home."

Cassandra nodded in agreement. "Me too. It's been far too long…"

Sophitia frowned. "Yeah…"

"Did you and the rest of the family really think I was dead?"

Sophitia took a deep breath before answering. "We… assumed the worst. You were gone for a while and we originally just assumed that you were taking your time getting home. The longer you were gone, the more we worried. Then, we got word about what happened to many of the tournament participants. That was when we assumed the worst."

Cassandra frowned. "I'm sorry. Honestly, if there was any way for me to get home, let alone contact you, I would have, but there was no way, even in the highly advanced society I found myself a part of during that time."

Sophitia smiled. "I know. So tell me, what was Earth like?"

"… It was the biggest overload on my brain in my entire life. They have all of this amazing technology and Mika and I went to this thing called a 'carnival' some months back. It's like those peach festivals Mother loves to go to, but they have a lot of more fun things to do. Like they have these big machines you can ride on that are actually not operated by animals. They're kind of like the way clock towers operate, but… they're more advanced."

Sophitia's eyes widened at that. "Really?"

"Yeah! I swear if I ever find a way to link Earth to Keisei, I want to take Pyrrha and Patroklos there. I think they would love it!"

Sophitia smiled. "Knowing you, you would give them too many sweets."

"That's the fun part about being an Aunt," Cassandra grinned. "Get the kids loaded on sugar then dropped them off on Mama's doorstep."

The older Alexandra shook her head but still retained her smile. "I still remember when you gave them each a large pastry from Father's shop last year. Rothion and I did not sleep well that night."

"That was revenge for that one time you tattled on me for hitting Lucius after he stole my cookie back when we were little."

"And that was for ripping off the head of my favorite doll not long before that."

"You have to admit, it looked like a voodoo doll from some witch's cabin."

"… Now that I think about it, it was kind of creepy."

The two women chuckled at the memory before they found themselves gazing at the horizon again. Eventually, Cassandra spoke again. "You think we'll be able to win this?"

Sophitia sighed. "I think as long as Hephaestus guides us, we can do it."

It took a lot of strength for Cassandra to not shake her head. It wasn't like she didn't believe in Gods… heck there was one here on the ship right now… but it was Hephaestus in particular she didn't care for. It was he who encouraged Sophitia to travel to begin with so that she may destroy the infamous weapon, Soul Edge, in his honor. Although Cassandra was the only one in her family to believe her since the beginning, she didn't like that Hephaestus placed her sister in danger all the time.

At least now, they were on this journey together. Cassandra planned to look out for Sophitia and she was sure that Sophitia herself would look out for her…

Meanwhile on the opposite side of the deck, Sub-Zero was gazing out at the horizon as well. After a long journey of survival, reuniting with allies, and a moment of peace, he and the others were finally heading to Outworld to end this nightmare on the universe once and for all.

He also knew that his brother would be there. To him, Sub-Zero knew that his older brother was better off resting in peace, which was what he planned to do for him… if he ever had the chance or at least figure out how.

Sub-Zero remembered the time when he was told that he died at the Mortal Kombat tournament, but no one who was there at the tournament had bothered to tell him exactly how. Sub-Zero did know, however, that his elder brother was heading there to assassinate the tournament host, Shang Tsung. He was sure that Shang Tsung knew what happened… if _he_ didn't kill him first. So he took his brother's code name in his honor and, along with Smoke, they journeyed to Outworld to not only participate in a tournament there, but to also find out the truth about his brother's death.

It was a pair of Special Forces soldiers who told him what happened…

_Sonya Blade and Jax Briggs happened to be walking through the soul chamber when they spotted a figure wearing black and blue ninja garb. Both of their eyes widened in bewilderment._

_"_ _Wait! Sub-Zero?!" Sonya called out in shock. Even before she said it, Sub-Zero knew which Lin Kuei she was referring to. "But… you're dead!"_

_They approached, so Sub-Zero raised a hand up to stop them, which they did. "I am not the Sub-Zero you speak of," he explained. "He was my brother."_

_Sonya seemed astonished to hear that. "Your… brother?"_

_Sub-Zero nodded. "I'm only here to learn Sub-Zero's fate."_

_The two soldiers turned their heads to each other. Sonya seemed to gaze at Jax in question, and a moment later, he nodded to her as though giving her permission to speak. With that, Sonya turned her head to the Lin Kuei._

_"_ _He was killed by someone named Scorpion," she revealed._

_Sub-Zero's blue eyes widened with surprise as he took a step forward. He didn't know how they knew or why, but he sensed their honesty. At least now, he knew what happened to his brother…_

_"_ _Where would I find him?"_

"Sub-Zero?" a robotic voice said cutting through his thoughts. The Grandmaster blinked a couple of times before turning his head to his cyborg comrade.

"Smoke," he managed to mutter.

Smoke folded his arms in front of his cybernetic chest. "Well, I'm glad to see you, too."

Sub-Zero sighed. "Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind."

"About going to Outworld?" Smoke guessed.

The Grandmaster nodded. "I've been there a few times before… the Outworld tournament… the first invasion… Shinnok's invasion… the Blood Tournament… and now this. To be honest, my friend, each trip does not get any easier."

"Well, if we win this, I'd say let's go to Bermuda for a vacation… you, me, Sareena, and Matrik if we can free her…"

Sub-Zero raised an eyebrow at that. "Seriously?"

"Not really," Smoke replied. "Besides, I'm sure most of the trip will be spent hearing you complain about how hot it is."

"Wouldn't you?"

"Maybe if I wasn't a cyborg. That's one benefit of being one… the cybernetics regulate body temperature so I don't feel heat or cold. Still… it would be nice to feel it again… along with the wind in your face, the icy feel of snow in your hands, and even the sunburn one gets when standing too long in the sun…"

Sub-Zero sighed, the thick vapor emerging through his mask when he exhaled. "Maybe when this is over, we'll find a way to remove those shackles off without harming you."

"How?"

"I don't know, but we'll find a way one of these days. In the meantime, we have another threat to take down."

"That reminds me," Smoke said. "I swear, whenever I hang around you, I always find myself in danger. Even when we were kids and pulled pranks on Sektor and your brother, I felt like I was on that thin rope between life and death."

Sub-Zero chuckled a little. "You know life would be boring otherwise."

"… I hate it when you're right."

On another part of the ship, Kung Lao, Bo' Rai Cho, and Li Mei walked together on the outside deck.

"There was once a great philosopher by the name of Confucius," Bo' Rai Cho said as they walked. He briefly took a swig of his liquor from his flask before continuing. "Even I'm not sure of the accuracy of his many wise quotes, but there is one that seems appropriate right about now."

"And what would that be?" Li Mei asked.

Bo' Rai Cho gazed up towards the sky thoughtfully. " _The will to win, the desire to succeed, and urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence._ "

"Hopefully that works with everyone," mentioned Kung Lao. "We're all going to need it in the battle of come. He also once said, ' _Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall._ ' That sounds about right for every world in the universe suffering from the invasion."

"There's also, ' _Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure,_ '" the older man added. "My personal favorite is, ' _Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance._ ' Obviously it's not really appropriate in the battle to come, but those words are very true."

"There's a quote I seem to recall remembering in my adolescent years," Li Mei spoke up. "I forgot who quoted it, but I remember my grandfather quoting it to me."

"And what words would that be?" asked Kung Lao.

It was Li Mei's turn to look up thoughtfully towards the sky. " _We sometimes fear the familiar because the familiar wants us to fear them._ "

Kung Lao realized what she meant. "It's about going back to Outworld…"

She nodded solemnly. "I find myself nervous about going back, but… I think once we're there, I'll feel somewhat better… maybe."

"It may be my home as well," added Bo' Rai Cho. "But even I am not too thrilled about going back there." He gazed down at his flask. "I should've brought something stronger."

"Nothing's stronger than Outworld liquor," Kung Lao pointed out.

"Don't encourage him!" Li Mei called out.

"Do not worry yourself my student," Bo' Rai Cho replied. "In a time like this, it is best to minimize my alcohol consumption. That is why I am only drinking Keisei's _Dalda Sagwa_ _._ As I mentioned last night at the campfire, Li Mei, it only relaxes when drinking in moderation. Besides, I am taking my time with this… this is the only alcoholic drink I have on hand right now."

"I'm sure someone has something stashed somewhere," guessed Kung Lao.

"Perhaps, but unless they offer, I won't bother. Come, my students. It is a beautiful afternoon. Let us train and prepare for the battle to come."

"Yes, Master Bo' Rai Cho," Kung Lao and Li Mei both said at the same time.

Not too far from them, Asuka was discussing to Karin how she managed to meet Mika while they were walking.

"There was an All-Women's tournament and it actually came down to me and Mika in the final round. Mika won, and I remember feeling so disappointed because I really needed the cash prize. Mika ended up giving me half of her winnings, and my father was able to use it to repair most of the damage the dojo had taken a few months prior."

"Fix your dojo?" Karin said. "What happened?"

As they spoke, they happened to walk by Lei Wulong, who was gazing out at the horizon. He ended up catching the next part of the two girls' conversation.

"To this day, I don't know who did it, but this guy attacked everyone there, destroyed parts of the dojo, and severely injured my father while I was at school. He didn't even know why he was there to begin with, but from what I heard, he was looking for something. They tried to tell him they didn't have it, so we went off and destroyed everything in his path anyway."

Hearing that definitely got Lei's attention, realizing exactly who had destroyed Asuka's father's dojo. He knew from reports that Feng Wei had went through different dojos in both Japan and China looking for something. Clearly Asuka's dojo was unfortunately in his path, but she had no knowledge as to who did it.

It was time that she found out.

He turned around to face Asuka and Karin. "Sorry to interrupt, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation about your dojo," the detective said casually.

"Oh?" asked Asuka with curiosity. "What do you want to know?"

"Actually, it would be more proper to me to be the one to ask, 'what do _you_ want to know?'"

Asuka raised an eyebrow. "You know something?"

Lei nodded. "Before the Blood Tournament, I was assigned to figure out who was destroying dojos in Japan and China because, eventually, they all had a connection. The assignment was delayed when I left for the tournament, but I resumed my investigation. That was when I discovered who was behind the attacks; Feng Wei."

"You mean that big, quiet guy with the ponytail and weird hairline who's on this ship right now?" asked an astonished Karin.

Lei nodded again. "The very one. However, I highly advised that-"

"DAMN HIM!" Asuka suddenly screamed out as both of her hands clenched into tight fists, her nails digging into her palm. "If it wasn't for him, my father wouldn't have been sent to the hospital, nor would we have been so desperate for money to fix the dojo!"

"Asuka, I know this is difficult but-" Lei started to say.

"I going to beat him to a bloody pulp the next time I run into him!"

"Asuka-"

"No! You know what?! I'm going to find him right now!" Asuka then swiftly departed.

"WAIT!" Lei called out, but clearly Asuka was not listening to him as she went away in a power walk. He sighed to himself. "And Chun Li thought _I_ was desperate to take him down."

"Hmm," Karin hummed thoughtfully. "It's interesting… aren't we all here on this ship because we are warriors who have good hearts despite what we've done in the past? If that's the case, what does that say about Feng Wei?"

"Yeah Fujin already explained that to me," Lei said. "Hard to believe, I know."

"Some would say the same about Sagat, the former Shadaloo soldier," Karin added. "But he's here with us too."

Lei nodded. "It is interesting what you find out beyond the terrible things one does."

Karin sighed. "Yeah…"

"Hey listen… do me a favor and keep Asuka at bay. I don't think we need another brawl at the moment."

"I'll try, but I can't promise anything."

From there, Karin went in the same direction Asuka went. Suddenly, Lei had a bad feeling about what the rest of the journey was going to be like…

On the crew deck, Paul was alone as he walked through the hallway… well, more like dancing and head banging through the hallway while singing the lyrics to _'Back For More_ ' by Five Finger Death Punch. He sang as he pretended to hear a guitar solo in his head. He had no other means of listening to music, so this was currently his only other option… unless he wanted someone else to sing for him, but he had a feeling that whoever he picked would sing worse than he does.

Eventually, he reached his hand to the door he initially thought was his room, but upon opening the door, he walked into what he realized was Alex's room. Worse, she had just finished taking her tank top off in an attempt to change shirts, her bra her only saving grace.

"SHIT!" Alex screamed out as she instinctively turned her mostly bare back to him.

"Crap! Sorry about that!" Paul said as he began to back away. "I thought this was my room and-"

He suddenly stopped as he noticed Alex's back… it was hard not to notice the raised welts that were clearly from whatever whipping torture she had gone through at some point in her life.

Alex sighed as she realized why Paul stopped talking. She grabbed the black t-shirt she had intended the change into and put it on, covering her torso. "Yes, they're scars from whips. They hurt just as bad as they look."

"Captured and interrogated?" Paul guessed.

"I wish…" Alex muttered as she turned around to face him. "Of course, they probably would've cut my tongue out instead. Actually… it was more like 'captured and tortured for fun.'"

Paul hissed. "Sorry."

"Believe it or not, the whipping was the worst of it," Alex explained. "I won't go into much detail, but hanging off a rope by the ceiling in complete darkness and deafening silence in between the whippings in an Outworld dungeon played a lot of mind games to my senses."

Paul's eyes widened at that as he remembered something from his time in the Outworld dungeons… in the last day of his confinement, he had heard a woman's pleas and tortured screams within Berserk's cell. He had heard many screams and torture from within that particular cell and he had been haunted by each and every one of them.

Ermac had told him that the woman was rescued, but until now, he had no idea that the woman was actually Alex.

"You were in the Outworld dungeons?" Paul asked.

Alex confirmed it by nodding. "For a while, I didn't remember anything because Rose had suppressed the memories… at least I thought she did. She only suppressed them so that I was able to focus on the mission on hand. The reason she was able to get away with that was because I was unconscious when it happened. Shang Tsung did a 'great' favor by unleashing them. I hate sleeping now… maybe it was better off if I had remembered to begin with…"

As she spoke, she noticed Paul taking his white shirt off, revealing his torso. Now it was Alex's turn to stare as she noted similar welts on his chest and arms. There was even a burn mark just above his right pectoral muscle and, not far above that, was a scar that looked like a stab wound.

"You were there at the same time as me, weren't you?" Alex asked quietly.

Paul whispered. "I still have nightmares about it, but it's been better than it was during those first few months. I wish Rose was able to suppress those memories, but maybe they would've surfaced eventually as well."

Alex took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

"Traveling the country helped a lot," Paul said as he put his shirt back on. "I'm sure I would've gone insane otherwise. Being trapped in that dungeon for two weeks can do a lot to one's head."

The young woman frowned. "Sounds like you had it worse than me. But wait… I recall Ermac rescued you at some point. Kenshi mentioned that he had helped him when he came to rescue me. I assume Ermac got you out that same day. I wonder why he never told us we were both rescued on the same day."

"Probably because there are other matters to think of," Paul guessed with a shrug. "I'm sure he would've told us eventually."

Alex nodded. "Maybe."

"Anyway," Paul said. "Sorry to walk into you like that. My room's actually across from yours. Ships can be disorienting sometimes, you know?"

"Well lucky for you I'm in an okay mood, so you're forgiven."

Paul laughed. "Good to know." He was about to leave, but then stopped himself as a thought came to him. "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

Alex folded her arms in front of her. "That depends on the question."

"Fair enough," Paul replied. "What do you see in Kenshi? Honestly?"

"He makes me laugh," Alex deadpanned.

Paul raised an eyebrow at that. "Seriously?"

Alex snorted. "Of course not! Can you really see him as a comedian?"

"Angry and grumpy is all I can see," Paul said.

"Listen," Alex started to say. "I know you two don't see eye to eye, so to speak, but he's not as bad as you think. If you've spent more than a decade hunting down the bastard who blinded you and stole the souls of your ancestors and then you finally take him down only for the bastard to come back with a vengeance, you'd be beyond pissed too."

Paul shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"And to answer your question, sometimes you can't really explain how things happen, but… they happen. About… now, we're speaking again, but we're still sorting things out."

"I see," Paul said. "Well, either way, good luck."

"We'll all need it once we get to Outworld. Don't get yourself captured this time."

Paul managed to chuckle as he left the room. "You too."

Back at the outside docks, Wagner, Juli, and Hwoarang couldn't help but watched Raven give Yoshimitsu a lesson on what Raven called, ' _Kuji-in_ ' … probably because it was fun to see a usually-stoic agent get flustered for once.

This only started because the two had sparred, both out to prove that neither of them were 'wannabe' ninjas. Whoever ended up knocking the other to the ground first was the winner. The spar took some time, but it was Raven who came out victorious. So Raven personally set out to teach Yoshimitsu the 'true' way of being a ninja by starting him off with _Kuji-in_ lessons.

Raven and Yoshimitsu went slow as Raven showed the Manji Clan leader the hand signs. " _Rin,_ " he slowly said as he formed a hand sign. Yoshimitsu followed suit closely. " _Pyoh. Toh. Sha…_ "

Yoshimitsu ended up messing up at ' _toh_ ' and after ' _sha_ _,_ 'Raven threw his hands up in frustration. "No! You've got it all wrong!"

He went to go kick Yoshimitsu in the shin, but the Manji Clan leader jumped back from it before he was hit. Raven took a deep breath after that and did the hand signs again. "Here. _Sha_ _._ Like this. _Sha. Sha._ "

Yoshimitsu followed suit. Once he was satisfied, Raven continued slowly. "There! Now, ready?" The sword wielder nodded.

" _Kai. Jin. Retsu. Zai. Zen._ "

Yoshmitsu messed up at ' _Retsu_ _._ '

"Ah!" Raven yelled out in frustration. "You're hopeless!"

It took a lot for Wagner to suppress his laughter. "For once, it's funny to see someone as serious as Raven get frustrated. Makes him more… human."

"His way of 'teaching' makes me appreciate my master's lessons," mentioned Hwoarang.

"Something tells me that Yoshimitsu's messing up on purpose," Juli pointed out.

Now Wagner laughed. "I would not be surprised."

Raven had turned his head to where the trio sat. Wagner could've sworn he muttered, "Damn kids," before continuing the lessons. Nearby, Dragunov was watching the lesson taking place from where he was standing. A very faint amused look was on his face.

"Do it again," Raven said. " _Rin. Pyoh. Toh_ _…_ damn it! Pay attention!"

"Be patient and he will learn better," a voice said.

Everyone within hearing range turned to the voice… and every single one of their jaws dropped when they all found themselves looking at the same person…

Dragunov.

Only the wind was heard as no one was able to say anything. Slowly, Hwoarang, Wagner, and Juli got up from the crates they were sitting on and made a dash for it. With an amused smirk, Dragunov glared at Raven briefly before turning on his heel and headed towards the crew deck.

Yoshimitsu straightened up and began leaving. "Sayonara!" he called out with a wave of his hand as he headed to the bow of the ship. Only Raven stood there alone, his mouth gapped open like a fish and his hand still in the ' _toh_ _'_ position.

Moments later, a loud, frustrated yell was heard as one of the wooden crates was thrown overboard…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

After what seemed like a long journey, Quan Chi finally returned to Outworld and into the throne room of Shao Kahn's fortress. When the sorcerer got permission to enter, he noticed the Shao Kahn was the only one in the throne room. No matter. When he approached the steps that led up to the thrones, he got down on one knee and bowed to him.

"The mission to bring Raiden to Outworld was a success," Quan Chi announced. "I managed to lure him to the wastelands."

"Well done, Quan Chi," Shao Kahn replied as the necromancer stood up on his feet again. "Now with him here and with no means for him to return to Earth, not only will it make it easier for us to take care of him, but taking over Earth will no longer be a problem. Once we are done with our… business in Seido, then we will return to Earth and finally merge it with Outworld. It is because of you, Quan Chi, that it is now possible.

"As a reward, I will see to it that your quarters here are upgraded. You will be allowed to dine with the finest foods _and_ I will have your own personal fortress built for you to your likings."

It was very easy for Quan Chi to hide his amusement, considering his initial plans to overthrow Shao Kahn. Still, he was not about to squander these 'gifts' just yet. A fortress, a rare offer, would be invaluable to him. After all, Shang Tsung had his palace built for him some years ago before Ermac had it destroyed in the aftermath of the sorcerer's 'demise.'

Once more, he bowed to the Emperor in 'respect.' "Thank you, my lord," the necromancer replied.

"You are dismissed," Shao Kahn said. Quan Chi nodded and made his departure, a ghost of a smile on his face.

Not long after, the doors to the throne room opened again and Shao Kahn noticed Motaro walking him, his heavy hooves pounding the ground with each step he took.

"One of your soldiers said that there was a concern amongst your species. It _better_ be," the Emperor warned.

"I assure you that this is essential," Motaro promised. "Especially considering your need for all of your warriors to cooperate. I would not bring this up to you otherwise."

Shao Kahn took a deep breath before leaning back in his throne. "Make it quick…"

"I've always had concerns about the fragile 'alliance' between my people, the centaurians, and the shokans," Motaro began. "But I'm afraid things are getting worse. In our last invasions through Keisei and Seido, many of the centaurians were found with similar wounds… all had four of these wounds each. I personally examined a few of them, and I realized the weapons used and the precision of the attacks could not be done by mere humans."

"And you believe that the shokans are responsible?" asked Shao Kahn.

Motaro nodded. "I do."

"What makes you think so?"

"Aside from the four wounds per body?" Motaro then raised a hand, showing off a large, dragon teeth knife with a handle made especially for shokan hands. Even Motaro was having difficulty holding the weapon. "As you know, this weapon in particular can only be held by shokan hands. It was found on one of my men."

Shao Kahn leaned forward as his red eyes gazed at the weapon. "Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully.

"My people and I believe that the shokans have become more aggressive over time," Motaro explained. "Perhaps with this war, they have become too corrupt with power. If they attack any of us, it will affect the strength of the Outworld Forces."

Shao Kahn said nothing as he continued staring at the knife. Eventually, he leaned back before his eyes stared at the centaurian.

"The shokans are still needed for the invasions," Shao Kahn explained. "However, with current events as of late, your concern is… warranted.

"Only spread these words amongst the centaurians for now… you and your people are now the superior species of my army."

Motaro seemed to grin in delight. "This will mean much to my people and I am honored."

Unknown to either of them, Kintaro had been on his way to the throne room. He was just pushing the door when he heard the conversation between Shao Kahn and Motaro. To his horror, Shao Kahn now favored the centaurians.

Naturally, Kintaro was angry by the turn of events. In the last Earth invasion, it was _his_ people who were wronged while the centaurians slaughtered his people. They had planned to resolve this issue, but it seems as though some of the shokan chose to retaliate. Now they were all paying the price for it.

He had to warn Sheeva.

Moving as quietly as possible, Kintaro headed to the wing where the shokans' sleeping quarters were located. One of the rooms near the end of the hall was Sheeva's quarters and that's exactly where he went.

He started to open the door, but like with Shao Kahn and Motaro moments ago, he could hear Sheeva in talks with another shokan, one of their higher ranking ones. He waited patiently.

"I'm starting to wonder if retaliating against the centaurians the last couple of times was a bad idea," the shokan said. Kintaro recognized this one as Drin.

"It's necessary," Sheeva replied. "The centaurians would have killed us all, and we must show them that _we_ are not to be taken down so easily."

So… that was who was behind the attacks. Kintaro clutched his fists in frustration, but he stayed quiet as he continued to listen in on the conversation.

"I know," Drin said. "But you know what. I've been thinking… perhaps maybe it's best to follow Goro's original plans and-"

Sheeva suddenly screamed out and Kintaro could hear Drin back away. The mention of Prince Goro caught his interest and he wondered why Sheeva reacted the way she did.

"You will _not_ speak of that weakling!" Sheeva called out. "The treaty for peace he attempted with the Edenians… the one that would have made us cooperate with the centaurians… would have made our species weak. We are strong… always! You know that was why _I_ had to see to Goro's _death_ _._ "

Kintaro immediately backed away from the door and began heading to his own room. He didn't stop until he was back in his own sleeping quarters, closing the door behind him.

Kintaro found himself reeling over what he just heard. For over a year since Goro died, his death had been a mystery to those who were loyal to him, Kintaro included. Kintaro's particular shokan species was considered the lesser compared to Goro's, but the Prince had respect for Kintaro none the less. Kintaro had hoped to find out who had killed him before his own death.

To find out that his killer was the woman he had fought alongside with all this time was a shock to him. He took the rest of the evening to think and, once he had cleared his mind, he made a decision… he would go on with his little charade with Sheeva a little longer.

When the time came, he would get rid of her in Goro's honor.

~~~

**The Skies of Keisei**

Night had fallen and some of the chosen ones were already in their rooms getting ready for bed. Others decided to go up to the outdoor deck to view the night sky for little bit.

However, Asuka Kazama didn't pay all that much attention to what was beyond the ship. She was still reeling from the news she got from Lei earlier today. For a long time, she had wondered who was responsible for destroying her father's dojo and severely injuring him last year.

Now that she knew that Feng Wei was responsible, she planned to confront him.

Asuka went searching for him earlier, but Karin managed to stall her somehow. Asuka tried to be patient with her, but it wasn't until ten minutes ago that she finally managed to get away from the heiress. Karin briefly turned her back on her, giving Asuka the opportunity to get away from her and find Feng Wei.

Soon, she found Feng Wei at the stern of the ship meditating amongst a stack of wooden crates. A handful of them were turned over as though someone knocked them down in anger earlier, but she didn't care at the moment. Asuka kicked one box out of the way before placing her hands on her hips as she gazed down at the kenpo fighter.

"Hey you!" she yelled out. When he didn't move, the young woman became frustrated. "HEY! Are you deaf?! I'm talking to you!"

Feng Wei opened his eyes this time and he turned his head slowly up. Asuka wasn't sure if this was his way of trying to intimidate her, but she was not about to back down right now.

"You destroyed my father's dojo in Osaka!" she reminded him. "After what you did, you're my father's sworn enemy! You have a lot of nerve!"

Feng Wei shook his head. "If your father hadn't attacked me, I would not have destroyed him or your dojo!"

Asuka growled as she pointed at him. "I'll make you pay for what you did!"

Feng Wei raised an eyebrow at her. "And what makes you think _you_ can take me on?"

Asuka clenched her fist. "I'll show you how serious I am!"

She pulled her fist back and was just taking a step when someone quickly grabbed her wrist. The young woman turned her head and was surprised to see that Lei was the one holding her wrist.

"What?!" she called out. She tried to pull her arm back, but the detective held it firmly.

"Asuka," Lei said calmly. "I know you want to get him back for what he did to your father and your dojo, but now's not the time."

"What do you mean 'now's not the time?!'" Asuka spat. "That dojo's practically my home and he hurt my father! If you knew he did it, why don't you arrest him?!"

"You have no idea how much I want to," Lei replied. "I personally hate it when criminals get away, but considering how much worse our situation is right now, we can't let old grudges hinder us."

"I won't let him get away with it!" Asuka screamed. "Either way, I don't even know if the dojo is still standing! I don't even know if my father is still alive or not! If this brings me peace, so be it!"

"Is that what you really want, Asuka?!" Lei said, his voice rising slightly. "I'm sorry for what happened and you're not the only one who's had to deal with this, but don't let this be your way of bringing yourself peace, not with this battle being so close."

"I refuse to die knowing that I wasn't able to help my father!"

"Then help him by defeating the Outworld Forces!" Lei suggested. He inhaled deeply before continuing. "Asuka, listen to me. I'm not your father, but if I was him and you were my daughter, I would want you to help end this threat over taking down one person."

By then, Feng Wei had stood up from where he sat. "If you wish to fight me," he said to Asuka. "Then I will give you that chance… but only after we defeat the Outworld Forces. You are young, but I imagine that you can hold your own against me. You are a warrior like me or else you would not be on this ship otherwise."

Asuka found herself speechless at this point, and Lei could feel her starting to shake underneath his hand. He spoke more quietly. "There's a common saying at a time like this. 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' I was reminded of that not too long ago. The three of us are on this ship because we are here to defend what is precious to us. If we let things like this hinder us, we won't be able to succeed. I've put my differences aside, Asuka. Put yours aside for now… if not for the invasion, then at least for your father."

Lei finally let go of Asuka's arm. Immediately, she turned on her heel and began to walk away, not wanting both men to see the tears that began to streak down her face. The detective brief turned his head to Feng Wei and the two stared at each other for a moment before Lei turned to walk away. Feng Wei stood where he was for another minute before getting back to his lotus position to continue with his meditation…

On the other side of the ship, Jade found herself gazing out at the stars. The night was cool and she chose to wear the dark green cloak she had purchased back in Chili-san, but she kept the hood down, letting the cool breeze brush her face.

Her thoughts were cleared for the most part, at least until she heard footsteps coming towards her. She turned her head and was not surprised to see Kilik approach her.

"Come to spar?" Jade asked with a small smirk on her face.

"Believe or not, not this time," Kilik replied as he stood next to her. "Maybe we'll do that once we're in Outworld."

"Maybe," Jade said quietly.

Kilik noticed the solemn look on the Edenian's face. "You okay?"

Jade shrugged a little. "Nothing like going back to the realm where you've spent most of your life as an assassin…"

Kilik frowned at that. "Sorry…"

"Don't be," Jade replied. "If anything, I look forward to taking down the Outworld Forces. It's been a long time coming. And if anything truly motivates me aside from that, it's freeing my fellow Freedom Fighters. They've waited long enough."

Kilik nodded. "If you need help getting your allies out of there, I can help."

Jade smirked. "Thanks, though I'm sure they would want me to focus on ending the threat first… but I appreciate the thought."

From there, the two fell in contented silence as they gazed up at the night sky…

Near the stern of the ship, Siegfried wasn't able to sleep right away and had decided to get some air. He ended up running into Ermac just as the breeze hit his face.

"Greetings," Ermac said.

Siegfried nodded. "So… we're going back to Outworld." The young man sighed. "And I barely had the chance to spend some quality time in my home world."

"At least you are departing here with the intention of destroying the Outworld Forces for good," Ermac reasoned. "When we win, you will return to Keisei and be home again."

" _If_ we win."

"We have many strong warriors on our side and we have the Manji Clan and a few members of the Coast Guard assisting us," Ermac reminded him. "This combined strength gives us a fighting chance."

Siegfried stared at his ally, the one who he had stood with since before the invasion of the realms started. "You have a lot of confidence considering what's coming."

"The one advantage we have is that we once worked for the Emperor," Ermac explained. "For the most part, we know how he works. He would attack with brute force, as you know. Brutality is his way of destroying."

"... Your help was why Lei Chen was able to stand against them for so long."

Ermac nodded.

Siegfried turned his head towards the dark horizon beyond the ship. "You think we have a chance to win this?"

"To be honest, we're not sure, but the strength of many… the mortals, not just the souls within me… will see us through no matter what happens in the end. If anything, it will help us hold our own in the battle to come."

"Let's hope that's true," Siegfried said. He then turned back to the enigma. "I might be saying this a bit early, but just in case, I want to thank you."

Ermac tilted his head in curiosity. "What for?"

"If it wasn't for you, I'd still be wandering Outworld with no purpose. I would still think that I was still carrying my curse, and you have given me the chance to atone for my atrocities." He outstretched one arm towards the enigma. "You have been a good ally and a companion to me for the last seven months. It is inevitable that we'll part ways when this is over, but I don't think I will forget you anytime soon."

Ermac reached out and the two grasped hands in a handshake. "You are a strong mortal, a capable warrior, and also a great ally and companion to us. It has been an honor to work alongside you."

Meanwhile, Ryu was training near the bow of the ship. He kept his mind clear from any thoughts as he moved swiftly, kicking and punching the air in a rhythmic flow.

Suddenly, he felt a presence coming towards him. Ryu stopped what he was doing and turned to the person. In a way, he was surprised that the person who approached him was Sagat. Even though there wasn't a lot of light from the moon, he could still see the long, diagonal scar on his chest… the one Ryu had given to him years ago in their last battle.

"I don't think we've had much of a chance to speak since I came upon the ship back on Earth," Sagat said.

Ryu nodded to him. "A lot has been going on."

"That it has," Sagat agreed.

Ryu sighed. "You could say that again."

"I imagine that a big challenge waits for all of us in Outworld."

Ryu nodded. "I'm sure of it."

"You've said it yourself once… that the fight is all," Sagat said as though he was reminding him.

"The fight is important to me," Ryu began to admit. "But if the Blood Tournament and this invasion have taught me anything, it's that allies are just as important."

"This past year has changed you in a way then?" the Muay Thai fight guessed.

The Japanese warrior nodded. "I've had time to reflect. And in case you were wondering, I still haven't forgotten our rematch."

Sagat nodded. "Don't think I'll ever forget that. Maybe when we defeat the Outworld Forces, then we will find the time for our rematch. It's been a long time coming."

"I'll hold you to that."

Sagat bowed his head in respect before walking away.

Ryu was about to resume his training, but then a voice stopped him. "Don't you hate it when you carry a heavy burden on your shoulders that you can't talk about to others… like being one of the only four people in the universe who can truly stop this threat for good?"

Ryu turned his head and noticed Jin Kazama approaching him. A frown appeared on Ryu's face. "I know, but you know it's for our allies' protection."

"And for the fact that someone could spill the beans if they're captured and tortured into talking," Jin reminded him. "Worse, there is that small possibility that they could be… working for the other side…"

Ryu swallowed. "You honestly think that any of them could work for the Outworld Forces?!"

"Of course not," Jin replied calmly. "But we need to take every precaution possible. Raiden and Rose had seen the good in those who were at the tournament… but remember, not everyone on this ship was at the tournament. As I recall, Sagat used to _work_ _for_ the Outworld Forces."

Ryu shook his head. "I believe Dhalsim would know if any of our allies would betray us in the future."

"Dhalsim also believes that Ivy has a good heart," Jin pointed out. "But she's ruthless, cunning, and works for the Emperor willingly. What kind of 'good' is that?"

"If that's the case, why was she suddenly willing to cooperate with us?" a new voice joined in. Ryu and Jin turned their heads and the two were not surprised to see Kenshi approaching them.

"You know… that _is_ a good question," Ryu said thoughtfully.

"Oh come on, Ryu!" Jin called out. "She _led_ the invasion of Keisei, her _home_ , willingly!"

"How do you know she did it willingly?" Kenshi questioned the younger fighter.

"Everyone knows she chose to be the Empress of Outworld," Jin said. "If she _really_ didn't want to invade, she would have found a way."

"Threat of death can make anyone do crazy things," Ryu said. "I've never experienced it personally, but I have witnessed it. It's not pleasant."

Jin shook his head. "Ryu, you were just agreeing with me the other night. You said it yourself; you had a thousand concerns over Ivy being a chosen one."

"I still don't trust her as much as you do and I still have my concerns, but I've come to realize that we can't let this get to us if we have any chance to destroy Shao Kahn."

"I hate to say it Jin," Kenshi started to say. "But I can't help but wonder if your loss in the tournament has anything to do with your resentment over Ivy being a chosen one despite Dhalsim's visions."

"Don't talk to me about resentment!" Jin called out as he pointed at the blind swordsman. "Don't think I haven't heard what happened at the Rockies! In that case, I can't help but ask myself this; how can I expect you to help defend the universe with us if you couldn't even defend Alex against that sorcerer?"

Kenshi immediately raised his fist as he took a step forward. Ryu knew exactly where this was heading and he immediately stepped in between the two despite Jin's arms surrounded by red electricity and Kenshi's hands and head glowing blue. Luckily for Ryu, they both stopped before they did any damage.

"Enough, both of you!" Ryu called out sternly. He then took a deep breath to calm himself. "Fujin is right… we can't let this tear us apart! I don't trust Ivy either, but I refuse to let you two rip each other to shreds over who's resenting what, especially over things that has nothing to do with our upcoming fight!"

Jin was the first to move as he took a step back. He then paced a bit before combing his fingers through his black hair. "I… I'm sorry, Kenshi," he whispered. "I didn't mean to take it that far. I'm tired, I'm stressed, and I feel like I'm carrying a heavy weight on my shoulders… I just want this fight to be over."

"We all want this to be over," Kenshi agreed as he folded his arm in front of him. "It's been almost two months since Earth was first invaded. We're heading to Outworld now and we're going to end this. If you truly want to see this end, then you need to trust that this will work out… that means trusting Ivy in helping us."

Jin stared at the swordsman. "Tell me then… what makes you so sure that we can trust her? Not to rub in your blindness, but am I the only one who can see that she has no good in her?"

Kenshi was silent for a moment before answering. "There's a saying I learned from my grandfather years ago. Until the day I went blind, I never thought much of it… but it seems to apply here now."

"And what is that saying?" Ryu asked with curiosity.

Unfolding his arms, Kenshi turned around and began to walk away. Ryu knew that this was his way to leaving the two of them to think about the saying. Kenshi took two steps before he said it.

"The eyes that see can be deceived."


	76. Chapter Seventy-Five

**Outworld**

Those riding on Ruby Heart's ship had expected their transfer to Outworld to be just the same as it was when they had taken the ships to Outworld for the tournament so many months ago. As expected, the purple swirl, some shaped into skulls, surrounded the ship, and Fujin used his deity powers to guide the transport to the correct realm. Before everyone knew it, they were met with the purple skies of Outworld.

Ruby Heart guided the ship to the ocean and decided to sail from there. She hadn't heard anything unusual from the propellers and engines upon entering Outworld, so hopefully everything held up this time. Still, she planned to inspect her ship once they were on land.

Most of those on the ship had gathered at the deck once there were sailing the ocean. They saw land not too far and they knew that they would set foot soon. All of them were quiet as each of them had thoughts running through their heads… those who were at the tournament mostly felt unsure about being back there, and those who have never been here before were somewhat in awe, but were also frightened at the same time.

One good thing about Ruby Heart's ship was the fact that it was designed to ride the ocean floor without causing any damage to the ship for a certain amount of time. She brought her ship as close as possible to the land.

Before long, everyone began to depart the now-anchored ship with everyone taking their shoes and boots off and rolled up their pants before dunking their feet and legs in the water. From there, they made their way to shore.

Most of those stopped just far enough for the small waves to continue to lick their feet. No one could help but stare at the eerie scene in front of them and all were dead silent for a while.

It was Hwang who spoke first. "Of all the places we had to land…"

"What happened here?" asked King.

In front of them was what remained of the Palace Grounds. In the background was the rubble of The Palace, the building that had served as the hotel for the fighters back at the Blood Tournament. However, that wasn't what everyone was staring at. Surrounding the rubble were countless corpses laying where they died, all in various decay. The smell of blood and rotting flesh was heavy in the air, making one member of the Coast Guard vomit into the waters and others to cover their nose and mouths in a vain attempt to conceal them from the stench. It also didn't help that there were a few vultures around. Some were in the sky circling the sight while others were currently eating what was left of the corpses.

"This was where the battle for our lives took place," explained Yoshimitsu. "And… it seems as though the Outworld Forces simply left them here. I suspect they already got what they came for… their souls."

"So… everyone who died here are trapped?" asked a horrified Sophitia.

They made most sick to their stomachs… especially considering that they knew that a few of their allies had fallen here.

"I just thought of something," said Marduk. "Those visions some of you had… the smell of death, the corpses and all that… is _this_ what you all envisioned?"

"…Yes, except all of us saw blood red sky as well," mentioned Ryu.

Only Dhalsim frowned in reply, knowing the truth about those visions.

"I'm going to have nightmares for the rest of my life," whispered Karin.

"I'm not sure about you guys," said Marshall. "But if we're planning to camp out on the grounds, I really, _really_ don't think I want to be here."

"We can stay at the cave," suggested Kilik. "It's far enough out of sight from here, though… I'm not sure about the smell…"

"Still, it's better than here," agreed Li Mei.

"Then let's go," said Sub-Zero.

"Then after that… then what?" asked Wagner.

"For now, we rest," replied Fujin. "Tonight, we'll gather together and discuss ideas for the… assault."

"That is wise," agreed Dhalsim.

Quietly, everyone made their way to the cave, which was a ten minute walk from the palace grounds. The smell of death still somewhat lingered by the time they reached it, but it was somewhat tolerable. Fujin and Dhalsim took the time to light the oil lanterns inside before everyone went in. To the astonishment for those who stayed here before, everything was pretty much how they left it.

Marduk only made it three feet into the cave entrance before he started to feel a bit claustrophobic. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm feeling a little big for this so-called 'cave.'"

"How do you think I feel?" asked Sagat as he walked past him. Sagat too had to duck his head a little as he walked inside.

Marduk let out a low growl as he forced himself to go in. "I might just sleep outside tonight."

"Bad idea," said Yang. "One time, we were attacked by this demon-cyborg hybrid. Most of us got our asses kicked."

Marduk blinked at that. "Now I've heard everything."

"AWESOME!" called out Paul Phoenix after he entered his old room.

"What is it?" asked a curious Marshall as he went to where his friend was.

Paul turned him while holding three bottles in his hands. "I still have the three bottles of hair gel I left here! These things were expensive, you know."

Marshall chuckled a little. "I still find it funny how concerned you are about your hairstyle."

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with a man wanting to maintain his hair," Paul declared as he patted the side of his head, his blonde hair currently pulled back in a ponytail. "Besides, it'd be nice to go into the big brawl with my hair in its famous up-do style. It makes me feel like the best in the universe!"

"Whatever you say, buddy."

Meanwhile, Seong Mi-na and Xianghua found themselves exploring the back of the cave that served as the lounge. To them, it seemed as though everything that was left behind here was untouched.

"I'm really surprised the Outworld Forces didn't raid the place after the tournament," said Xianghua.

"If anything, they may have raided for alcohol," replied Mi-na. "But with all the mugs Rose broke, they probably gave up and left."

Xianghua chuckled at the memory. "Those poor, defenseless mugs. Raiden really did get under her skin, didn't he?"

"Not sure why, but-" Mi-na suddenly stopped as he quickly bent down to pick up something from the floor. "Hey look! We have a sole survivor!"

She then turned so that Xianghua could see what she found… a porcelain mug that had an 'I,' a red heart, and at the bottom of it, the initials, 'N.Y.'

Xianghua tilted her head. "What does the N.Y. mean?"

Before Mi-na could answer, they suddenly heard a girl's scream nearby. Immediately, the two of them, along with a few others, went to see what was about, only to find Hwoarang quickly backing out of the room he had chosen to stay in.

"My God Hwoarang, and here I thought it was one of the girls crying for help," Mi-na said.

"Shut up!" Hwoarang yelled out. "You'd be screaming too if there was fucking spider bigger than your head on the bed!"

Xianghua chose to open the curtain. There on the pillow was a spider big enough to get a good grip on someone's head.

"Aww, it's kind of cute."

"Just kill it!" Hwoarang yelled.

Meanwhile, Ryu went to see what the commotion was about. After walking past the small crowd, he happened to see what they were all staring at.

" _FAKKU!_ " Ryu screamed out before he ran in another direction.

Mi-na chose that moment to take out her kwan do and chopped the spider in half, killing it. She then pushed the two halves off the bed. "You'll just need a new pillowcase now."

"Thanks…" mumbled Hwoarang.

Asuka, who witnessed the whole thing, chuckled. "You know, I didn't realize Ryu knew any swear words."

"Me neither," agreed Mika.

Meanwhile, Wagner had entered the room that had served as his. It was just as he left it… with his laundry scattered here and there, though most of it had collected a small amount of dust since then.

"So that's what happens when I don't pick up my clothes after a while," he mused.

Wagner then picked up a pair of pants that lied closest to his feet. Upon closer inspection, he realized that they were blue sweatpants he knew were a few sizes too small on him.

A memory suddenly hit him and Wager found himself chuckling to himself. It was the first day of the tournament and Sonya had come into to wish him luck… only for him to accidentally rip her pants when he tripped and ended up taking them with him. To save herself from embarrassment, Sonya took his jeans and ran off. At the time, Wagner had forgotten that he had packed his other pants in Guile's suitcase, so when he went to look for a new pair, he realized that these were the only ones packed. He first thought a roommate had pulled a prank, but later did he realize that _he_ had packed them by mistake.

Wagner was forced to wear the sweatpants during the match. The girl he fought had tried to tease him about it, but at least he won that round.

Thinking about Sonya made him suddenly realize something with a bit of horror… after all this time in his relationship with Juli, he never once told her about his one-night stand with Sonya. The two had only done so for stress relief since neither of them were interested in a relationship at the time. Most soldiers his age would have gloated over the fact that he slept with one of the most famous soldiers in the army, but Wagner never even discussed that night with Guile (besides, it would have been very, very awkward).

Still, Wagner felt that Juli had the right to know what went on that night. He would have to find the time to talk to her about this before they went into battle. He just hoped that by doing so, it wouldn't make things worse…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

In her quarters, Tanya had submerged herself from the neck down in the bathtub. She felt completely and utterly relaxed as the hot temperature of the water and the lavender scent of the bubbles soothed her muscles and the headache she had developed about an hour ago.

Nothing was going to get her out of this tub, not even if their enemies suddenly raided the fortress.

Leaning her head back against the edge of the tub, Tanya closed her eyes and let her mind relax. Moments later, however, her pale eyes snapped opened the moment she heard footsteps walking through the bathroom door. For a moment, she thought an intruder entered, but she soon relaxed upon recognized a familiar figure wearing black and purple.

"I was wondering when you would get here, Rain," Tanya said with a smile.

"I admit, I had almost expected you to be shining the Empress' boots again," Rain replied as he approached the tub.

Tanya's smile faded as she immediately scowled. "Hmph, and it would be my luck if I get called down to her right this minute."

"Don't jinx yourself," Rain advised as she kneeled down. His voice then went into a whisper. "Besides… I want you all to myself right now."

Even with the hot temperature of the water, those words made the Edenian silver. "You keep talking like that and I might just smuggle you out of here. Then maybe I can convince our Empress to give us Edenia for us to rule."

"I might consider that," Rain chuckled. He then reached over and placed his hand under the water. Tanya had thought, for a moment, that he was going to reach for her. Then, using his powers, Rain developed countless air pockets that bubbled up each time it reached the surface of the water.

Tanya leaned back further into the tub, feeling even more relaxed. It was almost like being in a Jacuzzi, just without the really high temperature. Still, the bubbles Rain created with his powers were relaxing.

This went on for a few minutes before Tanya opened her eyes and gazed at her lover. "As nice as this is… why won't you join me?"

Rain looked over the tub. "Is there even any room for two people?"

Tanya chuckled. "Does it matter?"

Rain chuckled as well as he stood up. "Point taken."

Tanya then watched with interest as Rain shed his clothes off, soon leaving himself in all of his glory. She, of course, admired every inch of him and she couldn't help the pleased smile on her face. Naturally, Rain grinned back, knowing what she was thinking, and felt a boost in his already-large ego.

Carefully, Rain got into the tub, facing his lover. He didn't have the chance to get all the way into the water when Tanya suddenly grabbed him by the shoulders, pulled him towards her, and leaned forward to press her lips against his with force. The sudden movement caused a large amount of water to splash out of the tub and soaked the tiled floor, but neither of them cared as they proceeded to make out with heavy passion…

Meanwhile, in a small meeting room, Baraka spoke to some of his members of the Tarkata Militia standing before him. "I want all of you to head out to the Wastelands at sunset," he ordered. "I'm sure there is still… leftover meat to feast on."

"As you wish," one tarkatan replied with delight. From there, the group began to disperse, eventually leaving Baraka alone in the room.

However, he didn't remain alone long before high-heeled footsteps walked into the room. Baraka didn't have to turn his head to know who entered.

"I'm almost disappointed," Mileena admitted. "I'm sure by now, any 'meat' left out in the wastelands is either rotted or disgusting."

"We're still getting reports of those who escaped us," Baraka pointed out.

Mileena walked closer to the tarkatan leader. "Hmm, and here I was sure that they would be dead at this point… but I guess those weaklings really can find a way to… survive."

"This job will be much easier once we've merged Earthrealm and Keisei to Outworld," Baraka said. "Then, we'll finally feast on those 'cooperate' imbeciles in the dungeons."

By now, Mileena had pulled down her mask, revealing her tarkatan teeth. "With the way we've been taking over the other realms, I'm sure we will be victorious soon enough."

Baraka turned to her and took her hand into his, lifting it up to face level. "Don't get too eager just yet. Remember what happened when we failed. We didn't get the chance to merge Earth and we never even reached Keisei last time."

"And _that_ is precisely why we need to take care of those realms soon. The sooner they become ours, the sooner this will make this takeover easier."

"Indeed." Baraka then proceeded to lick Mileena's hand with his tongue in his own form of a kiss, causing a shiver to go down the woman's spine.

"I love it when you do that, you know," she whispered as she took a step forward, leaving barely an inch between the two. Without another word, Baraka leaned forward and both of their tongue's met and danced together.

Unknown to either of them, a lone tarkatan was just entering the room when he saw his leader and the half-breed making out. He stared at the sight for a moment before he backed away.

"Disgusting," the tarkatan mumbled with a snarl as he left the room.

Meanwhile, Kira was in the training room kicking and punching at one of the dummies. She unleashed her best moves, letting out a battle cry with each one. She was glad that she was alone in the room right now.

That was until…

"I seem to always find you here," a male voice stated.

Kira gave one last kick to the dummy before turning her head to Mavado. He was leaning against the frame of the entrance, his arms folded in front of his chest, and a smug look on his face. Kira had it in mind – briefly- to wipe that smug look off his face with her boot.

"It's pretty much all I can do in between missions."

"Oh really?" Mavado asked as he unfolded his arms and began to walk towards her.

Kira stared at him. "Yeah. What, do you want to spar or something?"

Mavado let out a dark laugh, making the red-head raise her eyebrows with suspicion. Then, when he was within arm's reach, Mavado suddenly grabbed her and pulled her forward until her body smacked into his, leaving only a couple of inches in between their faces.

"Sure," Mavado replied finally. "But… not the kind of sparring you're thinking of."

Kira managed to shove him off of her, but Mavado didn't miss the brief smirk that came over her ruby red lips. "You're going to have to earn it first."

Mavado laughed again. "Now _this_ I'm going to enjoy. And I didn't take you as someone who likes to tease."

He heard her laugh for the first time since they met. "I usually don't… but with you, I'll make an exception."

"And now I'm not sure whether to be flattered or-"

Mavado didn't get to finish his sentence before Kira jumped forward and tackled him to the ground. For a while, they mainly wrestled, both trying to push each other off or trying to subdue the other. Eventually, however, they began shedding their clothes off of their each other. Neither of them gave a damn if anyone happened to walk into the training room as they took each other right there on the matted floor.

When they were done, neither of them bothered to get up from the floor just yet after pulling away from each other, both laying just next to one another. A sheen of sweat covered their skin and both took the time to catch their breath.

"Damn, I need a cigarette after that," Kira mumbled.

Mavado chuckled. "You smoke?"

"Actually I quit a while ago," she replied. “Kind of had to after 'moving' here to Outworld.”

"Then I take it this was a good… sparring session."

Kira chuckled. "Maybe."

Mavado laughed. From there, the two remained on the floor in contented silence.

Meanwhile, Vega found himself staring at the mirror in his sleeping quarters, a scowl on his face. His fingers lightly grazed the new, fresh scars that were caused by the shards of the porcelain mask that broke under Maxi's feet during the invasion of Keisei. The mask that was supposed to protect his beautiful, flawless face ended up being his undoing.

Vega had also received a broken arm, but it was since healed by the Shadow Priests. He had demanded that they healed his new scars, but by then they were walking away One guard tried to assure him that the scars would heal in no time. Vega's reply was to give the guard a broken jaw.

For days after the Keisei invasion, Vega spent most of his time staring at himself in the mirror, his ice blue eyes gazing at his fresh scars. Anna had since paid one of the blacksmiths here to forge him a titanium mask that almost looks like his old one… but what did it matter? His face was forever ruined…

Speaking of Anna, he could now hear her high-heeled footsteps coming into the room. She kept walking until she stopped just a few feet behind him. If he bothered to look, Vega would have noticed her through the mirror… he would have also noticed the frown on her ruby red lips.

Anna stood there for a few minutes before finally speaking. "You know, my dear, if you're that concerned, you can always get one of the main sorcerers, like Shang Tsung, to get rid of the scars-"

Something snapped within Vega. With a raging scream, he smashed his fist into the mirror, shattering it into pieces. Anna only managed to take one step back before Vega quickly whirled around and grabbed her by her brown hair before pulling her closer to him. Their faces were just inches from each other, and Anna found herself gazing up at his eyes, which were filled with both rage and madness.

For the very first time since they met, Anna was frightened of him. The punch to the mirror had left Vega's fist bleeding, and Anna could feel the blood drip down the side of her face, but she forced herself to ignore it.

After what seemed like forever, but it was only mere moments, Vega spoke. "Do NOT mention these scars again! Is that clear?!"

He didn't bother to let Anna answer before he let go of her. He then turned his back on her and stalked over to their private bathroom before slamming the door behind him.

Unsure of what else to do, Anna swiftly headed to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her…

In the throne room, Shao Kahn and Ivy Valentine were alone as they sat in their respective thrones. As always, Ivy heard Shao Kahn thinking out loud.

"We are close to merging both Earth and Keisei to Outworld," Shao Kahn said. "I suspect that Earth will be first… and Keisei will not be too far behind."

"And from there, taking over the remaining universe will be much easier will the powers we've gained from the two realms," added Ivy.

Shao Kahn nodded in agreement. "Yes… however… there is one concern I somewhat have."

"After the success we've had, my dear, I didn't expect you to have any concerns," Ivy said.

Shao Kahn grunted before proceeding. "Do you remember that tablet that Kintaro brought forth after his mission with Sheeva and Motaro failed?"

Very, very briefly, Ivy wondered if, somehow, the Emperor read her thoughts, but despite that, she remained calm. "I remember. You never told me exactly what it said."

"At first, I took it as nothing more than a mere legend," Shao Kahn explained. "But the Shadow Priest with the crystal ball showed the psychic who Kintaro and the others went out to destroy to be a threat. The tablet had come from his village. Perhaps… the legend is not so far-fetched."

"And what did the legend say exactly?" Ivy asked, forcing herself to sound curious.

"I don't remember all of it, but it had something to do with four warriors destroying the main source of a universal war. We _are_ in a universal war… and _I_ am the cause of it. My guess… is that the psychic has the ability to find them."

Ivy huffed at that. "As if _one_ man can search the universe for all four of these warriors, especially if it so happens that these four 'warriors' are all spread out amongst the universe. Even if he somehow did succeed eventually, my guess is that he would be too late."

"… Perhaps you are right."

Ivy found herself leaning back in her throne. If ever she was offered to audition for a play in her home world, she was sure that she wouldn't disappoint the judges with her acting ability.

Unless this was Shao Kahn's way of tricking her somehow…

Shao Kahn then stood up from his throne. "Come, my dear… let's go to the sleep quarters."

Ivy knew what this meant and she stood up from her own throne before they both began to leave. For the first time since finding out her fate in this war… and the truth about the blood inside Shao Kahn… she was feeling a bit reluctant…

But she had to continue this game for just a little longer if the rest of the universe had any chance of surviving…

~~~

**Cave Grounds**

After the sun set for the evening, everyone at the cave gathered outside around the campfire. It was déjà vu for those who had stayed there before, especially on their first night here, only they found themselves looking at Dhalsim, Fujin, and Ruby Heart instead of Raiden and Rose.

"The three of us have discussed our next course of action," said Fujin as he gazed at the group in front of them. "The best thing that can be done for all of us to figure out what the enemy is up to so that we are better prepared to fight them."

"And how do we do that?" asked Hwang.

"We will be sending two people to infiltrate Shao Kahn's fortress," announced Ruby Heart.

"You sure that's a good idea?" asked a concerned Chun Li.

"The last time I was assigned to infiltrate the fortress, Nina and I were captured," pointed out Raven.

"I understand your concerns," said Dhalsim. "While we discussed it, we took careful consideration as to who we will send out. Only one person in this entire group has had recent experience inside the fortress… one that would know the fortress's layout best of all."

He stared at that very person and everyone turned their heads to them… Jade.

Jade took a deep breath as she stood up. "I'll be honored to infiltrate the fortress."

"Good," Fujin nodded. "Now Jade, since you know more about the fortress, we would like for you to pick one person to accompany you. As you know, everyone here has a wide array of talents… pick who you think will benefit you the most on the mission."

Jade turned to the group and looked at each of them as she took careful consideration as to who will come with her to the mission. When she laid eyes on one particular person, she realized that this was the wisest choice.

"I'd like Yoshimitsu to accompany me," Jade announced. "Your skills will not only be a great advantage, but also your sword will provide us with the best escape route if needed."

Yoshimitsu nodded in reply. "Then I will escort you to the palace. It will also give me the opportunity to find the recon scouts I sent here ahead of time."

"In the meantime," Fujin proceeded. "I encourage the rest of you to explore the surrounding area for any traps and spies, and to figure out what we can use to our advantage. For tonight, we will rest. We will begin our assignments in the morning."


	77. Chapter Seventy-Six

**Cave, Early Morning**

Just after the crack of dawn, Jade was dressed, packed, and ready to go. She took a moment to double check her equipment and supplies. For the next couple of days, she and Yoshimitsu would be scouting Shao Kahn's fortress and try to figure out a way to use their fight against them to their advantage. Jade knew that the mission wasn't going to be an easy one, and it was highly possible that they won't succeed, but it was something that had to be done. In the back of her mind, Jade wondered how her fellow Freedom Fighters were holding up, if they were even alive.

She also wondered if she would end up running into Kitana and Sindel again…

Taking a long, deep breath, Jade stepped out of her room and began to head out quietly. Yoshimitsu planned to meet her just outside the cave entrance. From there, they would begin their journey.

Jade had just stepped outside when she heard footsteps behind her. The footsteps were in a fast pace as though they were trying to catch up with her. When she turned around, the former assassin wasn't surprise to see Kilik coming up to her.

"Hey," Kilik greeted.

Jade nodded to him. "Hey. Out for some training?"

Kilik managed to nod. "Yeah, I figured I'd train for about an hour before the rest of the cave wakes up. I imagine most of them were exhausted from the trip."

"Maybe," Jade replied.

A frown then came over Kilik's face. Jade had expected him to say something then, but when he didn't right away, she quietly sighed. "Clearly something's the matter. Speak your mind," she encouraged.

Kilik folded his arms in front of his chest. "Well… not to discredit Yoshimitsu or anything, but are you sure that you, um… don't need me to assist you or… anything?"

"That's sweet of you," Jade replied with a small smile. "But it's not necessary. If you're worried about what may happen, you have nothing to worry about. Besides… this is something I need to do. My soldiers are imprisoned in that fortress and even if we don't succeed in our main objective, I hope to somehow free them. I picked Yoshimitsu for the mission for his skills and providing the best means of escape in case everything goes to hell… not to discredit your skills or anything."

That seemed to convince Kilik as he unfolded his arms. "All right… if you say so."

Then they heard steady footsteps coming out of the cave and Yoshimitsu soon emerged. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Jade nodded. "Let's go."

Yoshmitsu began to walk forward and Jade started to turn. However, she found herself gazing at Kilik again, the frown still on his face.

"Guess I'm just remembering what happened to Raven and Nina at the tournament," Kilik stated.

Jade frowned a little, realizing his concern. As she recalled, Raven and Nina had both infiltrated the fortress, only to be caught and imprisoned. Only last night did Yoshimitsu tell Jade, while they were planning their course of action, that it was _he_ who rescued them. He had been to the fortress before… that was another good reason to bring the Manji Clan leader along.

Without thinking about it, Jade walked over to Kilik. When she was close enough, she leaned forward and gave him a quick peck on the cheek just below his check-shaped scar. "I'll be back… I promise."

Kilik only nodded before Jade turned around and began to follow Yoshimitsu to the forests nearby…

A few hours later when the sun was near the highest point in the sky, Ryu and Ken were exploring the forests about a half hour walk from the cave. Like most of the others, they had gone out to explore the area for any traps and spies that may be near. So far, they hadn't found anything.

"Hopefully we don't end up in that one crazy spot in the forests with all the moving faces," said Ken. "If I recall, some of the girls mentioned that one tree ate an Outworld warthog."

"I remember that," replied Ryu.

Ken seemed to shiver at the thought. "I hate to think what they would do if they managed to get a hold of us humans."

"Let's… try not to think about it," Ryu suggested.

For a while, the two remained quiet as they continued to explore the forest. The only noise that was heard all around was their footsteps… no birds, no wind… nothing else. That alone began to unnerve Ken. Tired of the quiet, he began to talk about the first thing that came to his head.

"Remember when we were kids how Master Gouken would make us wash the floors with only a bucket of soapy water and hand brushes with those thick bristles?"

Ryu chuckled a little. "That's you getting us _both_ in trouble. I always tell you we shouldn't do this and you drag me into it anyway. Anyway… why bring that up all of a sudden?"

Ken shrugged. "Nothing else to talk about. Besides, the quiet was bothering me."

Ryu gazed at his surroundings. "You're right… this _is_ unnerving."

"When _you_ put it that way, that gives me a bad feeling."

It was then that they reached a clearing as they stepped out of the forest. Before them was a mostly empty field that looked as though a battle had taken place. Old, rusted weapons of various kinds laid where they had fallen, a few blackened, dead trees were scattered here and there, a few bone fragments were seen, and there were quite a few broken statues around, most almost fully covered in brown moss.

The area was just as quiet as the trees.

"I don't like this," Ken admitted uneasily. "I don't like this at all."

"Me neither," Ryu replied. "But we need to press on."

"Why do I get the feeling that this is your craziest idea yet?"

"You're the only usually filled with crazy ideas. Come on, Ken, don't you feel a little adventurous right about now?"

Ken glared at his long-time friend, feeling somewhat astonished. "Who are you, and what have you done with Ryu?"

"I blame our friends," Ryu admitted. "They tend to rub off on your after a while."

"I hate to think what would happen if you spend more time with the likes of Paul and Marshall."

Ryu then took a deep breath. "Come on…" He then walked forward and Ken reluctantly followed right after…

Back near the cave and in between the forest and beach area, the group consisting of Mika, Cassandra, Maki, and Asuka quietly approached a particular sight. Maki had a bouquet of Outworld wildflowers in her hands, most of them purple and green with some violet and red here and there. The four of them got down on their knees slowly before Maki place the flowers at the base of the boulder that was placed there. She then looked up and read the simple inscription on the boulder…

Ibuki.

Cassandra managed to take a deep breath before speaking. "I hardly had the chance to get to know her," she whispered. "But in the short time that I did, well… she was so sweet."

"I know," agreed Mika. She then slammed her fist into the open palm of her other hand. "Damn Shang Tsung! Tricking her by shape-shifting into a helpless woman and traumatizing Li Mei in the process… they did nothing to him!"

"I'm sure all the souls he's taken had done nothing to him," pointed by Maki. "He's a greedy bastard, simple as that."

There were quiet for a few seconds before Asuka spoke up. "I wonder what she would have thought of this whole invasion."

"I'm not sure," Mika replied with a frown. "But honestly? I think, in a way, it might have been good that she was spared from seeing the devastation of the invasion… especially if we don't pull this off."

"Don't talk like that," suggested Maki. "We need to think positive."

Mika took a deep breath. "You're right…"

Asuka decided to change the subject. "I'm sure Ibuki would've laughed about this now, but remember that time when those on the ship to the tournament were transported and poor Ibuki was in the middle of getting into her pajamas when it happened?"

Cassandra looked at her with wide-eyes. "That happened?!"

Mika giggled a little. "It wasn't funny at the time, but we were all just starting to have a good laugh over it before… well…"

The girls fell quiet again as they gazed at Ibuki's grave. Each of them thought of their own memory of their lost friend in their minds.

"I hope she's watching over Sakura," whispered Asuka. "And I hope we can somehow help Sakura before it's too late. We… couldn't help Ibuki then… but we can help Sakura now."

"If only we knew where she was around here," said Cassandra.

"Like we mentioned back in Keisei," began Maki. "When this is over, we'll find her and we'll find a way to free her."

The other three solemnly nodded in reply.

Back near the cave, Lei Wulong had set up the old campfire. "Hard to believe the rocks we collected all that time ago are still here," he mentioned.

After the flames ignited, the detective sat down next to Chun Li on a small quilt they placed down on the grass. "Especially considering that we're sure that the Outworld Forces did raid here at some point. How else would they have found Sonya?"

Lei frowned a little. "Yeah…"

"We'll free her," Chun Li declared. "Her and all our other friends who were captured… and save the universe as well."

Lei raised an eyebrow at her. "The way you just said that, it almost sounds like an afterthought there, Chun."

Chun Li slapped his arm playfully. "Jerk," she said, but she still lightly smiled. "You know what I mean."

Lei smiled. "I know, I know." He then happened to look at the campfire and he chuckled.

Now it was Chun Li's turn to raise her eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"I realized something. It was right in this very spot where…"

He almost felt amused when he saw the warm smile on his fiance's face. He knew what she was thinking, but he decided to tease her. "…I almost sent you to the hospital when I accidentally dropped the liquor bottle into the fire."

Chun Li's jaw dropped. "Of all the things to remember…"

Lei snapped his fingers suddenly. "Oh! And where we first kissed of course!"

"That's better," the Interpol officer said with a laugh.

"I also tried to cook you a nice dinner later on, but that was a disaster."

"Hey… if it makes you feel better, you have been better at cooking the last few months."

"You're still better at it than I am," Lei mentioned.

"Not really," Chun Li pointed out. "For years after I got the job at Interpol, I always got take-out on the way home. I knew the basics of cooking, but I just didn't have time, you know."

"Boy do I know," Lei agreed. "I almost never bothered, especially after I almost set my apartment on fire about fifteen years ago… all because I forgot to put water in my microwaved ramen noodles… it was weeks before I even thought of buying a new microwave."

Chun Li then leaned her head into Lei's shoulder. "Well, as you mentioned before, lesson learned."

Lei wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "That indeed."

For a couple of minutes, the couple fell quiet as they both stared at the small campfire in front of them. Initially, the area wasn't as cold as it was back during the tournament, but the warmth provided by the fire still felt nice.

"You still worried about what's to come?" Lei asked her quietly.

Chun Li lifted her head before turning to face him. "In a way, yeah, but… I'm hoping for the best. We'll win this as long as we have the will."

Lei smiled right before he briefly kissed her lips. "That's what I'd like to hear."

Somewhere out of the way, the group consisting of Ermac, Siegfried, Bo' Rai Cho, Kung Lao, and Li Mei explored an area about three hours from the cave grounds. For a while, the five of them were quiet, unsure of what to say.

Eventually, it was Siegfried who spoke. "I spent months here and it was mostly fighting against the Outworld Forces… it was brutal. I can't comprehend living here all my life."

"Some would say 'you would get used to it,'" Bo' Rai Cho replied. "Perhaps it's true for those who have dealt with it since birth, like I have. But a majority of us want nothing more than to escape here. Shao Kahn's reign seems never-ending… but only few were able to leave this place for good."

"You were able to leave?" Siegfried mentioned. “No escape attempt?”

"That is only because I was offered to go to Earth. There was nothing here to tie me down, so I took the opportunity. It… felt good to not feel so oppressed."

"We know how it is to feel oppressed," mentioned Ermac. "Since our 'birth,' we were under the full control of Shao Kahn, but an additional spell by Shang Tsung had placed helped us break those chains, though not completely. We were completely free upon Shang Tsung's… demise."

Kung Lao thought of something then. "I'm surprised that after all this time, those souls within you haven't tried to fight for some kind of dominance."

Ermac seemed to tilt his head at that. "We… have worked as one since."

"I see a village up ahead," Bo' Rai Cho announced. "I'm sure it is deserted, but perhaps we may be able to find some supplies left behind."

"Or perhaps a clue as to what may have happened there," suggested Ermac.

Li Mei, who was quiet the whole time, suddenly stopped in her tracks. Only Kung Lao had noticed this and he turned to her. He became concerned upon noticing how pale she became. Behind him, the other three warriors had stopped walking and turned to see what was going on.

"Li Mei?" Kung Lao spoke. "Are you all right?"

Li Mei didn't answer the Shaolin monk. Instead she sprinted forward towards the direction where the village was. She ignored the other four calling out to her and she eventually could hear them running after her.

She stopped about ten yards away from the entrance of the village. She now found herself frozen in her place, unable to move…

Aside from a few places that were clearly looted, it almost all looked the same…

The other four eventually caught up to her. "What was that all about?" Siegfried asked in between breaths.

Bo' Rai Cho gazed at the deserted homes. "If I recall… this is the village of-"

"Sun Do," Li Mei cut in. "… _My_ village…"

She felt Kung Lao placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"What happened here?" whispered Siegfried. "I assume this was possibly one of the first places to be hit in the invasion…"

"… It was actually _during_ the tournament," Li Mei explained, her voice shaking a bit. "Before that… my village was enslaved by Shao Kahn and his people. I managed to escape just before the tournament during a riot and found myself with the others at the cave. I was such a nervous wreck, wondering if I would be dragged back here. I… I had hoped to win the tournament and earn my people's freedom…"

"Just after the second round… after Ibuki died… I came back here and… everyone was dead." Li Mei clenched both of her fists, her nails digging sharply into her palms. Her voice shook more. "If you go right in the middle of the village… there were so many corpses… they killed everyone… children… adolescents… elders… my grandfather… my brother… they… put some of the heads on stakes like some twisted graveyard!

"There were still a few guards who remained behind and… I killed them with my sword…"

Li Mei suddenly felt tears brim her eyes, but she forced herself to hold them back, refusing to cry. She felt Kung Lao's hand on her shoulder tighten a bit in an attempt to comfort her. "Shang Tsung orchestrated the massacre! He should be dead! _Why_ _isn't that monster dead?!_ "

By now, she was shaking and she closed her eyes tightly, keeping her tears at bay. There was silence for a moment before Bo' Rai Cho quietly spoke. "Unfortunately, Shao Kahn had use for him in this war. It's the only reason he would resurrect him after all."

"He was responsible for the murder of my best friend," Kung Lao mentioned.

Bo' Rai Cho frowned. "Yes… Liu Kang, my student. He did not deserve such a fate."

Relaxing a bit, Li Mei managed to nod. "He did hurt a lot of people, didn't he? He killed Ibuki…"

"He also helped in the deaths of those we tried to defend in Lei Chen," mentioned Siegfried.

"He had used the souls within us to make us what we are now," said Ermac. "Souls that were taken against their will."

"He also consumed the soul of my other student, Muso Gonnosuke," Bo' Rai Cho replied.

"As well as my ancestor, The Great Kung Lao," the Shaolin monk brought up.

"He also took the souls of Kenshi's ancestors and blinded him in the process," said Ermac.

"And that is just a very, very small fraction of all the atrocities he's committed over the centuries," Bo' Rai Cho said.

"If I see him again," Kung Lao began to declare. "I'll make sure that he meets his demise once and for all."

"As will we," added Ermac. "We saw to his death once when Kenshi defeated him, and we will again."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Li Mei's lips. "Thank you."

Back at the cave, Lita found herself in her room browsing through the belongings she was forced to leave behind the last time she was here. A majority of it was clothes along with her wallet (it had been a pain to replace everything when she returned to Earth) and some snacks that she realized have since expired.

She soon heard a voice from behind the curtain. "Lita? Are you in there?"

Lita stood up from her bed when she realized who it was. "Yes, come in Steve."

The old curtain that gave her privacy was pushed aside and Steve stepped in. "I meant to mention this yesterday, but… this was the 'hotel' you stayed in, huh?"

Lita chuckled a little. "Not exactly the Ritz, but it was still fun back in the day."

Steve looked over the curtain. "At least you had privacy. Too bad there's really no place to, well, knock on the door."

"We got used to it."

Steve then looked past her shoulder. "You play?"

Now Lita was confused. "What?"

Steve pointed at the bed and Lita frowned as she realized what he was pointing at. "Oh, no, that guitar doesn't belong to me. It belonged to one of my teammates, Major Matt McCoy. I… retrieved it from his room yesterday. I figured if we win, I'd take this back to Earth and give it to his Mum, if she survived the invasion…"

"He was one of your Delta Red teammates," Steve said.

Lita nodded. "Yeah… huh, I haven't plucked the strings yet, but I bet it's completely out of tune… that would've driven him mad."

Feeling depressed suddenly, Lita quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, like I said, staying here was fun… except when Raiden and Rose fought."

"The two leaders you mentioned before," Steve said.

"Yeah," Lita replied.

"They actually didn't get along?"

"For the most part, but I think it's mainly because Raiden liked to tease – surprising since he's a God - and Rose took everything seriously. Oh, the fights were amusing at first, but then one night, they got into a fight so bad that we all ended up sleeping outside.

"But aside from that, they really were good leaders. Raiden was much wiser than he let on and Rose was just so patient with us. I… I was there when Rose died. Cammy, Jin, Asuka, and I were the last ones to get to the portals during the chaos. Rose was just about to follow us when she was stabbed from behind. Needless to say, after witnessing that _and_ losing our teammates on the same bloody day… Cammy and I were never the same…"

Lita suddenly started to shake as she felt what she knew she was suffering from for a while – survivor's guilt. She had been examined by a psychologist in the aftermath of the tournament. Though she was cleared for duty after the tests, sometimes Lita wondered if those tests were accurate at all.

To her surprise, Steve walked close enough so that he wrapped one arm around her. Without thinking about it, Lita placed her head on his shoulder, seeking comfort.

For a while, they were both quiet, unsure of what to say. Eventually, Lita thought of something and she pulled her head up so that she could look at Steve.

"I meant to tell you," Lita began to say. "I… I'm sorry about that kiss back in Keisei. I… I was an idiot and wasn't thinking and you just got out of a relationship and I've had a crush on you since we've met and – damn it, I spoke too much – anyway, with all this 'end-of-the-world' deal, I think we've all been-"

She was suddenly cut off as Steve closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to hers. For a brief moment, Lita was still, mainly because she hadn't expected it. Then, she turned her body so that she was fully facing Steve before she eagerly returned the kiss, her arms wrapping around his shoulders. Steve had moved his hands to rest on her waist.

Their kiss lasted while, but they eventually pulled back, only leaving a few inches between them as they gazed into each other's eyes. Despite getting Steve's confirmation that he was interested in her, Lita couldn't help but frown a little. Steve had noticed this and gave her a concerned look.

"I…" Lita started to say. "I don't think Cammy will be too thrilled about… us…"

"I know," Steve agreed. "But I'd be a hypocrite if we don't tell her soon."

"I know," Lita replied. "But you have to admit… telling her right before we go into battle isn't exactly good for morale. The last thing I want is for her to go into battle with a cloud over her head."

Steve sighed as he brushed his fingers through her blond hair. "True. In that case, we'll tell her when we win this thing. We won't delay any more than that."

Lita nodded. "Okay."

~~~

**Wastelands**

After walking around for a while, Ryu and Ken found themselves in a beach area. More broken statues and abandoned items were seen all around. There were also a few buildings, but many were destroyed, damaged, or simply abandoned.

At the beach, Ken couldn't help but look at the waves that licked the sand. From far away, he thought it was odd that this part of the water was dark. Even the sand was almost black. However, upon closer inspection, Ken realized why the waves wasn't like the rest of the sea… it was dark red as though a bloody battle had taken place not too long ago. However, looking around, there was no evidence of a recent battle. Everything he was seeing had to be centuries old.

"What… is this?" Ken asked, unsure of what to think of the sight.

"I'm not sure," Ryu replied as he gazed out at the sea.

"It's like there was a battle, but clearly it's been so long since one took place."

"I agree," Ryu replied. "Maybe Bo' Rai Cho might know the history of this place, or even Jade when she comes back from her mission."

"Maybe. Listen, Ryu, I think we should go back. At this point, I don't think we're going to find-"

Suddenly, a dark feeling came over both fighters and they found themselves frozen in their place. That was with the exception of their heads as they gazed around, trying to find the source of the dark presence. Both of them felt chills go up their spine and the hair on their arms stood up.

"You feel that?" asked Ryu.

Ken nodded. "Yeah. Let's get out of-"

Suddenly, a demonic voice boomed just behind them. "I knew that you would arrive eventually... Ryu."

Ryu and Ken suddenly turned around to face whoever just arrived. The first thing they both noticed was the red aura that completely surrounded their body. His hair may have been white, his skin darker, and his eyes more red, but it wasn't hard for the two warriors to recognize the demon standing before them.

"Akuma," Ryu growled.

"Of course he would survive the invasion!" Ken called out. He then waved his hand at Akuma as though beckoning him over. "If you want to fight, then bring it!"

"Not so fast," Akuma replied. "I have no interest in fighting you both. I only wish to fight only one." Naturally, his eyes gazed at Ryu.

Ryu clenched his teeth. "What do you want with me?!"

"To finish what we started back on Yakushima Island weeks ago."

Ken's eyes suddenly widened at this. "You didn't tell me you met up with him on the island!"

Ryu shook his head. He had hoped that no one had to find out about his last encounter with the murderer of their master. "I'll explain later."

"If he gives us the time of day."

Shin Akuma folded his arms in front of him. "If you accept, Ryu, meet here just after sunrise tomorrow. Then, we will finish this battle... but you must come alone."

Without hesitation, Ryu spoke. "I accept!"

Ken clenched his fists more upon hearing this. _Damn it, no! Not before the final battle!_

From there, Shin Akuma turned and began to walk away. "Very well. The battle begins at sunrise."

For a while, nothing was said between them, at least until Shin Akuma was far enough away to not hear them. Immediately, Ken turned to his childhood friend. "What the hell are you thinking?! You accepted his challenge right before we're due to save the universe?!"

"As long as he's around, he poses a threat to everyone at the camp!" Ryu pointed out. "We can't afford that diversion right now!"

"And you're willing to put yourself on the line?!"

"Yes! Despite the circumstances, I am! I'm sorry Ken, but he needs to be dealt it _now_."

"Damn it!" Ken called out as he began to pace around.

Ryu sighed before he spoke more calmly. "Besides… this fight was a long time coming."

Ken shook his head. "I know it has been, but…" He clenched his fists again before he spoke. "You're one of the strongest amongst us and we need you and…" He voice went into a whisper. "I'm pretty sure that you're the only family I have left after what this invasion took from me…"

Ryu frowned at this. "Ken…"

"If anything happens to you…"

Ryu then stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on Ken's shoulder. "It'll be all right. I need to take care of this. Then, when it's over, we can both go into battle with a clear head."

Ken sighed. "I hope so." He then began to walk back towards where they originally came from. "Come on… let's get back to the cave."

For a moment, Ryu stood by the beach as thoughts ran through his head. Suddenly, he realized that telling Ken that it would be all right may have been the wrong thing to say… even he was unsure if it really was going to be okay.

Ryu knew that he was about to jump into something foolish considering how much the universe needed him right now… but the truth was that he wouldn't be able to focus in battle, not with the knowledge that Akuma was near.

He was also aware that he was most likely the only one who can take Akuma out from the battle. He wasn't sure how he was going to do it, but whatever happens, he hoped that he didn't lose his life in the process.


	78. Chapter Seventy-Seven

**Somewhere Close to Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

Night had started to fall, but despite that, the fortress of Outworld's Emperor was within sight for the two infiltrators planning to sneak in. From their camp, Yoshimitsu and Jade spent a majority of the daylight hours spying on the outdoor activities. However, it was mainly just guards going about their duty.

"Getting rid of the guards will be the easy part," Jade mentioned as the sun darkened their surroundings. "As a matter of fact, it'll be _too_ easy."

"Yeah, I remember," Yoshimitsu replied.

Jade chuckled. "Sorry, I forgot you infiltrated the fortress before."

"Well, if it helps, I didn't have a lot of time to take the grand tour. Most of it was spent confronting Quan Chi and fighting a beastly monster in the dungeons."

"Why did you infiltrate to begin with?" the Edenian asked.

"For information. At the time, there were assassins who were going after me and I went to find out why. Turns out Quan Chi knew I was the former wielder of the _Chishio No Me_ medallion."

That information made Jade's green eyes widened. "You actually had _Chishio No Me_ in your hands?"

"The last one before it was found prior to the Blood Tournament," Yoshimitsu explained. He huffed a little underneath his mask. "With everything that's happened and all the preparations we had to do, there… wasn't a lot of time to explain my part of the story to everyone."

"That's an understatement," Jade joked.

Yoshimitsu then held out his prosthetic arm for her to see. "I had to cut this off when it tried to possess me."

"So you knew it was dangerous to begin with?" Jade asked.

"Yes, and I made the mistake of trying the mission on my own. Perhaps if I had found my way to the cave, things might have gone differently."

"Maybe, but it's hard to tell with everything else that happened." Jade sighed. "It doesn't matter anyway, we failed our mission. We were initially planning to infiltrate the fortress to retrieve and destroy the medallion, but then the chaos happened… a part of me thinks we should've stayed behind anyway despite the circumstances."

"Why?"

"It's possible that they're using the medallion for this universal war… if we stayed behind and went on to destroy it, the universe may not have been in this mess in the first place."

Yoshimitsu tilted his head. For a moment, he debated over whether or not he should tell her the truth, but then he realized that she was going to find out sooner or later. He would tell her what happened... most of it at least. Explaining Soul Edge's involvement would be hard to take in all at once for right now. "No... I had recons who spied the tournament. They personally watched the destruction of the medallion... it had turned into ash."

Jade's eyes widened at that revelation. "Really?"

The clan leader nodded. "It's the same way we found out about Ivy becoming the Empress."

Jade sighed. "I see."

"But still... I imagine the Emperor would want to get this invasion done as quickly as possible."

"True. And plus, when I worked under Shao Kahn, he was not the most patient person in the world. He wanted missions successful the first time, and he also wanted immediate results. I've seen many punished for either failing or even taking too long. He'll only take his time if… it'll please him immensely."

Yoshimitsu shook his head. "He sounds like a monster… not that he wasn't to begin with, but to hear it from someone who had worked under him before… it's hard to comprehend. How did you manage to get away from him?"

"I was forced to choose between my duty and my best friend Kitana when she joined the good side. I had some help from Raiden and his chosen ones during the first Outworld invasion. Escaping would not have been easy otherwise."

Yoshimitsu nodded. "I was in Keisei at the time of that invasion. Many of my clan members stationed on Earth had died then. But now that I think about it… that was like child's play compared to now."

"Yeah…"

By now the sun had completely set, making the area dark. Yoshimitsu turned his attention to the fortress, where the guards had begun lighting up torches. "Break of dawn… that's when we will infiltrate."

Jade nodded in agreement. "If any of my freedom fighters are still alive, we'll free them. However, I do not think they will have the strength to fight back in case we are caught."

"True. I have thought of an escape plan," Yoshimitsu said. "If things go sideways, I'll set a course twenty miles away from here with my sword, but only as a last resort. Also, as much as I hate to say it, the prisoners will have to be our last priority. We'll figure out their weak points, and then we'll get out. And if we have time, we'll raid their supplies."

"Sounds like a plan… except for the raiding supplies part."

Yoshimitsu shrugged. "The more food for us, the better. Besides, food provides more energy."

Jade shrugged. "Fair enough. You want to raid their safe too?"

"… If they have one."

"I wasn't serious, you know."

"Neither was I."

Jade actually chuckled. "You have a peculiar sense of humor, you know."

"It's kind of been a tradition since the beginning of the clan's existence. It puts the clan at ease just before we dive into our mission."

Jade nodded in agreement. "I've seen how loyal your clan is to you during our stay in Keisei. You must be quite a leader."

"If I wasn't, I'd be dead," Yoshimitsu mentioned. "Which… would suck immensely for them at a time like this."

"Well that made you sound… quite confident."

"Well… I have been the leader of the clan for… quite some time."

"How does one become a leader?" Jade asked.

Yoshimitsu leaned himself back into the grass as he began to go through his gear for a meal ration. He ripped off the wrapper before taking a couple of bites through the mouth hole of his mask. After swallowing, he proceeded. "Anyone in the Manji Clan can become a leader. However, they must have the heart, drive, dedication, and determination to become the next leader. This is proven when they defeat the current leader in a duel."

The clan leader took out his katana and looked down at it as though he was admiring it. "If they manage to defeat the current leader, that leader's spirit is merged into this sword, and its power transfers into the new wielder. It is he who becomes the next Yoshimitsu."

"I imagine you've had quite a handful of challengers in your time as leader."

"Of course. Needless to say, they were all defeated. Sadly, there were a couple of clan members who tried to challenge me right when the invasion of the realms began, feeling that _they_ _w_ ould be better at the job at a time of war."

Jade shook his head. "That was foolish of them."

"Indeed."

"Speaking of your clan, do you think the recons you sent out might be around here?"

"I hope so," Yoshimitsu replied. "Though I am worried for them… they were supposed to meet us at the cave upon on arrival, but it's possible that they may be neck deep in their operation. I hope that's the case."

"For your sake, I hope so too."

"For now, however, we'll rest," Yoshimitsu suggested. "And we'll begin our mission at dawn."

A couple of hours later, Yoshimitsu and Jade attempted to get some sleep. Because they didn't want to draw attention to themselves, there was no campfire to keep them warm. They only had their sleeping bags to rely on.

A large bush separated the two, and it gave Yoshimitsu the privacy to take out an item from his bag… a scroll sealed in a brown carrying case. Fujin had given him the scroll just a half hour before Yoshimitsu and Jade set off on their mission. He still remembered the conversation…

_Fujin approached Yoshimitsu at the beach as the clan leader was training just before sunrise. "Yoshimitsu, I have a favor to ask of you."_

_Yoshimitsu stopped what he doing and turned his attention to the Wind God. "What is it?"_

_Fujin sighed as he pulled out the sealed scroll. "It is of uttermost importance… not even Jade can know about this."_

_Yoshmitsu tilted his head in curiosity, but Fujin began to speak again before he can ask questions. "Unfortunately, I cannot explain the whys right now, but I promise that, if we win this fight, I, or Dhalsim, will tell you everything."_

"When _we win this fight," Yoshimitsu corrected him._

_Fujin nodded. "Anyway… this will be an odd request, but please trust me on this. Take this scroll to Shao Kahn's fortress with you. When you get in, find a way to deliver it to Ivy Valentine as discreetly as possible."_

_Yoshmitsu's eyes widened underneath his mask upon hearing this. "The Empress?"_

_Fujin nodded. "Like I said, please trust me on this. I cannot explain without endangering our goal here. The delivery of the scroll must be completed before tomorrow afternoon, at least a few hours before sunset."_

_"_ _If I may ask one question… why entrust me with this?"_

_"_ _I trust everyone here at the cave… they have proven themselves, but their emotions are a possible compromise in this mission. You are the calmest and most collected out of everyone here. You also fought this war the longest… you of all people can understand the implications if we fail. That is why I trust you with delivering this message. My only other request is that no harm comes to Ivy, no matter what."_

_Yoshimitsu tilted his head again. "I do have many questions… but I will trust you and honor your request. I hope that you are doing the right thing."_

_Fujin nodded. "I'm positive."_

Yoshimitsu hadn't had a lot of time to comprehend his side quest, but now that he did, he realized something… somehow, by some crazy miracle, the Empress of Outworld was possibly working as a double agent and was on their side… _their_ side… and only Fujin and Dhalsim knew about it.

 _Has she always been a double agent?_ he asked himself. _Or has she been somehow persuaded to join our side?_

He knew that no one was going to forget her atrocities as Empress any time soon… especially his clan. She may be redeeming herself, but even if she was a double agent, there was or denying the crimes she committed in this war; imprisoning the captured and murdering the innocent who refused to be captured, amongst others.

She would have sacrificed a lot if she was working undercover… he couldn't imagine that kind of burden. Then again, perhaps being an Empress was sincere… and for one reason or another, she realized that she was working on the wrong side.

Still, Yoshimitsu had his duty… he would deliver this scroll to her discreetly and without detection. If Fujin believes that this task would help in ending this war, he would do it.

He just hoped that he wouldn't come to regret it.

~~~

_The sun was bright and high in the sky, and not a single cloud was seen. Kung Lao found himself walking over to the Lei Tai of the Wu Shu Academy, intending on training with Liu Kang. He knew that his fellow monk would be performing some katas and decided to meet him there._

_As he approached, Kung Lao realized that the area was eerily quiet. A chill went up his spine, not liking the feeling. Still, he pressed on._

_He soon reached the Lei Tai… and there, right in the middle, Liu Kang's body laid. He was on his stomach, unmoving, and his skin already going pale._

_"_ _LIU!" Kung Lao yelled as he ran to his fallen friend. When he reached him, he turned Liu Kang over on his back. The monk didn't miss the fact that Liu Kang's neck wasn't angled right. Kung Lao didn't have to check his vital signs… he was dead._

_"_ _Liu!" Kung Lao cried out as his eyes brimmed with tears. "Liu, NO!"_

**Cave Grounds, Outworld**

Kung Lao woke up with a jolt, a cold sweat sheening over his skin. He also felt himself short of breath, and he took a moment to catch it. Once he did, he slowly sat up. After slowly swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he placed a hand over his face and took a deep breath.

 _It's been a while since I had that dream,_ the monk thought to himself.

Kung Lao still remembered when one of the monks, who witnessed Liu Kang's death, told him that it was Shang Tsung who murdered him. The event occurred months before the Blood Tournament. Although Kung Lao was invited, Raiden had ordered him to stay behind and watch over Earth during his absence.

Deep within his bones, Kung Lao was sure of why Raiden gave him these orders… he didn't want the monk to go off half-cocked in the very tournament Liu Kang's murderer was hosting. Although he wanted to exact revenge himself, Kung Lao was somewhat satisfied that someone took care of Shang Tsung once and for all.

Of course, that was before they all learned that the sorcerer had been resurrected.

Ever since he heard about it, Kung Lao tried to stay as calm as possible. However, the closer they came to finishing off the Outworld Forces, the more his blood boiled, knowing that Shang Tsung was amongst them.

Kung Lao got himself out of bed, realizing that he wasn't going to fall back asleep any time soon. Still dressed in his day clothes, the only thing he had to put on was his razor-bladed hat. He placed it on his head before he made his way out of the cave and into the outdoors.

The campfire was lit nearby, and he could see Master Bo' Rai Cho sitting next to it, gazing at the flames as though he was admiring it. Kung Lao decided to go over to the fire and sit next to the older man.

As soon as Kung Lao sat down, Bo'Rai Cho spoke. "Ah, Kung Lao. You should be sleeping."

"I can't sleep," Kung Lao admitted.

Bo' Rai Cho gave him a concerned look. "Why not?"

The Shaolin monk gazed up towards the night sky void of stars. "I… have a lot on my mind."

"There's a lot to think about in this battle to come." Bo' Rai Cho took a small sip from his flask. "I can only imagine what is running through anyone's mind right about now."

Kung Lao sighed. Though what the old master said wasn't along the lines of his thinking, he decided not to correct him. Instead, he decided on another course.

"Is it all right if I ask you something, Master Bo' Rai Cho?"

"Of course. You can ask me anything."

Kung shifted a little where he sat before his brown eyes laid upon the fire in front of them. "It's about your training with Liu Kang."

"Ah yes," Bo' Rai Cho said thoughtfully. "I still remember that day fondly. Raiden had introduced us when Earthrealm needed a champion for the last Mortal Kombat tournament. I knew from that day that Liu Kang was special. If a God entrusted me in training him, then there was hope. Though honestly, I remember being quite intimidated by the task."

"I can only imagine," Kung Lao said. "And… I recall that you taught him a move that helped him to ultimately defeating Shang Tsung."

Bo' Rai Cho turned to the younger man. "Yes, and it's true. And as I recall, since you sneaked into the tournament then, I assume you witnessed it that day."

Kung Lao nodded. "I did."

"… You want me to teach you that move, do you?"

The younger man quietly nodded. Bo' Rai Cho frowned. "Have you forgotten one part of my teachings, Kung Lao? One should not learn just to quench their thirst for revenge."

"I haven't forgotten," Kung Lao replied. "But I want to be prepared in case it is _I_ who faces Shang Tsung. I am certain that he will be there in the battle to come. I have no doubt about it."

"Perhaps… but I know you Kung Lao. Even if you did avenge Liu Kang-"

"It's not just about avenging Liu Kang. It's about making sure that no one else has to go through the pain caused by his atrocities. After everything I've heard when we were at Sun Do, I came to realize that defeating Shang Tsung would be in the best interest of the universe. If I see him in battle, I want to be prepared to defeat him. No one should have to suffer anymore, especially the souls he's captured."

This statement made Bo' Rai Cho fall quiet for a moment, and that alone surprised Kung Lao since he expected the Outworld native to speak right afterwards. At one point, the master took a couple of sips from his flask.

"I sense your honesty," Bo' Rai Cho said. "And you are right… defeating him would indeed be in the best interest of the universe. It is time that we stop any further suffering he may cause in the future." The older man made a decision with a single nod of his head. "Okay, Kung Lao. I will teach you the move I taught Liu Kang. It's not a killing move, but it's a move that will greatly weaken him if executed correctly. I only ask one favor from you."

"And that is…"

"… Go back to sleep. When you are fully rested, we will begin training in the morning."

Kung Lao stood up before he placed a fist on the palm of his other hand in front of his chest. He then bowed respectfully to the older man.

"Thank you Master Bo' Rai Cho. I'll be forever grateful." Straightening himself back up, Kung Lao began to head back to the cave.

Gazing back at the fire, Bo' Rai Cho sighed quietly. "I hope you truly know where you heart is, Kung Lao. I'd hate for the worst to happen to you."

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress, Outworld**

"I. Am. Bored!" called out Tira as she paced around the small living room.

"Me too!" cried out Havik as he stretched his arms, the bones cracking with each twist.

Bryan rolled his eyes. "Can I just go light something on fire?"

Kabal turned his head to him. "There's a fireplace right over there."

"…Nah… it's not the same."

"Ever since we've left Keisei, all we've done is sat around and do nothing!" Tira growled.

"Look on the bright side," said Kabal. "At least the Emperor let you kill a few guards here."

"Yeah, but they're _too_ easy to beat. I want a challenge!" She suddenly pointed at Bryan. "I still have this desire to kill you, you know!"

Bryan raised an eyebrow. "You're _still_ not over our first encounter?"

"You humiliated me!"

"Because you dared to attack me! And do you _really_ think you can defeat me? How old are you anyway?"

"Seventeen."

Bryan darkly laughed. "Well, that explains everything."

"What the hell do you mean?!"

"Ooo, fight time!" Havik suddenly called out. He sat down at the desk in the room before perching his head on both of his hands. "Good. Let's the chaos flow!"

Bryan rolled his eyes. "You sound like the Emperor from _Star Wars_." That earned a chuckle from Kabal.

"If that's the case, I quite like this Emperor."

"Actually," Kabal began to explain. "He created all these wars and events just to convert the Republic into a brutal totalitarian regime."

"...Never mind then!"

"I'm still bored!" Tira called out like a spoiled child.

"Go play in traffic," Bryan grumbled.

The doors to the room suddenly opened, and members of the Brotherhood entered the room, including their leader, Noob Saibot. Standing on one side of him stood Frost and the other side of him stood Matrik.

Havik nodded the moment the wraith walked in. "What's up?"

"I see that you've settled in well," Noob stated.

"Except Pigtails over here is complaining about being bored," Bryan mentioned. He was amused when he heard Tira start to growl.

"Well I don't blame her," pointed out Frost.

"You will stay quiet, understood?" warned Noob. Frost was quiet, but she also folded her arms and rolled her eyes.

"An order, huh?" Havik said. "I don't like it at all."

"I understand your beliefs Havik and how I can see that something that this would be disturbing," Noob said. "But Frost here is a different story."

"Actually I quite like her," Havik mentioned. "Especially since she just flipped you off behind your back just now."

"You asshole!" Frost growled.

Havik seemed to grin. "You're welcome!"

"I only came to tell you that we'll be striking as soon as the Emperor completely takes over both Earth and Keisei, which will be soon. I trust that you and your misfits have some ideas on… how to create your chaos."

"No worries, Noob. We have a plan."

"Good. Until then, keep a low profile."

From there, the Brotherhood departed. As they did, Bryan whispered to Kabal. "Does Havik actually have a plan?"

Kabal shrugged. "Probably not."

~~~

_3 Years Ago, Japan, King of Iron Fist Tournament 3._

_Within the shadows, Heihachi had watched the fight between Jin Kazama and True Ogre. The battle had been intense with both fighters being even through most of it._

_Much to the older man's dismay, Jin had won._

_Four years ago, Heihachi took Jin in after the death of his mother and trained him in the Mishima Karate style. However, he had an ulterior motive… use Jin as bait for drawing Ogre to him. Then, Heihachi would have the opportunity to create the 'ultimate lifeform.'_

_The plan worked… only Jin managed to defeat the Fighting God. Knowing that the younger man possessed powers that had yet to manifest, there was only one other thing to do…_

_Heihachi immediately ordered his guards to shoot him down and they swiftly followed it. When Jin was on the ground lying on his stomach, bleeding, he reached a hand as though he was pleading for someone to help him._

_In response, Heihachi raised a gun and pulled the trigger from behind him, ending Jin's life._

_He didn't even get out of the room when suddenly, screams were heard. Heihachi had turned around, only to be met with the face of the young man who was supposed to be dead. On his bare torso were various tattoos. It also extended to his face along with a red 'third eye' in between his forehead. Emerging out from his jet black hair on either side of his head were a pair of horns and his eyes glowed in a silver-white color._

_And on his back, spread far and wide on either side of him, was a pair of black, feathered wings._

_The Devil Gene had awakened._

_Heihachi didn't have a chance to react when he was suddenly grabbed by the head. With a loud roar, the older man was thrown through the window and fell three stories to the ground below. Jin followed and as soon as he was close, he slammed the older man into the grass._

_Then, Jin flew into the air high above the building. Heihachi can only watch as he flew away towards the bright, full moon in the night sky._

**Wastelands, Outworld**

Heihachi Mishima opened his eyes as the memory from just a mere few years ago left his mind. He sat in a lotus position underneath a broken statue of a shokan. Nothing else was around for miles aside from a few scattered relics and bones.

Aside from killing a couple of tarkatans, nothing else was happening; no one else to challenge in a fight, and it seemed as though every settlement was abandoned of life.

Then again, with the universe going to hell, that should come as no surprise to him. Still, it would be nice to at least get drink or something…

Meanwhile, miles away, Kazuya was still exploring the wastelands. He was annoyed that he had ended up here rather than on Earth. However, at least he was alone and not surrounded by a bunch of annoying nuisances.

Especially Jin.

A few days ago, a group of tarkatans seemingly came out of nowhere, about five of them. Naturally, the G-Corp CEO fought them off with ease. However, something happened the moment he ripped the head off of the last tarkatan he killed…

For the first time in a while, Kazuya's form transferred into Devil. His skin turned purple, a pair of horns grew past spiky black hair, and wings that matched his skin emerged from his back. A red eye, matching the existing pair that were already glowing, also formed in the middle of his forehead, the scars he had matching the same color, his fingers grew claws, and he developed a tail just below the small of his back.

As Kazuya looked at his arms, he noticed something a bit different from his usual transformation. Small spikes began to develop on his forearms, and even his wings, which looked bigger than he remembered, were starting to develop the same thing. Reaching up to his head, his horns felt much large and it seemed to curl back as well. Flicking his tail, the end of it was also developing a spike.

Kazuya grinned, showing off a row of sharp white teeth, as the Devil voiced in his head. " **Our time here in this realm has allowed me to collect its evil essence from within, thus creating a stronger form that will soon be feared amongst many. When the time comes, the universe will fear us.** "

With a maniacal laugh, Devil flew up into the air and towards the starless sky.

When Kazuya woke up in the wastelands the next day, he couldn't even remember how he got here in the first place…

~~~

**Cave Grounds, Outworld**

Sitting underneath a large tree, Dan Hibiki sat himself in a lotus position. At the moment, he was alone, but he didn't mind at all. With everything that was coming, it was good to be able to get alone time and reflect, even if it was just for a short time. Although it was dark, the bright light of the moon in the dark blue sky reflected the small waves of the nearby water.

The tree he was sitting under, just in sight of the beach in front of him, was where Nightwolf offered to help with his training during their stay here. It was a fond memory for the Saikyo fighter…

_Dan heard footsteps not too far from behind him. Curiosity got the best of him and he turned his head to see who was coming. Only a few feet away was one of the people staying in the cave with him. Dan recognized him as the shaman, Nightwolf. Dan had expected him to be going about his own business, but then the pink-clad fighter realized that he was looking right at him._

_"Hi there," Dan said politely._

_"Good afternoon," replied Nightwolf. The Earthrealm shaman had originally come to this area to meditate when he noticed Dan sitting here by himself. He felt his energy and knew that he was in very deep thought. It made Nightwolf curious. Besides, aside from the first fishing day when he told his reason for being here, he had been keeping mostly to himself since coming to Outworld. Perhaps it was time to get to know at least one person around here._

_Nightwolf sat next to Dan, sitting himself in a similar fashion. "You seem to be in deep thought my friend," Nightwolf said._

_Dan sighed as he turned his head back towards the sea. "I'm not so sure about myself anymore," he answered. "I always thought that my Saikyo style was the best, at least to me. I wonder now if everyone is right about it… that it really does suck. I wasn't even supposed to be here in the first place…"_

_"Do not think that of yourself," Nightwolf highly suggested. "You do not believe that you were meant to be here, but the truth is that you are. Raiden and Rose would not have chosen for you to be here if you weren't meant to be here. You have a pure heart and soul and are one of their chosen ones."_

_A small smirk came over Dan's face, feeling a bit better after hearing Nightwolf's words. Even though many thought of him as a joke, even though he lost the tournament, he was still one of the chosen ones. There really was a reason for him to be here._

_Before Dan could give his thanks, Nightwolf spoke again. "Perhaps during our time here, I can help train your mind. The future of this tournament is unpredictable and anything can happen. If you are willing to be patient during your training, you will become a better fighter."_

_Dan nodded, accepting Nightwolf's offer. "I'd be honored."_

_"Now," Nightwolf continued as he straightened his back. "Let's begin by meditating."_

_Straightening his own back, Dan placed his hands on both knees and closed his eyes. Already, he was grateful for Nightwolf's offer to train his mind. If he was going to be a better fighter, this was what he was going to need…_

Dan's meditation was soon disrupted as he heard footsteps nearby. Opening his eyes, Dan turned his head to see who was near.

He frowned upon recognizing the Muay Thai fighter, Sagat.

Another memory, one much less pleasant, came over the Saikyo fighter…

_A small group of criminals stood in front of the_ _Hibiki Go Dojo_ _that had just opened recently. Just the week before, Dan's father, Go, had fought off a group of petty criminals who told him they were in Shadaloo country and was trying to get protection money from them. Naturally, Go fought them off and warned them not to come back._

_Go had been sure before that the trouble would end there. Now, however, the same thugs came back, but this time, they bought with them a Thai man named Sagat who was muscular and stood over seven feet tall. Dan was sure that bringing this man would intimidate his father, but Go clearly was not as he gazed up at him with determination in his eyes._

_"_ _Step aside son," he warned. "I'll handle this."_

_The Thai man folded his arms in front of him. "My name is Sagat, and before we close your dojo, there is something Mr. Hibiki and I have to attend to."_

_"_ _I've already told your goons," Go growled. "That unless you are here to sign up for some classes, I have no business with you."_

_"_ _Hmph," Sagat huffed. "Unfortunately, that is not the case. A challenge to my men is essentially a challenge to me_ and _my authority. You can see why this requires a response."_

_He was about to say more, but then Go immediately got into a fighting stance. "If you want anything from me, you'll have to take it by force!"_

_"_ _Very well." Sagat turned to the other thugs. "No one interferes unless they want to answer to me. This fight is between us and no one else."_

_"_ _Sure thing, boss," of the thugs replied._

_Dan turned to Go and smiled. "Show them what the Hibiki Go School is made of, Dad."_

_Go gave him a thumb's up as he winked. "I will. This battle will be quick."_

_Sagat posed in his own fighting stance. "Brave words, Hibiki."_

_"_ _Prepare yourself," Go warned. He quickly jumped forward and attempted to punch Sagat, but he was swiftly blocked. He was about to pull back when Sagat quickly slammed his foot into Go's face, sending him flying back._

_"_ _Is_ that _the extent of your power?" he asked, clearly unimpressed. He then turned to the other thugs. "Is this the same man none of you could subdue yourself?"_

_One thug was baffled. "Uh… er…"_

_However, while Sagat was distracted, Go got up and suddenly performed a flying kick. Sagat realized that Go was heading towards him. He began to turn and was preparing to counter._

_The kick literally gouged his right eye swiftly out of its socket._

_Sagat yelled out an agonizing scream as he felt blood pour out of where his eye used to be. Covering it with his hand, he could feel the blood seeping out of it._

_It didn't take long for Sagat to recover, and when he did, rage filled him. With a roar, he turned to Go, his fists clenched…_

Dan immediately opened his eyes, not wanting to finish the rest of the dark memory. He can already imagine Sagat, in his rage, beating Go Hibiki to death.

It had all happened about twelve years ago. For a while after, Dan trained himself so that he could get revenge. He even tried to join the dojo of Master Gouken, the one who trained Ryu and Ken, but he was kicked out once Gouken learned of Dan's true intentions. So instead, Dan trained himself using the knowledge he's learned throughout the years.

He did finally confront Sagat a few years after Go's death. Dan had actually won, and though he didn't kill Sagat, he felt that his defeat was enough. Go would have wanted that. However, years later, Dan was now sure that Sagat had let him win that fight. Why, he wasn't certain to this day.

Dan had to admit that he was surprised when Sagat came onto Ruby Heart's ship when they went to pick up the group at the Rockies. The only reason he didn't protest then was because Dhalsim, with his psychic abilities, let him on the ship. Otherwise, he was sure that the yoga master wouldn't have allowed him on otherwise.

Still, Dan avoided Sagat because if there was one thing that Nightwolf taught him, it was that he couldn't let any negative energy flow through him. Still, even though now Sagat was working to redeem himself, even though he was clearly on the good side, Dan couldn't help but feel a twang of anger each time he saw the Muay Thai fighter.

There was also another kind of wisdom from Nightwolf that he remembered. "When the negativity does flows through you, channel it into your chest. Clear all thoughts from your mind and take a deep breath. When you exhale, release that negative energy from your soul."

Dan did just that. It wasn't easy, but Dan knew it had to be done… not just for himself, but also for the sake of the universe. He was going to need to clear his head if he wanted to help contribute in saving what's left of humanity.

~~~

In her room back inside the cave, Cammy White found that she couldn't sleep. She tried all she could to get herself in a comfortable position, but it was all in vain. Sitting up, she decided _to hell with it_ … she was going to sip on some alcohol.

Getting out of bed and stepping out of her room, Cammy began to head to the back of the cave where the lounge was. The cave itself was mostly quiet, and she was sure that many of the others staying here were asleep… or at least trying to.

Cammy soon reached the lounge, and when she opened the curtain, she expected to be alone. To her surprise, however, she found Jin Kazama sitting on the couch. He turned his head when he heard Cammy come in. In his left hand was a bottle of what looked like sake.

"Huh," Cammy huffed as she placed one hand on her hip. "I'll be honest here… I never imagined you as the drinking type."

Jin sighed. "I only drink just enough to help me sleep."

"I see. Can I have some?"

He didn't say anything, but he did nod and shifted a bit to give Cammy room to sit next to him on the couch. She obliged and once she sat, he gave her the bottle. Taking it in her hand, she took a few sips, enjoying the new warmth that spread within her chest.

She then gave him back the bottle. "I assume you're not sleeping well either?"

Jin shook his head. "To be honest, I haven't slept well in years."

"Me neither… not since I was freed from Shadaloo at least."

"Hmm," Jin hummed. "Yeah… it would nice to feel free, wouldn't it?"

Cammy growled a little in frustration. "I honestly wish you weren't so bloody cryptic all the damn time. You're solely responsible for making me hate riddles, you know."

Jin was quiet for a moment before he answered her. "There are things about me that… if I told you, you'd never look at me the same again."

Cammy immediately clenched her fists. "You don't know that! You wouldn't know unless you actually try! Maybe I might react differently!"

"I don't think so."

Cammy shook his head in frustration. "Well whatever it is, Jin, maybe it would've fucking helped me better understand why you left London without even a goodbye. And don't say you did because letters don't count!"

She could tell Jin was losing his patience with her with the way his jaw tensed. "It was for your own safety," he reminded her.

"As if I haven't faced life-threatening situations before… hell, we're about to plunge ourselves to stop what is possibly the worst atrocity committed against all of mankind… and not just on Earth… the entire universe! I'm pretty damn sure I can handle your dirty little secret!"

To her surprise, Jin suddenly grabbed her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. He glared at her with those amber eyes, and his brows furrowed. He also barely left a few inches in between their faces. Cammy gave him a defiant look and was about to tell him to let her go, but then he began to talk…

"Tell me something then, Cammy. How is it that I'm sitting here drinking sake and having this argument with you _and_ manage to survive a bullet to the back of my head at point blank range? By my own grandfather nonetheless?"

The defiant look in Cammy's eyes suddenly dissipated. Jin had expected her to coil in horror at that revelation, but instead, her eyes grew both shocked and sad… and it was as though she pitied him.

He didn't know which was worse.

He pulled his head back from her, but his hands remained on her shoulders. "There's a sinister monster inside of me that needs to be purged. That is all I can say without endangering yours and everyone's lives."

Cammy found herself placing both of her hands on either side of his face. "I'm sorry…"

The muscles in Jin's face tensed, but he didn't try to pull away from her touch. "I don't need your pity… and don't try to help me… no one can help me."

"… I'll help only if you want it."

The anger that was in Jin's eyes melted away and he gave her a blank stare, unsure of what to say to that. He then felt Cammy's left hand gently caress his cheek. In that moment, for the first time since he left London, he realized how much he missed her touch.

Cammy then closed the gap between them, and at first, her kiss was gentle against his lips. It was only a split second before Jin responded, and it didn't take long before they both found themselves in a kind of passion neither of them had shared since the night they consummated at the hot springs. Her arms encircled around his shoulders and his hands moved to rest on her back, pulling her closer to him.

Cammy soon began to lie down on the couch they were sitting on, pulling Jin with her. Her head rested on the arm of the furniture. She raised one leg up to rest on top of the couch, giving Jin room to lie on top of her. He wrapped his arms around her again as she dug her fingers into his hair. She then leaned up to him and, once more, they shared a fierce kiss.

Jin was just giving into the passion more before a sudden, red color flashed in front of his vision. And in that brief moment, he saw a demonic figure with a pair of black feathered wings…

Jin suddenly stilled, even when Cammy was still kissing him, but she soon realized how tense he was and she stopped. As she stopped the kiss, Jin suddenly pulled back from her.

For one, split second, Cammy saw that his eyes were beginning to turn a glowing white, and she thought there was something red forming in the middle of his forehead. Her eyes widened at this, but before she could comprehend what she was seeing, his eyes turned amber again and the red on his forehead was gone.

"Jin?" she began to ask as she sat up. "Are you all right?"

By now, Jin was sitting, his face buried in both of his hands. He then removed his hands, which was now clenching. His voice wavered at his next words. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have-"

Jin suddenly got up and left the room. This left Cammy more frustrated as her eyes brimmed with tears… but at least now she has some kind of understanding as to why he left London and why he was always cryptic with her. And if she saw what she thought she saw… perhaps he was right about whatever that monster was inside of him. Suddenly, she felt guilty for questioning him.

Cammy noticed the sake bottle Jin left behind. Taking it in her hand, she took a long drink before she leaned her head back on top of the couch, her eyes gazing up at the ceiling.

"Please… help him find peace…"


	79. Chapter Seventy-Eight

**Early Morning, Cave**

Ryu remembered a time, at the Blood Tournament, where a rule was set in… never leave the cave area without at least one person accompanying you. It was a completely understandable rule given the location and circumstances at the time.

As the first rays of the sun shone past the distant mountains and lit up the cave grounds, Ryu was about to break that old rule. He left the cave while everyone else was still asleep. Not only did he have to go to the wastelands alone, but he also wanted to keep his friends safe… though he was very, very sure that Ken will somehow arrive at the wastelands sooner or later despite Ryu's request.

Ken was always a good friend and Ryu could understand why his upcoming battle with Akuma was distressing to the millionaire; he really was the only family member he had left.

However, the fight was a long time coming, and Ryu had to end this once and for all. It was foolish and he was sure that Dhalsim and Fujin would say so – after all, he was one of only four hopes of ending this war – but only Ryu himself had any chance in defeating the demon.

Ryu walked alone, and the only noise around him was the light wind and the footsteps his feet made against the grass. Only once did he stop to pick a large berry from one of the Outworld bushes to eat. He took his time devouring the fruit, knowing that it was possibly going to be a while before he would eat again.

Just like last time, it took a couple of hours for Ryu to reach the wastelands, specifically the beach area he was in just yesterday. It was no surprise to the warrior when he noticed Shin Akuma sitting in a lotus position on the sand about thirty feet away from the sea. A red aura illuminated from his body, and his back was turned to him. On the back of his dark purple gi was the kanji for 'ten,' glowing the same red aura as the rest of him.

An old memory flashed through Ryu's mind…

_After a day of training by the waterfalls, Ryu was just arriving at the dojo grounds where he knew Master Gouken would be waiting. The afternoon sun was beginning its descent towards the distant mountains. One thing Ryu noticed that was strange was the fact that the birds in the trees were oddly quiet._

_A chill suddenly went up the student's spine as a strange feeling came over him. He quickened his pace up the stoned steps leading up to the dojo._

_When finally reached the training grounds, Ryu stood there in momentary shock… most of the training equipment was destroyed, the pieces laying where they fell, and some of the windows on the dojo were shattered. Once more, his surroundings were too quiet._

_"_ _Master?" Ryu called out. He walked towards the entrance to the dojo, not realizing that he had passed a few drops of blood on the pebbled walkway._

_The wooden front door was partially ajar, and Ryu simply pushed it aside. He barely walked four feet in when he suddenly saw a sight that he knew would haunt him for the rest of his life…_

_There, against the opposite wall, was the body of Master Gouken. He was sitting up, slumped over, and his blood stained his clothes. There was more of it here and there around the dojo, but the worst of it was just above Gouken's head… someone had used his blood to paint the kanji for 'ten.' The young man knew in that instant who was responsible._

_Ryu gasped as he dropped his duffle back next to his feet. "_ **_MASTER!_ ** _"_

The memory quickly left as Shin Akuma's voice cut them off. "So, you arrived after all."

Ryu clenched his fists. "You of all people should know that I never back down from a challenge... especially one issued by the murderer of the one person who I considered a father."

"Hmm… that is true," Shin Akuma replied. "But you of all people should know that emotions only get in the way of becoming a true warrior."

Ryu got into a fighting stance. "If there's anything I've learned from this war, it's that a warrior can achieve much when he's united with some of the best fighters he has ever known… but you wouldn't understand that."

A maniacal laugh escaped the demon's throat. "I've always known you were soft, cub, and this proves it further. You're weak! Now, if you give into to the Satsui no Hadou-"

"I'll never surrender to the dark arts!" Ryu declared. "Your attempts to make me accept that fate will only be in vain. You should know that by now."

"The art of Ansatsuken is one that is dying out," Shin Akuma mentioned. "Those who learn is should use it to its full potential! It should not die off without the knowledge of what it's truly meant for!"

Ryu narrowed his eyes. "Well… this is the first time I hear you actually care about something." He almost chuckled, knowing that it was something Ken would have said if he was here.

Shin Akuma growled. "Enough! I will teach you the meaning of pain!"

With battle roars, both Ryu and Shin Akuma ran towards each other. The moment they were within arm's reach, neither of them hesitated to begin their battle. Briefly, they exchanged punches and kicks in an attempt to dominate the other. Eventually, Shin Akuma managed to land a palm strike on Ryu's chest, the force of it making him stumble back a few feet. The younger warrior decided to take advantage of that.

" _Hadouken!_ " Ryu called out as he shot out a blue projectile from his hands. Just as the projectile reached him, Shin Akuma merely swiped it to the side as though it was nothing more than a mere fly.

Clenching his teeth in a bit of frustration, Ryu covered the space between them again and the two threw more punches at each other while trying to block as well. At one point, Shin Akuma attempted a left hook and Ryu ducked underneath it. As he did, he clenched a fist and prepared himself to jump.

" _Shoryuken!_ " Ryu yelled as he managed to perform his uppercut. However, to his surprise, Shin Akuma managed to jump back from the attack, surprising Ryu. Then suddenly, Shin Akuma reached forward and grabbed Ryu's left ankle.

Just as Ryu felt himself fall, Shin Akuma spin him once swiftly before letting go, the force of the throw sending Ryu hurling forward in fast speed. An already-broken statue stopped him, though the statue ended up shattering further upon impact.

Ryu coughed a couple of times as dust and pieces of the broken statue rained on his head. When the dust cleared, Shin Akuma was beginning to approach him again.

He realized that it was going to take a lot of willpower to defeat the demon…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

"So… what's for lunch?" a guard at the front entrance to the fortress asked.

A second guard merely shrugged. "How should I know? I'm pretty sure it'll be more leftover warthog."

"Hey, that's not leftovers… is it?"

"Wouldn't surprise me."

"Say… how do you know it really is warthog?"

"I don't know, but-"

The second guard was suddenly cut off as his neck suddenly broke out of nowhere. After the bone snapping was heard, he dropped dead to the ground.

The first guard looked at his now-dead ally in horror. "What the-"

Someone quickly grabbed him by his head and twisted it at a certain angle, snapping his neck. When done, Jade let the guard go, his corpse dropped onto the ground like a rag doll.

Above the second guard, Yoshimitsu came out of invisible mode. " _Tsk, tsk, tsk._ You were not kidding about that being too easy."

"Told you," Jade replied. "Now we should hide the bodies before anyone notices."

Yoshimitsu nodded in agreement and they both took a moment to hide the two dead guards in some nearby bushes. Once they were done, they went inside the fortress, staying silent as they moved about.

Eventually, they were in the foyer where the only light was a single lit lantern that hung in the middle of the room off the ceiling like a chandelier. The walls and floor were all made of dark stone and there were two hallways, one on each side.

Jade gazed at her surroundings. "I sometimes forget this place was built like a dungeon… I guess it was something I was used to before I changed my loyalty."

"If I remember correctly, the throne room is on the second floor?" Yoshmitsu asked.

Jade nodded. "Yes."

"Hmm… usually in castles in both Earth and Keisei, the throne room is usually right where we're standing… but perhaps that's the point."

"Maybe," Jade replied. "We should split up from here with each of us taking a hallway and explore just the first floor."

"It's a small chance we'll find anything on this floor, but it's a start," Yoshimitsu said. Taking out his katana, he went into invisible mode. "Meet back here in about an hour."

Jade nodded as he pulled out her staff from her boot. She rested her thumb on the small button that would extend the staff when needed. Once ready, she got herself in the shadows. "Sounds good."

From there, the two separated and began to explore. In his mind, Yoshimitsu wondered how he was going to find Ivy's sleeping quarters in a place this big… well, either that or perhaps she shared her room with Shao Kahn.

That thought alone made him shiver… it was the last thing he wanted to think about right now.

Meanwhile, Jade explored the area, noticing a few closed doors she knew served as meeting rooms. There were a few lit torches on the wall to brighten the room, casting shadows across the stoned wall and floors. Here, the stones were a brownish-red color, which was a bit more pleasing that the dark charcoal ones in the foyer.

Jade quietly went to each door to try to listen in to see if anyone was inside, but so far, there was nothing. At one point, in the back of her mind, Jade thought of how foolish it was for Shao Kahn to have rebuilt the fortress as the exact replica of the original that was destroyed after the tournament. It was definitely going to make her job very easy.

Her thoughts were suddenly cut off as she heard footsteps and chatting nearby. Remembering a storage room just across from her, Jade immediately jumped towards it, opened the door, and quickly closed it behind her.

The side of her head leaning against the door, Jade listened in on whoever walked by, but it turned out she could barely hear them even when they actually were by the door. Eventually, the noise subsided and the Edenian was sure that she was alone again.

Suddenly, a dark purple projectile shot out towards her and Jade barely had enough time to jump out of the way. The projectile slammed into the door, leaving behind a scorch mark.

Jade turned to see who attacked her. First, she was surprised that the room was no longer a storage room, but rather it served as some sort of room to predict the future judging by the small table with the crystal ball on top. Just in front of the table floated a Shadow Priest, wearing their usual dark purple robes. Raising their hands, they revealed pale hands with slender fingers with long, sharp nails.

"Well… finding myself in a fight didn't take too long," Jade muttered as she pressed the button on her staff, extending it out.

With a demonic growl, the Shadow Priest quickly flew forward. Jade stood in her fighting stance, prepared to take her opponent down.

~~~

**Beach near Cave Grounds**

"I think I prefer the view of the Pacific Ocean much better," Wagner mused.

Juli chuckled as she nodded in agreement. "It definitely was a better view for sure… at least you know what's lurking underneath its dark depths, unlike here."

Wagner laughed. "True."

They sat together on the white sands at the beach close to the cave. The water in front of them was calm and the waves barely came close to shore.

"Well, there are those seven foot long fishes I helped catch the last time we were all here," the young man mentioned.

"Really?" Juli asked in astonishment.

"I know, hard to believe," Wagner replied. "I almost wish I took a picture."

Juli decided to change the subject then. "So… you said you had to tell me something?"

Wagner's blue eyes shifted up towards the purple sky as he took a deep breath. Yes, he did have something to tell her, something he knew that his girlfriend deserved to know.

He took Juli's hand into his, though he didn't look at her just yet. "You know I care about you, right?" he asked.

"Of course," Juli replied.

"And… you trust me?"

Juli tilted her head. "You were one of the few who helped me to trust people again when I was trying to fit back into society after… Shadaloo." She gently squeezed his hand. "Why are you asking me this?"

Wagner bowed his head and he now found himself staring at the sand. "Well, here's the thing…" He chuckled a little. "Everyone was hooking up left and right… Ryu and Julia, Yang and Maki, Lei and Chun Li, Kenshi and Alex, Jin and Cammy... heck, I think even our leaders, Raiden and Rose, hooked up.

"Anyway… well… with the stress of our mission and watching everyone hook up, some of us were able to find some companionship since we were all in it in the long-haul. I wasn't even interested in hooking up at the time because I just went through a break-up not long before the tournament."

"I assume you found companionship with a woman?" Juli quietly asked.

Wagner took a deep breath, not expecting Juli to guess that so quickly. "Yeah… Sonya Blade to be exact. You see, she also wasn't interested in hooking up… she was one of those career driven people."

He then moved his head so that he looked straight into Juli's brown eyes. "I'll be straight with you… Sonya and I had a one-night stand a few nights before the tournament ended."

Wagner wasn't surprised when he felt Juli's hand stiffen underneath his touch. He was shocked, however, that she didn't make any attempts to remove her hand from his.

"There was a lot of stress and frustration over our mission to get the medallion," Wagner proceeded. He then rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Sonya was the one who… initiated it. Nothing else happened after that."

He didn't miss the fact that Juli frowned as she turned her head away. "The only thing I want to know is… why didn't you tell me before?" she asked.

Wagner gently squeezed her hand again. "Believe me, I wanted to tell you, but for one thing, there was a while there when we were still getting to know each other. Then, just as we were getting comfortable in our relationship, the universe goes to hell. With trying to figure out how to end this invasion, there just wasn't time to talk. I admit, I didn't think about it for a while until we came here, and who knows when I'll get another chance to tell you the truth. I thought you had the right to know."

Juli nodded, seemingly agreeing with his reasons. "I admit… I didn't like hearing about it, but I'm grateful that I heard the story from you and not from someone else in the cave."

Wagner chuckled. "Well, to tell you the truth, I never talked about it to anyone."

Juli raised an eyebrow. "Not even Guile?"

"Too awkward."

That made Juli laugh, but she quickly became serious. "I won't lie to you, Scott… when we free Sonya, the official introduction will feel awkward to me, but again… I'm glad you mentioned it instead of leaving me in the dark until the second we meet her as herself."

Wagner then removed his hand from Juli's grip before wrapping his arm around shoulders. "And here I thought you were going to give me a bit slap across the face and run off. Then you two will get into a cat fight once you meet."

Juli raised an eyebrow at him. "I think you've watch too many movies to come to that conclusion."

Wagner shrugged. "Hey, I have to expect the worst… because when the opposite of what you expect happens, you become pleasantly surprised."

A thought came to him then. "I would not be surprised, if we win this thing, that Hollywood would make a movie out of this adventure."

"You know they will," Juli replied.

Wagner laughed. "Hopefully they get a good actor to play me. That Devon Sawa guy would've been perfect to take on the role of me ten years ago."

"Oh, you are SO full of yourself," Juli laughed.

~~~

Closer to the cave, Julia Chang decided to cook some breakfast at the campfire, using some of the cooking equipment that was left behind. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to cook but ready-to-eat meals, but she figured that she could at least try to heat it up.

As she cooked, Julia suddenly heard footsteps coming towards her. She turned her head and soon noticed Sagat approaching.

"Hey Sagat," Julia greeted. "I'd offer you breakfast, but I don't think MRE's are the most ideal thing to have right about now."

"No, but I appreciate that," Sagat said as he sat down in front of the fire just a few feet from her.

"Then I can assume you just came to keep warm? It does get cold around this time of day, doesn't it?"

Sagat was oddly quiet at that, and it made Julia curious. She turned her head to the Muay Thai fighter. "What's on your mind?" she asked.

He gave her a serious look. "There's something important I have to tell you."

Hearing that statement made Julia tilt her head with curiosity. "What about?"

"You remember how I told you, on the night the invasion happened, that I was in the States for business?"

Julia nodded. "I remember. You never elaborated on what exactly it was about, but I assume this business you had… you're going to tell me about it now, I'm guessing."

Sagat nodded. "The business was to visit you. I found out more about your mother…"

Naturally, Julia's eyes widened at that. "Wh… why haven't you said anything earlier?"

Sagat leaned back a little, his arms resting behind him. "Too much was going on with the invasion. I was initially planning to not say anything until this was over, but… with the way everyone is talking, it's possible that this chance might not come again, so I'm going to talk about it now."

As he spoke, Julia had removed the MRE from the pan and placed it on a paper plate. She then took out a plastic fork that came with the MRE and began to pick at it. "Okay… what is this about my mother now…?"

"First, I want to mention that I had a disc as proof, but I ended up leaving it behind back at the Rockies camp."

Julia forced a small smile. "Well, with how quick we had to escape from there, I don't blame you."

Sagat proceeded. "It is true… Ryu had defended himself against Michele and had, in his defense, sent her off the cliff. However… that wasn't what killed her."

Julia suddenly went still at this. When Sagat had told her that he had more information on her mother, she thought it was some other piece about her being a brainwashed assassin. Never did she think he would further elaborate on the event of her death. She wasn't sure if she could handle it, but she forced herself to continue to listen.

"The disc contains footage of both the fight and the aftermath," Sagat mentioned. "I believe I know why Ryu couldn't remember what happened… there was this moment where a red aura surrounded his body, and his eyes, very briefly, flashed red. I'm not quite sure what that's about, but I've witnessed it first-hand." Sagat brushed a hand over the scar on his chest. "When he gave me this scar, he couldn't remember giving it to me afterwards."

"You said she survived the fall?" Julia pushed, her voice slightly wavering.

Sagat nodded. "From what I saw, she could've recovered had she got medical attention right away. Whoever was filming got closer to her. When they were about ten feet away, Shadaloo's own leader came up to her…"

Julia drew in a sharp breath. "Bison…"

The Muay Thai warrior nodded again. "He bent down to her… she was still alive, but barely. Her eyes looked up at him with focus… she knew he was there. He told her that she had failed in her mission and that she must be punished…

"He took her by her head with both hands and snapped her neck. It was quick. I don't think she felt any pain in that moment."

Upon hearing this, Julia's hands covered her mouth, which was gaping in horror. Her eyes brimmed with tears, but she blinked them away forcefully.

"There's more," Sagat mentioned. "Before filming ended, there was a glimpse of Ryu approaching. I think Bison tried to take care of him, but the film cut out then. I think he was trying to see if Michelle was okay, but he was stopped."

"And unfortunately, he doesn't remember it…" Julia whispered. Now the tears were dripping down her cheeks. She fully covered her face with her hands then, trying to comprehend what she just learned.

She could hear Sagat standing up. "If you don't believe me, I'll retrieve the disc from the camp when we get back to Earth and deliver it to you."

Julia only moved her hands enough so that she could speak clearly. "Do me a favor?" Sagat didn't answer, so she continued. "When you retrieve the disc again… burn it. I don't want to see it." She moved to gaze up at him, her cheeks wet. "I know it took a while for you to say anything… but… thank you… you answered a lot of questions for me. I still have more, but… this will be enough for now. When I'm ready, I'll speak to you."

Sagat simply nodded to her before he departed, deciding to head to the beach to train.

Once he was gone, Julia took a deep breath and quickly wiped her tears from her face. After a few more breaths, she was able to calm down. She realized then that there was something she had to do…

She had to talk to Ryu.

Abandoning her meal, Julia got up from the campfire. After taking a moment to extinguish the fire with a bucket of water, Julia began to head inside the cave, intending on looking for Ryu.

~~~

**Wastelands**

" _Hadouken!_ " Ryu shouted as a blue ball of energy quickly emerged from his hands, arms extended.

At the same time, Shin Akuma also shot out a projectile. The two energies ended up colliding against each other, creating a small explosion. As the chi dispersed, Ryu and Shin Akuma covered the space between them and engaged in combat once more.

Ryu immediately got himself on offense, forcing Shin Akuma to block the various punches and kicks thrown at him. Eventually, he forced himself to step back before jump back diagonally. From the air, Shin Akuma shot out another projectile from his hand, and Ryu quickly dodged away from it.

As Shin Akuma fell back to the ground, Ryu jumped forward, extending one leg out before spinning rapidly. " _Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!_ " Ryu called out. The move managed to hit the demon a couple of times in the face, knocking him back. However, Shin Akuma was able to recover before he hit the ground by somersaulting in the air, soon landing back on his feet.

When Ryu landed after the attack, he suddenly felt a surge of power coursing through his veins. It then clutched onto him as though attempting to put him in a choke hold. With eyes widen, he looked down at his hands and saw that there was a glowing red aura surrounding it. Even his vision was starting to turn red.

The _Satsui No Hadou_ was trying to awaken within him.

 _No! NO!_ he screamed out in his head. _Not now! I won't let it take over!_

As Ryu tried to reign in the power, a memory from years ago entered his mind…

_Fifteen years ago, Japan…_

_Two young adolescents were sparring by the waterfall; one a short-haired brunette wearing a white karate gi and red fighting gloves, and the other with long blonde hair tied back with a red headband wearing a red karate gi and brown fighting gloves. Both were in full concentration in hopes of overtaking the other._

_Then suddenly, the blonde had delivered a fast, roundhouse kick, his feet grazing the brunette deep enough to leave a gash on his forehead. He stumbled down the stoned stairs, daze from the hit, before landing at the bottom._

_"_ _Ryu!" the blonde called out as he lept down the steps to where his friend landed. By then, Ryu was on his knees, his hand covering the fresh gash._

_"_ _Hey buddy, you all right?" he asked with concern._

_Ryu gazed up at him and managed to smile. "Oh yeah, I'm okay." But by then, the blood from the gash was seeping through his fingers. The blonde became more concerned as he kneeled down and removed Ryu's hand from his head, getting a better look at the cut. It wasn't as bad as it looked, but it definitely wasn't going to stop bleeding any time soon._

_He had nothing else to control the bleeding with, so an idea came to him. Reaching behind his head, the blonde removed the long, red band that tied back his hair and removed it. Stretching it out, he soon placed the headband around Ryu's head before tying it securely behind his head._

_He pulled back when he was done. "There," he declared, still feeling guilty for causing the gash on his head to begin with._

_Ryu smiled. "Thank you, Ken," he said. He then got into a fighting stance. "So then… shall we?"_

_Ken grinned as he too got into his own fighting stance, ready to spar once more…_

From where he stood, Shin Akuma grinned sadistically, something Ryu noticed once the memory left him. "Yes, let it take over. It is time that you let yourself transcend humanity! It is your fate!"

" _Hadouken!_ " Ryu called out as he shot out another projectile. This time, the usual blue ball of energy was now a fireball.

Shin Akuma merely avoided by teleporting a few feet to the side, letting the fireball pass by and smash into one of the broken statues not too far from them. The sadistic grin never left his demonic face.

A more recent memory ran through Ryu's mind…

_Ryu was well known to meditate through anything and will not even flinch even if there was an earthquake. However, there was only one way to get Ryu out of his meditation. Ken lifted his foot and went to go kick him in the shoulder. Immediately, Ryu lifted his arm and quickly blocked the maneuver._

_"Time to wake up," Ken said. Ryu smirked as he heard his childhood friend's voice. He then opened his eyes, revealing a set of dark brown irises, and looked up at Ken._

_"Must you always do that?" Ryu asked._

_"You know I like to bug you when you're serious," Ken laughed. "Besides, I want you to meet someone."_

_It was then that he noticed a young woman holding two cups in each hand coming up to them. Her long dark hair was pulled back in a single ponytail and she wore khaki pants, brown shoes, and a blue shirt._

_When she was a foot away, Ken looked over at her. "It's funny. We're all staying in the same cave, but I never officially introduced the two of you to each other. Julia, I'd like to introduce you to my best friend Ryu. Ryu, this is Julia, the first person I met during this tournament."_

_Julia smiled at Ryu. "Ken mentioned you to me a few times. It's nice to finally meet you."_

_"Nice to meet you, too," Ryu answered._

_The young woman began bending down while keeping her torso up. "Would you like some-"_

_Suddenly, Julia lost her balance and fell sideways. Her own tea fell to the side as well, but unfortunately, the other cup fell towards Ryu, its contents spilled onto the top part of his gi. Ryu was caught by surprise and immediately rolled back, then stood up on his feet._

_Ken wasn't sure whether to laugh or stare in horror. He then got his senses back and helped Julia onto her feet. "You all right?"_

_Julia sighed. "I'm fine." She then quickly looked over at Ryu. "Are you all right? That stuff didn't burn you did it? I'm so sorry, I'm so clumsy!"_

_Ryu waved a hand. "It's all right. Actually, I should thank you. This gi needed to be washed anyways." With that, he undid the black belt that was around his waist before slipping the gi off his shoulders. Julia immediately felt her face flush a bit as she stared_ _at his well-developed torso._

_Ken laughed. "Tell me about it. I don't think you've washed that thing since we last saw each other."_

_Ryu chose to ignore him as he turned his head to Julia. "Well, I should go rest for the night. I'll see you around. It was nice to meet you." He then turned around and began walking back to the cave._

"The dark hadou is the true way of our power," Shin Akuma said, cutting through Ryu's thoughts. "It is our destiny, our true calling! Only then will you reach your full potential!"

"I will _never_ give in!" Ryu declared.

"Then you are weak and deserving of death!" Shin Akuma declared. He suddenly shot out two projectiles, one from each hand, and forcing Ryu to roll to the side a few times out of the way in order to avoid being hit.

Kneeling back up, Ryu took a deep breath, doing all he can to keep the dark hadou under control… but how much longer could that last?

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

"My lord," Baraka began to say after he bowed to Emperor Shao Kahn. "There is something you should know."

"What is it?" Shao Kahn asked, feeling impatient. At the moment, he was the only one on the throne. Some of his Generals and other minions stood before him.

Baraka proceeded. "My scouts detected some humans near the old Blood Tournament grounds. We didn't investigate closer so that we weren't detected, but they are there. I checked for myself."

"You sure that wasn't the rotting corpses you smelled over there?" asked Hsu Hao.

"I _know_ the difference between a living and a dead human!" an insulted Baraka growled.

Shao Kahn leaned back into his throne. "Must be more scouts… probably from the same group you detected on the wastelands the other day. This is not a coincidence." He gazed at the group. "Baraka… I want you to lead, Hsu Hao, Donna, Reptile, Guy, Noob Saibot, and Frost to investigate immediately. I want to know everything you discover. Do not get too close to them just yet… unless they attack you first."

Baraka bowed to him. "As you wish, my lord."

Soon, the group departed and closed the door behind them, leaving Shao Kahn alone. He leaned back in his throne, resting his head on his hand, feeling a bit bored at the moment.

Suddenly, the Emperor felt a surge that caused him to gasp and twist slightly in his seat. Letting out a grunt, he looked down at his hands… and was surprised to see them surrounded by a blood red aura. A vision also flashed before him, his ears hearing the screams of countless souls he saw in front of him.

And then, there was a large sword, the one that looked exactly like the one he destroyed back at the end of the tournament, with an eye amongst its steel… an eye that looked suspiciously like the one on the _Chishio No Me_ medallion.

But as quickly as it came, the surge stopped and the aura disappeared. The vision left and the screams stopped. The Emperor found himself gasping for breath, not expecting such a thing to happen.

When he caught his breath, Shao Kahn gazed at his surroundings with his glowing red eyes. He had been alone in that moment. Good.

He shifted his gaze to his hands. Briefly, he wondered if he was starting to lose control of the essence of Soul Edge. Did it want to escape? Or was it trying to overtake him?

He was pretty sure that it was the latter. If that was the case, he was going to need to find a way to quell it before it overtook him for good.

~~~

**Cave**

When Julia Chang checked Ryu's room, she wasn't all that surprised when she didn't find him in his room. At this point, it meant one of two things… either he was with Ken, or he was out somewhere training.

She headed to where Ken's room was and noticed the curtain was closed. "Ken?" she called out.

"Come in," Ken replied.

Julia stepped into the room. She frowned upon realizing that Ken was the only one in the room. He gave her a concerned look upon seeing her face, especially her eyes. "Hey," he said as he approached. "You look like you were crying. What's wrong?"

Julia took a deep breath. "I'm all right. I… just realized something. I was also hoping you knew where Ryu was."

She had expected Ken to answer her right away… instead, he frowned, his eyebrows furrowed, and he gazed at the young woman as though he wanted to tell her what he knew… however, for some reason, he couldn't.

"Ken?" Julia said. "Where's Ryu?"

Ken shook his head. "I… wish I could tell you, but-"

"Damn it Ken, not now!" Julia called out, her eyes filled with tears again. "What's going on that you can say anything? I just found out my mother's death was not Ryu's fault and I need to talk to him!"

Ken's eyes widened at that. He had a lot of questions as to how she found out, but right now wasn't the time. "Oh damn… of all the times to find out, huh?"

"Please tell me where he is," Julia quietly begged.

Ken took a deep breath. "He went to the wastelands. The murderer of our master is out there and he poses a threat to our operation. Ryu intends to finish him once and for all."

Julia gasped in horror. "What?! Spirits no… we have to help him!"

"You think I don't want to?!" Ken called out. "I'm itching to get out there and help him, but Akuma made him go alone! I'm just as worried sick as you are!"

"Then let's go together!" Julia suggested. "We can't let him fight alone!"

Ken began to pace around as he brushed his fingers through his blond hair. "You have no idea how much I want to help, but…"

"But what?!" Julia demanded, her fists clenching.

"… We need as many as we can to fight against the Outworld Forces. Ryu's going to try all he can to divert Akuma away from the camp, even if it costs him his life." His words sounded forced… even Ken knew that.

Julia shook her head as she backed away. She could tell Ken wanted to say more, but at this point, she didn't want to hear any more. "I… I have to comprehend this…" She then turned and left the room. She heard Ken call out her name, but she ignored him.

Julia was just heading back to her room, but before she went in, she stopped herself… an idea she knew no one - especially her mother - would agree with came to her.

_The Wastelands… if I remember correctly, it's not too far from here…_

Taking a deep breath and with determination in her eyes, Julia turned and left the cave… and began to head towards the wastelands where she hoped to find Ryu.

It was either the bravest thing or the stupidest thing she'll ever do in her life…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

For longer than she anticipated, Jade found herself fighting against a Shadow Priest. For as long as Jade had worked under the Emperor of Outworld, she knew that the Shadow Priests who served him were much stronger than they looked. Many of them were mages who mastered the dark arts, so it was no surprise to the Edenian that the one she was fighting now was strong.

In the small room, there wasn't a lot of space to maneuver around, and there were a few times when Jade attempted to leave the room, but the Shadow Priest always blocked her path.

The Priest also knocked Jade's staff out of her hands with their magic, and the two went hand to hand for a bit. Jade was a bit frustrated by that because the heavy, loose cloak the Priest wore made it hard for her to aim her fist at the proper spot to subdue her opponent.

Then, the Priest jumped back from Jade. Summoning their magic, they produced a pair of tanto blades, one in each hand. During that time, this gave Jade the chance to grab her staff again, holding it in front of her as she stood ready to defend herself again.

With a grunt, the Priest jumped forward and attempted to slash Jade with the blades, but Jade was able to deflect them with her staff, managed to knock one out of their hand. Ducking underneath another attack, Jade pushed her staff up and into the Priest's wrist, knocking the other blade out of their grip.

With a growl, the Priest suddenly jumped forward again and rammed their shoulder into Jade, forcing her to slam into the wall behind her. Jade ended up dropping her staff as her back hit the surface, and before she knew it, she found those cold hands wrapped around her throat in a tight grip, cutting off her oxygen.

Behind the Priest, the door quickly flew open and Jade saw Yoshimitsu step inside. He saw what was happening to his ally and swiftly pulled out his katana, intending to kill the Priest.

By then, she had a plan. Taking out her razor rang, Jade pressed a button in the middle to extend the three razors out. Then, with all of her strength, she slammed one of the three blades right through the Priest's heart. With a gasp, the Priest staggered back for a moment before falling back to the ground. Their body convulsed a little before it went still, breathing out their last breath.

Yoshimitsu placed his sword back in its scabbard on his left hip. "I thought I heard a fight when I started exploring this area," he said. "How did you find yourself in this predicament?"

"Honestly, it was stupid mistake on my part," Jade admitted as she picked up her staff from the ground. "I went to hide from those loyal to the Emperor… this room used to be a storage room, so I hadn't realized they… changed it until now. I'll have to be more careful."

"In that case, even if this fortress has the same layout, the rooms may have different purposes from their predecessors," the Manji Clan leader guessed. He then noticed the crystal ball in the room. "Hmm."

"What is it?" Jade asked as she too gazed at the glowing orb.

"I had wondered how the Outworld Forces could easily invade the realms after all this time… it's possible that Shao Kahn used this kind of method to figure out where to invade, and perhaps even figure out where the strongest warriors were located at the time."

"You think this Priest was here for that purpose?" Jade asked as she removed her razor rang out of the Priest's chest.

"Maybe… but it no longer matters now… they are dead."

Jade nodded. "We should get moving then."

"Hold on," Yoshimitsu said. "I think it's best to check for supplies here first before we go. The Priest might hold something of importance. Stand guard while I search."

Jade nodded, her hands tightening around her staff. Keeping an ear out, she watched as Yoshimitsu began to remove the hood in order to make it easier to search the Priest for anything useful… or valuable.

The moment the Priest's face was revealed, Yoshmitsu was startled to hear a clanging sound. Gazing up at the green-clad woman, he realized that the Edenian had dropped her staff. Seeing her face, she looked as though she was in the state of shock; her eyes were wide, her jaw dropped, and all the color seemed to drain from her face.

"Jade? What's the matter?" he asked.

Jade didn't even hear him as she collapsed onto her knees, her green eyes never leaving the Priest's face. Her body began to shake as thousands of thoughts ran through her mind. Last she had heard, they were dead, and now… now Jade had killed them with no chance of them ever breaking through the spell of their brainwash.

The face she was staring at belonged to the psychic, Rose.


	80. Chapter Seventy-Nine

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

Jade found herself frozen in her place as a horrified look etched onto her face. Lying by her feet was a Shadow Priest who turned out to be the psychic Rose, one of her leaders during the Blood Tournament… and she had just killed her.

The Edenian woman only learned not too long ago that Rose had died in the immediate aftermath of the tournament. Little did anyone know, as she realized, that Shao Kahn had found some use for the psychic… so he had her resurrected and brainwashed to serve as some sort of fortune teller to the Emperor.

Until now, no one had an inkling of her true fate… and now there was no way to rectify that because, once again, Rose was dead.

"Jade!" she heard someone call out. Breaking out of her thoughts, Jade blinked a couple of times before turning her head and spotted Yoshimitsu. She completely forgot that he was in the room.

"You knew her... didn't you?" Yoshimitsu guessed.

Then suddenly, Jade let out a roar as she tossed her bloodied razor rang into the wall, one of the blades planting into it, with all of her strength. The outburst even startled the Manji clan leader and he had taken a step back without thinking about it. She then collapsed onto her knees, her eyes never leaving the dead woman on the floor.

"I just killed one of my own!" Jade cried out. "She trusted us and guided us at the tournament… and I just repaid her by killing her! How else am I going to fail in this war?! I failed to protect Edenia, I failed to protect Kitana and Sindel, and I failed my Freedom Fighters! How could any of you trust me when-"

She suddenly stopped as a pair of hands grasped onto her upper arms firmly. The Edenian tilted her head up quickly and saw Yoshimitsu kneeling in front of her. Despite the mask over his face, he seemed to gaze at her with sympathy and concern.

"None of this was your fault," he said to her. "The only one to blame is Shao Kahn and the Outworld Forces. You were merely defending yourself… your friends would have understood… _she_ would have understood. Don't let what happened to her be in vain. Do not give up now, not while we're this close to winning."

Jade took a deep breath before she managed to nod. "Thank you… I… needed the reminder."

Yoshimitsu nodded before he let her go and stood back on his feet. He then reached a hand out to her and Jade took it before he helped pull her back onto her feet.

Taking another deep breath, Jade managed to get her focus back. "I know we talked about going to the dungeons last, but… I need to get down there… I have to know if they're still alive."

Yoshimitsu was silent for a moment before he finally nodded. "Okay, but be careful. And if you can, see if any of my own clan members are there."

Jade tilted her head. "What will you do?"

The clan leader gazed down at Rose. "I'll straighten this room up a bit, and then I'll head outside to bury her. She deserves that much."

"Yeah…"

"When I'm done, I'll meet you at the dungeons." Yoshimitsu then tidied up the room for a moment before carefully picking up Rose's body from the floor. Going into invisible, he headed outside of the small room.

Jade knew in that moment that it was safe outside from the room. Quietly, she went outside and, once more, gets herself in the shadows, resuming her mission.

~~~

**Forest**

"Remember that time when we first met Raven?" Chun Li ended up asking in order to break the silence between her and those she was scouting with.

Cammy had to chuckle a little. "I remember that… I think it happened somewhere not too far from here."

"I recall how she told us to hang back," said Lita. "When we heard fighting, we ran over and found her fight with Raven. And she was like, 'About time you showed up.'"

"And I said, 'well, you did tell us to stay back,'" Chun Li recalled.

"You know… it actually was the four of us who were with her when that happened," mentioned Alex.

Lita snorted. "Huh, I think you're right, mate. Hey! Remember that prank Sonya and Wagner pulled on you, Walker?"

Alex raised an eyebrow. "What prank?"

"Oh don't tell me you forgot waking up with a hangover and finding Wagner in bed with you," Cammy said with a chuckle.

Alex groaned as she placed a palm over her face. "Don't remind me."

"I admit, your reaction was pretty funny," Lita admitted. "Then you realized it was a prank and I could've sworn you turned into a demonic being with the way you yelled, 'Get out!' Look on the bright side… nothing actually happened, he got into that bed about five minutes before you woke up."

"Thankfully," Alex said. "Wagner's a good kid, but if something actually had happened, it would have been very, very awkward from that day forward."

"It would for me too," Cammy said. "He's like a brother to me and if that actually happened, well… awkward wouldn't even be the right word for it."

"Remember Lei's failed attempt at cooking?" Lita mentioned.

Chun Li chuckled. "Poor guy was trying to impress me. Funny you mentioned it because we were both just talking about it yesterday."

Cammy happened to gaze at their surroundings. "I think we should push forward from here," she said. "I doubt we're going to see anything unusual from this viewpoint."

"And I'm sure all this chattering didn't help," Chun Li mentioned.

"Hey, it's good to let loose as long as you're careful about it," said Lita.

"Well, let's go," Cammy suggested.

The four women began to walk further into the woods. Alex ended up trailing just behind the trio, moving her head around to get a better look at her surroundings with every few steps she took.

Then, she turned her head… and saw something move about twenty yards away. Alex stopped in her tracks, trying to figure out whether or not what she just saw was in her imagination. It didn't take long before she saw movement again in between the large trees.

Someone was out there.

Alex turned her head, but saw that Chun Li, Cammy, and Lita were already far ahead. Knowing it would have caught the attention of whoever was near if she either ran to catch up with them or call out for them, Alex began to carefully walk towards where she last saw the moving figure.

She didn't realize until the moment she began to pull out her gun that her hand was shaking. The young woman took a deep breath, trying to quell her sudden nerves.

It only took a few minutes before Alex suddenly saw someone standing nearby as though on lookout. Seeing some heavy bushes nearby, Alex ducked behind it, making sure not to step on any leaves or twigs that had fallen from the trees.

Her hands were still shaking and her palms were now sweating.

Taking slow, even breaths, Alex looked over the bushes. The figure's back was turned to her, but she instantly recognized the silver cybernetics that flashed red with each 'heartbeat.'

It was Hsu Hao.

She was reminded of Jax's last orders to her and Cyrax…

_"I have one more order for the both of you," Jax suddenly said. The two stared at him for a moment before he spoke. "If either of you happen to run into Hsu Hao at any time before I get to him… kill him on sight."_

_"With elation," Cyrax said almost proudly._

_"What did he do?" Alex asked with confusion._

_"I'll explain when we get in the car."_

She got that explanation in her car just after sunrise on their way to Colorado…

_Cyrax went into a whisper. "He was the one who blew up the OIA building."_

_Alex's eyes widened. "That was him?"_

_"And it almost killed Jax too, but he barely managed to escape. We think he's working with the Outworld Forces. I always suspected that bastard was up to something, but it was hard to find any sort of evidence… until now at least. So now you know the deal and why Jax ordered his killing."_

_"I see."_

As she thought of all of this, Alex prepared to follow through with her orders. She first checked to make sure her gun was loaded. She also found that the only sound she noticed was her breathing… there were moments where the brunette was sure that the traitor had heard her.

When she was ready, she placed her finger on the trigger, extended her arm out, and aimed towards the back of Hsu Hao's head…

~~~

**Wastelands**

Julia Chang found herself feeling frightened and nervous the further she walked into the wastelands. She was thankful that it was a huge, wide-open space. At least then, she would know if something attempted to jump after her. Whenever she went near a statue, she made sure to stay as far as possible from it just in case someone was hiding behind it.

Despite being afraid, she forced herself to brave through her walk. Nothing was going to stop her from getting to Ryu, even if Shao Kahn himself suddenly stepped in front of her.

She soon reached what looked like a beach area, the water darker than usual. Upon closer inspection, she realized that the reason for the darker color was because it was filled with blood.

"Oh spirits," she uttered as she walked away from it.

That was when she heard fighting nearby. Turning her head, it didn't take Julia long for her to spot Ryu fighting the man who she realized was some… demon. His body was surrounded by a red aura, and his eyes glowed brightly in the same color.

Julia frowned, knowing that there was nothing she could do to stop the fight. Besides, Ryu would not want her to try to intervene, which Julia knew would be even more stupid than actually coming here in the first place. Just being here, at least the young woman would know the result of the fight rather than wait around, twiddling her thumbs back at the cave.

Suddenly, the demon managed to grab Ryu by the head and lifted him up off the ground. Ryu didn't even have the chance to struggle before he was suddenly thrown sideways, a yell escaping his throat before his body landed hard in the sand.

Julia gasped right before she instinctively began to run where Ryu landed, intending on seeing if she was all right. However, she only managed to go five steps when she was promptly kicked right in the head with enough force to knock her to the ground.

For a brief moment, when she began to turn on her back, Julia had expected to be face to face with the demon… which would definitely not be a good thing. However, the moment she saw the person, Julia gasped in horror… it was the last person she had expected to be standing above her.

"S… Sakura?!" Julia cried out. "But… you're dead!"

Sakura let out a roar as she attempted to stomp on Julia, who immediately rolled out of the way. Getting herself back on her feet, Julia got a better look at her former ally… the girl's hair was darker than she remembered, her skin was deathly pale, and her once chestnut colored eyes were now a glow red just like the demon's. A red aura also surrounded her small-framed body.

"What happened to you?" Julia whispered sadly. She quickly found herself forced to defend herself when Sakura began to attack.

Meanwhile, Ryu managed to get himself back on his own feet. He suddenly heard fighting nearby. When he turned his head, his eyes widened with surprise upon realizing that Julia was near.

"What is she doing here?" he asked himself. He then furrowed his eyebrows as he noticed her opponent. "Sakura?"

Ryu didn't have the chance to comprehend what was seeing because unexpectedly, Shin Akuma threw two purple projectiles at him. Ryu barely managed to duck and dodge out of the way, sending the two fireballs away from the scene. He then got in a defensive position as Akuma began to cover the space between them.

The fight continued from there…

~~~

**Forest**

"Reptile, lead some of the guards south from there," ordered Guy. "The rest of you head north and meet back here in about one hour."

"Will do," Reptile replied before the group dispersed.

For a moment, Guy stood where he was, gazing around at his surroundings. With the exception of the light wind and the distant footsteps he knew belonged to Reptile and the others, all was quiet around him.

Baraka had sworn that he smelled live humans somewhere near the old palace grounds. However, there seemed to be no evidence of human presence as of yet. Either Hsu Hao was right about Baraka's instincts being off with the rotting corpses nearby, or the intruders were _really_ good at hiding.

Heading up to the trees, Guy lept off the branches, keeping himself hidden amongst the leaves. He was careful about each jump, making sure not to shake any of the branches with every step he took.

It was then that he spotted a figure standing in the forest below. Believing that he found something, Guy jumped down in front of the person, intending on making himself known to them.

He immediately recognized the person… it was the same woman who had managed to sneak into the training room at the fortress some time ago. She looked just the same as last time… her long, silky black hair fell to her hips, her thick bangs framing her pale face, and her lips were painted red. Her olive green kimono was heavy, the bottom end pooling around her bare feet. Her dark brown eyes stared straight at him and there was a hint of sadness in them.

Guy narrowed her eyes at him. "You again," he said. "Who are you and what do you want? And how did you manage to get in and out of the Emperor's fortress undetected?"

The woman said nothing, and her eyes seemed to look sadder. This only served to frustrate Guy. "Why won't you answer me?!" he demanded.

With a growl, Guy jumped forward, intending on pinning her to the ground and demand an answer. Before he could reach her, however, she suddenly disappeared.

Guy was baffled the moment she vanished. He then shook his head, feeling annoyed. Apparently, the strange woman was a ghost who, for some reason, was haunting him… perhaps it had something to do with his previous life before he began to serve Shao Kahn and the Outworld Forces.

Whatever it was about, he wasn't going to let it deter him from his mission. Jumping back into the trees, he resumed his assignment.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

It took about a half hour, but about three miles away from the fortress, Yoshimitsu finished his task in burying Rose. Finding a large boulder, he placed it over the grave before using his sword to etch her name on it. When that was done, he kneeled in front of the stone and quietly chanted an ancient prayer meant for the dead.

When he was done, Yoshimitsu stood up and began to head back to the fortress to continue his mission. In invisible mode, he approached the fortress, killed the newly replaced guards at the front door, and then walked right in.

Pulling out the container with the scroll inside, Yoshimitsu knew what he was going to do next. If he remembered correctly, the sleeping quarters were on the third floor.

It took a lot of maneuvering around to avoid detection, especially when he ran into some tarkatans. As stupid as they usually were for the most part, they were still pretty good at smelling out intruders. Just last night, Jade had talked about a bottle of tarkatan essence that was usually sold in Outworld shops. Upon sniffing the scent, it would send the tarkatans into a crazed frenzy and destroy whatever the smell came from like rabid dogs.

It would have been a good distraction if he had his own bottle of that stuff.

The moment he reached the third floor, he heard a pair of high heels clicking against the stoned floor. Peaking around the corner just next to the stair, he was able to get a better look at who those footsteps belonged to.

There, walking down the hallway was Ivy Valentine.

"Well… this is quite lucky of me," Yoshimitsu uttered underneath his breath. Naturally, he stayed in invisible mode and began to follow her, staying within thirty feet.

She soon entered a room, closing the door behind her. Quickly and quietly, Yoshimitsu went up to the door and began to listen. He heard another door open and close from within, and footsteps were no longer heard. There was clearly another room that she went in, more than likely a private bathroom.

Now was his chance.

He tested the door and realized that it was unlocked. He then pulled it back a bit, waiting to see if the Empress would say anything about intruders. When he didn't hear anything, Yoshimitsu went inside.

As he walked towards the four-post king size bed, Yoshimitsu noted the feminine décor; all of the furniture with fabric, sheets, and curtains were in a smoky purple color. The pillows were all covered in satin in the same color. A few scented candles were lit on the wooden, black nightstand, releasing a flowery-like smell that reminded the ninja of tulips.

This was definitely Ivy's own room. Yoshimitsu couldn't imagine the Emperor sharing a room like this.

He could hear a faucet running in the adjacent bathroom, and by the heavy sound of it, it was clear that Ivy intended to take a bath. Good, that gave him time.

Yoshimitsu searched the room. Mostly, he found personal belongings here and there along with books… lots and lots of books. Going through each of them, most of them were about alchemy as well as two separate books about the history of Outworld and Keisei. To his disappointment, he found nothing of value, not even amongst the books. Now, he only had one more task to complete.

Taking out the scroll from its container, Yoshimitsu left it on her bed just against one of the satin pillows in the middle. The second he let go, he swiftly left the room, making sure to close the door behind him. From there, he began to head down to the dungeons where he knew Jade would be.

In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think about that scroll and what it could mean for the fate of the realms. Whatever Fujin's reasons were for this task, Yoshimitsu hoped that he didn't come to regret it…

~~~

**Wastelands**

Julia was forced to duck as Sakura performed a hurricane kick similar to Ryu's. As soon as Sakura flew over her head, Julia straightened herself up and waited.

The moment Sakura turned around to face her, Julia jumped forward and landed two kicks into Sakura's chest, knocking her back. Then, Julia stepped forward again, spun around, and delivered a side kick, landing on the younger woman's abdomen and making her stumble further away.

While Sakura recovered, Julia stepped in again and performed a roundhouse kick to Sakura's side. She then followed up with a right hook, and then bent down for a sweep kick, which Sakura jumped over. Then, Julia stood up and rammed her shoulder into Sakura, knocking her back.

With a growl, Sakura shook off the pain that hit her before jumping into the air. She then shot out her hand and a dark blue projectile flew from her hand. Julia gasped in surprise, but was able to compose herself and dodge out of the way. The energy ended up crashing into the sand with enough force to leave a small crater behind.

"Sakura!" Julia called out as she got back into her stance. "Please, listen to-"

She didn't get the chance to finish when Sakura covered the space between them and attempted to throw some punches at her. Julia was forced to block, but Sakura eventually broke through, landing two punches to Julia's face. She then followed it with two kicks to the torso before shooting out another projectile. This time, it hit Julia squarely in the chest, knocking her back a few feet.

"Ugh," Julia groaned as she forced herself to sit up. To the side, she could hear the continuing battle between Ryu and the demon, but she dared to not see that fight… not with someone attacking her. About ten feet away, Sakura stood in a fighting stance, more than likely waiting for her opponent to be ready again.

"Sakura," Julia spoke again as she slowly got back on her feet. "Listen to me… I don't know what's happened to you or what kind of power is influencing you. Your eyes are red, so it has nothing to do with Shao Kahn's powers… but you have to break out of it!"

Just as Julia finished that sentence, Sakura suddenly jumped forward and began throwing more punches and kicks at Julia, who was once more forced to defend herself. Then, Julia managed to push a right hook from Sakura sideways, leaving the younger woman open. Taking the opportunity, Julia delivered a palm strike, followed it with a spin kick, and then used her fist to slam Sakura face first into the ground.

Even after being smashed into the sands, Sakura quickly rolled back before getting onto her feet again. She got closer to Julia, who was just beginning to get herself on guard, but by then, Sakura was too close. Before Julia knew it, Sakura's fist slammed underneath her chin as she performed the uppercut, sending the older woman flying into the air. As she fell back down, Julia tried to twist herself so that she landed safely, but unfortunately, she realized just a split second beforehand that it would be too late.

"AHH!" Julia cried out as she landed on her left side. At the same time, pain immediately shot up and down her arm, and she soon felt it mostly in her shoulder. "Damn it!" she called out. She was just about to go check the extent of the damage, but then she suddenly heard Sakura coming towards her again.

With her injury, she realized that she had to end the fight _now_ _._

"I'm sorry, Sakura," Julia sadly whispered.

Using her good arm, Julia planted her hand into the ground before using her legs to push her body up in a diagonal feet first. Then, using all of her strength, both of her feet ended up slamming into Sakura's face with enough force to send her flying away before landing head first into the ground.

Getting on her feet again, Julia ran over to where Sakura landed, who laid motionless on her side, her eyes closed. Julia immediately bent down to check on Sakura. Her vital signs were normal, though her heart rate was definitely elevated from their battle. She was also sure that Sakura wouldn't wake up from being knocked out cold any time soon.

At any other time, Julia would have tried to get Sakura back at the cave, but she quickly realized that it was impossible right now, not with her shoulder being injured. So she did the next best thing… using her good arm, Julia managed to drag Sakura to the nearest statue. Once she reached it, Julia sat down before pulling Sakura to her chest, clenching her teeth as she forced herself to ignore the pain in her shoulder. It was definitely not dislocated or broken, but Julia was sure that something got torn. When Sakura's head was resting on her right collar bone, Julia then wrapped her good arm protectively around her before resting her back against the statue.

Upon closer inspection, Julia couldn't help but frown as she noticed how much paler Sakura looked from the last time she saw her. "What happened to you?" she whispered.

" _Hadouken!_ _"_ she heard Ryu call out, catching her attention. Julia's eyes widened as a blue projectile emerged from his hand, heading towards Shin Akuma. The demon then shot out a purple projectile, and to Julia's dismay, it actually was powerful enough to cut through Ryu's before it headed straight towards him. To her relief, the wandering warrior quickly stepped sideways before he was hit. From there, he covered the space between him and his opponent and began to throw some punches and kicks at Shin Akuma, who blocked the moves with ease.

From where she sat, Julia could only watch the battle unfold, praying to every spirit and deity she could think of that Ryu would live through this.

Suddenly, Shin Akuma managed to find an opening before he slammed his fists into Ryu's face twice before delivering an uppercut, sending Ryu flying into the air. However, Ryu managed to recover by somersaulting back before landing on the ground. He then quickly jumped off the sand before extending one leg out and spun himself rapidly.

" _Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!_ " Ryu called out, but Shin Akuma easily moved himself out of the way before he was hit. Ryu then landed on the ground, but at the same time, the demon had quickly teleported closer to him.

Julia was about to call out a warning to Ryu, but he didn't even get the chance to turn around before Shin Akuma slammed his fist into his back, sending him flying forward. Still, Ryu was able to keep himself on his feet despite the powerful move. Shin Akuma then attempted to teleport closer, but by then, Ryu had whirled himself around, his fist clenched and ready for his next move.

" _Shoryuken!_ " he called out as he attempted an uppercut. Unfortunately, his fist completely missed Shin Akuma, who was able to back away before he was hit.

As he fell back to the ground, Ryu attempted to charge up some energy in an attempt to shoot out another projectile at his enemy. However, before he was able to finish, Shin Akuma had jumped into the air before deliver two kicks right into his face. As he started to fall, Shin Akuma slammed his fist hard into his stomach, causing Ryu to gasp for air even before crashing in the sand back first.

Shin Akuma landed gracefully on his feet just above Ryu. Ryu coughed a bit and was now able to taste of his own blood on his tongue.

From where she sat, Julia could only watch in horror as Shin Akuma reached down with one hand. He grabbed Ryu by his head before lifting him off the ground so that his brother's student was eye level with him.

 _No, no, no, no!_ Julia cried out in her mind as she began to frantically shake her head. _Ryu, snap out of it! Fight! Don't let him win!_

Shin Akuma then let go of Ryu, who stumbled a bit on his feet, but before he could regain himself, the demon began to plummet him with his fists, aiming at him from different directions. Ryu was able to block a few, but some of the punches to his face quickly left him in a state of dizziness.

Finally, it stopped, and Shin Akuma pulled back to take a look at the damage he caused… blood began to seep from Ryu's lip, nose, and one side of his head and a goose egg was starting to develop on his forehead along with a few bruises.

The demon began to charge up some energy, his aura glowing more than ever. Ryu glared at him, his eyes dazed, but they showed no fear.

Shin Akuma planned to change that. If the whelp wasn't going to let himself give into to the true form of their fighting style, then so be it.

Quickly, Shin Akuma teleported forward, ready to perform his ultimate move. As soon as he got closer to Ryu, a flash of white suddenly hit Julia's eyes, forcing her to close them. Even so, she could still hear the sounds of various punches and kicks somewhere within the bright light.

In that moment, Julia feared the worst.

" ** _RYU!_** "

~~~

**Forest**

When she was ready, Alex placed her finger on the trigger, extended her arm out, and aimed towards the back of Hsu Hao's head. She was ready follow through with Jax's orders to kill the traitor on sight.

There was one problem… her hand was still shaking, making it hard for her to aim properly. The last thing she needed was to completely miss the back of the traitor's head.

 _Damn it, come on!_ she yelled out in her head, her teeth clenched in frustration.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps close by, and Alex immediately ducked behind the bushes before she was spotted. Whoever approached Hsu Hao, she hoped that they wouldn't take long. At least it would give her time to calm her nerves down.

"There you are," a young woman's voice said. "Did you find anything yet?"

"Not yet," Hsu Hao replied.

"Huh, I think these woods tend to do that… I think we're not too far from the living forest either."

"Perhaps."

As they spoke, Alex peaked over the bushes again. The woman who was there now was facing Hsu Hao and slightly angled so that she wasn't facing directly in front of where the soldier was hiding.

Alex instantly recognized the young woman; Donna. Last time she saw her, they had fought in the Keisei invasion. Back then, she thought the young woman was familiar… but even now, she couldn't pinpoint exactly why.

"You know, I'm hearing rumors about members of the Black Dragon actually being in the fortress," Donna mentioned.

"Where did you hear that?"

"From Tanya," Donna replied with a bit of malice. "If that's the case, then I want to go home. I refuse to work with them, not after what they tried to do to me! My head hurts just thinking about it. They say I was lucky to survive the fall, especially after I crashed into that car… but I don't feel so lucky…"

With the mention of the Black Dragon and hearing Donna's story, Alex suddenly remembered a file she read while organizing some of Sonya's old things the evening of the invasion…

_A witness had heard a loud crash from across Ming Avenue around 1500 hour. He noted one of the cars with its roof caved in, the windows broken. Upon closer inspection, he saw Donatella Ridditch lying unconscious on top of the car. An officer of the law was nearby and was able to give first aid immediately. Investigations revealed that she had jumped from a window from the 8th floor of what was thought to be an abandoned warehouse._

_Police contacted Special Forces after investigating the warehouse. One evidence, a seven inch butcher knife, consisted of an engraving of the Black Dragon logo on the hilt._

_Special Forces were able to apprehend a few members at a bar nearby that evening at about 2300 hour. Some of these members confessed to the particular operation taking place at the warehouse._

_For about a year, they used the warehouse for human trafficking operations, a branch not discovered until this case. The victim, Donatella, according to her father who only calls himself Elder Ridditch, had been kidnapped the same day she was found. It is highly believed that she was captured by the Black Dragon with the intention of using her for their human trafficking operations._

_Although the victim was beaten, doctors reported no signs of sexual assault. More than likely, her desperation to escape her situation led her to leap out the window._

Alex had realized that Donna was Donatella, the girl who barely escaped the Black Dragon's grasps with her life. She had wondered at one point what had happened to the girl. Now she knew… Donna was part of the Outworld Forces and whatever organization Hsu Hao was a part of.

After Donna's outburst, Hsu Hao placed a gently hand on her pale face, his thumb caressing just below her one red eye. "Quan Chi has his plans… we won't be associated with Outworld for much longer."

"How long exactly?" she asked.

"You need to patient," he suggested. "It will not do you well otherwise."

Donna seemed to sigh in exhaustion as she leaned her forehead into her shoulder, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm trying… I really am, but… I also have my limits."

Hsu Hao said nothing as he returned the embrace.

It hadn't taken Alex too long to figure out that two were lovers, even before Hsu Hao reached to caress Donna's face. In a way, it was surprising considering his stoic nature during his time in the OIA… not that she expected him or anyone to share their private life, but one had to admit that they couldn't imagine Hsu Hao caring for anyone at all.

Suddenly, Alex found herself thinking about being in Donna's shoes… being unsure of the future and just wanting nothing more than to be content… safe. It was a soldier's mistake and she knew it. It was easy to kill an enemy without the curiosity of knowing the kind of person they really were… knowing makes it harder to kill them.

"Come on," Hsu Hao suggested as he pulled away from Donna. "Let's head north."

Donna quietly nodded before they both began to leave the area. When they were far enough, Alex collapsed against the grass before turning to lean her back against a nearby tree. Slouching, she dropped her gun next to her and bowed her head.

Her entire body was now shaking.

Alex closed her eyes as she tried to calm herself down. Then, in her mind, she saw a pair of glowing green eyes glaring at her, a sadistic grin on their face, and a pair of cold hands roaming her skin.

Gasping, Alex snapped her eyes open, and for a brief moment, she was in a panic… she was alone in the woods, her friends far away and her enemies too close. Alex opened her mouth to let out a scream, but in that moment, she found herself back in reality. Quickly covering her mouth with both hands, she prevented a sound from getting past her fingers.

The brunette tried all she could to bury the trauma she endured with both her encounter with Berserk, after months of having the memories suppressed, and what Shang Tsung had tried to do to her. It was all so she could focus on helping with saving the universe.

Covering her face with her hands, tears dripped down her cheeks and she found herself quietly sobbing. Between her demotion, the traumas she endured, the horrors she saw in this war, Sonya's death, resurrection, and brainwashing, trying to cope with Kenshi's frame of mind, and failing to follow through with Jax's orders by compromising her emotions, Alex soon realized that her days as military soldier were numbered…

~~~

**Dungeons, Shao Kahn's Fortress**

Jade's surrounds were dark and grim, which shouldn't come as much of a surprise to her. When she arrived, there was a single guard who was watching over the dungeon's entrance. Naturally, she knocked him out cold and stole his keys from within the shadows.

Once she was inside, the Edenian immediately began to sneak her way through. She kept her eyes peeled for any more guards and also checked each cell she passed, but the further she went in, the worse she was feeling about finding any kind of good news.

She also realized how empty the dungeons were… that was not a good sign.

Soon, Jade reached the cell she remembered where her freedom fighters were imprisoned. Upon looking into the cell, she frowned when she realized that more than half of her fighters were gone… more than likely dead. Those who did survive were pale, their cheeks sunken, and clearly malnourished.

One of the survivors, however, was her second-in-command, Zarek.

Jade went up to the bars. "Zarek," she called out.

Zarek gazed up from his daze, and his dull eyes widened with a gleam of hope. "Jade… you came back."

"I told you I would," she replied as she began to unlock the cell. "I'm… sorry it wasn't sooner…"

Zarek frowned. "It was inevitable and we all knew it. You did what you could to get back."

"It would've been nice to get here before it was too late," Jade sighed. She then pulled the door open, freeing her allies.

"Some of us getting out of here is better than none of us at all, General," one of the fighters said as the group began to leave.

"Is anyone here with you?" Zarek asked.

Jade managed to smile. "I brought in the Calvary as I promised… some of the strongest warriors in the universe. We also have members of Keisei's Coast Guard, one of the strongest militaries in their realm along with selected members of the Manji Clan."

"And their leader," a voice suddenly said next to them.

The group quickly jumped in a fit of panic, thinking that the Outworld Forces had caught them, but Jade didn't have to turn to see who approached. She raised a hand up. "Calm down everyone. This is the Manji Clan's leader, Yoshimitsu. He accompanied me on this mission."

Zarek took a deep breath. "Oh… good."

"I assume you have much to discuss about the Outworld Forces," Yoshimitsu inquired.

Another fighter nodded. "Too much, honestly."

"In that case, it's best that we leave here," the clan leader suggested. "The forces will mostly likely figure out what's going on sooner or later."

"How are we going to escape from here without being caught?" Zarek asked with concern.

Yoshimitsu raised his sword up. "My katana has supernatural abilities and has the power to open a portal temporarily. I'll set a course twenty miles from the fortress. However, you must hurry… the portal won't last long. We will meet you there as soon as possible. Whatever you do, do not leave the area unless they find you."

Slicing the sword in the air, Yoshimitsu opened up a portal. None of the fighters hesitated to go through the portal, which soon closed once the last of them went through it, leaving Yoshimitsu and Jade alone.

When that was done, Jade frowned. "We should look around a bit more for more survivors."

Yoshimitsu shook his head. "Your freedom fighters were the only ones left… I checked before coming over here."

"Damn it," Jade uttered, clenching her fists.

"Those captured were either brainwashed or murdered for their souls… those must be Shao Kahn's only use for them at this point in the war."

"Do you think the scouts you sent out ahead of time met that kind of fate?" the Edenian asked.

Yoshimitsu shook his head. "At this point, I'm not sure… but I hope not." He then gazed up towards the ceiling. "One of the scouts I sent here… his name is Solken, a Keisei native. Just two months ago, he and his wife had a child, a little boy. He wanted to fight in this war so that he could help in giving his child a better future. One of the reasons I sent him here was because he's one of my top ranking infiltrators."

"You're regretting sending him out?" Jade guessed.

"I shouldn't because missions need to be done, especially one as important as this," Yoshimitsu explained. "Solken knows it and his wife knows it. In the Manji Clan, duty comes first above all else, a rule that each member must understand before they're even considered for joining our ranks. But as their leader giving out orders, you can't help but feel that guilt in your heart, knowing that with these missions, there is a good chance that little boy will grow up without his father."

Jade nodded in understanding. "I know what that's like as General… you know what's important and what needs to be done. We do care about those working under us… we get to know them as a person and the kind of lives they live along with knowing of their loved ones. It's never good when they die under your watch, knowing that their loved ones will never see them alive again."

Yoshimitsu then turned his head towards the long hallway. "Come on… let's explore the fortress a little more before we meet with the others."

The two began to walk through the dungeons with the intention of heading back upstairs.

~~~

**Wastelands**

All was quiet around her, and for the first time since she was a child, Julia was terrified to open her eyes. However, she knew that she was going to have to face the inevitable. Clutching the unconscious Sakura closer to her, Julia raised her head up and opened her eyes.

Julia gasped upon seeing the sight before her.

Both Ryu and Shin Akuma stood where they were with Shin Akuma's arm extended out in an attempt to deliver the killing blow. However, Ryu had ended up blocking the punch with his hand, preventing the demon from connecting the punch… right where his heart was located.

Relief filled Julia's heart as tears escaped her eyes and slipped down her face. "Thank you, spirits," she whispered underneath her breath.

However, the relief was short-lived as Shin Akuma quickly pulled his fist back before shooting out another projectile from his hand. Because of the close proximity, Ryu didn't have time to get out of the way before the chi smashed into his chest, knocking him backwards before landing hard on his back in the sand.

Ryu found himself gasping for breath as the wind was knocked out of him. While trying to regain himself, Shin Akuma had teleported closer to the warrior. He reached down to him before grabbing his head and lifting him off the ground.

"Worthless dog," Shin Akuma growled. "Why do you fear the power within? You hold back, refusing to let it out! Spineless coward!"

Shin Akuma quickly, tossed Ryu forward, forcing the young man to roll away a few times before landing on his stomach this time. Shin Akuma then began to approach him again.

"You'll follow the same path as your beloved _master_ , the path of the weak!" Shin Akuma proceeded. "The path straight to the bowels of hell!"

Then suddenly, as though on cue, Ryu saw a large burst of flames ignite just behind Shin Akuma. Ryu's eyes widened, unsure for a moment what was going on. Was Shin Akuma summoning a new kind of power? Was he really about to find himself in the bowels of hell?

Before Ryu could fully comprehend all of this, Shin Akuma was quickly knocked back, a force sending him flying to the side before crashing face first into the sand.

At the corner of Ryu's eyes, someone had performed a flip kick on the demon. For a split moment, Ryu thought that Ken had ignored his wishes and attacked Shin Akuma, but… it was Ken's uppercut that performed the inferno, not a flip kick.

So who…?

Ryu turned his head to get a better look at the newcomer, and his eyes widened the second he recognized them. It was someone Ryu had not seen since the Blood Tournament and the last person he had expected to run into.

Standing just a few feet away was the ninja spectre, Scorpion.


	81. Chapter Eighty

**Forest, Twenty Miles from Shao Kahn's Fortress**

After exploring the fortress for a few more hours, Yoshimitsu and Jade met up with the surviving Edenian Freedom Fighters twenty miles away. The first thing Yoshimitsu did was give each of them a ration bar so that they at least had something light to eat until they were back at the cave.

"We can't stay too long," Yoshimitsu suggested. "It's inevitable that the forces will know what's going on and will start sending out a search party."

"I couldn't agree more," replied Zarek. "I know that the last I heard, the Outworld Forces were planning to invade a world called Seido."

"The Realm of Order," Yoshimitsu said. "Our clan has tried posting assistance there some months back, but we ended up having to pull out due to the clashing of our ideals and theirs. Plus, we had to do a prison break when ten of our clan members were jailed… over a curfew of all the idiotic things to be jailed for. From what I've heard, they barely escaped with their lives."

"Their government is infamous for their strict rules and laws," Jade mentioned. "I'm not surprised that happened."

"Hopefully their 'strict rules and laws' will help them in their fight."

"Other than that," Zarek proceeded. "I'm not sure what other information we can share other than to tell you the general fate of many of those imprisoned here."

"We'll talk about that when we return to our hiding place," the clan leader said.

Zarek nodded. "So… you say that some of your clan members are with you as well as members of a Keisei military and some of the strongest fighters in the universe?"

"Fighters who I allied with during the tournament," Jade added. "Naturally, we came to end this threat once and for all."

One freedom fighter nodded. "It's about time someone invaded _their_ home and kicked back."

Yoshimitsu chuckled. "This will be karma working her beautiful magic for sure, as long as we play our cards right."

"Unless you plan to kick back a few weeks from now, I don't think we're up to assisting you," said Zarek.

"That won't be necessary," Yoshimitsu replied with a wave of his hand. "After what you've endured, you and the others deserve to rest. Now, unfortunately, we need to move now. I'd transport us to our hiding place, but my sword needs to recharge before I can develop another portal. We'll walk until then."

"We'll do our best," Zarek said.

Yoshimitsu and Jade began to lead the survivors in the direction towards the cave, which would take a few hours to get to. Keeping a small distance between them, Yoshimitsu leaned his head towards the Edenian woman next to him.

"Do you… plan to tell the others about Rose's fate?" the clan leader asked her in a whisper.

Jade gazed up towards the purple sky before she came to a decision. "In time, I will… but the last thing we need right now is to bring morale down before we win this war. I will speak to Fujin and Dhalsim upon our return, but other than those two, we will have to keep this quiet around everyone else until this battle is over."

Yoshimitsu nodded in understanding. "That is wise."

~~~

**Wastelands**

Shin Akuma knew that someone had intervened in his battle with Ryu. For a moment, he thought that Gouken's other whelp, Ken, was the one responsible for knocking him to the side. However, the moment he turned around, he came face to face with a being he thought he had seen the last of months ago…

Scorpion.

Shin Akuma clenched his teeth. " _You!_ "

Scorpion immediately got into a fighting stance. "It was a matter of time before we met again."

The red aura surrounding Shin Akuma increased. "You dare to disrupt this battle?! Are you here to help the cub?!"

"I'm merely here to finish what we started before Quan Chi intervened!" Scorpion declared.

"Then so be it!"

From where he laid, Ryu could hear the two of them clash and begin their own battle. Clenching his teeth, he tried to get himself back up, and though he was able to sit up, he had to stop as he suddenly felt dizzy.

From where she sat, Julia clutched Sakura closer to her, unsure of what to think of this new development. Who the heck was this ninja and why did he want to fight the demon? Either way, whether intentional or now, he had given Ryu the chance to recover. That she was grateful for.

Unknown to anyone, less than a half mile away from the battle, Ken Masters had arrived…

Ken knew that he was defying Ryu's wishes by showing up here. However, he realized how foolish he was to just let his friend go alone. There was no way he was going to just sit in the cave and twiddle his thumbs. Also, he quickly figured out where Julia went upon realizing that she was MIA from the cave area. At least now he had an excuse on the off chance that Ryu questioned him for his decision.

From where he stood, Ken was baffled by what he was seeing. Ryu was sitting on the ground, okay but banged up. Not too far from him, Ken saw Akuma fighting with some ninja-looking dude. The ninja had teleported in a burst of flames before reappearing behind Akuma in an attempt to plummet his fist into the back of his head. However, Akuma managed to turn around quickly before to charge up some energy before delivering a roundhouse kick, sending the ninja flying backwards.

"What the hell?" Ken said out loud, clearly confused.

He then turned his head and sighed of relief when he saw Julia leaning against the statue. Then, his eyes widened the moment he saw the young woman she was hold against her protectively.

"Sakura?"

Meanwhile, Scorpion performed a flip kick by somersaulting backwards, his feet covered in flames. However, Shin Akuma managed to back away before his was hit. Then, just as Scorpion was landing, Shin Akuma slid on one foot forward in an attempt to deliver a rising uppercut.

Scorpion flipped backwards, managing to avoid being hit. As Shin Akuma came back down, Scorpion raised both of his hands up, his palms facing the sky. A burst of flames quickly spewed forth from the ground, and the embers were able to lick at Shin Akuma's feet.

Shin Akuma quickly teleported away before he was burned. Then, he jumped forward and shot out two projectiles from his hands. Scorpion swiftly slid back to avoid being hit. Just as his opponent landed on his feet, the spectre ripped off his mask, revealing his skull. Quickly opening his mouth, he spat out a long line of flames like a blowtorch.

Shin Akuma flipped backwards, avoiding the flames though he could feel the intense heat from them. Then, when the flames died down, he quickly began to approach the ninja spectre again. Scorpion stood in his fighting stance, prepared for his attacks…

Julia could only watch the battle before her, unsure of where it would go. Ryu was still trying to recover, his head now resting in his hand. She frowned, hoping that he could get himself back into the battle.

Then, something moved at the corner of her eyes… something that glowed in a blue color. Confused, Julia turned her head to see what it was.

To her astonishment, just a few feet in front of her, was an apparition of an older man. He was tall and heavy-set but, at the same time, was muscular. His face possessed a long beard that rested on his chest, and though he was bald on the top of his head, the back of it contained hair long enough to reach his waist.

"Who…" she started to say, but by then, the apparition bent to her, his eyes focused on Sakura. Before Julia could try to figure out what was going on, the spirit reached his hands to Sakura's temples.

Instinctively, Julia clutched on to Sakura, but she soon relaxed when Sakura's body began to glow in a blue aura. It lasted only a few seconds before the glow ceased. The apparition then stood up before turning around and began to head towards where Ryu was.

The young woman looked down at Sakura… her skin was still pale, but not as pale as it way. Her cheeks even had more color to it now. "What did-"

Julia then heard footsteps just next to her. She jumped, unsure of what was going on, but she soon relaxed upon instantly recognizing the person who just approached.

"Ken," she managed to say as he bent down to her. "What-"

Ken managed to grin. "You think I wouldn't notice you going MIA?"

Julia sighed. "Yeah… foolish, really."

"Honestly, I was planning to do the same thing," Ken admitted. "With you here, at least now I have an excuse in case Ryu questions why I showed up despite his request."

Julia chuckled. "So I'm just a scapegoat, huh?"

Ken winked. "Sort of."

Julia then turned her head to where the apparition was. "Any idea who that is?"

Ken looked to see where Julia was staring… the small smirk on his face quickly faded, and Julia swore that all the color in his face had drained.

"Ken?" she questioned.

"That's…" he started to say.

Meanwhile, the dizziness Ryu was feeling was starting to subside. Shaking his head, he slowly lifted his head, expecting to find himself gazing at the fight between Shin Akuma and Scorpion.

Then, he saw a ghostly apparition bending down to him. Upon seeing the ghost's face, Ryu went into utter shock as his brown eyes widened and his jaw dropped… he instantly recognized the spirit.

"M… Master…" Ryu uttered. For the first time since he could remember, he felt his eyes brim with tears.

Ryu wondered, briefly, how his Master's soul was not captured by the Outworld Forces like so many others. Perhaps it was because he had died long ago… or even in spirit, he was just as powerful as he was in his mortality… perhaps more so. It was a kind of mystery Ryu was sure that he'll wonder about for the rest of his life.

Like with Sakura, Gouken reached both of his hands to Ryu's temples. As soon as his fingers made contact, a glowing blue aura surrounding the warrior's body. He felt a surge of power course through his veins… and he could've sworn that he could feel the dark hadou within his blood being pushed backed, locked away, and suppressed.

Then, the surge ceased, and as soon as Gouken removed his hands from Ryu's temples, his apparition faded.

For a moment, Ryu gazed at his hands. He suddenly felt renewed energy and strength from within. What he was given, well… he had heard of such a thing, but until now, he thought of it as nothing more than a myth;

The Power of Nothingness.

The power purified his soul and suppressed any form of evil within him… perhaps just enough so that he was still considered one of the four chosen ones. Ryu would be able to better focus on what needs to be done.

It was possible that he may no longer need to worry about the dark hadou. He would know with time.

Ryu stood up from where he was sitting, his form starting to glow in a blue aura. Then, gazing up, he saw Shin Akuma choke slam Scorpion into the ground with enough force to create a crater underneath the ninja's back.

"AKUMA!" Ryu yelled out.

Shin Akuma immediately whirled his head to face the younger warrior. The demon sensed the new power from within Ryu. He growled, baring his teeth.

"What?! The Power of Nothingness?! But how?!"

With a roar, Ryu quickly covered the distance between him and his enemy. Once he was within reach, the two engaged in combat once more…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

After taking a long bath, Ivy stepped out of her private bathroom wrapped in only a towel. After the kind of day she had, she felt much more refreshed. In a way, she hoped that the rest of her day would remain like this.

Probably not.

She went over to her dresser to pick out her clothes when she happened to shift her eyes and realized that something was lying on her bed. She moved her head so that she got a better view point.

Amongst the pillows was a scroll.

_That was not there when I came into the room earlier._

Raising an eyebrow in suspicion, Ivy closed the dresser draw before walking over to her bed. Sitting on it, she reached for the scroll and stared at it for a moment before unrolling it. She then read the writing within;

_Ivy,_

_I hope this scroll reaches you in time. Forgive the intrusion, but it had to be done. Tonight, at around 2000 hour, meet me near the former Palace Grounds. I will know when you are near and will promptly meet you there. That is all I can say. However, when you are through reading this, I highly suggest that you immediately burn the scroll._

_Fujin._

Ivy didn't hesitate to walk over to the lit fireplace in her room and toss the scroll into the flames, the paper immediately burning. It was then that someone knocked on her door. Right on time…

Ivy walked over to the door before opening it slightly, peaking her head around it. On the other side of the door was Tanya.

"What do you need?" the Empress asked.

"My Empress, the Emperor is calling for an urgent meeting in the throne room and wants you to be there," Tanya informed her. "I'm not sure what it's about, he refused to give details."

Ivy sighed. "Give me fifteen minutes, and I'll be there."

Tanya nodded before she left. Closing the door behind her, Ivy went back to her dresser, intending on getting herself dressed.

~~~

**Forest**

Far from the cave grounds, Sub-Zero found himself exploring one of the deepest parts of the forest. Not too far from him, he saw a mountain high enough to contain snow at the peak.

That made him curious… he didn't think there could be snow in Outworld at all, but he guessed that this may possibly be the tallest mountain in this realm.

It almost reminded him of his younger days in the Lin Kuei. The old hideout had been up on a mountain similar to this, hidden amongst the heavy snow. Naturally, those who grew up here had grown accustom to the nasty weather up there, even those without wielding power over cold like he did.

He also remembered a particularly heavy blizzard more than a decade ago… on the day his elder brother had left for his final mission…

_"_ _I know we don't talk much about our missions, brother," Tundra said as he gazed at his older brother with his blue eyes. "But I have a bad feeling about this."_

_Sub-Zero sighed underneath his mask, his brown eyes glaring at his younger brother. "You didn't have any qualms about my last mission… and that sent me beyond Earth."_

_Tundra took a deep breath. "True… but I'm not sure about this one."_

_"_ _You don't even know what this mission is about."_

_"_ _I heard a rumor that you're going to a tournament… one unlike any other, hosted by a sorcerer named Shang Tsung."_

_Sub-Zero was quiet for a moment before he decided to speak. "That is true, but as you are aware, I cannot reveal any more than what you already know."_

_Sub-Zero then placed a hand on Tundra's shoulder, a gesture that surprised the younger of the two… his brother was always cold, distant, and stoic. As far as Tundra could remember, this was the first time that Sub-Zero showed any kind of affection towards him._

_Unknown to either of them, it would also be the last._

_"_ _When I return… I will tell you everything." Sub-Zero then pulled his hand back before placing the same hand over his heart. "Be stealthful as the night…"_

_Tundra followed suit. "And deadly as the dawn…"_

Sub-Zero was suddenly pulled out of the memory as he quickly heard a noise behind him. Stepping sideways, he turned a bit just in time to see a dagger whizzing by his head. The weapon ended up embedding itself into a nearby tree.

Getting a better look at the dagger, he immediately noticed that the weapon was made out of ice, a cold vapor emitting from it.

The ice ninja narrowed his eyes as he realized who attacked him. "Frost…"

Suddenly, a female's scream was heard, and Sub-Zero turned just in time to block a punch from Frost. He stayed on defense as the young woman tried throwing various punches and kicks at him, all which he blocked with ease. Soon, finding an opening, Sub-Zero pushed Frost back with a palm strike in between her collar bones, causing her stumble until she hit her back against a nearby tree.

This gave Sub-Zero the chance to speak. "Why did you betray the Lin Kuei?!" he demanded to know.

Frost let out a maniacal laugh in reply, her blue eyes gazing at him with a crazed look. "That's a good one! It was _you_ who betrayed the Lin Kuei! They were once a band of stoic ninjas who answered to no one but their master without question. You have since taken over and reformed it for some twisted noble cause… you go against what the Lin Kuei was truly about."

Sub-Zero narrowed his eyes at her. "For someone who hasn't been with the clan very long, you know a lot more than I realized."

Frost grinned at him. "Thank Quan Chi for that. You see… he was the one who convinced me to join your clan when you reformed it last year. You know I'm surprised you even let me in… I always thought only men were allowed in the Lin Kuei."

"You know that anyone is allowed in the Lin Kuei as long as they prove themselves," Sub-Zero reminded her. "Though after what you pulled… that may change."

"Well, either way, it all worked for me somewhat," Frost said. "I was going to bide my time, but then that minx, Sareena, just _had_ to meddle in my affairs. The Lin Kuei will soon be what it once was under _my_ rule! All I have to do is kill you and take the medallion for myself!"

Before Sub-Zero could answer, Frost once more jumped towards him, delivering more attacks and forcing the Grandmaster to defend himself. As he did, he thought not for the first time how his inability to teach her humility may have changed this fate.

Then, Frost managed to cut through his defense and actually reach for his medallion. She ripped it off his shirt, and before he could try to get it back, Frost released an ice blast with her free hand, knocking the Grandmaster back.

Sub-Zero felt a thin layer of ice surround his body. Though he was able to move, the layer did slow him down a bit. At this point, he was able to get on his knees. He noticed the young woman gazing down at her new prize, her blue eyes filled with glee.

"Frost!" he called out. "Let go of the medallion! You're not strong enough to wield it!"

"HA!" Frost laughed. "As soon as it's powers courses through my veins, I will end you once and for all!"

Sub-Zero could only shake his head. Again, perhaps if he was able to teach her humility, this would not have happened… but then again, Quan Chi somehow found this girl and persuaded her to infiltrate the Lin Kuei. However, even the powerful sorcerer somehow underestimated this girl's insanity.

There were going to be a lot of questions he'll need answers to soon enough.

Then, the area around them became colder. Even Frost felt this as her eyes widened a bit, gazing at her surroundings. Then, she felt a surge of power crawl over her skin… Frost realized quickly that something wasn't right.

"What the-" she started to say. Suddenly feeling nervous, Frost made an attempt to let go of the artifact. To her dismay, the medallion latched onto to her fingers like glue.

"No! NO!" Frost screamed. She threw her arms around in a fevered attempt to get the medallion to release her, but it had a good grip on her.

Then, her feet were frozen in place, and she found that she couldn't move. Looking down, Frost's eyes widened upon seeing a thick layer of ice covering her feet and making its way up.

Her own freezing ability was about to kill her.

Frost's screams echoed through the woods as she tried in vain to free herself, but it was no use. Soon, the ice reached her head, completely immobilizing her, and her eyes remained widened in shock.

When it was over, the medallion released itself from her grip, dropping onto the ground.

By then, the thin ice on Sub-Zero had released him and he was able to stand and walk over to where Frost's frozen body stood. He then bent down to pick up the medallion, taking a moment to gaze at it solemnly before pinning it back on his shirt.

"It's my fault," Sub-Zero whispered. "I should've been able to teach you humility."

The ice ninja figured that the next best thing he can do was give Frost a proper burial. He looked around to find a suitable place when he happened to gaze up at the nearby snow-capped mountain.

Up there… that's where he'll bury her.

Neither the weight of the ice nor the cold bothered Sub-Zero as he lifted Frost from the ground. From there, he began to make his journey up the mountain.

~~~

**Cave Grounds**

At the campfire, Maxi and Hwang were cooking some MREs for lunch. Taking advice from one the girls, they used a bottle of teriyaki sauce to enhance the flavor.

"Hopefully, cooking this will make this 'meal' better," grumbled Hwang.

"Seriously," Maxi agreed. "Now I'm starting to realize how the others felt when they were forced to eat this stuff on Earth."

"It's amazing what you take for granted," Hwang said.

Maxi snorted. "Like not talking to the beautiful woman you've been crushing on since day one before she goes off onto some dangerous mission."

Hwang raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Maxi tilted his head in one direction and Hwang turned to see what he was pointing at. About ten yards away, Kilik was training with his staff. However, it wasn't hard to notice his eyebrows furrowed in frustration.

Hwang sighed. "I see now. Does he really have a crush on Jade?"

Maxi shrugged. "He said he doesn't, but I don't know… they train a lot and-"

"That doesn't mean anything. They both happen to be trained with the same weapons. They happen to find something they had in common and have since shared their knowledge to each other whenever they can."

"… True. But if you've known Kilik for as long as I have, even he doesn't spend as much time training with others, even me and Xianghua."

Kilik suddenly turned his head to his friends. "You know I can hear you, Maxi."

Maxi immediately grinned and waved to his friend. "I know, buddy! Hey, wanna spar?"

Kilik glared at him. "I'm not in the mood."

Maxi raised an eyebrow. "Huh… usually, I get a 'no thanks.'"

Kilik groaned in annoyance. "Maxi, if this is your way of joking around with me, I'm not in the mood."

Maxi and even Hwang gave their friend a surprised look. Maxi cleared his throat. "Wow… you, my friend, are a lot more worried about Jade than I think you even realize."

Kilik narrowed his brown eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on!" Maxi called out. "Everyone knows you like Jade-"

"For the last time, Maxi, we're just friends and nothing more," the younger man growled through clenched teeth.

Maxi raised his hands in defeat. "All right, all right." He turned back to Hwang. "See?"

Hwang tilted his head. "You weren't kidding."

"I can _still_ hear you!" Kilik called out.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

"YOU IMBECILES!" Shao Kahn roared as he smashed his fist into the arm of his throne. "HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?!"

"Sir, I-" one of them tried to speak up. Shao Kahn immediately shot out a green projectile that knocked the guard back across the throne room with a scream.

"You have a simple duty!" the Emperor yelled. "To _guard!_ That's all! And what happens anyway?! You get yourselves killed and let these… infiltrators sneak in! Our leftover prisoners have escaped and the psychic that served to figure out where to invade each realm is missing!"

Shao Kahn immediately stood up and pointed towards the door. "GO AND FIND THEM! And if you come back empty handed, I will mount all of your heads to a pike!"

"Yes sir!" some of the guards called out with a mix of salutes and bows. They then turned around and quickly made their way out of the throne room.

Ivy sighed a little, feeling a bit annoyed that she was called upon just to hear Shao Kahn bellow at useless guards as always. As soon as he sat back down, she spoke. "That psychic priest could've broken away and escaped with the infiltrators."

Shao Kahn shook his head as he glared at her. "No, the brainwash is absolute. You of all people should know that."

"I know," Ivy replied. "But it was only just a guess considering her powers. It was why you resurrected her after all."

Shao Kahn growled as he exhaled. "In that case, I want you to take a small group out and find them. I sincerely doubt the guards will… they wouldn't be able to find a centaurian if one stood right in front of them."

Ivy nearly huffed in surprised… she thought she was going to have to find a way to sneak out of the fortress tonight, but it looks like her job was going to be much easier than she anticipated.

Before she could say anything, Shao Kahn suddenly let out a gasp, and he clutched his chest with his hand. Ivy straightened up in her seat, wondering what was going on. Then, her eyes suddenly widened in horror as a red aura surrounded his body and his eyes glowed more than it already was.

She also swore that she heard someone whisper… something that sounded like, 'Souls.'

Soon, it was as though Shao Kahn got whatever was going on under control as he leaned back in his chair. The aura was gone and the glowing red eyes were back to normal.

"What's wrong?" Ivy asked him.

Shao Kahn groaned. "It is nothing. Do not concern yourself, my dear."

Ivy leaned back in her chair, feeling her hands shake over what she just witnessed. Dhalsim was right… the essence of Soul Edge would eventually take over Shao Kahn… and it looked as though it was just beginning to do just that…

~~~

**Unknown Area**

The wind was harsh and the snow below his feet was thick, but that didn't stop Sub-Zero from making his way up the mountain. In his arms was the frozen corpse of his former student, Frost.

At one point, Sub-Zero stopped in his path and gazed at his surroundings. Most of the area was steep and filled with ice… not necessarily an easy place to bury someone. Perhaps it was better to head back down to the base of the mountain and bury her there.

Then, he noticed something odd to his right. Turning his head, he saw a large, wooden door that seemed to be out of place for this kind of region.

"What is this?" he asked. Judging by the thin sheet of ice and the cracks on the wood, the door looked abandoned for some time.

For some reason, Sub-Zero felt drawn to this place. Despite his years of training, he let curiosity take over and he soon reached the door. It took a little effort without him putting Frost down, but he soon managed to get it open, the hinges creaking loudly.

Sub-Zero then walked through a dark tunnel, but soon saw some light at the end of it. Focusing on that light, he headed down there. He could only guess at this point over what this place was.

Then, the hallway gave way to a brighter area. The ceiling was made of ice and was thin enough to let in some light from the sun. Looking at the rest of the place, he noticed corpses encased in ice all around.

Sub-Zero realized that he had entered a catacomb. This would be a suitable place to let Frost rest.

He walked around for a bit before he found a crypt that was open and empty. He gently placed Frost's frozen body into the crypt. Once that task was done, the Grandmaster began to explore the catacombs.

Every corpse that he noticed were all frozen in their crypts… some were lying down and some were encased within the walls. Most would have been uncomfortable walking through a place like this, but it didn't bother Sub-Zero one bit.

Then again, he realized that he found himself drawn to this place, and he wondered why.

Then, he reached the end of the catacombs and found one skeletal corpse sitting on a gray stone shaped like a throne. The corpse donned armor that should've been tattered and rotted after so many years, but to Sub-Zero's surprise, it remained intact and looked brand new. Black slacks contained a dragon design on each leg and its feet were covered in black heavy boots. The belt and a pair of metal bands on the upper arms all contained a roaring lion emblem and the belt also had a blue sash that fell to its knees. Silver gauntlets covering its hands were placed over blue gloves that extended to the forearms, and a blue, sleeveless gi covered its chest and contained some white fur around the shoulders. The most prominent feature of all was the damio-style helmet on its head along with the blue, metal mask covering the bottom half of its face.

The corpse's empty eyes seemed to gaze back at Sub-Zero, and he stared back as well. The surrounding area suddenly became colder, and Sub-Zero ended up looking down at his hands, noticing the vapors emitting from them.

Then, a flash suddenly entered Sub-Zero's mind. He began to see a land similar to Outworld and an army of warriors dressed in black and blue. All of them possessed power over cold and ice and they fought in a ferocious battle against a group of various demons of the Netherrealm.

Then, the images stopped, and Sub-Zero looked at his surroundings. He suddenly realized the reason he was drawn to this place and why he received the image.

"These… must be my ancestors," he said quietly. A name came to his mind as though a spirit whispered it to him in his ear. "Cryomancers…"

It would explain much of the origin of his powers. As far as he knew, he, Frost, and his brother were the only ones on Earthrealm who possessed the power of cold and ice. No one was sure how that came to be.

At least until now.

Sub-Zero then looked up at the corpse wearing the damio-style helmet. He could've sworn he heard another whisper. "Honor us."

He realized how he could do just that.

One hour later, Sub-Zero emerged from the catacomb and back into the outside world. He was now donning the armor of his ancestors.

~~~

**Wastelands**

The fight between Ryu and Shin Akuma continued as the two tried to overtake the other. At one point, Ryu delivered a side kick before spinning with a roundhouse, following that with an axe kick, knocking Shin Akuma into the sand first.

By then, Scorpion had stood up and watched the fight from where he was. He then looked up and saw Ryu glaring at him.

"What?" the ninja asked.

Ryu narrowed his eyes at the spectre. "What is this fight to you? Target practice?"

Scorpion huffed at that, his eyebrows furrowing. "Unfinished business. What is this fight to _you_?"

"He murdered my master… the only family I had."

To Ryu's surprise, Scorpion's eyes seemed to somewhat relax upon hearing that. Ryu was just beginning to wonder what that was about when Shin Akuma suddenly stood up. Looking at his surroundings, he found himself in between both Ryu and Scorpion.

"Good!" he called out. "I can take care of both of you at once!"

" _Hadouken!_ " Ryu shouted as he shot out his projectile. The energy ended up hitting Shin Akuma squarely in the chest before he had the chance to get out of the way. The force made Shin Akuma stumble back, and as he turned, he found himself face to face with his other opponent.

From there, Scorpion delivered a right hook and then followed it up with a left hook. He then tried to follow it up with another punch, but Shin Akuma quickly blocked it before slamming his knee into the spectre's stomach. Scorpion let out an ' _oomph!_ ' as he fell onto his back.

Shin Akuma then turned around and shot out a projectile at Ryu, who ducked underneath it. His fist clenched, Ryu was ready for his next move as he got within arm's reach.

" _Shoryuken!_ "

The move managed to connect underneath Shin Akuma's chin, sending him flying into the air. Then, just as he was coming back down from the air, a spear that was connected to a chain pierced through his shoulder before pulling him forward violently.

"GET OVER HERE!" Scorpion yelled out. Once Shin Akuma was close enough, the spectre delivered his own uppercut, sending the demon back before he slammed into the sand on his side.

Shin Akuma stood up despite the blood from his fresh wound seeping from his shoulder. "Pathetic! Still using weapons! Only a true warrior-"

" _Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!_ " Ryu called out as he performed a hurricane kick. The move managed to connect to Shin Akuma's face a couple of times before he went flying back towards where Scorpion was.

Scorpion was able to connect the first two punches, but then Shin Akuma managed to block the next few before kicking the spectre in the stomach. Then, he bent down for a sweep kick, but Scorpion jumped over it.

As soon as he landed, Scorpion raised his hands, summoning a burst of flames again. This time, the explosion caught Shin Akuma, and his screams were heard as the flames licked his skin.

From where he was watching, Ken had let out a low whistle. "That left him a bit… toasty," he said.

Next to Ken, Julia raised an eyebrow at him. "That… was a horrible pun."

"I know."

Back in the fight, even Ryu felt a bit stunned by what he was seeing. Shin Akuma wasn't as burnt as he had initially imagined, but his skin looked as though it was starting to melt. The aura around his body glowed more than ever along with his eyes.

Shin Akuma was beyond pissed.

Behind the demon, Scorpion took a few steps back before staring at Ryu. "Finish him!" he called out.

Hearing that, Ryu snapped out of it. He knew how he was going to end this battle once and for all. Collecting energy into his hands, Ryu got himself into position, a large wind blowing around the area making the tail of his bandana whip in different directions behind him.

Shin Akuma let out a roar, ignoring the pain in his body. "DIE!" he yelled and began to run towards where Ryu stood.

By now, the warrior was ready.

" _ _ **METSU HADOUKEN!**__ " Ryu roared as he released a large, blue projectile from his hands… the largest he ever made, he quickly realized.

Even with the projectile heading towards him, Shin Akuma was defiant, his fist clenched and ready to punch his way through the energy. However, the moment it reached him, its power immediately overwhelm him, and his screams were heard as the projectile began to disintegrate his body.

Then, the energy exploded with enough force to knock both Ryu and Scorpion back and forcing Julia and Ken to shield their eyes from the brightness and the debris that was scattering all around them.

Then, everything came to a standstill.

Ryu let out a few coughs and blinked a few times as he slowly sat himself up. He found himself startled by the fact that he no longer could find the demon anywhere… the projectile was powerful enough to turn him into dust.

He had won.

"It's… over…" Ryu whispered as the realization of Akuma's demise dawned on him. "It's finally over…"

Then, Ryu saw a hand extend out towards him. Gazing up, he was surprised to see that it was Scorpion offering to help him up. Deciding to oblige, Ryu took his hand before pulled himself back on his feet.

The two warriors stared at each other for a moment before Ryu spoke. "At first, I wasn't sure what to think when you intervened, but… thank you."

"Just know, when the time comes, I will be joining you and your allies in the fight against the Outworld Forces," Scorpion replied.

Then, before Ryu could say anything else, Scorpion disappeared in a burst of flames.

Meanwhile, Ken began to pull Sakura away from Julia before he nodded to her. "Go to him," he encouraged. Despite her arm still hurting, Julia managed to get herself on her feet. Then, when Scorpion disappeared, she ran to him.

"Ryu!" Julia called out to get his attention. Ryu turned his head and became astonished when he saw the young woman running towards him, noting the fresh tears streaking down her face.

When Julia reached him, she immediately wrapped her arms around him, once more ignoring the pain in her arm. She then buried her face into his shoulder before she began to quietly sob. Then, the both of them fell to their knees as Ryu returned the embrace.

"Thank the spirits you're okay!" Julia cried out. "I didn't think…" She then lifted her head and began to leave a trail of quick kisses on his neck, jawline, cheeks, and forehead. "I'm sorry," she said in between kisses. "Mother's death… not your fault… please… forgive me…"

Then, to Ryu's surprise, Julia pressed her lips into his own, her good arm tightening around him. He was completely confused by her revelation, unsure of what she meant by her mother's death not being his fault.

He then remembered what Ken had said to him back in Keisei. _If you still feel the same way when she wants you back, take it. She's a good person. Don't let her go._ If Julia kissing him wasn't a sign that she wanted him back, he didn't know what else it could mean. Bringing her closer to him, Ryu returned the kiss with more fervor.

They were like this for only a few more seconds before Ken called out to them. "I hate to break up the reunion, but Sakura's waking up."

Ryu and Julia immediately broke the kiss and turned their heads to where Ken and Sakura were. Ryu then helped Julia to her feet before they walked over to where the other two were. Ryu wasn't surprise that Ken had showed up… he should've expected that from him after all.

He really was a good friend.

Sakura was rubbing her eyes as though she was waking up from a deep sleep. When she removed her hands, Sakura opened her eyes, her iris a pool of brown instead of red.

Sakura was herself once more. Julia realized that it was thanks to the spirit of Master Gouken.

"Wh… what happened?" she asked.

Ryu bent down to her. "Are you all right?" he asked with concern.

Sakura blinked in confusion. "I… I think so… wait…" Her eyes widened more. "I… I was at some Cathedral with Asuka… how…"

"There's… a lot of catch up on," Ken mentioned. "Oh man… too much, I think."

"Sakura," Julia began to speak. "Just trust us when we say that we'll tell you everything. Just give yourself a little time to walk up. When you're ready, we'll talk."

Sakura gave her a confused look. "Okay."

Ken chose to carry Sakura in his arms, realizing that the young woman was going to be weary for a bit. "Let's get out of here at least."

"I couldn't agree more," said Ryu as Julia took his hand in hers.

From there, the four of them began to leave the wastelands and began their journey back to the cave.


	82. Chapter Eight-One

_That Evening…_

**Cave Grounds**

Just a couple of hours before sunset, Yoshimitsu and Jade, along with the surviving Freedom Fighters, managed to return to the cave after what felt like a long journey. Yoshimitsu wasn't surprised when he saw Fujin standing by the lit campfire, waiting for them.

"Welcome back," Fujin said with a warm smile. "Was the mission successful?"

"To the best of our ability," Jade replied. She turned her head towards her Freedom Fighters. "These were the only survivors in the dungeons when we went to free them."

Fujin frowned at that news. "I see. I suggest we get them settled. There should be just enough space for them."

Jade nodded. "Okay. When I'm done, I also need to speak with Dhalsim."

"He should be in his room," Fujin informed her.

From there, Jade and the rest of the survivors began to head into the cave. Yoshimitsu waited until they were all out of earshot before he began speaking. "The scroll has been delivered," he informed the Wind God.

"Good," Fujin nodded. "Again, I'm sorry for all the secrecy, but like I said, I trusted you in getting the task done. When this war is over, I promise that you will know everything."

"Like I said before I left, I trust you," Yoshimitsu said. "I hope that whatever this is about… it works out."

"Were you able to discover anything else?"

"Not much, only that any other prisoners who were taken were either brainwashed or murdered," the Manji Clan leader replied. "I tried raiding through everything discreetly, even Ivy's room, but I wasn't able to find anything valuable that will help us with this war."

Yoshimitsu then turned his head towards the cave entrance. He just happen to notice the young man, Kilik, standing there greeting Jade as she approached. Kilik looked relieved to see her again, though he tried to keep his composure. The Manji Clan leader tilted his head a little at that, but soon chose to ignore it.

"However, with freeing the prisoners who did survive, the mission wasn't a lost cause," Yoshimitsu continued as he turned his attention back to Fujin.

"True," the Wind God agreed.

"Have any of my scouts arrived during my absence?"

Fujin shook his head. "I'm afraid they haven't."

Yoshimitsu sighed at that.

That was when he heard footsteps from behind him. Yoshimitsu and Fujin turned their heads and saw Ryu, Julia, Ken, and a young lady approaching them. Ryu and the young lady looked weary and Julia seemed as though she was in some pain.

Fujin approached the four. "What happened?" he asked with concern.

"Long story," Ken replied. "But, well… let's just say that everything worked out and we managed to keep the cave grounds safe."

Fujin sighed as he gave Ryu a knowing look. Ryu frowned, realizing what Fujin was thinking – he was one of the four chosen ones and he should not have put himself in danger. The Wind God then approached him, his hands glowing white. He then let his hands hover over Ryu's body, healing whatever injuries he may have sustained.

"Who is this?" Yoshimitsu asked as he gazed at the newcomer.

"This is Sakura," replied Ken. "Sakura, this is Fujin, the God of Wind, and Yoshimitsu, leader of the Manji Clan."

"Hi," Sakura managed to reply. "Wow… this _is_ a lot of comprehend."

"I know kiddo. Like I mentioned in the woods, we didn't want to drop any more nasty surprises on you."

"I don't think anything would top missing out on more than seven months of my life because I was taken over by something evil," Sakura said quietly.

By then, Fujin had finished healing and moved on to Sakura. "Were you brainwashed by Shao Kahn?"

"I don't think she was," said Ryu, feeling much more refreshed after being healed. "If I recall, her eyes weren't pale like the others."

"Others?" Sakura asked, clearly confused.

Julia frowned. "Why do I feel like we keep missing out on certain information to tell you?"

"Because there is a lot to talk about considering what's happened for the past seven months since the end of the tournament," said Yoshimitsu.

Fujin was done healing Sakura and moved on to heal Julia's injured shoulder. As he did, Ryu happened to turn his head and smiled a little as he noticed a small group consisting of Asuka, Mika, Cassandra, Maki, and Karin coming out of the cave. Judging by the towels they were holding in their hands, they seemed to be on their way to the nearby hot springs.

Ken happened to notice them as well. "We're about to witness quite a reunion in just a moment."

Sakura turned to where the millionaire was staring. Her brown eyes widened the moment she recognized her friends. For the first time since she woke up in the wastelands, she smiled.

The five girls had been talking amongst themselves when Asuka happened to notice the group nearby. For a brief moment, she wondered what was going on… then, she gasped upon seeing a familiar person leaning against Ken for support, looking weary but okay.

Her eyes were no longer red either.

"Oh my God…" Asuka ended up saying as shock took over her.

The other girls stopped and turned their attention to their friend. "What is it, Asuka?" asked Karin.

"Look!"

The four gazed over where Asuka was staring. It took just a couple of seconds, but soon their eyes widened in shock when they recognized their friend.

At the same time, all five of them dropped their towels from their hands before they began sprinting forward. "SAKURA!" they called out nearly at once.

A big grin came over Sakura's face as she began to move forward towards her friends. It didn't take long before the six of them found themselves in a circle, holding each other close. All of them were laughing and crying, happy to be reunited. Quietly, Fujin, Yoshimitsu, Ken, Ryu, and Julia headed back to the cave to give the girls some privacy.

"Sakura!" Mika managed to say after a few minutes. "You're okay!"

"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered as tears dripped down her face. "I didn't mean to worry any of you."

"It's okay," replied Maki. "We have a lot of talk about, but right now, let's just enjoy the now."

"I couldn't agree more," said Karin.

Sakura gazed at the blonde millionaire in confusion. "Karin? What are you doing here?!"

Karin managed to smile. "Let's just say I got 'lucky.'"

That when Sakura noticed someone approaching the cave area from the beach. Sakura stood on her toes so she could get a better look at who was coming. She grinned widely as she instantly recognized the newcomer.

"Jin Kazama!" Sakura called out with a wave of her hand.

That got Asuka's attention. Her eyes widened as she turned her head to the person who was just greeted.

As Sakura pushed through the small crowd and began to approach the young man, Asuka didn't miss the shocked look on Jin's face. His eyes were widened, lips parted, and all the color in his face had drained.

It was like he had seen a ghost…

Sakura soon closed the gap between her and Jin before she wrapped her arms around his mid-section in a tight hug. "How are you?" she asked, clearly unaware of how her 'death' happened.

It wasn't hard for Asuka to miss the countless emotions that came over Jin's face, though he tried all he can to suppress them. He did, however, place one hand around Sakura, his hand resting in the middle of the young woman's back.

Sakura soon pulled away, her eyes bright and cheerful as she gazed up at him. "Why are you so quiet?"

Jin blinked a couple of times before he shook his head. "Um… no reason…" he said quietly.

Asuka managed to get out of her daze and called out to her friend. "Let's go inside, Sakura! It's getting cold!"

"I thought we were heading to the hot springs," said Cassandra.

"We'll worry about that later."

"I'm coming," said Sakura as she turned and ran back to her friends. With the exception of Asuka, the others began to head back to the cave.

When they were far enough, Asuka turned to Jin. The two cousins stared at each other for a moment before Jin quickly turned around and began to head back towards where he came from. Asuka quietly sighed… she couldn't imagine what was going through his mind right now and what kind of questions he had about Sakura's return.

She can only hope that the burden he had felt since that fateful day in the Cathedral was lifted from his shoulders…

~~~

About an hour later, Sub-Zero returned to the camp. He noticed the lit campfire and was not surprised to see both Smoke and Sareena there. They were definitely waiting for him… he was gone longer than he had anticipated.

Smoke tilted his head, clearly noticing his new duds. "Sub-Zero?" he asked, sounding confused.

"Yes, it's me," the Grandmaster replied as he approached them.

"… Nice outfit. Where did you get it?"

Sub-Zero sat down with the duo at the campfire. "There's... a lot to tell."

"Considering where we are, I think we can spare the time."

Sub-Zero took a deep breath before proceeding. "Long story short, I ran into Frost, she tried to take my medallion, but its powers ended up killing her. Then, I took her up to this mountain to bury her and I found a catacomb that turned out to belong to my ancestors called the cryomancers. This armor came from the catacomb."

"Frost is dead?" asked an astonished Sareena.

"And you desecrated a tomb by taking one of their costumes?" questioned Smoke.

"Yes. And no I did not! I'm merely honoring my ancestors by donning the armor they once wore."

"Well, I like it," Sareena admitted. "It makes you look important, like a General."

"Not that we didn't take you seriously to begin with," added Smoke. "But let's put it this way… if there was anyone in the Lin Kuei who didn't take you seriously before, they will once they see you in that."

Sub-Zero tilted his head at this. "Uh, thanks… I think."

That was when the trio noticed Paul, Marshall, Cody, and Wagner approach the cave grounds from the beach area. The four of them soon noticed the three at the campfire. To no one's surprise, they were staring at the Grandmaster's new outfit.

"Nice duds, Sub-Zero," said Paul with a thumb's up.

Sub-Zero simply nodded in reply.

Cody then rubbed his chin with his index finger and thumb. "Hmm… I don't know what it is, but… there's something familiar about that outfit… especially the helmet."

Sub-Zero raised an eyebrow. "Familiar? Why would this be familiar?"

Wagner suddenly snapped his fingers. "Wait a minute… the Shredder!"

"That's it!" called out Cody. "Suddenly, all my childhood memories have returned."

"Wait, what?" asked a confused Sub-Zero, who briefly shook his head while his eyebrows furrowed. "Who the hell is the Shredder?"

"Villain from a cartoon show," mentioned Marshall. "My son grew up watching it."

"And the Shredder had the same helmet you have now," said Wagner.

"He could also sound really menacing, or he could sound like Uncle Phil depending on which version of the show you watch," added Cody.

Sareena blinked a couple of times. "I… am completely lost."

"Bah!" cried out Paul as he waved his hands. "I assume the Lin Kuei don't have a television set or even a basic computer."

"No, we do not," said Sub-Zero.

"I technically do, but Outworld doesn't exactly have Wi-Fi," replied Smoke.

"And the Netherrealm had their own kind of… entertainment," added Sareena.

"…Well, now I feel awkward," spoke Cody.

"You started it, man," pointed out Paul.

"Whatever."

The four of them began to leave and head back inside the cave, once again leaving Sub-Zero, Smoke, and Sareena alone at the campfire. The three of them stayed quiet for a moment, trying in vain to comprehend the conversation they just had with the four men.

"You have to admit," Smoke finally said, breaking the silence. "It's guys like them who make this kind of journey bearable."

Sub-Zero ended up shaking his head. "… Apparently at my own expense."

"Exactly!"

Sareena ended up chuckling over that. Sub-Zero turned his head, his blue eyes gazing straight at her. "What's so funny?" he asked in a neutral tone.

The demon ended up clearing her throat and gave him a serious look. "Oh, nothing."

"Uh huh."

~~~

**Palace Grounds**

As they reached the former area where The Palace once stood, Ivy led a group of guards and Priests to the area. Once they arrived, she turned their attention to them.

"I want you to separate from here and go in small groups," Ivy suggested. "Search the area and meet back here in two hours, no earlier." The group nodded before they all began to disperse, leaving the Empress alone.

It took a few minutes, but soon Ivy spotted Fujin approaching her from the air. He soon landed a few feet in a front of her and he smiled in greeting. "Did you have any trouble getting here?" he asked.

Ivy shook her head. "It was much easier than I had anticipated. However, I have to warn you that we only have two hours."

Fujin nodded in understanding. "Then let us not waste any more time."

From there, the two of them began to leave the former Palace.

~~~

**Cave Grounds**

At the beach area, Lei Wulong joined with Chun Li on the shore, their own campfire lit up to both brighten the area around them and keep themselves warm from the cool air.

"I made dinner," said Chun Li as she offered a plate to Lei. "Sorry it's MRE's."

"Better than starving," Lei replied. "And it's probably better than what I can usually cook."

"Probably not," Chun Li chuckled.

"Unless you're absolutely starving," Lei said as he took the plate his fiancé offered. Using a plastic fork that came with the package, he dug into his dinner before taking a bit. He barely got through two bites before his face screwed into disgust. "Ugh! Forget what I said, this stuff is gross!"

Chun Li laughed. "I thought so."

"How do the military deal with this?"

"My guess is that they're trained for this kind of eating. I could probably ask Cammy about it later."

"Please do because I'd like to know their secret."

"Let's win this fight first," Chun Li declared.

Lei placed his plate down next to him, not feeling too hungry at the moment. He then inhaled before speaking. "What do you think will happen if we win this thing?"

"Lots of recovery throughout all the affected realms," Chun Li guessed. "And they'll be quite a casualty list to make up and go through."

Lei took a deep breath over that thought. "Suddenly, being an only child, and having both of your parents deceased before all of this… well… it sounds like a blessing in disguise."

"Same here," Chun Li replied quietly. "Though there are definitely those fighting this thing with us who have their own families to worry for."

Lei suddenly found himself twisting his fingers a little as a thought came to him. He wondered, briefly, if he should keep quiet about it, but soon decided to give it a shot.

"I… have a crazy idea if you're up for it."

Chun Li gazed at him. "What kind of crazy idea?"

Lei took a deep breath to calm the sudden nerves he was feeling at the pit of his stomach. "We'll be facing the Outworld Forces head on sooner or later. It's been making me thinking about a lot of things and… I end up wondering if… well…"

"Sounds like there's something you want to do before we fight them."

Lei nodded. "Yeah."

"And that would be…?"

Lei sighed before he spat out his words. "Let's get married tonight."

Chun Li's eyes widened at that, not expecting him to say that. "Tonight?"

"Yeah… I mean… only if you want to. No rush, no worries."

The young woman turned her attention to the water in front of them. "I… I'm not sure… I mean… even if we could, there's no one around who could marry us."

Lei suddenly grinned. "Oh yes there is." He raised his right hand, showing of a peace sign. "Two in fact."

Chun Li raised her eyebrow as she turned back to him. "Who?"

"Fujin, God of Wind, and Ruby Heart, Captain of… wait… what is her ship's name?"

"I don't think it has a name. Let's just call it the Flying Ship."

"Okay… then, Ruby Heart, Captain of the Flying Ship."

Chun Li seemed to think through this for a moment before she spoke again. "Would we tell our friends about it?"

"Let's make it private," Lei said. "Just you, me, and whoever marries us."

"We should have at least one witness to the wedding."

"Dhalsim?"

"Hmm… that sounds good actually." Then Chun Li smiled. "Okay… let's get married tonight."

In reply, Lei leaned forward and the two shared a long kiss.

~~~

**Forest**

Amongst the trees, Kintaro walked through a small trail alone. The sun in the distance had set and all was quiet around him.

A handful of tarkatans and shokans were sent out earlier to scout for possible living humans in the area. Naturally, the two species were sent out because they were the best at sniffing out humans. Despite what he heard Shao Kahn say two days ago, it looked as though the Emperor still had… use for his kind.

"I haven't seen anything yet," a voice from behind suddenly spoke behind him. Kintaro turned around and his eyes soon met with Sheeva's. "Have you?"

It took a lot of effort to suppress the growl that was beginning to form deep within his chest. "As of now, no," Kintaro replied.

Sheeva then glared at her fellow shokan. "You have been very quiet for the past few days."

Kintaro folded his two lower arms in front of him. "Very… recently, I've been wondering what it will be like when the Outworld Forces finally take over every realm in existence."

"Naturally, when it's over, we'll be taking care of the centaurians once and for all," Sheeva replied. "And finally bring glory to our race."

"Unless they get to us first…"

"Unlikely."

"Perhaps it would have been better if we had proceeded with the peace treaty between us, the centaurians, and the Edenians."

Sheeva bared her teeth at that. "And weaken our race? Absolutely not!"

"Is that why you murdered Prince Goro?"

Sheeva's eyes quickly narrowed into slits. "What are you talking about?"

"I heard your conversation the other day with Drin," Kintaro revealed. "The treaty would have brought peace and our fight against the centaurians would have ended. The Edenians would have seen to it."

"But would the centaurians have followed the treaty even with the Edenians watching over?" Sheeva argued. "You and I both know that would never happen. The centaurians are nothing more than savages out for themselves."

"How do you know? If you recall, they had signed the treaty the Edenians created first! Goro had announced his intention to sign it the very day _you_ killed him!"

"A necessary course of action," Sheeva said almost casually.

"So you doom our race because of your hatred for the centaurians?"

"It has nothing to do with my hatred," Sheeva answered. "It's about the future of the shokans… we are strong, always. The treaty would have done nothing to quell thousands of years of bloodshed. It is not a thing that will ever go away. To sign the treaty would have shown our willingness to bow down. That is _not_ the way to honor those whose blood was shed in this rivalry."

It was then that they heard some of their scouts nearby. The both of them knew that they would have to end this conversation now.

"We'll talk about this later," Sheeva declared. She then turned around and began to leave the area, leaving Kintaro seething in anger.

~~~

**Near the Palace Grounds, Unknown Area**

On the other side of the former palace, far from the camp was yet another cave, though it was much smaller than the one used by the chosen ones. It was perfect for the meeting with Dhalsim, Fujin, and Ruby Heart along with the Four Chosen Ones.

Ivy was not surprised at all that Jin stilled glared at her with disdain as well as Ruby Heart (then again, she did try to kill the pirate in their last encounter in Keisei). She was surprised however, that Ryu seemed to give her a neutral look. He did not give any hints at his own mistrust towards her, one that he displayed in their last meeting in Keisei.

Dhalsim was the first to speak. "Do you have any updates, Ivy?" he asked her.

"Well, we recently discovered that someone infiltrated the fortress, freeing some prisoners… probably by whoever delivered the scroll to my sleeping quarters."

"A necessary course of action," Fujin said.

"So… he… knows about our mission?" asked Ryu, referring to Yoshimitsu.

"No," Fujin explained. "But I'm sure he figured out that Ivy is on our side."

"Anyway," Ivy continued. "Shao Kahn sent some guards for me to lead to search the area. Earlier, one of our Generals, Baraka, sensed humans in this general area and he and a few others were sent to investigate."

"Great…" moaned Ruby Heart.

"At least we'll be prepared if they come near the cave grounds," Dhalsim said.

"I also must warn you," Ivy said. "The… essence is starting to take over. I witnessed it myself just mere hours before arriving here."

Dhalsim frowned. "Already?" Ivy nodded.

"Wait," spoke up Jin. "Essence? What are you talking about?"

Fujin sighed. "We were actually going to discuss that tonight… everything as a matter of fact. We were simply waiting until we were in Outworld when we had more time to discuss this."

Dhalsim took over from there. "The _Chishio No Me_ medallion… the tournament prize as you know… it contained all the power in the world and it was corrupted enough to overtake its wielder when they held it for too long. However, it's more than that… the red tear it contained was actually a shard that was part of the most infamous weapon known to Keisei."

"What weapon?" asked Kenshi.

Dhalsim took a deep breath. "Soul Edge."

"I think I remember the others mentioning about it briefly at one time or another," said Ryu. "What kind of weapon is it that makes it so infamous?"

"It's not a weapon to be messed it," Ivy explained. "The medallion served as a window for Soul Edge. It was a way for them to choose their host and use them for its purpose, mainly consuming the souls of its victims. It forever affects those who come in contact with it… even those born from those tainted are affected. Even Shao Kahn didn't know this until the last wielder of the infamous weapon showed up. Shao Kahn destroyed him and absorbed his essence. He claimed that he was in full control of it, but now… he's not."

"Well," Ruby Heart spoke up. "Good thing you lost the tournament then, Jin."

"It wouldn't have mattered if he won or not," Ivy said. "Shao Kahn had presented a fake in the tournament in the event that Jin won. He gave me the real one later that evening."

"Well that's just _great_ ," Jin said with a hint of sarcasm.

"If it makes you feel, Kazama, I didn't know about it until that very moment he presented the artifact to me."

"… Yeah right."

"All right, enough," said Fujin. "I don't need the two of you arguing again at a time like that."

"I had foreseen the medallion's destruction," explained Dhalsim. "It had turned into ash the moment Shao Kahn gained the sword's essence."

"And we're only finding about this now?" asked Ryu with a frown.

Dhalsim sighed. "There was too much going on. Either way, the implication is clear… if Shao Kahn lets the essence of Soul Edge take over, defeating him will make it that much harder even with the _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend."

"Ever since you show me those visions, I've had a lot of think over," Ivy started to say. She was suddenly taken aback as the other three quickly straightened their backs, their heads turning to Dhalsim. Apparently none of them knew about this.

"Wait… you showed her visions?" asked Jin.

"You've seen them before," Dhalsim mentioned. "All three of you have in bits and pieces… one with the blood red sky, the smell of death, the corpses…"

"Isn't that what we saw at the Palace grounds when we arrived here?" questioned Ryu.

Dhalsim solemnly shook his head. "First and foremost, I had planned to discuss this with you tonight, but it seems as though we've been jumping way too far ahead. And no, it has nothing to do with the palace… what the vision is showing you will be the future if we don't win this fight."

Jin stepped forward. "If there are… missing pieces to this vision… I want to see them."

Dhalsim frowned at this. "Are you sure?"

Jin nodded. "If there's a chance that it will give us an advantage, I want to know about it."

The yoga master sighed. "Very well then, Jin… but I must warn you-"

"Just do it," Jin cut in.

Dhalsim hesitantly approached the young man close enough to be within arm's reach. His hands pressed on either side Jin's temples. "Take deep breaths, close your eyes, and relax. The visions will appear momentarily."

It did appear moments later, and Jin suddenly found himself flinching over what he was seeing…

_Cities in ruins._

_Planets blown into pieces._

_Corpses laid where they fell in various decay with wide eyes and silent screams, surrounded by pools of blood._

_A crimson sky._

_The smell of death._

_Shao Kahn standing on top of a hill._

_Ivy's body lying by his feet, a large hole in her chest, and her face were like those corpses from another vision._

_Shao Kahn's eyes glowing redder than ever._

_A scream of insanity echoes into the sky as his form shifts and changes._

_His armor turning into one that looked like muscles, tenderloins, and veins._

_A single sword in his hand, a sword that now matched his armor._

_The sword possessed a moving eye._

_At the bottom of the hill, Jin's own corpse laid, his form that of the Devil's._

_A few bodies laid near him, some of them faces familiar, all shredded in pieces and black feathers covering them-_

Jin's eyes suddenly snapped open as he quickly stepped away from Dhalsim until his back smashed into the cave wall. He felt beads of sweat covering his forehead, his body shook, and he was gasping for breath.

"What did you see?" Ryu asked his friend, giving him a concerned look.

Jin quickly shook his head frantically. "Dhalsim… don't… don't show this to Ryu and Kenshi… spare them."

"That bad?" asked Ruby Heart.

“No... it...” Jin suddenly shook his head. "I need air." He then turned around and bolted right out of the cave.

Ryu frowned with worry. "You think he'll be all right?"

Fujin waved a hand to him, indicating him to follow. "I'm not sure. Let's check on him." From there, the two of them left the cave to see if Jin was okay.

Dhalsim sighed. "It's been a long few days… and I think this war is starting to take its toll on everyone."

Ivy frowned. "And I was a part of it…"

Ruby Heart folded her arms in front of her chest. "Why did you join the Outworld Forces to begin with?"

Dhalsim suddenly lifted a hand, telling the group to stay quiet. "I just saw a premonition… scouts are near." He turned his head to the pirate. "Follow me, Ruby Heart. We'll return shortly."

Ruby Heart nodded and two began to depart, leaving Ivy and Kenshi alone.

Ivy folded her arms as she turned her head to the swordsman. "Now that I got you alone, I have a question I want you to answer."

Kenshi slightly turned his head in her direction. "That depends on the question."

"Why do you trust me? Clearly Jin doesn't and Ryu is conflicted… and yet you've been fine with it since the beginning."

"You mean aside from you helping me get access to the dungeons and aside from Dhalsim's predictions? Considering my lack of sight, I've learned how to figure out when someone is lying. When you mentioned your willingness to cooperate, I knew you were telling the truth."

Ivy tilted her head at this. "I… see."

"Speaking of your cooperation," Kenshi proceeded. "There's something I'm wondering about… what made you willing to turn your back on the one you've been working side by side with all this time?"

"Soul Edge," Ivy immediately answered. "It may be nothing more than an artifact in my realm, but it is an enemy worse than the universe wants to admit. I sacrificed so much in my quest to destroy it." She then took out her sword from its brown scabbard behind her and admired it. "I carry this sword for that purpose."

She was surprised when Kenshi straightened up as he tilted his head to the side. "That sounds familiar."

"What do you mean?"

It was his turn to draw out his weapon from its red scabbard. Ivy noticed the katana's elegant design, and she found herself admiring the curved dragon etched onto the blade. "For a while, before all of this chaos, I was on my own quest and I also sacrificed a lot. This is the blade I carried with me throughout the journey. The sword's spirit is the one that guides me, which is why I can move around even without my eyes."

"Huh," Ivy uttered. It seemed as though that they had more in common than she realized. Even more interesting, her sword also had its own life force just like hers. "Did you ever succeed in your quest?"

"In a way," Kenshi replied as he placed his sword back in its scabbard. "But… let's just say it backfired recently. Hopefully it'll be rectified soon enough whether it's me or someone else doing the job."

It was then that they both heard footsteps coming into the cave. Turning her head, Ivy noticed Fujin approaching them.

"Everything's fine," Fujin announced. "I think we've already covered the important aspects of this meeting. However, before you go, Ivy, I'd like to speak to you alone. Kenshi, you can head back to the cave if you wish."

Ivy nodded. "Of course." She turned to Kenshi, briefly nodding at him even though she knew he couldn't see it. She then departed the cave, leaving the swordsman alone.

~~~

**Cave Grounds**

Back at the cave area, Yoshimitsu was on lookout, staying not too far from the cave entrance. With the main leaders currently out of the area, he was tasked in keeping an eye on things along with some of his other clan members who accompanied him to Outworld.

"Yoshimitsu?" a voice suddenly said from behind him.

The clan leader, startled by the intruder, quickly whirled around, lashing his sword out. His attack was then blocked by what he soon realized was a bo staff glowing in a magenta color.

Yoshimitsu sighed with relief upon recognizing the intruder behind the weapon. "Jade," he managed to say.

"Sorry if I startled you," the Edenian replied as she took a step back.

"I admire your stealth, but I almost killed you," Yoshimitsu mentioned.

"Huh, that's funny… I thought I made enough noise to let you know I was coming."

"Hmm, guess I'm distracted… a stupid mistake on my part."

"Still no sign of your scouts?"

Yoshimitsu shook his head.

Jade sighed a little as her green eyes gazed at the nearby beach. "I came to tell you that I… talked to Dhalsim earlier about Rose. I also talked to Fujin immediately afterwards, so they both know. They… plan to talk to everyone about Rose's fate on my behalf when this war is over… I guess it's their way of taking the burden off of me somewhat."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Yoshimitsu asked.

Jade shrugged. "Maybe… but I'm still responsible for her death…"

"Shao Kahn is responsible, not you," Yoshimitsu reminded her. "He used Rose like a puppet against you."

"If I had known that it was _her_ under that hood," Jade began to say.

"You still would have defended yourself."

"But I would not have killed her so quickly."

"And that's _exactly_ what Shao Kahn is hoping for."

That made Jade fall silent, realizing what Yoshimitsu was getting at. He elaborated on it for her. "It's an old tactic and it would not surprise me if Shao Kahn is using that against his strongest opponents. This brainwashing, this… method by sending them out against their friends… their families… their clans… it's his way of making the likes of you and me hesitant to make the kill, giving _them_ the advantage."

Jade clenched her fist, which rested on her side. "Some General I am… it's something _I_ should've known… and it's why they sent Kitana, Sindel, and Sonya after me the day I escaped my imprisonment. And worse… I _used_ to work under him… I should know his tactics by now…"

"You haven't been General for very long, have you?" Yoshimitsu guessed with curiosity.

Jade admitted that by shaking her head. "I had served as a bodyguard for Kitana when we were both here in Outworld. I only became General of the Edenian Knights after Edenia was freed from Outworld… that was only a few years ago. Still, because I was also a bodyguard for the royal family, my duties remained mostly within the castle grounds. After this latest invasion, it was I who formed the Edenian Freedom Fighters… it was natural that I became the leader. Things were fine, at least until we were defeated and imprisoned.

"The problem is _not_ because I've only been a General for a few years… my problem is that I let personal feelings get in the way. You end up hoping for the best, but when the worst happens… well…"

Before Yoshimitsu could say anything in response, they suddenly heard staggering footsteps just behind him. The two of them turned their heads and saw someone approaching them, clearly bleeding and injured.

Yoshimitsu instantly recognized the newcomer, and he ran over to them as they collapsed to their knees. Jade stood were she was, watching them.

"Hisoka!" the clan leader called out as he approached one of the six scouts he had sent to Outworld while still in Keisei. When he reached his scout, he kneeled down in front of him. "Are you all right?"

Hisoka took a couple of breaths before replying. "I… I'm not sure…"

"Where are the others?" Yoshimitsu asked.

"… Dead. All of them… dead. Tarkatans, they… tortured us for… two days… at the wastelands. I… managed to escape this morning… only…"

Yoshimitsu bowed his head a little, feeling grim by the bad news. Five out of six of his recon scouts were dead. He didn't have to guess on how they died… the tarkatans most likely tore them apart piece by piece while the scouts were refusing to give out information.

Another burden to add to his shoulders…

"… I… I think they know you're here…" Hisoka mentioned.

Yoshimitsu gazed back up at him. "The Outworld Forces?"

Hisoka nodded. "Saw some… near… the camp… not sure… what… they plan… to do…"

The clan leader placed his hand on his scout's shoulder. "You did everything you could."

Hisoka then reached for one of his pouches and pulled out two trinkets. He first gave him a silver pocket watch. "Give this… to my mother… in Ryukyu… small village called… Kaego. Her name… Ren… if… still alive…"

He then gave him another trinket… a gold locket. "Got this… from Solken… give to… his wife."

Yoshimitsu nodded as he took the trinkets in his hands before putting him in his own pouch. By now he already realized what Hisoka planned to do even before he opened his tattered black robe, exposing his torso, and pulled out his tanto blade from its scabbard. Quietly, Yoshimitsu stood up before walking behind his scout. Then carefully, he pulled out his katana from its scabbard, the blade emitting an emerald aura.

"I had… failed the clan," Hisoka said quietly. "This is… the only way… to regain my honor… help me… master."

Hisoka then plunged the tanto into his stomach before cutting through in a left to right motion. As soon as that was done, Yoshimitsu took his sword and proceeded to decapitate him, though not to the point of completely severing his head from his body. A small flesh remained in the front, causing his neck to fall forward as if embraced. Soon, Hisoka's body limped to the side, his blood draining out of him from both wounds.

Jade could only stare after witnessing that. She had heard of _seppuku_ before, but never saw it with her own eyes until now.

Soon, Yoshimitsu straightened himself up, taking a moment to wipe the blood off his sword with a cloth before placing it back in its scabbard. His eyes stared down at his dead scout.

"Every leader had to learn the hard lessons at some point," Yoshimitsu quietly said to Jade. "But even so, life has a way to teach us new things no matter how long you've been leader… no matter how long you've been fighting." He then turned his head to the Edenian. "No matter how long your mortality lasts."

Jade understood what he meant. One of the advantages of being an Edenian was her longevity, but even with that, maturity took more time to develop depending on what age they were. Even with all the learning they have for thousands for years, one could be six thousand years old and still can be considered very young.

She sometimes felt like she had some growing up to do. Princess Kitana even has her brash moments even last year, and they are both around the same age.

"There are benefits to being a leader," Yoshimitsu proceeded. "But there are also many burdens we are forced to carry." He glanced down at Hisoka. "And no matter how much you try to avoid them, it is inevitable that a new weight would be added to the pile."

"I assume this isn't the first time you've assisted with someone's hara-kiri," Jade guessed.

"… I've helped withmore of them than I care to admit," Yoshimitsu replied. "But this kind of sacrifice is their choice. No… the worst is when you kill someone who is brainwashed when there is no other way to free them… or worse, someone you thought you could rely on, but they end up betraying you. You feel as though you've failed to see what truly lays in their heart no matter your efforts… that mistake hurts others who rely on you."

"Even the best of us don't see what's in front of us until it's too late," Jade said with a frown.

Yoshimitsu shook his head a little. "Huh, strange… I don't think I've talked about this to anyone since, well… ever." He then bent down and began to pick up his scout, whose blood had completely drained at this point. "I'm going to go bury him. I won't be too far in case anyone asks for me."

Jade simply nodded before Yoshimitsu departed. She found herself saddened by both Yoshimitsu's burdens and the fate of his recon scouts. Once more, families had lost loved ones in this war… and somewhere in Keisei, a little boy was now going to grow up without his father…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

After a few hours of scouting, Ivy and the rest of the troops who came with her to the palace grounds returned to the fortress. In the throne room, Shao Kahn waited in his usual place.

He glared at the Empress with his red eyes as she approached her own throne. "Well?" he asked after a moment of silence.

Ivy didn't bother to turn to him. "We didn't find those who infiltrated the fortress."

Shao Kahn immediately clenched his fist. "Then why did you bother to return to the fortress without fulfilling your mission?! You of all people should know better!"

Ivy thought of her conversation with Fujin prior to her return after their meeting ended…

_"_ _It is inevitable that Shao Kahn will know about the others at the camp, especially with the scouts that he's sent out," Fujin said. "It is possible that he could send the others out in a surprise attack."_

_"_ _It would not surprise me… it sounds like a tactic he would follow," Ivy said._

_"_ _In that case, we need to be one step ahead of him," Fujin replied. "It is time… the final battle must begin tomorrow morning. The best course of action is to send the Outworld Forces towards the camp, giving Jin, Ryu, and Kenshi the chance to infiltrate the fortress while he is alone."_

_"…_ _What do you need me to do?"_

_"_ _Convince him to send the others towards the camp. I will let the chosen ones know of their knowledge of them tonight so that they are prepared. They'll have a chance at fighting back in this case. As for you, I just need you to stay put in the fortress if possible. When the other three begin fighting Shao Kahn, that will be your time to step in. From there, well… as the mortals say, keep your fingers crossed."_

_Ivy took a deep breath. "Let's hope for the best…"_

Ivy forced herself to smirk as she turned her head, her blue eyes gazing at him. "Because I personally made a discovery that may… interest you."

Shao Kahn leaned forward in his seat. "Go on…"

"You know how Baraka was able to sniff out humans around the former tournament grounds?"

The Emperor tiled his head. "You found them?"

Ivy nodded. "There's a cave about ten minutes from where the palace grounds used to be… some of the people staying there, well… I recognized them from the tournament. I believe they are preparing to assault the fortress. It would not surprise me if someone from their group had infiltrated here this afternoon."

Shao Kahn rubbed his chin with his hand. "Do you have a plan?"

"I do," Ivy said. "Baraka should lead the rest of the Outworld Forces to attack the base first thing tomorrow morning, just after dawn. A surprise attack will surely throw them off. It will give us the upperhand and wipe them out for good."

The Emperor seemed to think this over for a moment before he leaned back into his seat.

"Granted."


	83. Chapter Eighty-Two

_That Night..._

**Cave Grounds**

Upon Fujin's return after his meeting with Dhalsim, Ruby Heart, and The Four, Yoshimitsu immediately approached him, bringing him bad news. He reported the deaths of his recon scouts along with the message his surviving scout gave to him… the Outword Forces knew of their presence.

Fujin figured that was the case once Ivy revealed a similar report (and it was why he discussed the next course of action with her). With all of this in mind, Fujin, Dhalsim, and Ruby Heart made a decision… in the morning, they will leave the cave and march into battle. Fujin hoped that the Outworld Forces would meet them halfway then.

They gathered everyone around the campfire and told them just that. They hated dropping this kind of news on them, especially considering how they planned to head off around eight in the morning, as Fujin suggested.

But the truth was… it was now or never.

The Manji Clan members and the Coast Guard soldiers would spend the night and early morning guarding the camp and switching shifts with one another. This way, the chosen ones were fully rested and ready for battle.

When the meeting ended, some departed the grounds and headed into other areas. However, a large amount of them remained. They consisted of Ken, Cammy, Lita, Dan, Cody, Yang, Maki, Juli, Wagner, Sophitia, Cassandra, Xianghua, Cyrax, Kung Lao, Bo' Rai Cho, Kilik, Maxi, Hwang, Seong Mi-na, Steve, Marshall, Hwoarang, King, Marduk, Jade, Li Mei, and Paul.

Hwoarang felt a little chilly considering the campfire wasn't big enough to keep everyone warm. "Man, we should've made a bon fire instead," he said to no one in particular.

"I can arrange that," announced Bo' Rai Cho.

" **NO!** " cried out Wagner, Juli, Kung Lao, and Li Mei at once as they remember his… talents.

Bo' Rai Cho cleared his throat over that. "Suit yourself."

"Suddenly, I wish there was alcohol," said Marduk. "That would definitely keep us warm."

"Not a good idea at this point," replied Yang.

"I agree," spoke Paul. "I don't want to fight a death battle with a hangover. I once did that in a tournament. Still won, but I wouldn't recommend it."

"If I recall, that was back in the second King of Iron Fist Tournament," Marshall remembered. "Do you remember who you fought back then?"

"Hell if I remember."

Maxi leaned forward on the log he was sitting on. "I'm just throwing out an idea here, but… I say if we all live through this battle tomorrow, and the universe is saved, we should hold an annual reunion between all of us on the anniversary of our victory."

"Hey, I like that idea," agreed Cody. "It'd be nice to have a get-together that doesn't involve fighting for once."

"Unless we want it to be," Marduk chuckled.

"But where would we hold the reunions?" asked Li Mei.

"Ken's mansion in San Francisco," Wagner suggested. "It's huge _and_ everyone will be able to have their own room and bathroom!"

"If it's still standing," Ken mentioned.

"How will any of us not from Earthrealm get there?" asked Xianghua.

"I can see if Special Forces or the OIA can make a portal specifically for between your world and ours," suggested Cyrax. "Perhaps through the Coast Guard headquarters."

Kilik smiled at that idea. "I have a good feeling that, after we win, the two realms will be great allies."

"Along with Edenia," added Jade.

"Of course!" called Mi-na, patting the Edenian's shoulder. "The three worlds who helped in saving the universe… that friendship will definitely be a strong one for years to come."

"Good thing none of us were enemies beforehand," said Kung Lao. "Sure, it's possible to unite against a common foe, but one can only imagine what would happen after we defeat said enemy."

"So in other words," began King. "Since none of our realms had any animosity between us to begin with, the possibility of a fall-out is low."

"Exactly!" exclaimed Cyrax.

"You must also remember that Li Mei and I are both from Outworld," mentioned Bo' Rai Cho. "Though the majority of the enemies are from here, there are those like us who think otherwise."

"Make that statement four worlds then," called out Yang.

"Even though I'm sure the other worlds won't be too eager to ally with Outworld any time soon," pointed out Li Mei. "But I don't blame them one bit."

"Recovery won't be easy," said Cammy. "But if we help each other out however we can, it'll at least make things better."

"Even that won't be easy," sighed Lita. "You know how politicians work in that kind of situation. They'll want things done a certain way."

"Appealing to politics…" groaned Hwang. "Worst part about negotiations and treaties."

"Huh, even in another realm, politicians are a pain in the ass," said Marshall with a shake of his head.

"I suddenly don't want to talk about the future," sighed Juli. "I don't want to be… disappointed if we lose this fight tomorrow."

"But it helps us try to think about what we're fighting for," said Sophitia. "There are many relying on us… our friends, our families, the souls who've died in this war, and even those who aren't born yet."

Cassandra bowed her head. "Suddenly, I'm carrying too much weight on my shoulders."

"Hey, let's try to raise morale right now," suggested Maki.

"How?" asked Steve.

"A song?" said Dan.

"… Why the hell not?" replied Paul with a shrug.

"I guess I can start," spoke up Hwang.

That earned a raised eyebrow from Hwoarang. "You sing?"

"Sometimes."

"Do you know, _'_ _Brighter Days?_ '" asked Xianghua.

"What's that?" asked Lita.

"Universal Keisei song," explained Mi-na. "It was written some three-hundred years ago after the end of a big war between east and west."

Hwang cleared his throat before he took a deep breath and began singing;

_When the clouds have parted_

_And the rays are shining_

_The world will see brighter days._

_No more war, no more bloodshed_

_And no more fighting_

_The world will soon see brighter days._

Everyone fell quiet as they listened to Hwang sing. Sure, the lyrics were basic and the lack of accompanying music didn't help anything, but one thing was for sure… Hwang most definitely can carry a tune.

The song lasted another minute before Hwang stopped. When he was done, everyone clapped and cheered over his singing performance. He ended up smiling a little, feeling a bit embarrassed by the attention.

"I'll have you know that I just recorded that," mentioned Cyrax. "I'm definitely playing it back when we win."

"I admit, that was good singing," said Marduk. "Me? I sing like I have shit in my mouth."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow over that. "Well, that was a disgusting thought."

Marduk saluted her with a, well… shit-eating grin. "You're welcome."

"I got one," said Steve as he leaned forward. "Most of your Earthrealmers would know this one."

Steve took a moment to clear his throat before he began singing. However,, Paul immediately cut him off as soon as he recognized, ' _Home On the Range_.'. "Hold on, wait a second here! Of _all_ the songs to pick… why that one?"

Steve shrugged. "We're gathered by the campfire and it's about the only song I know that most of you will know besides children's songs. I'm trying to encourage a sing-a-long here, so sue me."

"… Oh what the hell, I'll join you. I feel like I'm in a damn musical at this point anyway."

From there, those who knew the song began to sing the famous campfire song…

Meanwhile about twenty yards away, a smaller group consisting of Ermac, Siegfried, Sagat, Raven, Yoshimitsu, and Feng Wei gathered near the beach. Feng Wei was the only one sitting in a lotus position meditating while the others stood around. From where they were, they could hear singing coming from nearby.

Raven turned his head to where the larger group was gathered. "We're about to head into battle and they're singing like tomorrow won't happen. What's the point?"

"Coping mechanism," replied Yoshimitsu.

"We say let them do it if it helps them," said Ermac.

"Exactly. They're not drinking like bums and they're not hurting anyone."

"Except maybe our ears," said Siegfried without missing a beat.

That earned a chuckle from Sagat. "Either way, it boosts morale."

The group then heard footsteps approaching. The men turned their heads before noticing Dragunov joining them. The silent man eventually leaned his back against a tree, folded his arms in front of him, and stared out towards the beach in front of him.

"They'll be serious when the battle begins," said Ermac. "That is what's most important."

The men fell silent afterwards while the singing continued. They eventually were starting to feel more relaxed the longer went on… perhaps it wasn't so bad to hear the group keep themselves in high spirits no matter how noisy they were about it.

Even a ghost of a smile appeared on a contented Dragunov's lips as he listened in on the singing.

Inside the cave, Lei and Chun Li were holding hands as they entered the lounge area. After the meeting around the campfire, they were attempting to approach Fujin and Dhalsim, but the two men had left quickly, more than likely to talk about what will happen tomorrow. Neither one of them wanted to bother the two; so instead, they went out and searched for Ruby Heart.

It actually took a bit of time, thinking that Ruby Heart would have headed straight to her ship. However, they found it empty and decided to head back to the cave grounds. Managing to avoid the large group gathered around the campfire, they headed into the cave and back towards the lounge area.

They indeed found Ruby Heart there… with a bottle of rum in one hand while lying halfway back on the couch she was sitting. The captain smiled when she saw the couple. "Hello you two!" she called out.

Not drunk… more like _very_ tipsy.

"Hello," replied Lei. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, I'm just dandy," Ruby Heart replied a tad louder than she intended. Realizing her mistake, she managed to speak in a whisper… this time a little _too_ low. "I figured I'd try to stay warm before tomorrow. Sort of a tradition, you know?"

"Um, Lei?" Chun Li said as she tugged at her fiance's arm.

"What?" Lei asked.

"We can, well… can we talk in private?"

Lei was confused, but decided to oblige. "Um, sure." He turned back to the captain. "Um… we'll be back."

"OKAY!" Ruby Heart said loudly as she raised the rum bottle above her head as though toasting them.

From there, Lei and Chun Li left the lounge, neither of them stopping until they were in Chun Li's room. They closed the curtain behind them before stepped further into the room.

"What's wrong?" Lei asked as he noticed the frown on the Interpol detective's face.

Chun Li sighed a little as she rubbed her forehead with her hand. "I… I know we agreed to marry tonight, but… maybe tonight isn't such a good idea."

"What do you mean?" Lei asked, baffled by what he heard.

"Well… there's just too much happening tonight… Fujin and Dhalsim keeping busy, our friends trying to cope with what will come tomorrow, and Ruby Heart… well… that doesn't need to be discussed. Maybe tonight is not the right time to get married…"

Lei sighed. "Yeah… I guess it isn't."

Chun Li gazed up at him and managed to smile. "Besides… do we _really_ want to get married in Outworld of all places?"

Lei suddenly felt relieved upon hearing this. "You… make a very good point." He leaned forward before wrapping his arms around her. "I guess, well… if I had known what was planned for morning, well, I wouldn't have said anything… I'm afraid for tomorrow…"

"I know you are," Chun Li said as she rested her arms around his shoulders. "And I understand wanting to do something like this in case, well… something happens. But, well…" She smiled. "Let's make this something for us to fight for tomorrow."

Lei leaned his forehead to rest on hers, a smile forming. "I can do that… as long as we get to do one thing."

Chun Li gazed at him. "What will that be?"

He gave her a wicked grin. "Skip to the honeymoon."

Chun Li laughed at that. "Okay, now _that_ we can do."

The young woman leaned forward to kiss him, which he returned eagerly. While holding each other close, the two of them walked themselves over the bed before carefully lying down on the cot. Tonight, they were going to enjoy themselves and not think about what will come tomorrow…

Meanwhile, Ryu found himself in Julia's room. After the grim meeting outside, the two of them decided to spend the remainder of the night together. Julia lied on the twin cot on her side while Ryu sat up. It was a tight fit, but they both managed.

It was there that Julia was able to give him full details on what Sagat had told her this morning. After everything that happened today, it was hard to believe that she received the news only about twelve hours ago.

When she was done, Ryu rubbed his forehead with his left hand. "I'm so sorry about all of this… but… you have no idea how relieved I am to know that I wasn't responsible for what happened to your mother."

"Me too…" Julia whispered. "I wish I had known about it sooner… then… I wouldn't have let you go… I was confused and unsure of anything at that point, and-"

Ryu reached a hand to brush at the strands of her brown hair. Her hair was free from her usual braids, letting it flow back behind her and down to her hips. "Hey, it's okay now," he said to her. "I realized you needed time to think."

Julia reached for Ryu's hand and grasped it tightly. "Thank you… for understanding."

Ryu then moved himself so that he, too, was lying on his side next to the young woman. Once he was settled, he wrapped one arm around her, resting one hand on her back. In reply, Julia placed one hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat underneath her fingers.

"Tell me about your mother," Ryu said.

Julia felt a smile tug at her lips. "Well… she found me as a baby on an old Native American settlement and raised me as her own. I loved her and I loved the people on the land I grew up around. They were the ones who had taught me to fight in order to protect myself, our homeland, and those I care about.

"My mother was a brave, strong, and determined woman. She cared about those around her and was protective of them, including me. She also loved nature… I definitely got that from her for sure."

Julia then found herself frowning as a thought came to her. "I think… if she was still alive today… she would have joined us in this fight against Outworld. She was always a strong fighter and… I suspect that was why Shadaloo… did what they did…"

In silence, Ryu removed his hand from Julia's back before his fingers gently caressed her face. Instinctively, Julia closed her eyes and leaned her head into his hand, enjoying the contact.

She missed this…

Upon thinking that, it quickly dawned on Julia what was about to transpire tomorrow. Tonight, they would know peace… but tomorrow… it was a guess as to whether or not they would live through the coming battle.

She appreciated Sagat telling her the truth, but why now? Why not sooner? Heck, why not after they won… if they won at all?

Julia bit her lower lip as her shoulders started to shake. Her eyes closed tightly, but it didn't stop the tears from spilling.

 _Damn it!_ she cried out in her mind. _I've been such a wreck all day…_

With concern on his face, Ryu moved his hand on her back again and pulled her closer to him until her head was resting just below his chin, his hold on her firm. "What's wrong?" he asked her quietly.

Julia managed to gather her voice before replying. "… I… I want more time…"

Ryu frowned as he began to stroke her long hair. "I know… whatever happens…"

Julia sighed. "… I know."

Sometime later, Mika, Asuka, Karin, and Sakura gathered in the lounge area, figuring that they would have more privacy. They ended up telling Sakura as much as they could.

They started from the beginning… from what happened at the Cathedral (though Asuka left out the detail on Jin and Ryu being there… she figured Jin would tell her himself in time), what they were doing in the aftermath, the invasion, how Sakura showed up and fought them on Yakushima, and how they got to Outworld.

When they were done, Sakura suddenly felt dizzy. "This is all… too much."

Mika hugged her friend. "We're sorry… there's just, well… so much to discuss."

Sakura sighed. "It's just an overload and a lot of comprehend."

"Well, here's some rum if you want some," said Karin as she picked up a half empty bottle she found on a table.

Sakura immediately shook her head. "It's okay, I don't need that."

"That's good," said Asuka.

Sakura managed to smile. "Why, do you think you would need it if you were in my shoes?"

Asuka laughed nervously. "Um… maybe?"

Sakura's smile then faded. "Despite… everything… I'm sorry… I really am. I didn't mean to hurt any of you…"

"We know you didn't," replied Mika. "We were more worried about how we were going to free you."

"Did they explain how you were freed?" asked Karin.

Sakura shook her head. "Actually, Ken, Ryu, and Julia didn't explain that. Julia said that, well… I was unconscious and was back to my old self when I woke up. Ryu doesn't believe it had anything to do with the kind of brainwashing that's happening in Outworld."

"Yeah, your eyes were different," said Mika.

Sakura sighed. "I'm suddenly very tired…" She frowned as she gazed at her friends with tears in her eyes. "I wish I was going with you tomorrow."

"I know, but you need the rest," Mika replied as she placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "But you won't be alone. The prisoners who were freed will be watching over you."

"I know… but I'll be worried for all of you tomorrow for sure."

"We know," said Karin. "But when this is over… we'll be together again."

"And we'll have the kind of fun we had before all of this," added an optimistic Asuka.

Sakura managed to smile. "I hope so…"

A few rooms down from the lounge, Sareena was unfolding the blanket in preparation for sleep when she heard some shuffling nearby. She turned her head and quickly noticed a shadow near the bottom of the closed curtain.

"Sareena?" she heard a familiar voice say from the other side of the curtain.

"Yes, Sub-Zero?" she replied.

"May I come in?"

Sareena stretched her arms a bit before replying. "Sure."

The curtain pushed aside and Sub-Zero walked into the room before shutting it behind him. Sareena noticed that he was still wearing the armor he obtained today, but the damio-style helmet and mask were removed, revealing his face.

She suddenly tilted her head as she realized something. Just this morning, his hair was gray, but now…

"Your hair," Sareena managed to say, feeling a bit shocked. "It's… black."

Sub-Zero rolled his eyes as little as though trying to see his sleeked-back hair. He brushed the side of it with his fingers. "Um, yeah… and apparently according to Smoke, my crow's feet are gone, too. I, eh, haven't really had the chance to look in the mirror."

"I see."

Sub-Zero rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "I think it has something to do with the new armor. I think it has some enhanced powers of sort. Guess I'll have a better idea in the morning."

"You'll be wearing it in battle tomorrow?" Sareena asked.

The Grandmaster nodded. "Yes, though I'll probably hear about this, um, 'shredder' thing later."

The demon chuckled a little. "Ignore it," she suggested.

"Actually, it doesn't bother me," the ice wielder said. He pointed behind him with his thumb, indicating the rest of the group who were with them. "They know what I'm capable of. That's all that should matter."

"True." Sareena then began to walk forward. "Did you come here to ask me something?"

Before Sub-Zero answered her, Sareena suddenly tripped over one of the blankets she was unfolding, not realizing that it had slipped from the cot during the conversation. As she began to fall, Sub-Zero immediately stepped forward and managed to catch her before she hit the floor.

The two stood before Sareena gazed up at him. Her onyx eyes stared into those blues, and she realized for the first time since she met him how beautiful they were. Even the long scar on the right side of his face seemed to bring the color out.

"Kuai Liang?" she ended up saying.

"Yeah?" he replied.

She wasn't sure what else to say at this point… she seemed to recall asking him a question just moments ago, but suddenly, the demon couldn't remember what it was.

Without thinking about it, Sareena began to lean her face towards Sub-Zero. His eyes seemed to widen for a brief moment as though he realized her intention. Then, he too began to lean towards her so that he met her halfway.

"Um, am I disrupting anything?" a robotic voice suddenly said from behind Sub-Zero.

The Grandmaster immediately let go of Sareena before turning to Smoke, who had entered the room. The cyborg tilted his head before speaking. "Sorry, I heard you two talking, and I realized I had a last minute question on that report I was filling out about what happened today, and, well… I needed your input. Again, I hope I wasn't disrupting anything."

Sub-Zero seemed to grunt a bit. "No, not at all…" He then gazed at the woman behind him. "Good night."

"Good night," Sareena barely got out, but by then, Sub-Zero was gone.

Smoke shrugged a little. "Well… good night." The demon nodded before the cyborg left, closing the curtain behind him. Suddenly, the room was too warm to her…

Back outside at the beach, Jin Kazama decided to remain alone, not in the mood to join up with anyone the night before they headed out in the morning. He preferred it anyway.

He still had images of the visions Dhalsim gave him tonight at the meeting. He was sure, even if they won tomorrow, that he was going to have nightmares about them for the rest of his life.

He didn't know how it was going to happen, but whatever it was, Jin was sure that they were going to find a way to lure Shao Kahn to him and the other three chosen ones. He was sure that was why Fujin and Dhalsim departed from the group together tonight… to discuss their exact plans.

Even now, Jin still had his doubts about Ivy… but at this point, he was going to have to start accepting the fact that she was just as a part of this as they were… even if she did help in causing this devastation.

His thoughts were soon disrupted as he heard footsteps nearby. Gazing up, the young man noticed Nina Williams pacing around the area silently. Her steps were quiet, and she didn't bother to look at him.

Eventually, however, the pacing was bothering Jin. "Do you need something?" he asked out loud in a bit of annoyance.

Nina stopped in her tracks before turning her head to Jin, her blond hair swaying behind her in the light wind. "You're the only one around here not making noise."

In the distance, Jin heard singing… he knew what she meant now.

For a while, the two were silent as they both gazed out towards the sea. Even with the wind, the water on the beach was calm and hardly made any splashing sounds as they licked the sand.

A thought came to Jin as he turned his attention to Nina. "I recall that you tried to assassinate me a couple of years ago… specifically at the third King of Iron Fist Tournament."

Nina raised an eyebrow, not bothering to turn to the young man. She folded her arms in front of her. "Believe or not, the Fighting God, Ogre, used some kind of mind control at the time."

"Huh," Jin huffed bitterly, especially at the thought of his mother's murderer. "I believe that."

"If that wasn't the case," Nina continued as a ghost of smile played on her lips. "You would've been dead."

Jin leaned back. "Clearly you're confident about your abilities. Perhaps _too_ confident if I may be so bold."

Nina was quiet for a moment before she began to walk forward. "I'll be putting that to good use tomorrow."

She then left the area and headed back towards the cave despite the continued singing and chattering in that area. Glad to be alone again, Jin leaned forward before his eyes gazed out towards the sea once more.

Back inside the cave, Kenshi was in his room, deciding to try to get some sleep even with his insomnia. The least he could do was try to rest his mind considering what was going to happen tomorrow.

However, the current rowdiness and the singing outside weren't helping much. He was aware that it was for morale purposes, but it was definitely not helping him.

Kenshi eventually was able to block out the noise somewhat, but even that didn't last long. He eventually heard the curtain to his room open and footsteps walking in. There was only one person here who could get away with waltzing into his room without knocking on the side of the cave wall.

"I thought you'd be outside with the others," he said.

"I thought about it," he heard Alex say. He was sure that she was gazing at his eyes considering that his blindfold was taken off. "But honestly, after the day I had, I'm not really in the mood to gather in a big group. Besides, the campfire's too crowded and I won't be able to get any heat source from the fire."

Alex shuffled a little where she stood. "I'm feeling tired anyway. I… came in to say good night."

Kenshi was silent for a moment as he debated something in his mind. Soon, he made a decision and he turned his head to where she stood. He cleared his throat a little. "You can… stay in here if you want to."

Even without seeing it, the swordsman could tell that she was hesitant for a moment by the lack of shuffling on her end. For a split second, he thought she had left and he hadn't caught that, but as soon as that came over his mind, he heard her walking towards the cot. He moved over to his left as much as possible so that he gave her enough room to lie down next to him on her side. Kenshi felt Alex tuck her arms in between her chest and his side, but her head rested on his shoulder, the rest of his arm outstretched behind her.

It was the first time since Shang Tsung's attack that they even stayed in the same room, let alone share the same bed.

For a long time, the two of them were quiet, and all that was mostly heard was the chatter outside. At one point, Alex had moved one hand, soon resting it against his sternum. Kenshi eventually moved the arm behind her, his hand resting on the middle of her back and his fingers brushing against the ends of her long hair.

Alex soon spoke up. "I'm resigning from Special Forces when this is over."

Kenshi was a bit surprised to hear that news. "What made you decide that?"

Alex sighed. "One can only fight for so long before it takes a toll on them. I've pretty much reached my limit. Don't get me wrong, I'm prepared for tomorrow, but… I need a very long break when it's over."

Kenshi was silent for a moment before speaking. "I thought about going back to Japan after this."

Alex frowned a little. "For a visit?"

"… I'm not sure… only I realized it's been over two years since I left. It's about time I returned there."

"…Los Angeles will miss their mysterious vigilante if you decide to leave for good."

Kenshi huffed a little in a bit of amusement. "I think I wiped out enough crime there even before the invasion. Even if they try to rebuild, it'll be a while before they're back in full operation, especially after the damage Outworld left behind."

"Time to protect a new city then…"

Kenshi stilled at that… he could've sworn that he heard her voice waiver, but he wasn't completely sure. He absentmindedly began to stroke her hair with his fingers. "Perhaps," he replied.

Once again the two of them fell silent. By now, they could hear the group begin to walk into the cave, clearly intending on heading to bed. The noise they were making now, ironically, wasn't as bad as it was when they were outside, more than likely respecting those already asleep.

Eventually, Kenshi could hear Alex's slow, even breaths, indicating that she had fallen asleep. His hand continued to gently brush through her hair, his fingers feeling the straight, silky length he realized he hadn't touched in a while.

Kenshi's mind was suddenly clouded by the events of the last few weeks, especially the cold, snowy morning when Siegfried confirmed Shang Tsung's return. He could still remember the moment he realized that the sorcerer was out there at the same time Alex was checking the traps. Until he found them, the swordsman was almost sure that she was dead.

Kenshi also realized that it was going to take a while before he could shake off the memory of holding her bloodied, beaten frame to him, her sobs vibrating against the shoulder she was now resting her head on. In that moment, he was angry… angry at Shang Tsung for hurting her and using her against him, and angry at himself for not getting there in time.

The dark memories soon left him. With that, along with knowing that he had to break away from the group tomorrow with Ryu and Jin to defeat Shao Kahn, Kenshi found himself shaking. Clenching his teeth, he wrapped his arms around Alex before carefully bringing her closer to him while trying not to wake her. He quickly felt himself calming down before he rested his chin on the top of her head.

Kenshi thought that keeping himself scarce would have been for the best… he didn't want anyone to see his anger and guilt, especially her. He barely managed to keep it under control the day the group got into an argument… it was why he tried to send her back in the tent. Now, however, he was regretting it.

His pride had already cost him enough.

~~~

Outside near the palace grounds, Fujin and Dhalsim were having their own meeting in the aftermath of the one they led at the campfire. They spoke about how each of the chosen ones were preparing and they even fell in silence as they listened to those at the campfire sing various songs.

By now, those who were outside were starting to head back in the cave. They knew that they were going to need as much rest as possible. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

"Just after dawn," Dhalsim soon said. "I'll escort Jin, Ryu, and Kenshi to the fortress and meet Ivy there. This way, we can get a head start."

"Sounds risky," Fujin sighed.

Dhalsim frowned. "I know, but we need them unharmed when they arrive. The tricky part will be trying to find a way to get around the Outworld Forces on the way, but once we get to the fortress, the rest of the mission will be much easier."

"Let us hope he will be completely alone at that point," Fujin said.

Dhalsim nodded in agreement. "And when that task is complete… we can only hope for the best."

A yawn escaped Dhalsim and Fujin frowned a little. "Get some rest, my friend. We have a long day ahead of us."

"I will. Good night."

"Good night."

From there, Dhalsim began to head back to the cave. For a while, Fujin stood in silence… even he was trying to comprehend the fact that this fight was actually going to take place tomorrow…

After all, this fight was months in the making.

Fujin was then about to leave when he suddenly noticed three apparitions forming in front of him. Fujin quickly stopped in his tracks… there was no doubt who they were.

"I didn't think the Elder Gods would grace me with their presence at a time like this," Fujin said, folding his arms in front of him.

"It was necessary considering a new solution," said Hinote.

That confused the Wind God. "What do you mean?"

"We found a new way to deal with Raiden," mentioned Daichi.

"It is a task that must be completed after dawn tomorrow," added Mizu. "While the Outworld Forces engage with your warriors, we will need you to help with his solution."

Fujin quickly felt rage boil in his blood, but he kept his anger under control. "Why now?! Why not tonight?! Why not _after_ the battle?!"

"Your warriors are strong, I have no doubt," Daichi said with confidence. "Besides, in order for this solution to work, we need Raiden in the Nexus."

"The process of transporting Raiden to the Nexus has already begun," Hinote explained. "But because our powers are weak here in Outworld, it will take about twelve hours to be completed. By then, your warriors will be in their battle."

Mizu continued for him. "Which means, even if you helped fight in this war, you would not be of any help. Remember, your powers are also weakened in this place."

Fujin sighed, realizing that she was right. "What do you need me for?"

"We only need you as a valid witness," Daichi replied. "When Raiden is brought to the Nexus and he regains his powers, things will… take care of itself from there."

"Please Fujin," Mizu pleaded. "Trust us."

"We will be in contact tomorrow," said Hinote.

Then, the three Elder Gods disappeared. Fujin still felt frustrated over what had to be done considering the timing… but it had to be done, and clearly the Elder Gods were confident in what plan they had up their sleeve.

He was only left to wonder what was in store for the Thunder God once he was in the Nexus… he also hoped that the chosen ones, especially The Four, will be able to decide the fate of the realms…

The entire universe was counting on them.


	84. Chapter Eighty-Three

**Cave Grounds**

An hour before dawn, Dhalsim quietly entered three separate rooms; the ones belonging to Jin, Ryu, and Kenshi. He roused each of them with a quick shake of their shoulders. He was especially quiet when waking up Ryu and Kenshi since they were both not alone in their rooms.

"It's time." It was all the yoga master said and the three knew what he meant by it.

It didn't take very long for Ryu to get himself ready. After tying his black belt over his white gi, he tightened his red fighting gloves. Then, he checked to make sure that the red headband, the one Ken gave to him so many years ago, was secured around his forehead. The headband was always a reminder for him to stay focused.

It was strange. Just yesterday, Ryu had finally defeated the murderer of his master. After so many years, he had believed that battling Akuma would be the fight of his life. Now, with this fight against Shao Kahn, he wasn't so sure anymore… perhaps _this_  was to be the battle of his life.

The thought suddenly disheartened him, especially as his brown eyes gazed at the young woman who was asleep on the cot. For the first time in years, Ryu was at peace. Considering what today was, it was almost unfair.

But if he learned anything throughout his years, it was that life wasn't always fair.

Ryu pushed the thoughts out of his head before carefully crawling into the cot, lying on his side next to the sleeping Julia. He reached one hand behind her back before he gently pulled her close to him. Even despite his movements, Julia remained asleep. Right now, he was grateful for that. He didn't want her to shed any more tears before he had the chance to head out. He didn't want that to be his last memory of her just in case.

Ryu wasn't sure how long he laid there, but eventually, he realized that he had to leave. As he began to sit up, the warrior placed a gentle kiss on her temple.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered to her. Then, getting off the cot completely, Ryu began to leave the room. As he pulled the curtain aside, he looked back to gaze at Julia one more time. Then, with a heavy sigh, he left the room, closing the curtain behind him.

Before leaving the cave, Ryu had one more task to complete. Pulling out a note he wrote late in the night, he headed towards another room before pushing the curtain aside. His best friend, Ken Masters, was sleeping on his own cot, his light snores being heard. Ryu chuckled a little at this. He can still remember how Ken's snoring would keep him up most nights when they were teenagers and how annoying it was to him.

"Well you mumble in your sleep!" Ken retorted when the two argued about it one afternoon. To this day, Ryu wasn't sure if that was even true and Ken was only pulling his leg.

Then, with a quiet sigh, Ryu walked a few feet into the room before placing the note on top of one of the bags Ken had previously left behind after the tournament. Ryu frowned as he thought of those days, which suddenly seemed so long ago.

Before leaving, Ryu looked at his friend one more time. He frowned, knowing that his sudden departure would not go well for Ken after all that's happened to him since the invasion. At least this time, Ryu would not be walking alone towards the coming battle.

" _Sayonara, watashi no yujin_ _,_ " Ryu quietly said. With that, he left the room and began to head outside…

In his own room, Kenshi was dressed in his black and red suit, his supplies were packed, and he was soon ready to go. He double checked to make sure that his gear was secured, eventually tightening his black, finger-cut gloves and the knot that tied his crimson blindfold around his pale eyes. He then checked the straps that attached his scabbard to his back. His trusted sword, Sento, was clean, sharpened, and prepared for battle… and the spirits within were ready to guide him.

The entire time he was getting ready, Alex remained asleep on the cot. He remembered something she had said months ago when he was getting ready to leave and finally defeat Shang Tsung after so many years of hunting him down;

' _Go kick his ass. He deserves to be slaughtered for the scum he is for what he did to you and everyone he's come into contact with… especially the souls he's captured over the years._ '

It had been Alex's way of telling the swordsman that she was not going to stop him, even though she was fully aware that the battle could kill him. Now, months later, he wondered if she would not stop him again if she knew exactly what he was going to do today. He had a feeling that she would let him go into battle without protest. No, she wouldn't like it, but she would know that this was important.

Either way, he realized that it was best to leave now.

Before he did, however, Kenshi quietly kneeled down next to the bed. Unsure of whether or not he was going to live after today, he made a decision. Reaching around his torso, he took off the red and white sash that contained the embroidery of a red European dragon. He had the sash for years and would almost always wear it to battle with his suit. He held it in his hands for a moment before he folded it neatly and placed it on top of the small luggage next to the cot where he knew Alex would see it.

Then, reaching his hand out, he brushed the strands of her hair from her face before leaning forward to carefully rest his forehead against hers. In that instant, he gave himself a moment of peace, one that he usually never allowed himself to have.

" _Anzendearu_ _…_ " he said quietly before pulling away. Standing up, Kenshi began to depart from the room and headed outside, keeping his mind focused on the upcoming battle…

A few rooms away, Jin Kazama was dressed and ready. His mind was completely clear from all thoughts, his face full of determination. Considering what was going to transpire today, Jin thought it amusing how, instead of his usual attire, he should dress up in something nice. After all, it was a rare occasion to go out there and defeat the biggest threat to the universe. Instead, he stuck with his black slacks with a white flame design lined in gold on the right leg, a black karate belt, red elbow-length fighting gauntlets, and black foot protectors.

Once he was done, Jin stepped out of his room and began to head outside. He only got within ten feet when he heard someone push one of the curtains from behind him and stepped out. "Jin?"

Jin immediately stopped in his tracks upon recognizing their voice. "Cammy," he managed to say as he turned to her. Cammy, who was dressed in a white tank top and green and black flannel pajama pants, walked up to him. "I thought you'd be asleep."

Cammy shrugged a little as she frowned. "Honestly, it's been hard to sleep for most of the night. I even tried a few sips of that sake you had the other day, but even that didn't work. I just happened to hear footsteps and came to investigate."

The British woman then tilted her head as she realized that Jin was dressed. "The battle's not for another couple of hours," she mentioned.

Jin gazed down at his attire before bringing his attention back to her. "I know."

"Training?"

"…Yeah."

He realized quickly that she knew he wasn't telling the truth. Her face scowled as she narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't know what you're planning to do, Kazama, but if this is some kind of 'noble' thing you're trying to pull on behalf of the rest of us here, don't! We're all in this together."

"…I have no idea what you're talking about."

Cammy folded her arms in front of her and gave him a defiant look. "Then please tell me what you're doing."

Jin sighed as he stepped towards the blonde-haired woman. When he was within reach, he placed his hand on the junction between her neck and shoulder. Cammy's eyes seemed to relax at the contact.

Then quickly, Jin hit a pressure point with two of his fingers, promptly knocking Cammy out cold. As she began to fall, he managed to catch her before she hit the floor. Then, lifting her up, he carried her back to her room before gently placing her on the cot.

" _Gomen_ _…_ " he said to her. Then straightening up, Jin left the room and, once more, headed outside.

Fujin, Dhalsim, Ryu, and Kenshi were waiting for him outside the cave. Jin gazed up at the sky, frowning as he noted the heavy clouds above. He sniffed the air and guessed that it wouldn't be long before it rained.

That was not good…

"There you are," said Ryu. "We were wondering where you were."

"Sorry," Jin replied. "I had to… take care of something."

"So what's the plan?" asked Kenshi as he turned his head to the yoga master.

"I'll be leading the three of you to the fort," replied Dhalsim. "With Fujin's plan in the works, the Outworld Forces should be away from the fortress by the time you arrive. Once we get there, the three of you will promptly go inside and take care of Shao Kahn."

"Ivy will be meeting you there," added Fujin.

It took a lot for Jin to hold his tongue, still unsure of how reliable the Empress was even despite last night's meeting.

Fujin then bowed respectfully. "Good luck… and may you return from the battle safely."

The three chosen ones returned the gesture in reply. Soon, they followed Dhalsim off the camp and began their journey to Shao Kahn's Fortress. Fujin stood where he was, watching them go until they were out of sight.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

In the throne room, Shao Kahn stood from his seat to address everyone in the room. Ivy watched from her own throne.

"It is time to take care of the invaders once and for all," Shao Kahn announced to everyone. "They are confident that they will be rid of us, but the truth is that they only got a taste of what we are capable of during the invasions. When we arrive, do NOT hold back. Remind them of this army's true might! Leave no one alive!"

Most of those in the room began to cheer, holler, and growl, more than ready to spill blood. Shao Kahn pointed at the exit. "Now all of you go to the palace grounds! Destroy them!"

From there, everyone in the room began to leave and head out of the fortress. The chaos continued until the last person left, the throne room doors closing behind them.

Shao Kahn sat down in this throne next to Ivy, who managed to smirk at him once they were alone. "When we get rid of these scoundrels, I'd say it's time to finish off Earth once and for all."

Ivy nodded to him. "Yes, I think that would be wise, especially with Raiden off planet now."

Shao Kahn then stood up from his throne. "I think this will be a good time to dress in my best armor." His red eyes stared at his Empress. "While the others take care of things, this will be a good time to have the cooks prepare a feast. I suggest you dress in your best as well."

Ivy stood up from her throne. "That sounds… lovely. If you do not mind, I also would like to freshen up before the feast."

Shao Kahn nodded and he watched as the Empress began to depart for her sleeping quarters. As soon as Ivy turned her back on him, the smirk on her face faded.

~~~

About ten miles into the Outwold Forces' march, Kazuya Mishima happened to notice the large army from the hill he stood on. He stood straight, arms folded in front of his chest, his face showing how unfazed he was by the sight. Still, he was curious…

 _What the hell is this?_ he asked himself.

Personally, he had been bored for most of time in Outworld while trying to search for a way out of here. For almost two months, he was trying everything he can to find a way to return to Earth. By now, he was frustrated and a bit peeved.

With the way the group was marching, something was going on. Perhaps they were heading to battle. If that was the case, perhaps this would be a way to ease his boredom.

With that in mind, Kazuya discreetly began to follow the Outworld Forces…

On the other side of the army, Heihachi Mishima also noticed them. His eyebrow was raised as he stared at the formation.

"Huh, what is this about?" he asked out loud.

He figured right away that they looked as though they were off to war. Personally, Heihachi hadn't seen anything interesting since his accidentally got 'dropped off' here after the invasion of Keisei.

Perhaps it was time to change that.

Heihachi soon began to follow the army, intending on seeing where they would end up…

In the middle of a nearby hill, Scorpion also noticed the Outworld Forces from where he stood. His pale eyes narrowed at them as he realized what this was about.

 _The time has come to join with Fujin and his chosen ones_ _,_ the spectre thought. _And when it's over, my family and clan will walk the Earth again…_

Scorpion then disappeared in a burst of flames, intending on meeting with the chosen ones.

~~~

**Cave**

After a light breakfast in the lounge area, Ken headed back to his room, taking the time to get himself dressed in his red karate gi and brown fighting gloves. In just a couple of hours, he and the rest of the chosen ones will be heading out to finally finish off the Outworld Forces and, hopefully, Shao Kahn himself.

He had been looking forward to this day.

Ken then went over to his luggage to put away his sleeping clothes. That was when he noticed a folded piece of paper right on top of it. As far as he remembered, it hadn't been there last night.

Placing his clothes down on the bed, Ken took the paper in his hand before unfolding it. He soon recognized Ryu's handwriting and began to read the letter;

_Ken,_

_I know that you of all people will notice I'm missing this morning, so I decided to write this out late last night. You'll have a lot of questions, and you may be angry with me for not telling you or even for not saying goodbye before we face the Outworld Forces. All I can say is that I'm sorry. I want to share what's going on, but it will only complicate the fight. If we win and we survive, I promise that you will know everything. Have faith in me, and know that I am not alone._

_The only thing I ask is that you look after Julia today. When I return, I hope that you are both waiting for me._

_Ryu._

Ken found himself both baffled and shaken over what he just read. "What the hell is going on?" he asked himself.

"Ken?" a young woman's voice called out from behind the curtain. Ken took a deep breath before frowning.

It was Julia.

"Come in," he managed to say.

Julia pushed the curtain to the side before entering the room. "Have you seen Ryu? I thought he'd be in the lounge eating breakfast or at least hang out here. Of course, he's probably outside training for today for all I know. That's so like him."

Ken was silent for a moment, but before Julia could say anything, he outstretched his hand holding the letter. Unsure of what this means, Julia took the paper from his hand. Then, she began to read the words written for him.

After reading, Julia found herself taking a deep breath. She was trying everything she could to quell her sudden nerves. "Wh… what does this mean?" she asked, her voice slightly shaky.

Ken shook his head. "I don't know, but-"

"I'M GOING TO KILL THAT BLOODY FUCKING BASTARD!" a woman with a British accent screamed out from next door.

Ken and Julia stared at each other briefly after hearing that. "Sounds like Cammy," Julia whispered.

"I wonder what that's about," Ken spoke.

"Let's find out," Julia said. Ken was about to protest, but by then she was out of the room. With a sigh, Ken got up and began to follow.

When they got in Cammy's room, the MI-6 militant was sitting up in her bed, seemingly rubbing at a sore spot in her shoulder. Both Lita and Wagner were already in the room with her.

"Try not to get worked up, Cammy," Lita suggested.

"What's going on?" Julia asked out loud.

"Apparently, Jin knocked her out with a pressure point move this morning," replied Wagner.

"What the heck for?" Ken asked while scratching his head.

"How the bloody hell should I know?!" Cammy yelled out. "One minute, I was asking him why he was up so early dressed like he's ready for a fight, the next, I'm in bed with a sore on my fucking shoulder!"

"Just give it a good rub and it'll be fine," Ken suggested.

"That asshole could've just did his fucking usual 'I can't tell you because it's too dangerous' routine! Instead, the bastard nearly killed me… that piece of shit!"

"Whoa there!" Wagner called out, raising both hands. "Seriously Cammy, despite what Jin did, you have quite a potty mouth." He then tilted his head. "Or is it loo mouth in your case?"

Cammy gave him a death glare that he was sure would've made even Shao Kahn himself quake in fear. "Scott. _Shut._ **Up.** "

"I think I just might have a theory on what's going on," Ken cut in.

Lita raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Ken took a deep breath. "Ryu left the camp early this morning. I don't know why, but... it's not like him to just up and leave right before a battle such as this."

Julia frowned as she looked at the letter in her hand. "Ryu left a note for Ken beforehand. He couldn't explain anything but… he mentioned that he wasn't going alone…"

"I think there's something going on," Ken said. "And whatever it is, Ryu and Jin are a part of it."

Cammy's eyes widened at that. "Like a secret mission?"

"It sounds like it to me," Wagner agreed. "But the question is, what is it about and what does it have to do with Ryu and Jin?"

"According to Ryu's letter, sharing what's going on would 'complicate the fight,'" Julia mentioned. "But he promised to explain when he comes back."

"Well… great!" called out Lita. "And here I thought the only complication would be actually destroying the Outworld Forces."

That was when they heard a knock near the room. Wagner chose to see who it was and walked over to the curtain. Upon pushing the fabric away, he saw Alex standing on the other side.

"Hey," he greeted. "Come to join the party?"

Alex seemed to look baffled, but then she shook her head a little before she entered Cammy's room. "I feel bad about eavesdropping, but…"

"Don't worry, something tells me the entire cave heard Cammy's foul language," said Lita.

"Well, not that actually," Alex proceeded. "But I overheard you guys talk about some secret mission Ryu and Jin might be a part of. Did I hear that right?"

"Yeah, but it's all a mystery to us at the moment," Wagner replied. "Ryu had left behind a letter pretty much stating he went MIA and Jin knocked out Cammy with a pressure point move and disappeared."

"Huh, suddenly this is all sounding more dramatic than it should be," sighed Lita.

Alex frowned a little. "Well… that explains a few questions I had in my head."

"What are you so worried about?" Cammy asked.

Alex took a deep breath before raising her arm up. Everyone noticed the folded object in her hand; a red and white sash with a red dragon embroidery on it. "I… wouldn't have thought much of it if the rest of his gear wasn't missing… he almost always wears this with his suit." She brief bit her lower lip before letting out a shaky breath. "Now I think I know why he left it behind…"

It suddenly hit Ken what Alex was implying. He dug his fingers through his shoulder-length blonde hair with a bit of frustration. "Shit, Kenshi too?"

"Is everything all right?" a new voice said at the entrance. Everyone turned and soon noticed Fujin standing by the room.

It was Ken who stepped forward. "Fujin, I don't know if this is something that can be shared because everything seems so… secretive… but we all just realized that Ryu, Jin, and Kenshi are missing. What's going on?"

If Fujin was going to answer, none of them would know because it was at that moment when Yoshimitsu rushed into the cave and ran over to the Wind God.

Fujin frowned as he noticed the Manji leader. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"We have to go… _now_ _!_ " Yoshimitsu replied firmly.

"What's going on?" Wagner asked, feeling a bit nervous.

"One of my clan members spotted the Outworld Forces marching towards here about two miles away," Yoshimitsu explained. "As I suspected, they know we're here. If we go now, we can catch them by surprise."

 _They arrived earlier than predicted…_ Fujin took a deep breath before he nodded. "Okay, go gather everyone and let's go!"

With that, Fujin and Yoshimitsu headed off. In the room, Lita was the first to leave, followed by Ken. Wagner followed next, but the moment he and Alex made eye contact, he stopped. The two stared at each other for a couple of seconds before Wagner reached out and grasped Alex's shoulder.

"It's almost over," he said to her. "Just be careful out there today."

Alex sighed as she used her free hand to grasp only the back of his. "You too, Scott. And… thank you… for helping me out back at the Rockies."

Wagner nodded solemnly to her and Julia before pulling back and departing. By then, Cammy was out of bed and was beginning to leave the room.

"Well…" she said with a sigh. "Guess we'll be shedding blood soon enough." She then left. Julia frowned a little, realizing that Cammy was trying all she can to not think about the fact that Jin was missing. She was much more worried than she was letting on.

With a sigh, Julia turned her head to Alex. The two women frowned a little, neither of them unsure of how they're supposed to feel right about now.

Eventually, it was Alex who spoke. "You okay?"

Julia quickly shook her head. "No. You?"

"No."

The younger woman took a deep breath, trying the best she could to calm her nerves. "I don't know what's going, but whatever they're doing out there, I hope it's to help end this nightmare once and for all."

Alex nodded. "I hope so, too. Just… hang in there, Julia."

Julia forced a smile. "You too, Alex."

With that, Julia turned around and left the room, leaving the Special Forces agent alone. Leaning her back against the cave wall, Alex gazed down at the sash Kenshi left behind in her hand. At first, once she understood that he left, she thought he had simply forgotten it. Considering how he took the time to fold it and leave it on the luggage for her to notice, Alex realized his intention; it was a token for her in case the swordsman didn't return from whatever mission he left for.

 _Just… try to come back alive,_ she thought to herself.

Alex raised the folded sash to her lips before she briefly kissed the head of the dragon. Then carefully, she placed it in the large pocket of her black jacket before zipping it up, protecting it and keeping it safe. Finally, she took a deep breath before she marched forward to join with the others.

~~~

**Forest**

About a couple of hours later after leaving the camp, Dhalsim led Jin, Ryu, and Kenshi in the direction where Shao Kahn's fortress was located. None of them have said a word since they left as they focused on trying to get there. All the while, they were doing all they could to avoid enemies who were detected in the forest. The clouds above were still heavy, and the air smelled heavily of soil. It was going to rain sooner or later.

"If I remember from the last time I went," Kenshi said, breaking the long silence. "We shouldn't be too far from the fortress… two hours at the most."

"Good to know," replied Jin.

Ryu turned his head to the yoga master who walked next to him. "What will you do when we get there?" he asked.

"I'll monitor the area to make sure none of Shao Kahn's minions try to help him," Dhalsim replied.

"So basically you'll serve as a distraction for our sake?" Jin asked.

"Yes," Dhalsim answered. He could sense their uneasiness over this plan. "Do not worry. I had volunteered for this. Remember… it was I who brought forth the legend of _Ano Sentaku Bou_. It is only fitting that I escort you to this fight."

"And what if things don't… work out the way they should?" Jin questioned.

Dhalsim frowned at this. Jin was still expecting Ivy to stab them in the back. The yoga master ended up stopping in his tracks, making the other three stop as well.

"The three of you are strong, and I feel that you will be able to hold your own," he said. "I also have a feeling that this will be the toughest battle you will ever face." He gazed at Jin. "Even the one against your mother's killer…" He turned to Ryu. "The murderer of your master…" Then he looked at Kenshi. "And the one who deceived you."

Dhalsim gave them defiant looks. "I will not lie… the battle against Shao Kahn will not be easy."

Jin thought of something then. "There's… something I'm wondering about." His amber eyes stared at the yoga master and he gave him a neutral expression. "You were able to see what the future looks like if Shao Kahn isn't stopped. Are you also able to foresee whether we win this fight or not?"

Whether or not Dhalsim would have been able to answer, that chance would not come because suddenly, Kenshi raised up a hand, his neck craned slightly to his right, the movement catching the other three slightly off guard. Clearly something got his attention.

"What's the matter?" Ryu whispered.

Dhalsim then turned his head to a certain direction, realizing what Kenshi caught. "We're not alone… and they know we're here."

" _Kuso..._ " Jin cursed.

Suddenly, a fireball was shot out towards the four men. Jin, Ryu, Kenshi, and Dhalsim jumped out of its path before it made contact with them. Eventually, it hit a nearby tree, leaving behind a blackened scorch mark. By then, two large figures emerged from the trees, both of them shokans. Dhalsim narrowed his eyes as he recognized Sheeva and Kintaro. They were out to kill him back in Kerala the last time he saw them.

"I thought there were humans nearby," said Sheeva as she continued to walk forward.

"Must be the invaders," mentioned Kintaro.

Jin scowled at that. "Invaders?! Talk about a bunch of hypocrites! You should've known that we would fight back sooner or later!"

"Yes, we were expecting that," Kintaro said. "But we always believed that you 'fighting back' would be in your own homes."

"It doesn't matter how you got here," Sheeva proceeded. "But you _and_ your allies will perish. The rest of the Outworld Forces are currently on their way to your encampment."

Kintaro stepped forward. "I will eat your heart!" He then spat out another fireball from his mouth.

" _Yoga fire!_ " Dhalsim called out just before he stepped forward and spat out a fireball from his mouth. The projectile flew forward until it collided with Kintaro's, causing a small explosion.

With a growl, Sheeva jumped up, intending on stomping the group, but they all moved out of the way before she hit them. Just as she was turning around, however, Sheeva suddenly felt a vice-like grip around her throat. Dhalsim had stretched his right arm out ten feet to reach her. Kintaro was just moving when Dhalsim outstretched his other arm to also hold him back by the throat.

Jin raised an eyebrow at this, not expect Dhalsim to have this kind of ability. Plus, for someone as small as he was, he held a lot of strength against the two shokan. Even so, he could see that the yoga master was struggling to hold them back.

As Dhalsim continued to subdue them, he could hear the other three moving forward to help. He realized that even if they won against these two brutes, there was still a chance that one, or all three of them, would be severely injured, thus they would be unable to help in defeating Shao Kahn. There was even that small possibility that one of them could be killed in this particular fight. He was confident in their abilities, but at the same time, he didn't want them to take the risk, not with the entire universe depending on them to eliminate Shao Kahn.

He made a decision.

"All of you! Go! Get out of here!" he called out.

That stopped all three of them in their tracks, baffled by his request. Ryu narrowed his eyes. "No! We're not leaving you to fight them alone!"

"It's either my life or yours!" Dhalsim yelled. "This is my choice and you need all of your strength to see through this! I'll hold them back for as long as I can! **_GO!_** "

For a brief moment, the three of them were hesitant to move, all taken aback by his words. Kenshi was the first to snap out of it as he began to understand Dhalsim's decision. He took a couple of steps backwards before he turned around and left the area. His footsteps broke through Jin's thoughts. With a shake of his head, he soon turned and began to leave.

Ryu stood where he was for just another few seconds as he watched Dhalsim struggle. Dhalsim must've sensed him still stand there because he soon turned his head to look at him. Ryu thought of some words he hoped that Dhalsim would be able to sense.

_If anyone is a true hero at the end of this war, it is you._

He then noticed a ghost of a smile on Dhalsim's face immediately after that thought. Ryu nodded to him in both thanks and respect. Then, despite being reluctant, Ryu began to leave and follow the other two towards the fortress.

With them far away now, Dhalsim immediately pushed back the two shokans, but only by a couple of steps. The yoga master stood in his fighting stance as Kintaro and Sheeva began to step forward towards him.

He would buy the three men some time for as long as possible…

~~~

**Wastelands**

Yoshimitsu and some of his Manji Clan members led the chosen ones to the wastelands near where some of the scouts last saw the Outworld Forces marching. The clouds above were still heavy and now a very light drizzle was starting to fall from them.

"Oh that's just great," mumbled Marduk. "It's going be raining on the biggest day of this damn possible Arma-fucking-geddon."

"What the heck is with everyone and cursing like sailors today?" asked Wagner out loud. "Even I didn't curse this much when I was a teenage delinquent."

"We're about to hit the biggest fight of our lives and you're worried about foul language?" questioned Mi-na.

Wagner shrugged. "Just something I noticed today. And honestly… I'm scared to death."

"I think we all are," sighed Maki.

"Just keep your focus and fight with all you have," suggested Bo' Rai Cho. "You are all very capable. You would not be here today if you weren't."

Hwoarang huffed at that. "Maybe I was better off sticking with street fighting instead of learning Tae Kwan Do," he joked.

"Hey, street fighting is all I know and I still made the cut," chuckled Cody.

Nearby, Yoshimitsu suddenly stopped in his tracks and raised his hand, signaling the others to stop as well. "They're here!" he announced.

Everyone fell silent as they gazed up at a nearby hill. It wasn't long before they saw the Outworld Forces beginning to make their way down that hill…

As the Forces walked, Baraka happened to look towards the wasteland… only to see the enemies straight ahead!

"What the-" he yelled out. The 'invaders' were right there and ready to fight!

Kira huffed in amusement as she recalled something similar happening right after the Blood Tournament. "Déjà vu, anyone?"

"They'll die either way!" said Mileena as she pulled out her two sais. "And I'll soon be eating the flesh from their bones!"

"KILL THEM ALL!" Baraka yelled out before he began to run. With battle cries, the Outworld Forces began running into the chosen battlefield.

On the other side, the chosen ones watched as the Outworld Forces began sprinting forward towards them. "Well," said Marshall. "I think that's a good sign that tells us to start charging."

Yoshimitsu raised his sword up. "ATTACK!" he declared before running. The others let out their own battle cries as they began to charge forward.

The long-awaited battle between The Chosen Ones and The Outworld Forces was about to begin!


	85. Chapter Eighty-Four

**Wastelands**

The clouds of Outworld were dark and heavy and the light rain that started not too long ago slowly picked up, soaking everything in its path. That included the fighters who were now charging into a battle that would determine the fate of the universe.

On the wastelands, the battle between good and evil was about to get underway. The Outworld Forces would fight to defend their plan of total domination of the realms. The Chosen Ones would fight to prevent that plan from proceeding any further than it already had.

Soon, the two groups clashed and the fighting began…

Ermac was one of the first to clash as he lifted an arm and clotheslined Rain, his forearm slamming into the hydromancer's neck. With a choking gasp, Rain somersaulted backwards before his body slammed hard into the ground face first. From there, Ermac began to lift up a leg to stomp him, but Rain quickly rolled onto his back and lifted a hand to catch his foot before it happened. With all of his strength, he was able to push Ermac off of him. The enigma stumbled a bit, but still kept his balance.

Flipping onto his feet, Rain quickly covered the space between him and Ermac before they engaged in combat. The both of them delivered various punches and kicks at each other rapidly before Ermac broke through Rain's defense. He pummeled his fists twice into Rain's face before a roundhouse kicked forced the hydromancer to stumble to the side. Then, while Rain was distracted, Ermac teleported behind him in a green mist before telekinetically punching Rain in the face, sending his head snapping sideways.

Despite that, Rain stood his ground as he raised a single arm up towards the air. A bolt of lightning suddenly appeared directly in front of Ermac, the intense brightness blinding him and the crackling sound deafened his hearing temporarily. As Ermac attempt to shake off the effects of the bolt, Rain quickly jumped forward before delivering a roundhouse kick to the face, the force of it sending Ermac spinning in mid-air before slamming into the ground on his side.

As the enigma began to get back up, the ringing in his ears and the blinding light subsiding, he could hear Rain walking towards him. "This is the perfect weather for this battle, especially for the likes of me!" he called out. "We don't get rain very often here in Outworld! I plan to... take advantage of it today."

By then, Ermac was kneeling on one knee and facing the hydromancer, his glowing green eyes narrowing. "That may be a good thing for you, but you made one mistake…"

Before Rain realized what was happening, Ermac stood up and quickly grabbed him in a telekinetic hold. Then, he lifted him up into the air before slamming Rain hard into the ground. Rain let out a painful cry as his body bounced off the floor. From there, Ermac shot out a green projectile, which connected and pushed his enemy back before he landed.

As Rain began to sit back up, Ermac flew towards him. "That mistake is revealing your intentions in this fight."

Rain laughed maniacally. "I said I planned to take advantage! I did not say _how_ _._ "

Quickly, Rain shot out his hand and a long stream of water shot out from his palms and slamming into Ermac. The pressure of the water forced the enigma to stumble back and some of the water managed to get through his nose and into his lungs, causing him to hack and cough violently once the stream stopped. The stream would have soaked his clothes had the rain not done that already.

As Ermac recovered, Rain jumped forward and landed two punches to his face before delivering an uppercut that sent the enigma into the air. As he began to fall back down, Ermac managed to catch himself and flipped back in the air. He noticed Rain was starting to shoot out another stream of water from his hands.

The second he landed, Ermac shot out a long line of green energy similar to Rain's water projectile. The element and the energy soon collided and both began to struggle to overcome the other. Soon, it was Ermac's projectile that pushed back Rain's stream, forcing the Edenian to cease his attack.

Suddenly, Ermac used his telekinesis to push Rain back. As Rain stumbled, Ermac teleported behind him and waited until the hydromancer turned towards them. From there, the enigma promptly threw two punches in his face before grabbing him by the throat and lifted him off of his feet. As Rain struggled, Ermac lifted an arm and flicked his wrist, delivering a tele-punch hard enough to send Rain flying out of his hand and tumbling to the ground.

Ermac began to fly towards the Edenian again, but Rain was ready this time. He extended one hand and a water projectile shot out in quick speed, and before Ermac would comprehend was he was seeing, he suddenly found himself trapped in a bubble filled with water. From within, the air was sucked right out of him and he soon struggled to breath as he tried every which way to get out.

With a chuckle, Rain approached Ermac close enough to deliver a roundhouse kick hard enough to send the enigma flying halfway across the battlefield. Rain was going to start heading off to find him, but then he found himself in another battle with a Manji clan member.

He was sure someone would take care of the enigma at this point…

Meanwhile, unknown to either of them, Kazuya and Heihachi found themselves on the same battlefield, both eager to fight. Neither one of them missed the fact that those 'chosen ones' Dhalsim had gathered were there, but it would be good to knock in some Outworld heads. It was them who caused their predicaments to begin with.

Besides, the more enemies they got rid of, the better.

Then, they both suddenly bumped into each other. When they looked to see, who they bumped into, they immediately bared their teeth at one another.

"YOU!" they called out at the same time.

"What are you doing here?" Heihachi growled.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Kazuya replied as he narrowed his eyes at the old man.

"Clearly that portal sent us both here, but in different locations," Heihachi grumbled. "Just like with Keisei."

"Maybe if you stop stumbling through portals, we wouldn't be in this mess."

"YOU were the one who followed me the first time!" Heihachi pointed out.

"Because I wasn't about to let you get away with your schemes," Kazuya replied.

Suddenly, they both noticed some Outworld guards coming towards them with weapons. They both turned to one and swatted them away like they were nothing more than flies.

Right after that, they turned back to each other. Heihachi soon spoke through his clenched teeth. "We'll 'talk' about this later."

"Not if I kill you first."

"You _would_ stab me in the back."

"Hmph, like you haven't done that before."

From there, the two separated to join the fray…

Not too far from there, Sagat was taking down any of the guards who attempted to take him out. They even surrounded him at once at one point, but the Muay Thai fighter took them all down with ease with various punches and kicks. Soon, they were all laying in a heap in a circle around him.

"Where the hell does Shao Kahn get these guys?" he muttered under his breath.

He wasn't surprised when he suddenly heard a high-pitched maniacal laugh right behind him.

"It was only a matter of time before I found you," Sagat said as he turned to face Vega. He wasn't even fazed by the fact that the matador now donned a silver, metal mask on his face in place of his porcelain one. Sagat could see his own reflection off the new mask.

"And this time, you will die!" Vega declared.

"What, no speech this time?" Sagat asked with sarcasm.

"No words can describe how I'm going to shred you to pieces. You'll be practically unrecognizable once I'm through with you!"

" _TIGER!_ " Sagat called out as he shot out his projectile. Vega immediately ducked and rolled underneath before he extended his clawed hand forward, intending to stab his enemy. However, Sagat took one step to the side, the blades missing him.

" _Tiger knee!_ " Sagat yelled as his knee smashed into Vega's protected face. The force of the move caused Vega to fall back, and Sagat didn't miss the fact that the attack left some pain in his knee.

Well, at least he didn't break anything except maybe Vega's pride.

Kneeling down on the ground, Vega briefly brushed his hand over his face as though checking to make sure the mask was still holding up. Sagat laughed at this. "You shouldn't be fighting at all if you're constantly worried about that face of yours. It was ugly to begin with."

With a roar, Vega jumped up above Sagat in fast speed. In mid-air, he turned himself upside down, spread his arms out on either side of him, and soon began to fall forward towards Sagat, intending to cut him up.

" _Tiger uppercut!_ " Sagat called out as he jumped up and performed an uppercut. His fist slammed into Vega's chest, sending him further back. Before hitting the ground, Vega flipping backwards and got his body straightened out before he landed gracefully on his feet.

Vega didn't hesitate to jump forward towards Sagat and soon began to slash his clawed hand rapidly at him. Sagat was forced to dodge and duck away from the three sharp blades.

"You think… that scar… on your chest… was bad?!" Vega yelled out in between slashes. "I'll… make that… look like… child's play… when I'm done… with you!"

Soon, Sagat found an opening though his foe's offense and began to deliver multiple kicks at Vega's face and torso before one more kick to the face forced the matador to stagger back a few feet, barely keeping himself balanced.

Through the eye holes of Vega's metal mask, Sagat could see the crazed look in his blue eyes. He was breathing heavily as though he was at the edge of insanity. It was almost like staring down at a crazed animal that was ready to maul him at a moment's notice.

Sagat wouldn't be surprised if it had anything to do with Vega gaining a new mask all of a sudden. Apparently, someone _really_ earned his wrath and he was now taking it out on the Muay Thai fighter.

With another roar, Vega quickly covered the distance between them. From there, their battled raged on…

In another part of the field, the blade of Ruby Heart's sword was already soaked in blood, though the pouring rain was attempting to wash it off before it was replaced again in another attack. The pirate mostly found herself taking out the Outworld guards who tried to take her down. As of now, none were successful and she doubted that they would be any time soon.

At one point, she decapitated a guard who attempted to sneak up behind her by swiftly turning around to face him, her sword swinging. As soon as the guard's head was taken off, she happened to look over his shoulders and saw Xianghua in a sword duel with a guard. Right behind her was a male shokan who was coming up towards the young woman, a large blade raised up and getting ready to stab her in the back.

"Damn!" Ruby Heart called out. Summoning her powers, she changed her body into an energy ball before launching herself at the shokan. At the same time, Xianghua had defeated the guard she was fighting. She happened to turn around when she noticed the shokan being attacked by the projectile.

The ball hit the shokan, forcing him to stumble back. This gave Xianghua the opportunity to jump forward before stabbing her sword into the shokan's heart. He screamed in agony for a brief moment before slumping forward as his life drained out of him.

The energy ball floated for a second before transforming back to Ruby Heart's original body. Xianghua nodded to her. "Thanks," she said to the pirate.

"You're welcome," Ruby Heart replied.

By then, more guards were approaching and the two women prepared for more attacks…

On the other side of the fight, Nina was fighting off two guards at once, ducking and dodging from their swords. Eventually, she kicked a high-heel into one guard's throat, causing him to choke and collapse into a heap on the ground. Then, she got herself behind the second guard and quickly grabbed his head before snapping his neck.

That was when Nina heard footsteps behind her. She didn't have to turn around to see who it was… she knew the rhythm of that gait well.

"Nina," Anna said, greeting her as though they hadn't seen each other in years. Nina clenched her teeth from underneath her closed lips. Her sister's voice always did sound like nails on a chalkboard to her.

Nina soon turned around to face her enemy. "Anna," she replied in the same tone, her way of mocking her.

Anna clenched a fist as she pointed at the blonde-haired woman. "This time… this time I _will_ kill you," she said bitterly.

Nina nearly laughed at this. "You never learn, do you?" She raised one hand and used her fingers to beckon her over. "Well, come on then!"

"Gladly!"

With a battle cry, Anna stepped forward and immediately began throwing various punches and kicks at Nina, who blocked and dodged her moves in quick speed. This went on like this for a few more moments before a palm strike from Anna managed to get through Nina's defenses, knocking her back. Anna didn't give her the chance to recover before she followed up with a second palm strike just before Nina's throat before jumping up and kicking her in same spot with her heeled foot.

Nina stumbled back, but she was able to keep herself up. Anna attempted to cover the space between them again, but then Nina stepped forward before landing a punch in her sister's face. The force of the punch made Anna spin around and as she faced her again, the blond backhanded her other cheek before raising one leg and kicking downward. The kick hit Anna's shoulder and slammed her into the ground.

Nina then tried to raise her leg to stomp on her sister, but Anna managed to roll out of the way before getting herself back up. She then stepped forward and began to deliver another round of punches and kicks. Anna then made it look as though she was about to backhand Nina, but as the blond assassin went to block that move, the brunette immediately crouched down and delivered a palm strike behind Nina's left knee. Pain immediately shot up through Nina's leg and with a groan, she backed away.

Anna straightened herself up as a cheerful laugh escaped through her ruby red lips. "Getting a little rusty, aren't we, dear sister?"

Without saying a word, Nina swiftly performed a cartwheel, then a forward flip towards Anna before straightening up and using her leg to perform a side kick, ignoring the pain. With a small cry, Anna stumbled to the side, but managed to stay on her feet.

Anna immediately shook the attack off. "You _bitch!_ " she shouted before attacking Nina again. Once more, Anna broke through the blonde's defenses with two palm strikes to the chest, a double kick to the same area, and then one more kick to the stomach, causing Nina to keel over in pain.

The brunette was then going to kick the blonde in the face, but Nina suddenly flipped backwards and it was _she_ who kicked Anna in the face. The force of the kick sent Anna flipping backwards before landing face first into the ground.

Nina straightened herself up and glared down at her sister. "Is that all you got?" she asked, sounding almost bored.

Lifting her head up, Anna felt a small trickle of blood seeping from a freshly busted lip. She took a moment to wipe the blood off her chin before she glared menacingly at her older sister. "I'll kill you and leave your corpse for the vultures to feast on!"

The brunette quickly stood up and ran forward to attack again. Nina stood in her defensive stance, ready for more…

Not too far from them, Sophitia had her trusted sword and shield out as she found herself fighting against a female shokan. The shokan had a large sword in one of her four hands and the two were engaged in combat with their respective weapons.

At one point, Sophitia was forced to block the shokan's attack with her shield. From there, it was a power struggle between the two as the shokan tried to get through her defenses and the Keisei native trying her best to push her away with her shield. Eventually, she was starting to feel the shokan slowly break through her defense, the shield creaking underneath the pressure.

 _Gods, help me,_ the young woman begged in her mind.

"Hey!" Sophitia suddenly heard Cassandra call out from behind the shokan. "That's my sister you're messing with!"

With a roar, the shokan pulled back from Sophitia before whirling around, swinging her sword towards where Cassandra stood. Cassandra more than likely expected this because she quickly ducked and rolled underneath the shokan, who ended up missing.

Cassandra immediately approached her sister and stood next to her. "You all right?" she asked with concern.

Sophitia nodded. "I am now. Come on, let finish this."

"Right."

With their swords and shields out, the sisters stepped forward as the shokan attempted to attack them once again…

Meanwhile, Cody was clearing house, taking down every guard and tarkatan who approached him. His hands were taped up before the fight began, but he wondered, with some amusement, whether it was to protect his hands from injury or from the blood of his enemies.

When he finished punching the teeth out of one tarkatan and knocked him out cold with a kick to the head, Cody couldn't help but grin. "I don't care if you're human, beast, or car! I'll take you on!"

That's when he heard running footsteps from behind him. Thinking that another tarkatan was approaching, Cody immediately turned and began to deliver a back punch, only for the new attacker to quickly block him. Cody craned his head to get a better look at them, frowning upon recognizing them;

Guy.

Cody immediately pushed him away, forcing Guy to stumble back a bit. The former Metro City hero then turned around so that he could fully face his brainwashed friend.

"I figured it was a matter of time before you showed up," Cody said. He cracked his knuckles. "No use in trying to snap you out of it at this point, but, well… hopefully I can somehow free you and this will be our… final fight against each other in your state."

Guy narrowed his pale eyes at his opponent. "And it's a matter of time before you finally meet you demise."

Then, Guy sprinted forward. Cody began to run as well, and on the way, he picked up a handful of rocks from the ground and threw them forward. To his surprise, Guy managed to catch all the rocks in his hands… and immediately threw them right back! This forced Cody to roll out of the way before he was hit.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath as he got back up. "If I hadn't known you were brainwashed to begin with, I would've known now. The real Guy would've just blocked every single one of those rocks, not throw them back at me."

By then, Cody turned around, but Guy was already too close for him to start defending himself. Jumping up, Guy performed a spin kick, hitting Cody in the face. Cody spun around once, but managed to stop himself afterwards. He shook his head briefly before he planned his next move.

" _Criminal uppercut!_ " he called out as he performed an uppercut. A small tornado formed in between him and Guy, who was promptly knocked back by the force. Though he landed on his back in the battlefield, Guy quickly recovered by roll back and returned to his feet.

Cody covered the space between them and two exchanged some punches before Cody was able to knee Guy in the stomach, causing him to keel over. Cody then attempted to deliver another uppercut, but despite the pain, Guy pulled himself back, then he blocked another punch from his opponent. Seeing an opening, Guy grabbed Cody by the shoulders, swiftly pulled him back, and then tossed him over his shoulder. Cody found himself flying back before landing on his side.

Cody groaned as he rolled onto his back. "Dammit… I really, _really_ hope this ends well…"

Nearby, Sub-Zero found himself nearly surrounded by nothing but tarkatans. He stood in his fighting stance as the mutants began to approach him, their blades out and ready to taste his blood.

Before this battle, the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei had resigned to the fact that he may possibly lose his life today. Sure, fighting the guards was easy, but tarkatans can be another story if one didn't have the experience in battling them like he did. Fighting one was dangerous enough. Fighting a bunch of them at once was something else entirely.

Soon, the tarkatans ran forward with a snarl, intending to kill. The closer then got to him, the more Sub-Zero felt a strange sensation in his body. At first, he didn't understand it… at least not until he began to fight back. Blow after blow, Sub-Zero felt his strength increasing. Teeth were broken, bones snapped in two, limbs shattered in pieces after being encased in ice, and even one tarkatan's blade snapped in half by an axe kick.

 _This must have something to do with my new armor,_ the ice warrior guessed.

Eventually, all of the tarkatans who surrounded Sub-Zero were lying in a bloody heap around him. He noticed one tarkatan extended a clenched fist in the air. "Long… live… Shao Kahn…" it said before death succumbed to him.

When that was over, Sub-Zero gazed up and happened to notice Noob Saibot not too far away from him. He was fighting one of the Manji Clan members hand-to-hand. Eventually, the Manji warrior pushed Noob back, but was promptly surrounded by guards. This gave Sub-Zero his chance and he called out a name he had not said in a very long time…

" **BI-HAN!** "

That clearly got Noob's attention as he suddenly snapped his head to the side, facing Sub-Zero. As soon as Noob's glowing eyes saw him, he narrowed them into slits.

"Kuai Liang," the wraith growled. "I had expected you to make your way to Outworld sooner or later."

"I expected it from you as well," Sub-Zero replied.

That was when Noob noticed his outfit. "You may have become much stronger since I was alive, but not even your new armor can save you from my wrath."

"This is the armor of our ancestors, the Cryomancers," Sub-Zero informed him. "But I assume that's something you don't care about anymore."

Noob laughed darkly at this. "Perhaps, in my old life, I may have cared, but you're right… not anymore. Right now, the only thing I care about is your demise."

Sub-Zero narrowed his blue eyes at him. "If you want me dead so badly, then let's not waste any more time."

"I couldn't agree more."

From there, the two brothers clashed and began their battle…

~~~

**Forest**

For the past few minutes, Dhalsim found himself fighting against the two brutes, Kintaro and Sheeva, in hopes of buying Jin, Ryu, and Kenshi some time. If the universe had any chance to making it out of his war, the yoga master has to protect them from the two shokans. It was the only way to prevent them from going off and chasing after them before they had the chance to reach the fortress.

In the back of his mind, Dhalsim wondered how long he would be able to hold his own against two shokans at once.

" _Yoga fire!_ " Dhalsim called out as he spat out a fireball from his mouth. Both Kintaro and Sheeva saw the attack and immediately stepped to the side, the fireball passing between them. Then, at the same time, they jumped high in the air in attempt to stomp the smaller man. However Dhalsim saw this and he quickly teleported away before they landed on him.

Dhalsim spat out another fireball, but Kintaro had already turned to face him and began to use his mouth to spit out a long line of fire.

" _Yoga flame!_ " Dhalsim called out before using his mouth as a blowtorch in the same manner. The flames collided together, creating a large inferno in between.

The distraction gave Sheeva to get herself behind Dhalsim. As soon as Dhalsim ceased his attacked, she quickly grabbed him by the throat, lifted him in the air, and punched him a few times in the face with her fist before tossing him to the side.

Sheeva then attempted to approach, but from the ground on his back, Dhalsim extended his left leg and promptly kicked Sheeva right in the stomach, causing her to be pushed back and keel over in pain.

By then, Kintaro was approaching Dhalsim, who was able to sit himself up at this point. The yoga master gazed up at the male Shokan defiantly. "You may kill me, but the others will defeat you the rest of the Outworld Forces! It is inevitable!"

Kintaro nearly laughed at this. "We'll see about that."

Then suddenly, to Dhalsim's surprise, four knives were plunged through Kintaro's back and out through the front of his torso. Kintaro let out a pained grunt and his eyes looked as surprised as Dhalsim felt. Behind Kintaro was Sheeva, holding four daggers in each hand. Her teeth were clenched and her eyes narrowed with what looked like determination.

Kintaro craned his head to the side towards Sheeva. "You _would_ stab me in the back…"

"I simply couldn't let you live, not with your knowledge of the circumstances behind Goro's death," Sheeva explained.

Kintaro clenched his teeth. "It's because of _you_ that you have doomed our race to extinction… and I will die knowing that!"

Sheeva nearly laughed at this. "I only live to make our race stronger. That means getting rid of the weak… including you. Long live the Shokan!"

Reaching with her two upper arms, Sheeva grabbed a handful of skin on each side of Kintaro. Then, with all of her strength, she ripped every inch of his skin right off his muscles and bones! Kintaro seemed to stand there in shock before Sheeva swiftly kicked him to the side, leaving behind a trail of blood. A choking sound was heard before Kintaro's life drained out of him…

Dhalsim felt shocked upon witnessing Kintaro's violent death, but despite that, he got himself back on his feet and faced Sheeva. "You know," he started to say. "In a tactical sense, it would have made more sense to keep him alive until you've defeated me."

"Perhaps," Sheeva replied. "But there is such thing as… taking an opportunity."

"Maybe, but your way was cowardly!" Dhalsim called out. "And now you've lessened your chances of defeating me."

Sheeva sneered at him. "We'll see about that."

From there, they continued their fight…

~~~

**Two Hours Away…**

The walk seemed like forever, but before they knew it, Jin, Ryu, and Kenshi were just beginning to reach a small clearing. The only sound that can be heard was the falling rain and their muddy footfalls with each step they took.

"It's… too quiet around here," Kenshi mentioned.

"The Outworld Forces must be by the palace grounds by now," guessed Jin. "Shao Kahn may still have some of the stronger fighters remaining here… Ivy included…"

Ryu sighed. "Of course Ivy will be there." He then rubbed his forehead. "Despite our mission, I still don't think we should've left Dhalsim behind."

"I don't like it either, but even he said… it's his life or ours, and we're the ones responsible for saving the universe," Jin said. He then shut his eyes as heavy drips of water from the trees splashed down on his face. "We… should start heading in. The sooner we get inside, the sooner we can end this war against humanity."

"Before we go in," started Kenshi. "I can get on the field and try to get an idea of what we're up against."

Ryu stared at the swordsman. "How can you do that?"

Kenshi pulled out his sword from its scabbard. "The spirits in Sento is my guide. It helps me detect our surroundings better, though it's a bit limited. The sword is also how I gained my heightened senses and psychokinesis."

From there, the three of them began to walk towards the field. The rain wasn't too bad as of right now, but the three of them wondered if the downpour will get any worse.

When they were about fifty yards away from the entrance of the fortress, Kenshi stopped in his tracks. Jin and Ryu did the same, though they both gave the swordsman some room to work. He got down on one knee, not caring whether or not he got his clothes muddy, and dug the tip of his sword into the ground. Bowing his head, he held the hilt with one hand and his other was raised up with the tip of his thumb resting on his bent index finger, the other three fingers raised in a straight line. It was as though he was praying.

A blue glow emitted from the sword, which lasted for about a minute. Once the glow vanished, Kenshi raised his head up, facing the fortress. "There's a heavy, dark presence within the fortress. He's in there," he announced. "Along with a few others, but whether or not they're guards, his Generals, or… slaves… I can't tell."

"Hopefully one of them is Ivy," Ryu said. Once again, Jin was forced to keep his mouth shut from commenting on that.

"Either way," Kenshi continued as he stood back up. "It shouldn't be too difficult to get inside."

"Then let's go," Jin suggested.

Quietly, the three of them began to make their way towards the fortress. When they were about thirty yards to the bridge leading towards the entrance, the three of them suddenly stopped in their tracks nearly at the same time.

They can all feel a dark presence looming over them.

"You feel that?" Ryu quietly asked. The other two nodded.

"I wonder-" Jin started to say, but he was suddenly disrupted when the heavy doors quickly swung open before slamming into the stoned walls. Ryu and Jin immediately saw a pair of red eyes glowing from within the darkness of the fortress' entrance.

There was no doubt in any of their minds who this was…

The figure stepped outside and into the rain, revealing the Emperor himself! His heavy footsteps were heard as he began walking towards them over the stoned walkway. When he reached the end of the bridge, Shao Kahn glared at the three men.

"You dare to approach my fortress?" he asked menacingly. "Bold, but it will only lead you to your deaths."

The three men were quiet. At one point, they were all thinking the same thing… where was Ivy? None of them dared to mention her and they all feared the worst; for Ryu and Kenshi, it was possible that she was dead. For Jin, it was possible that she betrayed them after all.

"What is your purpose here?!" Shao Kahn demanded to know.

"What do you think?!" called out Jin as he folded in his arms in front of him. His amber eyes gazed at the Emperor in defiance.

Shao Kahn got what the young man meant. "… I see. So you wish to die. Very well then… if you fight well, I will give you all… an honorable death!"

Ryu turned to the two. "So… what happens when only three out of four show up?" he whispered so only the three of them heard.

Kenshi took a deep breath. "Fight until we either win or die."

"Not much of a choice then," Jin replied. "I'm in. Are you?"

"I didn't come all this way for nothing."

"Me neither," said Ryu.

Then, Shao Kahn let out a roar and began to charge towards the three. With their own battle cries, Jin, Ryu, and Kenshi began to charge towards the Emperor, planning to meet him halfway.

Soon, the three would clash with the main source of the conflict, as the legend of _Ano Sentaku Bou_ predicted. Now it was just a matter of whether or not they can see through this fight and win. It was not going to be easy, especially with Ivy missing, but if there was a chance that the universe can be saved by their hands, then so be it.

Today, this battle would truly determine the fate of the realms.


	86. Chapter Eighty-Five

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

The inevitable fight had begun. Some minutes ago, one of Shao Kahn's slaves had noticed a trio approaching the fortress. All of his best fighters were out fighting against the invaders at the former palace grounds. He briefly thought to send Ivy out, but considering that she mentioned wanting to freshen up before their celebratory feast, she would actually need a bit of time to prepare herself. He needed this matter taken care of _now_.

So… he decided to go out there and take matters into his own hands. Besides, he was confident that getting rid of these three pests won't take him very long.

However, when he went outside to 'greet' them, he immediately recognized one of the three men – Jin Kazama, the runner-up of the Blood Tournament. _Quan Chi and the others should've killed him when they had the chance!_ the Emperor thought in annoyance. No matter… he would make sure to take care of the young fighter right now.

He didn't know who the other two were, but if they proved to be as formidable of warriors as Jin was, then perhaps this coming fight may prove to be interesting. It's been a while since Shao Kahn had a worthy challenge.

With a roar, the Emperor charged towards the trio, who also began to run forward. It wasn't long before Jin, Ryu, and Kenshi reached Shao Kahn at once. However, before any of them could land a blow, Shao Kahn jumped forward with one knee out and both arms spread out, slamming into them all at once. The force of the hit managed to knock all three of them back with force, sending them a few feet away.

Jin immediately rolled back and got on his feet before he promptly ran back towards Shao Kahn. The Emperor stood in his spot until Jin threw a right hook at him, which Shao Kahn blocked easily with his forearm. Jin followed that up with more punches, but the Emperor once again defended himself with ease, leaving the young man frustrated.

Then, Shao Kahn found and opening in Jin's offense and simply backhanded him in the face with enough force to send him flying away. He then turned around just as Kenshi was approaching and promptly grabbed the swordsman by the throat. Just as Kenshi was summoning his own powers, Shao Kahn turned around and hurled him twenty feet before he landed hard on the ground and rolled away for a couple of more yards.

Ryu then made his approach, delivering his own punches and kicks, but then the Emperor broke through his offense. He landed a few of his own punches on Ryu before quickly kicking him away, sending Ryu back a few feet before he landed on his side.

Shao Kahn nearly huffed in amusement as Ryu got back on his feet. "Is _that_ your best?" he asked mockingly.

" _Hadouken!_ " Ryu called out, clenching his teeth as he shot out his blue projectile. Shao Kahn turned in time to see the ball of energy coming and immediately stepped out of the way, managing to avoid being hit.

By then, Kenshi was back on his feet and he could sense the projectile coming in his direction. Stepping aside, he let it pass by just as he was summoning his powers. Using his telekinesis, he caught the projectile in one hand, brought it around him as he spun a full 360 before using the same hand to hurl the energy back towards Shao Kahn. The projectile did manage to hit the Emperor in the chest, but there was only enough force to make him step back only one foot.

At this point, Jin had recovered from being hit and began to approach the enemy once more. A double kick connected to Shao Kahn's chest, stunning him a bit. Jin then followed it up with a few punches to the Emperor's face and torso. However, the more blows he delivered, the more Jin realized that the attacks were barely affecting Shao Kahn.

 _What the hell is it going to take to bring him down?!_ Jin thought with frustration. _Ivy better get here… if she's even on our side at all!_

Then, Shao Kahn's body became surrounded by green energy before he rammed his shoulder into Jin with such speed that the young man was thrown almost halfway across the field. When he landed on the ground, Jin found himself skidding and flipping back a few times before he finally stopped. As he attempt to get back up, he was sure that there were a few cuts on his bare back judging by the stinging sensation he was feeling amongst the pain on various parts of his body.

Shao Kahn glared at all three warriors before he laughed maniacally. "Fools! No one can beat the mighty Shao Kahn! _No one!_ "

~~~

**Wastelands**

" _Tiger!_ _"_ Sagat called out as he shot out a projectile from his fists. Vega, who was running in full speed towards the Muay Thai fighter, rolled underneath the projectile before he got up and continued forward.

When he was close enough, Vega quickly jumped up and performed a backwards flip kick while somersaulting mid-air. Sagat felt a hard kick underneath his chin, but the force of it was only enough to make him stumble back a couple of feet before he got himself back in a defensive position.

Once he was on his feet again, Vega promptly jumped forward before slashing his claws a couple of times, which Sagat dodged from before he was cut. Then, as Vega spun himself around in an attempt to slash his claws again, Sagat took the opportunity to perform a roundhouse kick, hitting Vega on the side. As the ninja matador stumbled to the side, the Muay Thai warrior spun around before using his other leg to kick Vega under his chin, the force sending him upward.

In mid-air, Vega somersault and positioned himself so that he fell back towards the battlefield head first while both arms were spread wide like he was a bird. Looking up, Sagat realized that the matador was going to perform his _Izuna Drop_ and swiftly got himself out of the way before Vega got near him.

However, Sagat didn't step back far enough as Vega rolled himself, landed on his feet, crouched low, and used his claws to slash at one of Sagat's calves. With a hiss, Sagat immediately jumped back as the wounds immediately bled.

Vega chuckled as he straightened himself up. "That was simply a scratch," he said as he used his arm to shake off the fresh blood from his claws. "You won't be so lucky next time."

As the matador finished that sentence, Sagat jumped forward with his knee out. " _Tiger Destruction!_ " he called out as his knee successfully slammed into Vega's stomach. He heard the ninja gasp for air, but Sagat didn't give him the chance to try to catch his breath before he hit him with an uppercut. As he sent Vega hurling into the air, Sagat performed a second uppercut, sending the two higher up than last time. Sagat's hand was also engulfed in flames, leaving behind a blazing trail as the move connected under Vega's chin.

Afterwards, Vega landed hard on his side while Sagat landed on his feet some ten feet away before getting himself in his Muay Thai fighting stance. Breathing hard, Vega slowly got himself back on his feet despite the pain he was feeling all over his body. He was sure that his flawless skin would be bruised all over when this battle was over.

With a roar, Vega ran forward, intending on finishing this fight with his former ally…

Meanwhile, somewhere on the other side of the battle, Mika, Asuka, Maki, and Karin stuck together as they each fought off a guard. Mika, Asuka, and Karin each fought hand-to-hand while Maki had her batons out and fighting against a guard wielding a bo staff.

At one point, Mika jumped onto a nearby broken statue before jumping off of it, pretending that it was a corner of a wrestling ring. Then, stretching her legs out, she performed a dropkick, hitting the guard square in the face with her boots and sending him hurling back away from her.

As Mika began to stand up, she suddenly heard a loud scream nearby. In a near-panic, Mika turned to where the scream came from. Her blue eyes widened in horror as she saw the guard Karin was fighting kick her to the floor before reaching down to grab the back of her hair and pulled her up. He then drew out a large knife and was just aiming the weapon towards her throat.

"Karin!" Mika called out as she began to run forward to help her. Nearby, Asuka and Maki had noticed what was going on and they both promptly knocked their opponents out cold before running forward to help their friend.

" _Flying Peach!_ " Mika called out as she jumped up and flew backwards towards the guard from his side. The maneuver managed to slam into the guard, promptly forcing him to drop his knife and stumble back. From there, Asuka stepped in and delivered two punches to his face before a roundhouse kick sent him stumbling back and right towards a waiting Maki.

Quickly, Maki planted one of her batons into the ground before grabbing it and spun around on it before kicking high. Her foot managed to slam into the guard's head hard enough to knock him out cold.

When that was over, Asuka approached Karin. "Are you all right?" she asked with concern.

Karin shook her head as her eyebrows furrowed. "No, I'm not," she admitted.

Suddenly, another guard attempted to attack the four. Karin, with an angry look on her face, quickly turned and performed a double leg-up kick, sending the guard flying into the air. As he came back down, Karin didn't give him a chance to crash down before landing two straight-forward punches before rushing forward in a semi-crouch and slammed her elbow into the guard twice. The last strike sent him flying back with a yell.

Karin turned to her friends with a grin. "There, now I feel better."

The other three girls chuckled before Asuka turned her head to the battle, noticing more guards approaching them. She pointed towards where they were so that her friends were aware. "More on the way!" she informed.

Turning serious again, the four girls promptly returned to the fight…

Nearby, Yang was fighting against more guards and what looked like members of a clan with a red dragon emblem on their clothing. Those were a little tougher to fight, Yang realized, but he was still able to hold his own against them.

Then, just as Yang defeated a guard, he was promptly kicked in the back of the head and stumbled forward. He was still able to keep himself on his feet despite that.

"Who the-" he started to say as he turned to see who kicked him.

Standing just a few feet from him was his brother Yun.

Yang frowned as he got a good look at Yun. His brother looked paler since that first day of the Earth invasion, which he imagined was a side-effect of the brainwash. If that didn't give it away, it would most definitely be Yun's now-solid white eyes, his brown iris and black pupils gone as though they were never there.

To hear what happened to Yun was one thing. To actually see him the way he is, well… it was disheartening.

Despite his hands shaking, Yang got himself in a defensive position. He knew that no matter how much he tried to avoid it, a fight between them was inevitable. Why else would his brother have attacked him from behind?

"Yun," Yang managed to say sadly.

Suddenly, Yun let out a battle cry before he came rushing forward. From there, he threw various punches and kicks at Yang, who was forced to block the maneuvers. Eventually, Yun broke through Yang's blocks before landing a punch to Yang's face, followed with a low kick to the side of his leg before elbowing him in the face, forcing Yang to stagger back.

"Argh!" Yang called out as he shook his head. Clenching his fists, he stepped forward and began to fight back, this time putting Yun on defense. This went on for a couple of seconds before Yang landed an elbow strike into Yun's chest, followed with a palm strike in the same spot, then performed and uppercut that sent Yun upward.

Flipping back mid-air, Yun landed on the ground safely before covering the space between him and Yang. Before he got too close, Yun jump up before deliver a diving kick with both feet. Seeing this, Yang jumped away before he was hit.

"Damn it!" Yang grunted in frustration, wondering if there was a way to snap him out of it. The only way he figured that may work is to somehow knock Yun out cold. Then maybe, after this battle, he could convince Fujin to use his powers to take away the brainwash. It was the only idea he could come up with at the moment.

Suddenly, Yang was met with a palm strike to the face. Then, Yun spun his arms a bit in the air before delivering a straight-forward punch to Yang's chest, causing him to fly backwards before his back slammed into a nearby broken statue.

Knocking his brother out cold was most definitely easier said than done.

Yang heard Yun starting to approach him again. Despite the painful throbbing from the muscles in his chest, Yang forced himself to get up. Then, with a yell to fuel his adrenaline, Yang rolled forward onto the ground before using his hand to push his body upward. Soon, his foot landed on Yun and sent him flying into the air. Straightening himself out, Yang waited until Yun was fall back down before delivering a high kick that sent his brother back in the air and in a diaganol, giving them some distance. Soon, Yun crashed into the field on his back.

Getting himself in a fighting stance, Yang waited until Yun was standing before continuing the fight. As he did, he could still feel his fists shaking…

Nearby, Anna Williams managed to slap her sister, Nina, across the face twice before delivering an elbow strike, which Nina managed to block. However, that left the blonde open as the brunette was able to knee her in the stomach, causing Nina to gasp and keel over a little while holding her stomach in pain.

Anna attempted to step forward to bash her elbow into her opponent's face while she was stunned, but Nina quickly stepped to the side before spinning around and deliver two back kicks, hitting Anna in the torso both times. Before Anna could recover, Nina turned to face her before slamming the back of her fist into Anna's face, the force of the blow sending Anna spinning before she landed face first into the dirt.

Nina then attempted to raise one leg to deliver a downward kick, but then Anna rolled out of the way before she was hit. Standing up, Nina noticed the dirt covering her from head to toe and the fresh tears on her red qipao dress and dark stockings.

Nina huffed in amusement as she folded her arms in front of her. "That's a good look for you," she said with a ghost of a smile.

Anna immediately gave her a death glare. "And you'll look good when you're dead!" With a yell, the brunette rushed forward and attempted to throw a series of punches and kicks at the blond, who was able to block and dodge them with ease.

Eventually, Nina found an opening in Anna's offense and took the opportunity to strike with a knee to the stomach, causing Anna to keel over in pain. Nina didn't hesitate as she delivered a palm strike to her chest, followed with a punch to the face, then ended with a jump, spinning around, and back kicking her in the chest. Anna stumbled a few feet and despite the new pain she was feeling, the brunette was still able to keep herself standing.

Nina rushed forward and Anna attempted to defend herself, but Nina was able to break through with ease with a palm strike and a spin kick that sent Anna into the air. Then, before Anna could land, Nina delivered an uppercut that sent her further up towards the sky.

In mid-air, Anna caught herself and flipped herself over before dropping down and delivering a diaganol kick to Nina's face. The move connected as Nina grunted and held her face in pain.

Taking advantage of Nina's distraction, Anna jumped forward and delivered a double high kick before following and an elbow to Nina's face again. Then, Anna grabbed her by the back of the head before smashing the blonde's face into her knee. Nina let out a cry as more pain hit her. Then, Anna lifted one leg high in the air and kicked downward onto Nina's shoulder, the force of the blow knocking the blonde into the ground.

As Nina struggled to get up, Anna let out a gleeful laugh. "Now _that_ is a priceless image," she said with a sweet-looking smile, mocking her older sister. "Just wait until I beat you once and for all!"

Nina clenched her teethed as she glared at her younger sister. "Over my dead body!" she growled. With a yell, Nina managed to stand up and began to run back towards Anna, intending on ending this long-time rivalry once and for all…

Meanwhile, Hwang found himself mostly fighting guards since the battle began. With each fight, the Keisei native was able to expose their flaws and would take them out easily. At this point in the battle, his sword was covered in the blood of those he had slain.

After killing the latest guard who tried to attack him, Hwang looked at his surroundings, noticing that no one was going after him. He took the opportunity to give himself a quick breather and gathered himself before he jumped back into the fray.

However, it didn't last more than a split second before someone suddenly bumped into him behind his back. Startled Hwang turned and was just about to swing his sword, but when the person turned to face him, Hwang immediately stopped himself upon recognizing him.

"Kilik!" Hwang called out, feeling relieved. "Damn, I almost killed you."

Kilik took a deep breath. "Same here," he admitted. "What do you say-"

Suddenly, a snarl was heard and the two turned to the noise. Just a few feet away was Reptile, who gazed at the two with his reptilian eyes and letting out even more threatening snarls at them. Clearly, he was ready to attack them.

"Huh," Kilik said with a tilt of his head. "He looks like one of those lizardmen back at home."

"Only… not quite the same," Hwang replied.

Suddenly, Reptile opened his both and spat out a glob of acid at them. Immediately, Hwang and Kilik jumped out the way and the acid ended up hitting the back of a member of the Red Dragon. The Red Dragon screamed in agony as the acid burned right through him before he collapsed in a lifeless heap.

Hwang shook his head as he clenched the hilt of his sword. "Definitely _not_ the same!"

"You will die, humansssss!" Reptile declared right before he rushed towards them.

As soon as he reached them both, Reptile was immediately met with both Hwang and Kilik swinging their respective weapons, but the saurian was able to duck and dodge them with ease. Eventually, he jumped forward towards Kilik and outstretched his legs, delivering two kicks to the Keisei native's mid-section before he was pushed back.

Hwang came up from behind and Reptile immediately spun around to face him. However, Reptile didn't get a chance to lift a finger before Hwang somersaulted into the air. Then, falling forward, Hwang kicked downward, forcing Reptile to stumble to the side. Before the Outworld loyalist got his balance back, Hwang jumped forward again and performed a double rising kick, knocking Reptile onto his back.

Reptile flipped himself back up, but by then, Kilik was on his feet again. With his staff, Kilik hit Reptile on his side before attempting to twirl the weapon in a downward angle. Seeing this, Reptile jumped over it and managed to avoid being tripped.

Clenching his teeth, Kilik quickly performed a cartwheel towards Reptile, using his staff for support. As soon as he straightened himself up, he jumped and hit Reptile with a kick underneath his chin. With a grunt, Reptile flew into the air. Before he landed, Hwang was there. Raising one leg up, he quickly kicked downward while swinging his sword in the same direction. Knocking Reptile face first into the ground, Hwang's sword managed to leave a gash on Reptile's left arm, the wound seeping with green blood.

Hwang rolled back afterwards, leaving some space between him and his opponent. Reptile got on his knees and, with a snarl, closed his hands together before pulling them apart from one another. In between his hands was a large, green ball that was clearly made of acid. When Reptile was satisfied with its size, he let go of the force ball, which promptly began to float towards his two opponents.

"Crap!" Hwang called out as he and Kilik jumped out of the way before they were hit. Luckily, the force ball missed them and ended up hitting one of the nearby broken statues, the relic immediately disintegrating into nothing upon impact.

"That was _too_ close," Kilik said.

By now, Reptile was on his feet and began to run forward. Kilik met him halfway and, as soon as he was within reach, he hit Reptile with an uppercut before using his staff to swing and hit him three times before Reptile landed on the ground.

Hwang made his approach as soon as his opponent was up, but Reptile was reach. He ducked away from some of Hwang's sword attacks before landing two punches into Hwang's face before a roundhouse kick sent the Keisei native spinning. Then, he slid forward and rammed his shoulder into Hwang's chest, sending him away.

Reptile then heard Kilik approach and spun quickly. Raising his leg, Reptile promptly kicked Kilik in the throat. With a strangled cry, Kilik was knocked onto his back. Kilik immediately grasped his throat as he began to cough violently. He saw Reptile starting to approach him, his mouth drooling with acid. Kilik's eyes widened, feeling sure that he was about to meet death at any moment.

"HEY!" Hwang yelled out to get Reptile's attention. Before Reptile could completely turn to look at him, Hwang grabbed him by the shoulders, pushed himself upward so that he was in the air, and then quickly kicked the Outworld loyalist in the back of the head with enough force to knock him out cold. Reptile fell limply into the ground face first.

When that was done, Hwang immediately went over to Kilik, who was sitting himself up and was starting to catch his breath. "You all right?" Hwang asked his ally.

Kilik nodded. "I'm sure…" He coughed a couple of times before he continued. "I'm sure my throat won't feel so great if we survive this."

Before Hwang could say anything, the two of them noticed some Outworld guards approaching them, their weapons out and ready to kill. Hwang and Kilik slowly stood up before they got themselves into a defensive position, ready to take them on.

"Well, if anything," Kilik said. "This fight isn't over yet."

Hwang nodded in reply. "Far from it."

From there, the two of them rejoined the battle.

Meanwhile, Cody found himself ducking low to the ground in order to avoid a _Bushin Senpukyaku_ from Guy. From there, he rolled himself out of the way before Guy landed on his feet. He waited until Guy turned to face him before he made his next move.

" _HA!_ " Cody called out as he slide forward on one foot and extended his other leg out in front of him. The move managed to connect as his foot hit Guy in the face, forcing his friend to stumble back but still remain standing.

Guy shook his head for a moment before he narrowed his eyes at Cody. With fast speed, Guy sprinted forward before crouching down for a sweep kick. Cody jumped over the kick, but before he was back on the ground, Guy pushed himself up on his hands and kicked upward, his foot hitting Cody's face. With a grunt, Cody flew back into the air before falling down and hitting the ground side first.

"Damn it," Cody grumbled as he felt his face throbbing in pain. He reached up and checked for any injuries, but all that was there right now was a gash on his left cheek, which was oozing with blood.

"Not cool Guy," Cody said with a small amount of amusement. "You're messing up my face."

Cody then gazed up as he heard Guy running towards him. The former Metro City hero got himself back up and waited until Guy was within arm's reach. Then, he pulled back his left arm and, with all of his strength, began to deliver a punch.

To Cody's surprise, Guy managed to grasp his wrist before the move connected. The two of them glared at each for a moment in the aftermath.

 _Well… that's not good,_ Cody thought as he stared at his left wrist.

Quickly, Guy tried to twist his opponent's arm, but Cody was able to get out of the grip before Guy had the chance to snap his bones. From there, Cody began to throw some punches and kicks, which Guy was able to avoid. Eventually, a spin kick was able to connect, the move hitting Guy on the side and causing him to stumble. Cody landed on his feet before rushing towards Guy in an attempt to execute another spin kick.

However, Guy avoided being hit again by jumping to the side before closing in on his opponent. Before Cody could react, Guy grabbed his shoulders, jumped into a hand stand before somersaulting forward, taking Cody with him. Cody let out a yell as he found himself flying backwards before smashing into one of the statues on the field and rolling into the dirt.

"Ugh…" Cody grunted as sharp pain hit his body. Despite that, he could still feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins and it helps him to slowly get back on his feet.

Cody looked up as Guy began to approach. "Your resilience is admirable," Guy said as his pale eyes glared at his opponent. It was noticeable, even through the pouring rain. "However, that does not mean that you will survive this fight."

"Yeah, well," Cody started to say as he got himself in a defensive position, ready for more. "We'll see about that…"

Not too far from them, Smoke was fighting a mix of Outworld guards, Red Dragon members, and soldiers of the Brotherhood of Shadow. He had been through many tough fights before. Heck, he had been in group fights such as this on multiple occasions, one of them only just a couple of weeks ago in the Himalayans when Noob Saibot and his minions showed up at the small village he was staying in.

However, in the back of his mind, Smoke knew that this fight was different. It wasn't about defending a clan, or protecting a small village, or even surviving. This was about protecting what was left of the universe and trying to steer its fate towards a better course.

At this point, Smoke wasn't sure how long he's been in this fight, but he had a feeling that it was going to be a while before it was over. Whether it was the Chosen Ones or the Outworld Forces who emerge the victor remains to be seen at this time.

After taking out an Outworld guard, Smoke heard footsteps approaching. He figured that it was an enemy who was going to attack from behind.

"Target acquired," the voice of a female cyborg said. Smoke turned his head and saw the familiar green cyborg approaching him.

"Matrik," Smoke uttered.

Matrik's glowing red eyes gazed at the gray cyborg as she continued to march towards him. "Target: Tomas Vrbada. Codename: Smoke," Matrik continued. Then, she got herself in a fighting stance. "Combat mode engaged until target's elimination."

Smoke found himself shaking his head a bit before he got himself in a fighting stance. "Let's see if I can try to free you from your programming this time," he said.

Right after Smoke finished his sentence, Matrik quickly launched herself towards him before she began to deliver various punches and kicks. Smoke was able to duck and dodge out of the way for a bit before a punch to the face staggered him a bit. Matrik then followed through with multiple palm slaps to his face and chest before kneeing him in the stomach, causing Smoke to keel over.

" _Hovno..._ " Smoke uttered as he shook his head, getting his focus back. Straightening himself back up, Smoke noticed Matrik starting to close the space between them. With quick thinking, Smoke jumped back, leaving behind a dark cloud of dust which Matrik ran into. The cloud wouldn't choke her since the filters in her suit would keep the smoke out, but the darkness would most definitely blind her.

Taking advantage of this, Smoke quickly sank into the ground before hurling back up from behind Matrik, performing an uppercut and sending her flying into the air. Before Matrik landed, she flipped herself back and landed gracefully on her feet. She then outstretched her arms and a compartment in her wrists opened up. A pair of black and gray gothic-looking spurs spewed forth from each compartment, the small blades spinning rapidly.

"Well… that's new," Smoke uttered, wondering if these upgrades were recent or something he never saw her pull out before.

Suddenly, Matrik lashed the spurs at Smoke, who was once again forced to duck and dodge out of the way before he was hit. Then, Smoke teleported behind Matrik and punched her hard in the back, sending her stumbling forward.

Quickly, Matrik turned around and promptly covered the distance between her and her opponent with a flying kick. Smoke stepped out of the way, but then Matrik landed, turned around, and punched him right in the face and following with a palm strike. She then tried to kick him in the stomach, but Smoke moved out of the way before he was hit.

After stepping aside again, Smoke found himself behind Matrik. Quickly, he grabbed the back of her head and turned her a bit. Matrik was just beginning to struggle when he quickly slammed her face into his knee with enough force to bounce her back up and flip onto her back. Upon landing, Smoke noticed how she dazed she was and how her red eyes flicked on her visor.

"Let's get you back to how you were before," Smoke said.

While Matrik struggled to get herself back up, Smoke walked over to her before getting down on his knees. She gazed up at him just as he reached down and pressed a few buttons on her control panel. Soon, Matrik shut down, her red glowing eyes fading.

"There," Smoke said with a small sigh. "That should put you back in stasis mode before the Earth invasion even happened. Hopefully, it goes back to where it left off."

In the meantime, Smoke had to get back into battle around them. He would do his best to keep an eye on the green cyborg and hoped that no one else would reprogram her again.

Not too far away, Sub-Zero performed an ice slide in an attempt to knock his opponent off his feet, but Noob Saibot was prepared as he let himself sink into the ground. Sub-Zero tried to turn to face him, but then was met with a kick to the face when Noob reappeared from just above him. Sub-Zero crashed onto his back while Noob landed on his feet.

From where he was, Sub-Zero shot out a projectile from his hands, and Noob tried to get out of the way, only for his right arm to end up being his, freezing the limb solid. Noob gazed down at his frozen arm as though he was fascinated by it. This gave Sub-Zero the time to get back on his feet and attempt to cover the distance between.

With a roar, Noob attempted to swing his frozen arm at the Grandmaster, but Sub-Zero ducked underneath the attack. Instead, Noob hit his arm into the statue they were fighting next to with enough force to actually shatter the frozen arm into countless pieces. Noob let out a pained yell as his broken-off arm oozed with black blood.

Sub-Zero stared at Noob's missing limb, a bit surprised by what he just saw. Rising up what was left of his arm, Noob gazed down at it. Before Sub-Zero realized what was happening, bug-like organisms crawled around in the area where his arm was. Then, they stopped the bleed and reformed a new arm from him. Once more, Noob stared at the limb with fascination.

A dark laugh escaped Noob's throat. "There's another difference between you and me. I am immortal. Your odds of winning are slim."

"Don't be too confident," Sub-Zero warned him. "There is always a way to defeat even an immortal such as yourself."

Noob quickly shot out his arm and a shadow of himself glided forward in an attempt to sweep kick. Seeing, Sub-Zero jumped back, leaving behind an ice clone of himself. The shadow ended up hitting the ice clone and immediately froze in its place. Then, Sub-Zero kicked the frozen shadow as though it was standing in his way, shattering it into pieces.

From there, the two brothers covered the space between them and continued their battle…

Not too far away, Quan Chi mostly watched the battle from the edge. He was far enough to observe, but still close enough to where only a few fights nearby could still see him. That was proven more than once when Manji Clan members and Coast Guard soldiers tried to eliminate him. However, the necromancer was able to take them down easily, killing each one with no remorse.

Quan Chi was sure that the Generals of the Outworld Forces would last a while. He was sure that anyone from the opposing side would eventually tire out, hopefully after they take care of the Outworld Generals. That would be his chance to move in and finish them off. He would take each of their souls so that they would forever serve him in the Netherrealm, just as he made-

Before Quan Chi could finish the thought, he suddenly felt an intense heat at his back. Jumping forward, the sorcerer managed to get out of the way before he was hit with a flip kick, the person's feet filled with flames. Quan Chi knew who this was before he even saw their face.

"Scorpion!" the sorcerer growled.

Without hesitation, Scorpion shot out his spear, the chain extending forward. Ducking underneath it, Quan Chi slid on his back before kicking upward, the move connecting and sending Scorpion up into the air. In mid-air, Scorpion flipped himself back before landing on his feet.

Quan Chi straightened himself up just as Scorpion removed his mask, revealing his skull. Opening his mouth, Scorpion blew out a long line of flames like a blowtorch. Seeing this coming, Quan Chi used his powers to build a wall of green-glowing skulls to protect himself with. Even with the wall, he could still feel the intense heat from the flames.

Quickly putting his mask back on after he was done, Scorpion teleported behind Quan Chi. He got himself on the other side of the skull wall, and quickly delivered a roundhouse, his foot in flames as he hit the sorcerer in the mid-section. As Quan-Chi flew back, the sorcerer shot out a green skull projectile, which managed to hit Scorpion squarely in the chest. The force of the projectile sent Scorpion smashing into the wall, the skulls shattering into pieces.

Soon, the sorcerer and the ninja got back on their feet and began to rush forward towards each other…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

It wasn't long before Ryu found himself fighting hand to hand with Shao Kahn, a determined look on his face as he pummeled his fists at the Emperor. Some of the moves were blocked, but others managed to get through the defenses and hit Shao Kahn in the face and chest.

" _Shoryuken!_ " Ryu called out as he performed an uppercut. He did manage to hit Shao Kahn right under his chin, but he wasn't pushed up into the air as Ryu had hoped. The move only served to snap the Emperor's head back and his feet staggered, but he remained standing.

Ryu realized that the move suddenly left him open, so it wasn't surprising when Shao Kahn jumped up and kneed him on the side. With a grunt, Ryu flew away through the air before falling and landing face first into the field.

Shao Kahn heard someone approaching from the side. Summoning his powers, he used the green energy to form a bow and arrow and aimed it towards the warrior coming towards him next – Jin.

The Emperor pulled the arrow back before quickly releasing it, the weapon flying forward in fast speed. Jin had seen this coming and, just before it got too close, he tucked himself down and rolled forward, the arrow flying over and missing him completely. The arrow eventually planted itself into the soil before the energy dispersed. By then, Jin was back on his feet and finished his approach.

Once he was within arm's reach, Jin promptly delivered an axe kick, which Shao Kahn managed to block. The young warrior followed through with more kicks and punches, aiming his feet and fist in different spots in hopes of trying to confuse his larger opponent. However, though Jin did manage to land a few blows, they seem to hardly faze Shao Kahn who would then move in to block his other attacks.

Then, Jin clenched both of his fists together and stepped forward to slam them into the Emperor. As he raised his arms up, Shao Kahn immediately blocked with one forearm. Gritting his teeth, Jin pushes his arms against the defense, but Shao Kahn pushed back, putting them both in a gridlock. Eventually, Jin could feel his arms shaking, but he wasn't about to back down just yet.

Suddenly, Shao Kahn used his free arm, clenched his hand into a fist, and promptly slammed it into Jin's stomach with full force. Jin, not prepared for that, felt all the air rush out of him at once. He collapsed onto his knees as sheer pain coursed through his body as he began to cough violently. He also began to taste his own blood on his tongue.

He barely began to start regaining himself before Shao Kahn grabbed his head and lifted him into the air so that he was eye-level with the Emperor. Shao Kahn's red eyes glared at the warrior through his charcoal helmet.

"You should've died back on that island," he growled.

"Well…" Jin coughed. "Hire better minions next time."

Shao Kahn glared at him for a brief moment before he let out a roar. Turning a one-eighty, he hurled Jin over his shoulders, aiming him at Ryu, who was back on his feet and attempting to join the fray. Jin found himself flying until he slammed into Ryu. With painful cries, the two of them fell back before crashing into the field.

When that was done, he pointed at the two. "Feel the wrath of Shao Kahn!" the Emperor bellowed.

Then, Shao Kahn heard someone running up behind him along with the sound of a sword being pulled out of its sheath. Raising one arm, Shao Kahn summoned his war hammer. Grasping onto its hilt, he whirled around while swinging his hammer sideways, an attack which was promptly blocked by Kenshi's sword.

For a while, their weapons clashed, the sound of steel hitting steel being heard over the pouring rain. Lying on his stomach, Jin looked up at the fight, which was happening about twenty feet away from where he landed. Nearby, he could hear Ryu struggling to get up as well.

Briefly, Jin looked at the bridge that led to the fortress. Even after all this time, there was still no sign of Ivy. He was well aware that she knew what today was. In that case, where was she?

 _She's not going to show up!_ Jin concluded as rage boiled in his blood. _I knew it! I knew she would betray us!_

It was then that a grunt was heard as Kenshi's blade managed to leave a gash on the exposed skin of Shao Kahn's face. It wasn't enough to cut through his cheek completely, but Jin was sure that the gash would most definitely leave behind a scar. With a roar, Shao Kahn swung his hammer. Though Kenshi tried to defend himself at this point, the hammer ended up smashing into his side and sent him flying about twenty yards before he crashing into the ground hard enough for mud to splash into the air like ocean waves.

"Damn it!" Ryu cried out after witnessing that. He and Jin were both sure Kenshi survived that, but they were also sure that either the attack from the hammer or the hard landing possible fractured a bone.

Jin clenched his fists in anger as he gazed up at the fortress again. _Damn you Ivy!_ he yelled out in his head. _If we lose this fight, I will NOT let our defeat be on our conscience!_

~~~

**Forest**

Throughout his walk, Fujin was feeling sick to his stomach, a feeling he had felt for as long as he had been God. A battle was raging, one that would determine the fate of the realms, and here he was forced to help fulfill the wishes of the Elder Gods involving Raiden.

He can only hope that whatever the Elder Gods plan for Raiden, it would be over quickly. Even if Fujin's powers were pretty much useless here in Outworld, it was still better than sitting idly by.

The trees of the forest help to shield most of the pouring rain from Fujin. He frowned at this because it rarely ever rained in Outworld. Of all the days to pour, it had to be today…

Goosebumps suddenly came over Fujin's arms and he could feel the small, thin hair on them stand on their ends. His ears soon picked up the sound of electricity buzzing… he knew who was behind him. Lifting his hand, he summoned a strong gust of wind, letting the intruder know that he knew of their presence.

"So, you followed me here to Outworld, I see," he heard Raiden say as he folded his arms in front of his chest. "Foolish… your powers are useless here! You of all people should know that!"

"As are yours," Fujin reminded him as he turned to face him. "Even if the Elder Gods stripped you of your title, they have yet to strip you of your abilities to control thunder and lightning."

"Then perhaps that's the smartest thing they've done in millennia," Raiden grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

Suddenly, Fujin noticed a multi-colored aura beginning to surround Raiden's body. The Thunder God had noticed as well as he gazed down at his hands. It didn't take long before his eyebrows furrowed in frustration.

"What?!" Raiden called out. "What the hell are they doing?!"

Raiden knew what was going on… he was about to be transferred to the Nexus just as the Elder Gods foretold last night. Fujin soon looked down at his own hands. His own body was also surrounded in the same multi-color aura. He too will be transferred with the Thunder God any second now.

Suddenly, Raiden let out a roar and began to fly towards the Wind God. Fujin immediately got himself into a fighting stance, prepared for his attacks. Just as Raiden reached Fujin, a portal formed around them, practically swallowing them up. Briefly, they were in the vortex before being dropped off in the middle of a large platform.

The two slowly got on their feet and Fujin gazed at his surroundings. It was almost as though they were in the purple skies of Outworld with the white stoned platform suspended in mid-air. Surrounding them were various portals leading to different realms.

When mortals go through the vortex between realms, unless there was a special reason, they never stop on this platform. Only the Gods and their chosen champions had the privilege to step into the Nexus.

Raiden was soon on his feet as well. The moment he saw where he was, he nearly laughed. "And once again, the Elder Gods are idiots! They know my powers would easily be restored here." He then stared at the Wind God. "And why would they bring _you_ here?"

"They said… they needed me as a valid witness," Fujin admitted.

Fujin saw an expression he hadn't seen on Raiden's face in a while, something other than frustration and anger; confusion. "For what reason?" he asked.

That was when one of the portals activated and the two Gods turned their heads to it. The portal's aura was pure white, meaning that whoever was coming, they were arriving from the Heavens.

Fujin was sure that it would be one of the Elder Gods, but the moment the person stepped through and onto the ramp, well… it wasn't even a God at all, but Fujin had not expected them to show up and be part of the solution.

The Wind God turned his head to Raiden… his eyes were slightly widened and his lips were parted… whether in awe or shock, he wasn't sure. Fujin turned back to the figure, who soon reached the end of the short ramp leading to the main platform. The figure gazed at the both of them.

The two Gods said the person's name at the same time.

"Liu Kang."


	87. Chapter Eighty-Six

**Inside Shao Kahn's Fortress**

After a long bath, Ivy Valentine emerged from her private bathroom, her body covered by a cotton lavender robe. Although bathing was usually relaxing to her, this time, she felt a bit antsy mainly due to what today was. She knew that the other three chosen ones would arrive at the fortress soon now that the Outworld Forces had gone off to fight.

Shao Kahn had encouraged her to dress in her best today. She would all right… in her best outfit for battle.

As soon as she stepped out to her quarters, she could hear the rain hitting the glass pane of her windows. Curiously, Ivy gazed at the windows from where she stood.

 _I think this the first time it rained since I arrived here months ago,_ she thought. She can only imagine how all the fighters involved in today's battle were faring.

Ivy headed over to her dresser and pulled the drawer open. After picking out her outfit, she began to get herself dressed; a swimsuit-like attire that was mostly purple with some white accents along with a stocking fabric covering her abdomen, a matching long sleeve jacket with a tailcoat and a large collar, purple gloves with white cuffs, and long matching high-heeled boots that only exposed some parts of her upper thighs. She then placed on her gold gauntlets, couter, and pauldron over her left arm. Then finally, she placed a pair of small, gold greaves over each ankle.

It was still raining hard once she went to retrieve her beloved sword. Just as she was grabbing the scabbard, she suddenly noticed a quick, green blast emitting from her window. She stared at the window with wide eyes.

"What in the world…?" she started to say. Quickly, Ivy went over to the window, deciding to see whether or not the green glow she just saw was nothing more than her mind playing tricks on her.

However, it didn't take long for Ivy to realize that it wasn't her imagination. Even with the rain, she could see Shao Kahn fighting with someone just beyond the bridge leading to the fortress. She then noticed two more figures in the field, and that's when Ivy realized what this was about.

"They're here…" she whispered.

At the moment, Shao Kahn was fighting Ryu, who was trying everything he could to take the Emperor down. Nearby, Jin had just got onto his knees after possibly being thrown to the side. On the opposite side of the battle, Kenshi was lying on his back, his teeth clenched as he gripped the left side of his chest, his sword laying a few feet beyond his reach.

They were holding their own even without her, but clearly Shao Kahn had the upperhand at this point.

As she watched, a memory came over Ivy at a time just several months ago…

_"Congratulations on your win the tournament," Shao Kahn said. "You've done well."_

_Ivy nodded to him. "Thank you." A smirk came over her face then. "I knew that I would emerge the victor."_

_Shao Kahn then stood up and walked over to her, soon stopping just a couple of feet from her. Ivy found herself looking up at him, nearly forgetting how tall the Emperor was. His presence would normally intimidate others… yet for some reason, she didn't feel afraid of him._

_"Have you brought the medallion with you as I requested?" he asked._

_Ivy nodded as she took the medallion out of her pocket and held it in front of her. "Yes, I've brought it with me."_

_"Good," Shao Kahn said. "Now, let me ask you this… how does it feel to have such power within your hands?"_

_Ivy looked down at the artifact for a moment. She still didn't feel impressed by it as it looked up at her with its single eye._

_"To be quite honest, I feel nothing," Ivy replied._

_Shao Kahn nodded. "That is because you are holding a replica in your hand."_

_Ivy looked up at the Emperor with her blue eyes widened as he reached a hand out… now holding the real medallion. This medallion seemed more life-like as the red tear slightly glowed in a slow rhythm._

_"I believe you wanted this," he said._

_Ivy dropped the fake medallion to the ground and she slowly took the real thing into her hands. "Why was I given a replica in the first place?" she asked as she stared at the artifact._

_"For two reasons," Shao Kahn replied. "Just in case Shang Tsung decided to double cross me and just in case Jin ended up winning the tournament instead."_

_Now Ivy understood as she looked up at him. "Good plan," she commended._

_"Now," Shao Kahn began to say. "There was another reason I called you down here."_

_Ivy nodded to him as she waited for his word._

_"It's… quite a rare offer if I say so myself," he continued. "It's a little plan I've had for myself since the beginning of the tournament. You have proven your loyalty to me despite the short time you've been here. And your win in the tournament proved to me of your strength and your dedication to fighting."_

_Then to Ivy's surprise, the Emperor reached a hand up and slightly brushed her cheek with his fingers. She stared up at him as he did this and in her mind, she knew that Shao Kahn's other minions would probably drop dead with surprise if they ever saw this._

_Shao Kahn then proceeded. "It's been quite some time since Outworld had an Empress. It's the perfect title for you. Come rule Outworld by my side."_

_Although Ivy was very flattered by the offer, she couldn't help but feel guilty. Here she was planning to leave Outworld with the medallion and now here's a man, who believed that she was completely loyal to him, making a type of offer she was sure every woman who admired him dreamed of._

_Now, however, she was beginning to understand why the Emperor seemed to call her over to the throne all the time since her arrival here. It was because he had a bit of an infatuation with her. She never believed that he was capable of those types of feelings… but she guessed that even someone like Shao Kahn could possess that after all._

_Even after those thoughts, Ivy still wasn't sure whether to take the offer. She had been planning to leave here since day one after the tournament was over… but now with an offer such as this, she was now finding herself conflicted._

_Still not sure what to do, Ivy gave him the answer she knew he wanted to hear…_

_"Yes… I accept."_

It was something Ivy always found curious since that day. Since her arrival in Outworld, she was hell bent on departing the realm once the _Chishio No Me_ medallion was in her hands. She had only said yes then because he knew he was waiting for an answer. And truthfully, she didn't want to find out what would happen if she had said no instead.

But the thing was… if she was planning to leave in the first place, why did she feel conflicted once Shao Kahn asked her to be his Empress?

Another memory flashed in her mind, this one right after receiving visions of the future from Dhalsim;

_"_ **_NO!_ ** _" Ivy screamed out as her eyes snapped opened in horror. She quickly collapsed on her knees into the ground as Dhalsim removed his hands from her head. Looking down at the grass with wide eyes, she was gasping for breath to the point of hyperventilating, her skin was covered in beads of sweat, and her body was shaking violently. Somewhere in the distance, she heard the sounds of birds flapping their wings in a fevered attempt to get away from the scream she just let out._

_Dhalsim eventually kneeled down in front of her. "I am sorry you had to see that, Ivy, but it was the only way I could convince you. If I understand this correctly, Shao Kahn managed to possess the energy of Soul Edge… the sword you had hunted to destroy for many years. Pieces of the vision are some that others have seen… the blood red sky, the corpses, and the smell of death… I had not told any of them because I need them to focus on victory, but what they are seeing is what will happen if we fail."_

_Even despite her shaking, Ivy managed to speak. "He… possessed the essence of… the evil sword… after the tournament. He said that… he had full control of it… it…_ _Chishio No Me_ _… the medallion… it served as the window for Soul Edge… it was a way… for it… to pick its next host."_

_"And that host was Shao Kahn."_

_Ivy nodded. "He had… defeated the last host… I was so sure that he had… full control… but now… I wonder…"_

_"Perhaps he did have full control," Dhalsim suggested. "But eventually, or even starting now, the essence of the sword will slowly regain its power. Eventually, it will be powerful enough to take over Shao Kahn."_

_Ivy looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears. "Maybe," she said bitterly._

_"When that happens, he will kill anything in his way, and he will be even more powerful than ever. Even the strongest won't survive. I'm afraid… Soul Edge has more influence than even Shao Kahn knows."_

_Ivy looked down at the ground. "I wouldn't be surprised if the essence was influencing me."_

Ivy's eyes suddenly widened in horror as realization dawned on her. It was something she had wondered about for a long time, but ironically, the thoughts would quell each time Shao Kahn was near. It would explain why she was conflicted when Shao Kahn asked her to be his Empress all those months.

From the moment the real _Chishio No Me_ medallion was handed to her, the essence of Soul Edge was influencing her. The 'conflict' she was feeling was a fight between her own mind and Soul Edge's.

She shook her head… its power had been _that_ subtle.

Ivy clenched her fists in anger upon this realization. "I should've known… I should've known this entire time! Even within Shao Kahn's control, it still had influence over me!"

How many more times was Soul Edge going to affect her life? How many more lives would it hurt? How much influence was it now giving off on the three men fighting Shao Kahn right now? She knew they were aware of what Soul Edge was, but she was sure that its potential was something that they could not comprehend.

Ivy took a deep breath to calm herself down. She then remembered Dhalsim's words from that same conversation she had with him back in Keisei;

_Know that there is hope if you join us. Hope is… not lost. Not completely._

As of now, Ivy wasn't sure what else Soul Edge influenced her to do while she was Empress of Outworld. Because its powers were so subtle, it would take a very long time for Ivy to analyze the difference. Either way, if she lived beyond today, she was more than willing to take responsibility for the atrocities she's committed since the end of the Blood Tournament.

Ivy was sure that she would be making up for her sins for the rest of her life, perhaps even beyond death. Looking out her bedroom window, it was obvious to Ivy where she could begin; right there in front of the fortress.

She could only hope that Soul Edge didn't influence her the moment she got down there. The last thing the universe needed right now was for Jin Kazama's assumptions about her to be right…

Strapping her sword to her hip, Ivy took a deep breath before she turned around and began to head out…

~~~

**Nexus**

The Elder Gods did indeed have a plan… but until now, it had been a wild guess as to what this plan had been. When the Champion of Mortal Kombat, Liu Kang, emerged from the portal that led to the Heavens, Fujin had a small idea of what was going to happen. However, he wanted to hear it from Liu Kang himself.

"What's the meaning of this?" Fujin asked.

Liu Kang turned to the Wind God before bowing to him in respect. Fujin followed suit before Liu Kang straightened himself up.

"The Elder Gods intend to… promote me to be one of the new Gods of Fire," Liu Kang explained. "They had also asked for me to come here and defeat Raiden." The champion turned his head to the Thunder God. "Once he is defeated… it is I who will become the _new_ Protector of Earthrealm."

Raiden clenched his death at Liu Kang in anger. "I will _not_ allow it!" he called out. "Only _I_ am capable for being Protector of Earthrealm!"

"We will see about that," Liu Kang said. He turned back to Fujin. "That is why you were called upon to the Nexus… to validate the fight and declare me the new Earthrealm Protector if I emerge victorious."

"I figured as much," Fujin replied with a nod. "I only wished that these circumstances were happening at another time."

"Yes… I protested against the timing, but by then, the Elder Gods had already begun the transportation process."

"Enough talk!" Raiden suddenly called out. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can return back to Earthrealm from here!"

"I won't let that happen," Liu Kang promised.

Then, with battle cries, both Raiden and Liu Kang rushed towards each other to begin their fight. From where he stood, Fujin had his own thoughts.

_The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can return to Outworld and join the fight that Earth… and the universe… is truly depending on…_

~~~

**Wastelands**

Within the battle, Hwoarang delivered a side kick to a guard's face, the force of it sending him spinning sideways before crashing down. Then, another guard tried to stab him with a kwan do, but Hwoarang ducked and stepped to the side before lifting his leg up and kicking downward. He was able to hit the stick portion of the weapon, splitting it in half with ease. He noticed the guard holding it looking stunned upon realizing what happened to his weapon. The red head took advantage of the distraction by stepping forward and slamming the back of his fist into the guard's temple, knocking him out cold.

Hwoarang stood in his fighting stance when that was done. "Man, you're weak," he uttered under his breath.

That was when he noticed someone coming towards him amongst the crowd. While still keeping his attention around him, Hwoarang began to walk forward, intending on meeting his next attack halfway.

He suddenly stopped within ten feet upon recognizing the figure. "M… master?!" Hwoarang called out in shock.

Sure, he knew about Master Baek Doo San being captured and brainwash since the ship ride from Earth, but even with witnesses telling him, Hwoarang didn't want to believe it. He didn't believe that his master, who practically raised him after living on the streets for years, would let that happen.

Now, seeing Baek's pale skin and colorless eyes, his facial expression void of emotion even as he stared directly at his student, Hwoarang couldn't deny it anymore.

When Baek was five feet away, he suddenly jumped forward with one leg extended out. Quickly, Hwoarang stepped out of the way before he was hit. Baek then swung a right hook towards his student, which Hwoarang blocked with his forearm.

For a couple of seconds, the two went back and forth before Baek landed two punches in Hwoarang's face. While the young fighter was dazed, Baek delivered a spin kick to his face, causing Hwoarang to stumble to the side. Then, coming from the opposite direction, Baek hit him with a roundhouse, sending him back in the direction where he came from before an axe kick knocked him face first into the dirt.

Despite feeling dazed, Hwoarang rolled him away incase Baek had the idea to smash his face in. He then got himself back up and managed to block more incoming attack from Baek for a few seconds before jumping back.

"Damn it," Hwoarang groaned, unsure if there was even a way to free his master from the brainwashing at all.

Baek then attempting another flying kick and once again, Hwoarang stepped away. Just as Baek was landing on his feet, Hwoarang rushed forward before spinning himself, kicking Baek three times in just less than one second, forcing the older man to stumble back. Then, Hwoarang jumped towards him and delivered three more kicks. The first two were blocked, but the third was able to get past Baek's defenses and hit him in the chest. From there, Hwoarang briefly pulled back before delivering a high kick that sent Baek off his feet before landing back first.

Right after hitting the ground, Baek immediately pushed himself forward. With Hwoarang approaching, he used that moment to kick him with both of his feet while pushing himself back up, soon landing on his feet while Hwoarang crashed into the dirt on his side.

Ignoring the fresh pain in his arm, Hwoarang got himself back up before he glared at Baek. "Master!" he called out. "I know you can snap out of it! Fight it!"

In reply, Baek jumped forward with a growl before Hwoarang was forced to block two punches before a backhand snapped his head to the side. Another punch hit him on the side of the cheek before a spin kick sent him stumbling sideways.

From there, Baek attempted to close the distance, but with renewed strength, Hwoarang let out a yell before smashing his elbow into Baek's face, the force of it making the older man cry out while holding his face in pain. From there, Hwoarang crouched down before performing a sweep kick that knocked Baek off his feet before he landed on his side.

Straightening himself up, Hwoarang got himself in his fighting stance, a frown on his face. Baek had done much for him since he began teaching him Tae Kwan Do. The young man could only hope that 'repaying' him for his kindness didn't mean killing him in order to free his master from the brainwash…

Not too far away, Ken Masters shot out a projectile from his hands with a battle cry. The blue energy managed to knock down two guards and a Brotherhood soldier off their feet. Hearing footsteps behind him, Ken quickly turned his head and noticed a Red Dragon soldier attempting to approach him. As soon as the enemy was close, Ken clenched his fist and performed a jumping uppercut.

" _Shoryuken!_ " he called out as the move connected under the soldier's chin. Afterwards, Ken was back on his feet just as the soldier landed hard on his side.

When that was done, Ken swiveled around and noticed two guards coming towards them. The millionaire got into a fighting stance, his teeth clenched with anger as he thought of his lost family all thanks to this invasion. "Attack me if you dare, I will crush you," he uttered.

The moment the two guards were close, he jumped up, extended one leg out, and performed his hurricane kick, the maneuver knocking both opponents away from him. When that was done and once he was back on solid ground, he heard footsteps running up behind him. He barely had time to turn around before a Red Dragon soldier was slashing his sword at the blond-haired warrior.

"Whoa!" Ken called out as he backed away. However, he soon found himself ducking and dodging the weapon in fast speed, doing all he can to avoid getting cut. At the same time, he waited for his opportunity to make his next move.

Before Ken could figure out his next move, a large kunai suddenly appeared and pierced right through the Red Dragon soldier's head. Ken was pretty sure that the soldier was already dead before he even hit the ground, and it wasn't hard to notice the blood brain matter starting to leak out of the soldier's head.

Ken turned to see who threw the knife and saw that it was Raven, who began to approach to retrieve his kunai. It was strange… it seemed like another lifetime ago when Ken was at the San Francisco docks, ready to head to the tournament, and noticed Raven (considering how his gear made him stand out) at a coffee shop prior to boarding the ships. He was sure that neither of them would have guessed at the time that they would both be fighting to save the universe many months later.

It was also strange what you tend to think about when you're fighting for your life.

It took a bit of effort, but soon Raven managed to pull the kunai out of the soldier's head. Once that was done, Ken gave him a small wave that was almost similar to a salute. "Thanks for the help," he said sincerely.

Raven looked at him and gave him a brief nod before turning around to rejoin the fight. Seconds later, Ken did the same.

Meanwhile, Jade was mostly using her weapons to fight against the Outworld Forces. It was pretty much how she expected it… the guards were, to her, good practice, and some of the members of the Red Dragon and the Brotherhood of Shadow even gave her a bit of a challenge. But the truth was, and she was sure that her allies knew of this as well, that it was the generals who would provide the more difficult fights.

And it wasn't long before she spotted one general in particular… one that was dressed in yellow and black, someone she had not seen since she escaped the dungeons of Shao Kahn's fortress weeks ago…

"Tanya…" Jade growled under her breath.

At the moment, Tanya was fighting a member of the Coast Guard, which was just the kind of distraction she needed. Pulling out her razor-rang, she pressed a button to extend the three blades. Then, like a boomerang, she threw it forward towards her sworn enemy, cutting through the pouring rain.

And just as Jade had expected, Tanya caught the weapon in her hand with ease without even looking at the object. Beforehand, she had pushed away the opponent she was fighting, and he had found himself barreling into the crowd.

Tanya soon turned her had. Her pale eyes stared at the green-clad woman before a sadistic smile came over her face. "Ah, there you are! I was looking all over Outworld for you!"

Jade nearly laughed. "And here I'm surprised the Emperor didn't execute you for your failure to maintain my imprisonment."

"He made the mistake of letting the Empress punish me for my failure," Tanya mentioned in matter of fact. "She's not as severe as he is. But enough about me… now that you're here, I can finally finish you off once and for all!"

Then quickly, Tanya threw the razor-rang back at Jade. With the close proximity and its speed, Jade knew that it wasn't wise to try to catch the weapon at the moment. She would have to let it fly by her before it began to turn again… only then would it be safe to catch it. Once the weapon was close, Jade stepped to the side, letting the razor-rang pass by. She positioned herself so that she kept her eyes on both her weapon and Tanya.

But before the weapon could turn around, someone caught it in their hand, confusing the Edenian for a moment… at least until she saw their face, instantly recognizing her despite their pale eyes.

"Kitana…" Jade gasped. By then, Kitana turned around and began a battle with a Manji clan soldier, using her razor-rang against him.

Behind Jade, Tanya cackled in what sounded like amusement. "Oh, I almost forgot! Your _dear_ Princess and Queen were captured and-"

"I know the story!" Jade growled as she turned to Tanya. "Your _dear_ Empress told me everything."

Tanya's face twisted into a scowl. "It's about time I send you to the Netherrealm!"

With a yell, Tanya flew forward feet first and low to the ground. Spinning herself, her feet ignited a small blaze, its embers twisting around her in unison. Seeing this, Jade managed to flip over her to avoid the attack, landing where Tanya was standing moments ago. Soon, Tanya stopped her maneuver before quickly getting back on her feet.

Tanya then attempted to rush forward to attack, but then Jade performed a _shadow kick_ , raising one leg up and gliding forward in fast speed until her foot hit her enemy in the face. With a pained cry, Tanya stumbled back, hold her face in agony.

From there, Jade flew forward as she pulled out her staff, letting it extend out. Once she was within reach, she aimed low before lifting it up quickly and with all of her strength. Tanya let out another scream as she found herself flying in the air and over Jade's head before landing face first into the mud.

Jade tried covering the space between them, but by the time she reached her opponent, Tanya was back on her feet, now with mud her from head to toe. The sight would have amused Jade at any other time, but not while the universe depended on her help in winning this fight.

With another yell, Tanya flew forward and began to rapidly deliver punches and kicks at Jade, who was able to avoid them for a bit before a kick hit her in the face, stunning her. Then, she was hit with two more kicks in the torso which was followed by a roundhouse kick that sent her stumbling to the side. Luckily, despite the mud and the rain, Jade was able to keep herself standing.

Then, Tanya tried to jump up and deliver a diagonal kick, but Jade was able to avoid it by stepping sideways. With the move leaving Tanya open, Jade used her staff to slam the end of it into her side, causing Tanya to gasp in pain and stumble a bit. Then, Jade jumped over her head, and before she landed, he delivered a back kick to her opponent's head. With another pained cry, Tanya stumbled forward before falling face first into the mud again.

Once she was on her feet, Jade turned to glare at Tanya. "You make this too easy," she grumbled.

Suddenly, Jade felt a hard kick to the back of the head, forcing her to flying forward before she found herself landing face first in the mud. Despite the sudden pain in her head, Jade managed to sit up before turning to glare at whoever just delivered the attack.

Staring right back at her was Kitana.

Behind the Edenian Princess, Tanya was back on her feet, another sadistic smile creeping up on her face. "I have a marvelous idea!" She then pulled out her two kobujutsu blades before getting herself in an offensive position. "How about two against one? I like it, don't you?"

As though she was agreeing, Kitana drew out her two fan blades. She opened them up before she too got into a fighting stance, ready for battle.

By now, Jade was back on her feet and was now in a defensive position, clutching onto her staff tightly with both hands. Personally, she had no problem being on the 'one' team in a two-on-one battle. Heck, in the past, she had fought groups on her own and that happened as recent as the Keisei invasion.

But there was something about the idea of fighting against both her best friend and her worst enemy at the same time that didn't settle right with Jade…

On the other side of the battle, Vega let out a battle cry as he ran forward towards his opponent, Sagat. When he was close enough, he jumped and attempted to deliver a flying kick, but Sagat sidestepped away before the move connected. After landing on his feet, Vega let out a frustrated yell and tried to slash his claws at him, but once more, the Muay Thai fighter managed to avoid the weapon.

One slash in particular made Vega's arms spread wide, clearly leaving him open. Seeing this opportunity, Sagat sprang forward and delivered two kicks to Vega's mid-section. The former matador keeled over in pain after the second. From there, Sagat planned his next move.

" _Tiger Raid!_ _"_ he called out just before performing more various kicks at Vega before ending it with his own flying kick. That move sent Vega flying back before crashing into the wet ground. However, just as quickly, Vega rolled himself back before standing up again.

Just behind Vega, he noticed one of the few statues that were present in the battlefield. Knowing what to do next, Vega flipped back until both of his feet were firmly placed against the statue. He then quickly bent his knees before pushing himself forward.

Sagat saw this in time and tried to dodge out of the way, but one of Vega's three claws managed to catch his upper arm, cutting him. It wasn't as painful as the one the former matador delivered on his leg earlier, but it still stung and made him hiss a bit as he placed a hand over the fresh wound.

After landing on the ground, Vega turned back to Sagat before rushing forward and performing a side kick, which connected and made the Muay Thai warrior stumble. From there, he flipped himself backwards, his feet hitting his opponent under his chin. Vega had intended for the move to knock Sagat into the air, but instead, it only made him stumble back a couple of feet.

So he was shock when Sagat suddenly ran forward and was already close enough to where Vega didn't even have to the chance to even think about escaping.

" _Tiger Genocide!_ " Sagat called out as he first jumped and slammed his knee into Vega's stomach, once again making him double over in pain. Then, Sagat followed with a jumping uppercut, sending Vega straight up into the air.

Sagat then waited until Vega was flying back down before jumping forward with a flying kick, his leg ignited in flames. His foot managed to connect and hit Vega square in the chest with enough power to send the smaller fighter flying back until he crashed into a statue back first. The landing was hard enough to chip and crack the statue as well as knock Vega out cold.

When that was done, Sagat walked over to Vega and, once he was within reach, he began to reach a hand towards him, intending to finish him off once and for all.

However, he stopped himself just mere inches away from Vega's neck. Sagat could already imagine Vega's cackling voice mocking him. ' _Go ahead! Kill me! You know you want to! You're just a ruthless as I am!_ '

Even with all the chaos around him, Sagat found himself remembering a moment that would begin his path in redeeming himself for his atrocities. In the aftermath of the Blood Tournament, when he was actually on the Outworld Forces' side, he had accidentally killed a woman who couldn't have been any older than twenty years old. He had been fighting another opponent when he attempted to perform a maneuver, but the opponent stepped away. The woman happened to be right behind the man at the time and she had died instantly.

It made him realized that his own ambitions blinded him from every honorable thing he was taught before he lost to Ryu in a match so many years ago. He knew he let himself go as far as joining both Shadaloo and the Outworld Forces and because of his own ego, the woman ended up dying.

A year ago, Sagat would've had no problem ending Vega's life right here and there… but today, he was a different man. He was no longer the ruthless killer he was sure Vega would've reminded him of if he was awake right now. He knew that his road to redeeming himself would be a long one, if he survived today's battle, but he was willing to walk that path even if it lasted the rest of his life.

Yes, Vega did deserve to die in the name of everyone's who was unfortunate enough to face his wrath… but not while he was out cold like this. Killing him without giving him the chance to defend himself would have dishonorable. Sagat wasn't naïve… Vega would've killed him without hesitation if their roles were switched, but that was the thing… Sagat was _not_ Vega.

Making his decision, Sagat straightened himself up and rejoined the battle, leaving behind Vega's unconscious form. Perhaps they will fight later today or perhaps not…

Meanwhile, Juli found herself fighting guards one by one since the battle began. The hardest part for her had been trying to avoid the guards who had weapons in their hands considering how she didn't have one to counter with, let alone not being trained properly to use one, except guns… but once again, she didn't have one on hand right now.

At one point, Juli ducked underneath one guard swinging his sword sideways in an attempt to chop her head off. This gave her the chance to perform a sweep kick, which promptly sent the guard crashing into the mud on his side. Then quickly, she stood up and lifted her leg up before smashing her heel into the guard's head with enough force to render him unconscious.

Just a few feet away, Juli saw Seong Mi-na briefly fighting another guard with her kwan do against his bo staff. It didn't take long before she used the blade of her weapon to cut the staff in half. While the guard was distracted, she jumped up and landed a double kick to his face, sending him flying back and further into the battle.

When that was over, Mi-na and turned and saw Juli standing just a few feet away. "You doing okay?" the Keisei native asked her.

Juli nodded. "So far, so-"

Juli suddenly jumped as someone slammed into her back. She quickly turned around, ready to defend her. However, it turned around that it was Julia Chang who bumped into her after she was pushed back by a guard she had been fighting. She too got scared for a second and had also turned in preparation to fight back.

"Oh good!" Julia cried out in relief. "For a second there, I thought you were an enemy ready to kill."

"Same here," Juli replied.

By now, Mi-na found herself fighting a Red Dragon member, who had a pair of tanto blades in his hands. Juli jumped in to help and Julia was about to do the same, but then she suddenly saw a guard holding a bo staff come running towards her.

Stopping in her tracks, Julia waited until the guard was close enough before she ducked under the guard's swinging weapon before slamming her palm into his stomach, causing him to keel over. Then, she kicked his arm, knocking his staff out of his hand before grabbing the back of his head and slamming his face into her knee with enough force to break his nose. The guard began to scream and hold his nose in pain before she kicked him to the side, sending him flying away.

Julia took a deep breath as she turned her head towards the rest of the battle. She has since lost track of how long it's been since the two sides clashed, but from the way things look right now, the young woman was sure that it was going to be a while before the battle ended.

In the meantime, Julia did all she could to try not to think about the fact that Ryu was missing in action. She knew that he would want her to focus on the battle rather than worry about him…

Meanwhile, a mixed group of guards, Red Dragon, and Brotherhood soldiers had formed a circle around Siegfried and were starting to close in on him. Having been in a similar situation before, Siegfried raised his large _Zweihander_ sword to chest level before swinging it in a full circle in fast speed. The maneuver managed to knock everyone within reach back and away from him.

Still, there were a few who he missed and still attempted to approach, four to be exact. He swung his sword against and cut open the belly of the first person he hit. He barely heard them cry out in pain as he head-butted the next person, knocking them out cold. He then back kicked the third person, sending them flying away before turning around, swinging his sword at an angle at the last person, cutting them into two pieces.

When he was through, he straightened himself up. He only got a second to breathe when an ear-piercing scream was heard behind him.

At first, Siegfried thought it was someone who was in trouble, but then, he saw a group of purple waves coming towards him, cutting through the rain. Instinctively, he raised his sword up to block the waves, thinking that it would simply dissipate upon impact. However, the waves ended up making the sword shake violently to the point where Siegfried had to use all of his strength just to make sure his grip on the hilt remained. Worse, the scream he was hearing seemed to get louder and louder with each passing second.

Soon, the shaking stopped and the screams ceased. This gave Siegfried the chance to see where they both came from. He was surprised when he saw Sindel coming towards him, her long hair flowing back behind her.

"It's about time I found myself a worthy challenge," Sindel called out.

That's right… she was one of the brainwashed. It was hard to tell mainly because she had full pale eyes to begin with. But the fact that she was ready to attack him was telling... unless she wanted to give him a beating over what happened between him and Kitana at the tournament. Then again, he was sure that she would have announced that by now.

Siegfried's thoughts were suddenly cut off as Sindel suddenly extended her hair out in an attempt to whip him in the face, Siegfried ducked underneath it before rushing forward. When he was close, he used the flat side of his sword to slam her side before twisting it and pushed upward with all of his strength, sending her upwards.

However, Sindel caught herself mid-air and kept herself suspended. She laughed darkly in what sounded like amusement before she released a purple projectile, hurling it towards the Keisei native. Siegfried used his sword to block the projectile, sending it back towards her. However, Sindel swiped the projectile away with her hair before she began to fly back down and towards her opponent.

From where he stood, Siegfried got himself in a defensive position, prepared for more attacks…

On the other side of the battle, both Sub-Zero and Noob Saibot shot out their respective projectiles, but naturally, the two energies ended up crashing into each other.

From there, they both ran towards each other. While they did, Sub-Zero used his kori powers to form a large sword, briefly noticing the fact that he was able to create the sword in faster time than usual. Seeing this, Noob reached a hand out and used his powers to form his scythe. Once the weapons were formed and they were within reach, they both swung their blades at each other before they clashed together.

For a while, the brothers' weapons clashed against each other as they both tried to overtake the other. At one point, Noob slashed his scythe sideways. Although Sub-Zero jumped back to avoid it, the blade of the tall weapon still managed to cut a part of his shirt open a few inches, barely missing the skin of his abdomen.

They went for another few seconds before Sub-Zero managed to counter one attack and used his sword to push the scythe's blade to the side, the maneuver leaving Noob open. Then, with a roar, Sub-Zero took the opportunity to plunge the sword into his brother's body.

He had intended to aim for Noob's heart… but because Noob suddenly moved downward in an attempt to avoid the blow, the ice sword ended up going through his shoulder instead. Noob gazed up at Sub-Zero with his glowing pale eyes. Even shrouded in black, Sub-Zero didn't miss the indifferent look on his face. Then, Noob tried to lash out, but Sub-Zero quickly broke his ice sword in half, leaving the blade portion in Noob, before pulling back and tossing what was left of his sword aside.

Straightening himself up, Noob raised a free hand to where the rest of the sword was imbedded before grabbing for it and pulling it out with ease. The hole that was left behind quickly was shrouded with bug-like organisms before becoming solid, healing him.

Noob then glared at the ice warrior before jumping forward towards him. Sub-Zero had just enough time to form another sword before their weapons clashed once more…

Meanwhile, Marduk was fighting a Red Dragon soldier, who tried to off him with his sword, but the Vale Tudo fighting was able to grab hold of his wrist before snapping the bone in his forearm in half. Letting go of the weapon, the soldier screamed in agony as he attempt to hold his arm, but Marduk didn't even give him that chance as he landed two punches to his face. He then followed with a kick to the stomach before head butting him in the face, knocking the solider unconscious.

Unknown to him, a Brotherhood of Shadow member had appeared behind him with his own sword in his hand, ready to stab Marduk in the back. Nearby, King saw this and immediately came to the rescue. Once within reach, King grabbed the dark soldier by the back of his head. He then jumped into a sitting position while taking the soldier down with him, soon slamming him face first into the mud.

Marduk heard the commotion and turned to see what was going on. By then, King was getting up and the Australian saw the Brotherhood facing down in the ground, his weapon fallen from their hand. Seeing this made Marduk realize what King had just done for him.

Before Marduk could say anything, a guard attempted to attack the both of them, but King sidestepped away and grabbed the guard before lifting him up and pile-driving the guard head first into the ground. Not quite knocking him out, King then spun around multiple times while holding on to the guard's ankles. After spinning a few more times, King let go, sending him flying.

The guard didn't even get the chance to land before Marduk caught him before body slamming him into the ground. Marduk then sat up and delivered a few punches to the face before he was rendered unconscious.

Then, a pair of Red Dragon soldiers attempted to attack them both at the same time, but King and Marduk managed to grab them both by the throat before lifting them off the ground. The two wrestlers found themselves staring at each other for a moment before Marduk had an idea. He raised his head up towards the sky before looking at King again. King nodded to him, realizing what he was thinking.

At the same time, the two of them jumped high in the air, talking their opponents with them. Soon, they slammed them to the ground with King performing a muscle buster and Marduk performing a power bomb. Naturally, the soldiers were both knocked out cold.

"Two down, a lot more to go," Marduk said as he pushed the soldier aside. King growled in agreement as he tossed his opponent aside before the both of them rejoined the battle.

Not too far from them, Kung Lao spun himself rapidly while knocking back two guards. He then saw another one coming and promptly teleported himself behind him before delivering a roundhouse kick to the guard's head, knocking him out cold.

When he was done, Kung Lao turned his head and saw Shang Tsung not too far from him. He just ended his fight with a Manji clan member, sucking his soul from his body.

Kung Lao clenched his fists, feeling anger boil up within him as memories of Liu Kang's death overtook his mind. For a long time, Kung Lao wanted nothing more than to take care of the sorcerer himself. Now was his chance.

He was also glad to have been able to convince Bo' Rai Cho to train him in the move that he taught Liu Kang so many years ago. With the sorcerer in his sights, he had the means of defeating him once and for all.

"SHANG TSUNG!" Kung Lao yelled out to get his attention.

Hearing his name being called out, Shang Tsung turned his head to face the Shaolin. A sadistic smirk came over his face as he recognized the warrior.

"Kung Lao," Shang Tsung replied as he began to approach him. "I had expected someone of your skills to join in this battle today. But like everyone here, you will also meet your demise."

Kung Lao immediately got into a fighting stance. "As well as you! You will pay for all the suffering you've caused!"

Shang Tsung laughed at this. "You plan to defeat me? Get your revenge? Even after all these years, you're still a boy. Do you even remember who I am?"

The younger warrior narrowed his eyes. "The murderer of my friend!"

"Hmph," Shang Tsung huffed. "If you wish to kill me, by all means-"

Kung Lao didn't even let him finish his sentence before rushing forward. Grabbing for his hat, he began to slash it at him, hoping that the hat's blade would cut him. Shang Tsung, however, was able to get out of harm's way with ease before shooting out a fire projectile. The fireball ended up slamming into Kung Lao's stomach, knocking him back.

As soon as Kung Lao landed on the ground, he quickly teleported himself behind Shang Tsung. Realizing what was going on, the sorcerer turned just in time to block a roundhouse kick from the Shaolin warrior. Shang Tsung defended himself from more attacks for another couple of seconds before he found and opening. Stepping forward, kicked Kung Lao in the stomach, delivered a left hook to his face, and the performed a sweep kick, knocking his opponent to the ground.

Shang Tsung then made an attempt to get closer, but then Kung Lao raised one leg and kicked upward, his foot connecting onto the sorcerer's chest and forcing him to stagger back. Quickly getting back up, Kung Lao delivered another kick to his side before backhanding him in the face, causing his head to snap sideways.

Kung Lao then tried a palm strike to the chest, but Shang Tsung managed to catch his wrist before it connected. He then countered with two of his own palm strikes to the chest before take two fingers and poking them into his opponent's eyes. The move made Kung Lao yell out in pain as he backed away and held his face, blinded only temporarily.

Shang Tsung laughed sadistically at Kung Lao. "This battle is going to be much easier than I thought…"

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

Being punches by Shao Kahn was like a pair of bricks being slammed into his face, at least that's what it felt like to Ryu after all the beating he took since this fight began. Even despite feeling weary, he still fought back, eventually blocking the Emperor's moves with his arms, but even then, it didn't last long.

Eventually, Shao Kahn broke through his defenses and grabbed Ryu in a chokehold before lifting him up from the ground. Gritting his teeth, Ryu glared at Shao Kahn, showing him that he didn't fear him, even if he snapped his neck right here and now.

"You will never win!" the Emperor declared in a low, demonic voice. He then let go of Ryu as though he was going to drop him, but then he quickly rammed him with his shoulder, sending the warrior flying back before slamming hard into the ground about ten feet from Kenshi, the mud splashing around him.

"Ugh..." Ryu grumbled as pain coursed through his body.

"That's precisely how I felt about ten minutes ago," Kenshi said to him.

Ryu turned his head to the swordsman, who was just starting to get himself on his feet. He noticed his hand had a blue aura surrounding while he clutched onto his side where his ribs were. "Yeah, you did take a hard landing earlier. You all right?"

"Just about," Kenshi admitted. "I think I did crack a rib or two." His face was in the direction of where his hand was. "Almost healed."

Ryu nodded. "Good."

"Where's Jin?"

Ryu turned his head a bit before spotting the younger warrior about twenty feet away to his right. He was on his hands and knees, bruising and bleeding just like he was. "About twenty feet away at your two o'clock," Ryu informed him. "He's just as beat up as we are."

Kenshi sighed. "Not surprising."

By now, Shao Kahn had approached the two of them. A dark laugh escaped his throat as his glowing red eyes gazed down at them. "Give up… your defeat is inevitable."

Shao Kahn then lifted up his feet in an attempt to slam his foot into Ryu's chest. However, before he could deliver the blow, Kenshi extended both hands out and managed to stop him with his powers, his hands and head glowing in a blue aura. He was able to keep the hold while standing up fully before finally using his telekinesis to push the Emperor back and away from Ryu.

Still, even with all of Kenshi's strength, Shao Kahn only stumbled back a few feet and was able to keeping himself standing.

Kenshi then performed another telekinetic push, and though it connected, it still did little to knock Shao Kahn back. An idea coming to him, Kenshi quickly projected a ghostly image of himself before pushing it forward to perform a few maneuvers to keep the Emperor distracted. That gave him the chance to get in closer and deliver more attacks.

However, it would seem as though Shao Kahn caught up as he quickly backhanded the swordsman with enough force to send him flying before crashing into a statue before landing face first into the ground.

While this was going on, Jin was on his hands and knees, his eyes widened and his teeth clenched. He could feel a dark aura coming over him, one that was all too familiar…

 _No, no!_ Jin cried out in his head. _Not now! Why does this happen at the worst times?!_

He was trying all he can to keep the devil under control, but after Shao Kahn got Kenshi out of the way, he soon began to approach Jin from behind, clearly intending to attack him next. Despite fighting against the devil within, Jin had no choice but to defend himself.

With a roar, Jin got up and spun around in fast speed before slamming the back of his fist into Shao Kahn's chest, the force of him making him stumble back a couple of feet. Before Shao Kahn had the chance to recover, Jin delivered a couple of more kicks at him, all which were blocked.

Then, with another roar more out of frustration than anything, Jin unleashed an invisible force that actually pushed Shao Kahn back about ten feet. Even this surprised the Emperor as he raised his arms to shield himself from the impact.

From where he stood, Ryu was shocked at what had just transpired. He knew Jin was a formidable warrior, but this was something he had never seen before from him. However, that didn't shock him as much as seeing a pair of large, black feathered winging spreading out behind him as well as the tattoos on his face that that suddenly came out of nowhere.

In the back of his mind, Ryu found himself wondering why Jin's new form seemed familiar…

Nearby, Kenshi had managed to get himself on his knees and his head was turned towards where the battle was taking place. "What the…" he uttered as he felt the dark aura emitting from Jin. In his mind's eye, he saw Jin's shadowy form surrounded by a purplish aura as well as the wings (also in a shadowy form surrounded by the same purplish aura) that kept him suspended in the air.

Shao Kahn was even intrigued by the new developed once he removed his arms from his face. A grin came over his lips, which was barely concealed behind his helmet. "So, _this_ is your true power. I always knew that you would be a worthy challenge."

With another roar, Jin, though not completely changed into his devil side, flew forward in fast speed, intending on taking Shao Kahn down once and for all…


	88. Chapter Eighty-Seven

**The Nexus**

From where he stood, Fujin was nearby and nearly blinded by the amount of lightning and fireballs being unleashed in the fight between Raiden and Liu Kang. At this point, the Wind God had lost track of how long this fight was going. There were a few times where even Fujin had to duck and move out of the way of an incoming fireball or a lightning struck (the latter always tended to be too close of a call).

At one point, Liu Kang let out a battle cry as he performed his bicycle kick, aiming his feet at his opponent's chest. However, Raiden quickly teleported and got himself behind Liu Kang. By the time the Champion of Mortal Kombat turned to face him, Raiden made sure that he was met with a swift kick to the face, knocking Liu Kang back and away.

As soon as he crashed onto his back, Liu Kang kipped up and stood in a fighting pose, ready for more. Raiden then shot out a lightning bolt from his hand, which Liu Kang promptly ducked underneath while moving forward at the same time. Once he straightened back up, Liu Kang threw one hand forward, releasing another fireball and hurling it towards his opponent. Raiden simply swiped it away like a mere fly, sending it hurling over the edge of the platform.

Then, the two closed the distance between them and began throwing various punches and kicks at each other while switching between offense and defense. While this was going on, a thought came to Fujin; he remembered telling those staying at the Shaolin Temple no long after Outworld's first onslaught against Earth that Shao Kahn was taking any available soul, and it was sure that Liu Kang was one of them.

When Fujin first arrived at the Heavens not too long ago, he did note the spirits there going about their day as though nothing was happening. This made Fujin realized two possibilities… either Shao Kahn didn't have the chance to steal the souls of the already-dead, or the Elder Gods had found a way to barricade the Heavens, thus delaying the inevitable (and clearly after Fujin abandoned his status).

Thus, Liu Kang's soul was spared and is able to fight Raiden right this very minute.

Soon enough, Liu Kang was able to get the upper hand, landing a few punches on Raiden's face and chest before a sweep knocked the Thunder God off his feet. After Raiden crashed into the ground on his side, Liu Kang straightened himself up and back away a couple of feet, leaving some distance between them.

The Mortal Kombat Champion then got into a fighting stance again while he waited for Raiden to get up. This time, the determined look on his face turned to anger. "I _know_ you tried to enter the Shaolin Temple to reanimate my remains, Raiden," Liu Kang mentioned. His fists clenched tighter. "I've always trusted your judgment throughout the years, but this… I never thought you would sink that low."

By now, Raiden was on his feet and his glowing red eyes narrowed at his opponent. "Do any of you ever just fight and not talk! I have no interest in what you think! All that matters is the annihilation of those who threaten Earth, including you!"

Liu Kang shook his head, his face slightly relaxing to one of a bit of sadness. "After everything you taught me... it was you who had shown me that I can help in protecting Earth all those years ago. And now you're reduced to a tyrant… why? I am disappointed in you, Raiden."

Raiden bared his teeth at him. "Spare me your sorrow!"

With a roar, Raiden jumped forward to attack once more with Liu Kang standing his ground, waiting. From there, they continued their battle…

~~~

**Wastelands**

Cody Travers wasn't sure how long the fight between the Chosen Ones and the Outworld Forces had been going. It felt like a long time has passed, but for all he knew, it could have started just mere minutes ago. It was funny how time felt when you were in the middle of the fight of your life.

He quickly shook the thoughts out of his head just as Guy was covering the distance between them once more. Crouching low, Guy attempted to land his elbow onto his opponent's abdomen, but Cody managed to block with both hands before the move connected.

Just as Guy was straightening back up, Cody was able to connect a punch to Guy's face, making his head snap sideways. He then followed with a palm strike to the chest before delivering a back kick to the same area, sending Guy flying back.

Right after that, Cody noticed a guard approaching him with a sword. Cody rolled his eyes as he pulled a knife out from his pocket, quickly unsheathing it from its protective leather. "I seriously don't have time for this," he grumbled.

Cody found himself dodging a couple of times before he plunged the knife into the guard's shoulder, causing him to scream in pain. Before the guard had the chance to recover, Cody swiftly took the knife out of his shoulder before kicking him away and into the fighting crowd.

By then, Guy was back on his feet and was now running towards him. In fast speed, Cody threw the knife forward and, just as he expected, Guy ducked right underneath it (he would not have done that move otherwise). It gave enough of a distraction for Cody to move forward and get himself on the offense, forcing his opponent on defense.

Guy ended up blocking the few moves Cody was able to execute before he smashed his fist into Cody's face. With a yell, Cody's vision blurred as he held in face in pain out of instinct, stumbling back. Then, Guy jumped up and somersaulted forward before landing his forearm on top of Cody's head with enough for to knock him face first into the wet mud.

"Damn it," Cody growled as he quickly shook his head. It didn't take long before his vision came back to him. He was starting to get on his knees in an attempt to get back up, but by then, Guy, who had left some distance between them, was suddenly sliding forward and his fist was out and ready to deliver a blow.

Despite feeling a bit dizzy, Cody managed to straighten himself up and sidestep away from the incoming fist. With that leaving Guy wide open, Cody delivered a powerful left hook to the face with enough force to send Guy spinning in mid-air before landing hard on his side.

"Bingo," Cody said under his breath. From where he stood, Guy began to move again. This fight wasn't over yet…

Nearby, Li Mei flew forward before delivering a flurry of punches at a guard's head before knocking him out cold. Then, seeing a red dragon soldier approaching, she waited until he was close enough before somersaulting backwards, her foot hitting him under his chin and knocking him back and away from her.

After that, Li Mei straightened herself up and stood in her fighting stance, waiting for more enemies to approach her. However, she didn't notice a tarkatan starting to approach her from behind right away, his blades out and ready to taste blood. It wasn't long before she heard the tarkatan's footsteps and Li Mei quickly whirled around to face him. However, to her shock, the tarkatan was practically on top of her and his blade was just being to swing down to end her life…

" _Gadouken!_ " a voice shout in close proximity. Soon, the tarkatan was taken by surprise as he was hit by a small, blue projectile with enough impact to send him flying sideways, leaving enough distance for Li Mei to back away.

Astonished, Li Mei looked around and soon saw Dan Hibiki standing nearby, his hand out as though he did shoot out a projectile. His face showed both surprise and bewilderment, almost as though he couldn't believe what he just pulled off.

"Thank you!" Li Mei called out.

That statement made Dan snap out of it. Standing tall, he managed to give her a thumb's up. "Glad to be of help!" he replied enthusiastically.

Li Mei gasped as she saw another tarkatan jumping forward, his blades out and mere seconds away from killing Dan. Quickly, Li Mei shot out her own, sparkling purple projectile, which managed to hit the enemy square in the chest. With a cry, the tarkatan flew back before disappearing amongst the battle.

Hearing this, Dan turned to see what Li Mei had shot at and soon saw that she had returned the favor. Quickly turning, he gave her a grin. "Nice shot! And thanks!"

"You're welcome!" Li Mei replied before she found herself fighting hand to hand with another guard.

In the meantime, Dan saw another guard approach him. He ran forward before jumping up and delivering a few kicks to the guard's face. " _Dankukyaku!_ " he called out just before the last kick hurled the guard away and knocking him unconscious.

Dan soon landed on his feet before getting himself into a fighting stance, ready for more. "Behold the glory of Saikyo!"

Meanwhile, Siegfried was running forward in an attempt to cover the space between him and his current opponent, Sindel. With a dark laugh, Sindel whipped her hair forward, which extended outward like an elastic band. Immediately, Siegfried stopped in his tracks and quickly raised his sword up to use as a shield. Sindel's hair soon hit the sword and, to Siegfried's surprise, it was with enough force to nearly making him take a step back.

 _Obviously there's some spell or magic she uses to make her hair that powerful_ _,_ the Keisei native thought.

Then, Sindel extended her hair back a couple of feet before making it whip around the sword, wrapped it around before violently pulling it back and tossing it to the side. Siegfried didn't even have the chance to comprehend what just happened before Sindel's hair quickly wrapped around his waist and hoisted him up off his feet.

"Crap!" Siegfried managed to say right before he was pulled forward and slammed into the ground with enough force to leave behind a muddy crater. Sindel then removed her hair from his waist, but then promptly wrapped it around his neck before pulling him up off the ground again, soon making him hoover a couple of feet in the air.

"This fight is quite fun, don't you think?" Sindel said with nearly a cackle.

Siegfried tried to reply back, but the fact that Sindel's hair was currently attempting to cut off his air supply wasn't helping him. So instead he resorted to baring his teeth at her while struggling to get out of her grip.

Then, Sindel brought him forward so that she punched him twice in the face before kneeing him in the side. As he was pushed back, Sindel let go of him and Siegfried found himself flying back a couple of feet before landing hard face first, the mud caking him.

Raising his head up afterwards, Siegfried found himself grateful for one thing… he landed just a foot away from his sword.

Sindel flew forward towards her opponent, but just when she was five feet away, Siegfried swiftly grabbed his sword, got on feet, and promptly slammed the weapon's hilt into her face. This caused Sindel to scream as she held her face in pain. Taking this opportunity, Siegfried slid forward before ramming his shoulder into her torso, sending the Queen back before she landed on her side.

Resting his sword behind his back while arching his arm over his shoulder to hold the hilt, Siegfried stared down at Sindel as she began to slowly get back up. By now, the rain was pouring even more, though not enough for anyone on the battlefield to not be able to see even a few feet in front of them.

Siegfried found himself slightly shaking his head at his situation. The last thing he was trying to do was end Sindel's life just because she was brainwash. He knew that there had to be another way to free her, but the question was… was there really another solution or is death the only option?

Not too far away, Chun Li performed her lightning kick at a Brotherhood member who tried to take him, soon knocking him back and away. Once he was out of the way, she turned around and saw three guards running up to her with their weapons out and ready to take her down.

" _Kikoken!_ " Chun Li cried out as she shot out a projectile from her hands. The blue energy ball flew forward briefly before hitting all three guards, knocking them back and away.

"That takes care of that," Chun Li said, but just as she was turning around, a centaurian nearby happened to turn in fast speed while in another fight. To Chun Li's surprise, his tail ended up hitting her with enough force to send her hurling back about twenty yards before hitting the ground. She rolled another few feet before a pair of legs stopped her… sort of. The person she hit ended up tripping and falling onto their back with an _oomph!_ Their legs ended up crossing over the detective's stomach.

Whoever Chun Li knocked down had been in the middle of a fight because she suddenly saw a guard aiming their kwan do at them ready to kill. With a yell, Chun Li unleashed another projectile, the close proximity hitting the guard hard in the face and making him fly back.

The person Chun Li tripped moved themselves and as she sat up, she turned her head and recognized Alex. "Sorry about tripping you," the detective said a little sheepishly.

"Thanks for saving my life," Alex replied as she helped pull Chun Li onto her feet. "If that happens one more time, well… good thing I won't owe money or else I'd be in debt."

Chun Li had to chuckle a little. "Glad to see that you-"

Before Chun Li could finish her sentence, Alex suddenly grabbed her arms and she quickly found herself flying sideways before they both crashed onto their side. Chun Li raised her head up afterwards and immediately saw a guard with a knife in his back right where the two were standing moments ago. He screamed in agony before he fell forward, his life draining out of him.

As the two stood back up, Chun Li spoke up. "Thanks for saving _my_ life. Now your debt to me is paid."

Alex snorted. "One down, six to go, and Ermac has claim on four of those."

That's when a new voice nearby spoke up. "That's a shame… I missed your pretty little head."

Chun Li and Alex immediately turned their heads and instantly recognized Kira, who stood about ten feet away. Quickly, Chun Li got into a fighting stance. "Kira…"

Alex also got into a fighting stance. "I suppose we should be grateful that Sonya is now alive, even if she is brainwashed. Still, you did kill her all those months ago and for that, you'll pay!"

Kira rolled her eyes at that. "Really? Considering how Sonya is alive, your need for petty vengeance for her death is quite pathetic at this point."

Chun Li clenched his fists. "It's the principal of it. You're also a criminal on the run and even if the universe as we know it ends, I will make sure that you face justice. In the meantime, I would like to see how you do in a two against one fight."

Kira gave her a confident smirk. "Something tells me that won't last very long." She then got into a fighting stance. "Come and get me!"

With a battle cry, Chun Li sprinted forward and Kira did the same, intending to meet halfway. Alex was just running as well when she was suddenly grabbed from behind and promptly put in a choke hold before she had the chance to yell out. For a moment, she struggled against the person's grip, but she eventually slammed her foot into their shin hard enough to loosen their hold on her. She then elbowed her opponent in the chest before slamming the back of her fist into their face, knocking them back and letting her go.

Alex moved away and quickly turned around to face her attacker… only to find herself face to face with her brainwashed friend, Sonya!

"Shit, no," Alex hissed under her breath, knowing what was inevitable. Even if she tried to avoid it, Sonya was already running forward ready to take her down.

While waiting for Sonya's approach, Alex got herself in a fighting stance, ready for the fight…

In another part of the battlefield, the fight between Nina and Anna Williams was still raging. With a battle cry, Anna jumped forward in an attempt to attack her older sister with a flying kick. However, Nina was ready and she waited until the right moment before jumping up and somersaulting back. Her feet managed to hit Anna, sending up upwards. After landing on her feet, Nina waited until Anna was coming back down before raising her leg high up and kicking downward, slamming the younger Williams into the mud.

Nina then attempted to smash her foot into the back of Anna's head, but by the time she performed the maneuver, Anna had already rolled off to the side before getting back on her feet. Anna then pushed forward before delivering a palm strike to Nina's face, snapping her head back. Anna then followed through by spinning around with a back kick to Nina's side before spinning around to deliver a punch to the stomach.

With a hiss, Nina shook off the hits before jumping towards Anna. Once she was within reach, the blond haired assassin landed two punches to Anna's face. She then followed with an axe kick, but Anna was able to step away before she was hit. However, Nina didn't give her sister the chance to make her next move before she shoved her foot into her face, making her stagger back and cry out in pain.

Shaking her head, Anna growled in frustration before covering the space between them and attempted a few punches and kicks, which Nina was able to block with ease. However, Anna soon saw an opening and launched and uppercut that hit Nina under her chin. Anna then followed with a kick and a right hook, but on an attempt to hit her with a left hook, Nina managed to block her with her hand.

Nina didn't miss the determined look on Anna's face, especially as she tried to knee her in the stomach and followed with another kick to the same area. Nina blocked the first and then sidestepped away from the second.

Quickly, Nina got herself behind Anna and was able to grab her head with both hands. Before Anna had the chance to comprehend what was going on, Nina pushed herself up into a handstand, turning herself upside down on Anna's shoulder before flipping forward, taking Anna with her.

Anna let out a shriek as she found herself somersault and flying about ten feet before she landed on her bottom, rolling a couple of times afterwards before finally coming to a stop. Despite the pain coursing through her body, Anna turned her head and wasn't surprised when Nina began to approach her.

 _That bitch was always relentless!_ the younger Williams thought.

Clenching her teeth in determination, Anna swore that she would see to Nina's death before the day was over…

Nearby, Steve Fox found himself mostly fighting non-stop since the battle began. He had his hands tapped up prior to the battle, and at this point, the tape was mostly ripped up and his hands were bloody… nothing that he wasn't used to, really. Still, some times in between taking down the enemy, he wondered how much his hands were going to hurt when this was over… and that's if he survives this to begin with.

Right next to him, Lei Wulong was in his own battle, and at the moment, he was using his drunken fist style to confuse a couple of guards who approached him. He found it amusing mere minutes ago when one of them laughed. "Who gets drunk before a brawl?"

Lei's reply was striking him in the face with just two fingers, catching the guard by surprise.

From there, the guards tried to get around Lei's maneuvers, but his drunk-like movements – stumbling around, not standing still, and moving his limbs around in a near comical fashion – only served to confuse him, which was always Lei's intention. He would then throw some punches and kicks at them in between. Soon enough, Lei knocked one out unconscious and kicked the other to the side, causing him to stumble away.

That guard was met with a punch in the face by Steve's fist. He too fell to the ground as his world blacked out.

Lei chuckled after that. "Nice job," he said.

Steve nodded. "Thanks."

Soon more guards were coming towards them. Steve moved forward to meet them while Lei changed to one of his five animal form kung fu, the panther in this case. He then simply waited for them to be within reach.

~~~

**Forest**

The rain fell squaring upon Dhalsim's shoulders as he attempted to catch his breath. On his knees, he had found himself battling the shokan Sheeva for quite some time now. He had lost track of how long he had been fighting her since she and Kintaro had arrived here. With Kintaro dead after Sheeva took him out, Dhalsim had spent a majority of time fighting her alone.

About twenty feet away, even Sheeva found herself tired out. Gazing her eyes at her opponent, she had to admit that Dhalsim was quite resilient. He may be a small, thin man, but if she gathered anything from this fight today, it was to not underestimate an opponent's size.

Sheeva also was on her knees, but she soon got herself back on her feet, using a nearby tree to support herself. Once that was done, she stood tall as she gazed down at Dhalsim.

"It's been quite some time since I fought a human for this long," Sheeva admitted. "It's almost a shame that I'll be ending this fight soon enough."

Dhalsim narrowed his eyes at her. "Are you that faithful to your Emperor?"

"The shokan had served the Emperor for many generations," Sheeva explained. "We consider it an honor to work under him. We will serve and protect him at all costs."

Dhalsim took a deep breath as he began to stand himself up. "I guess then… there is no point in convincing you of the doubts you hold within you."

He saw, for a moment, a flicker of confusion coming over Sheeva's face. Dhalsim saw it briefly… a large part of her was loyal, but a small part wondered whether Shao Kahn truly did favor her race, or did he actually trust the centaurians more? But just as quickly, Sheeva's face turned to one of annoyance.

"You may be a psychic, or at least claim to be, but your 'assumptions' of me is wrong," Sheeva said.

Dhalsim's smirked a little over her denial. "…I highly doubt that."

With a roar, Sheeva ran forward, but when she was close enough, Dhalsim teleported behind her. However, Sheeva knew his tricks by now, so she immediately spun around and backhanded him with her two right hands. It was with enough force to send him flying sideways before hitting a tree. From there, he fell towards the ground, but remained sitting upright.

Sheeva then jumped up in an attempt to stomp on him, but Dhalsim immediately spat out a fireball from his mouth. It hurled itself forward until it hit Sheeva, knocking her back and forcing her to hit the ground back first.

This face Dhalsim the time to get himself back up while Sheeva did the same. By now, the rain had washed away most of the mud and blood that covered them, though their bruises from their battle clearly remained.

Soon, they were on their feet and Sheeva jumped forward. Dhalsim stood his ground until Sheeva was within reach. From there, they fought hand to hand. However, it would only last a few moments before Sheeva started to get the upper hand. She first landed a few punches on Dhalsim to the point of making him dizzy. Once she was satisfied, she then grabbed him by the waist with her lower arms before hoisting him up to her eye level. Before Dhalsim had the chance to counter, Sheeva punched him in the stomach before head-butting him in the face, letting him go at the same time. The last hit was with enough force to sending him back a couple of feet before he ended up on his back.

Dhalsim found himself gazing up at the darkened sky as the rained splashed down onto his face. The clouds above, he realized, were starting to shape into two faces, ones he soon recognized to his astonishment; those of his deceased wife and son.

Seeing Sally and Datta's faces… it made him smile. And even before Sheeva stood above him and then lifted him off the ground, Dhalsim realized the one thing he was truly looking forward to when this was all over;

Peace.

~~~

**Wastelands**

Hwoarang found himself on the receiving end of Master Baek's attacks as he was hit with a low kick to the shin. Baek then followed with a high kick to his student's face before a punch to the stomach caused him to keel over.

"Damn it!" Hwoarang growled through clenched teeth as he tried to take a deep breath. However, the red-headed Korean didn't have the chance to recover before Baek attacked once more, this time with two punches to the face, followed by a roundhouse that forced Hwoarang to stumbling a couple of feet to the side. From there, Baek bounced forward on one foot before a kick to the face, sent Hwoarang falling onto his back with a hard thud.

Hwoarang felt immense pain all over his body by now, so it was a bit of a struggle to get himself back on his feet. The whole time, he was surprised that the brainwashed Baek was even giving him the chance to do so at all.

However, once the young fighter was fully standing up, Baek didn't hesitate to cover the space between them. Clenching teeth and fists, Hwoarang waited for him to get closer before delivering two kicks to his midsection, both which he managed to dodge. Hwoarang then tried a roundhouse kick, but once more, Baek backed away before the move connected.

With a growl, Hwoarang then delivered a kick that managed to hit Baek in the face, forcing the older fighter to stumble back. Hwoarang then performed a downward kick that hit him in the shoulder before another roundhouse connected to Baek's side, sending him staggering sideways.

From there, Hwoarang tried to jump forward and delivering a flying kick, but by then, Baek was ready and simple stepped away. Hwoarang landed on his feet and was just turning around when he was met with another punch to the stomach. Baek then turned a little before an upward kick sent Hwoarang into the air. Baek then waited until just before he hit the ground before slamming him with axe kick, smashing Hwoarang face first into the mud.

Hwoarang shook the mud from his face as he lifted his head up. Clenching his fists, he was feeling more and more frustrated had he, not for the first time, wondered if Baek could be free from the brainwash…

Not too far away, Cammy White was able to hold her own as she took down those with the Outworld Forces one by one. She found herself mostly relying on her acrobatics in the battle since it began.

After taking down the last guard who attacked her, Cammy took a moment to catch her breath. Turning her head, she caught the sight of Wagner delivering a punch to a guard's head, his hand surrounded by yellow electricity. Cammy wondered how much the punch hurt, but she had a feeling that the guard may not have had the chance to comprehend it before he was knocked out cold.

Wagner soon whirled around before spotting Cammy just a few feet away. Despite the chaos, he managed to flash a smile. "So I see you're doing all right, sis."

Cammy had to laugh. "You haven't called me 'sis' in a while."

"Would you rather I called you 'squirt' again like I used to when we were trouble causing adolescents?"

"I'd rather you don't, 'dog breath.'"

That was when two more guards came running towards them, and the two knocked them both out with ease after a few punches. Once that was over, Wagner turned his head to Cammy again. He then gave her a faux look of sadness. "I'm hurt. 'Dog breath' instead of 'bro?' That's just harsh."

Cammy then nodded towards the fight. "As much as I love talking, we need to focus on-"

That was then they noticed someone coming towards them. Turning their heads, both Cammy and Wagner went to see who it was, realizing pretty quickly that it wasn't a mere guard coming after them this time.

To their shock, they found themselves staring at Colonel Guile, his pale eyes glaring at them. Wagner could still remember his approach to the camp back at the Rockies, and it had been a shock when he realized his fate after he and the others were forced to leave him behind in Los Angeles.

"Damn it," Wagner growled under his breath. He turned to the MI-6 agent. "There has to be a way to free him!"

"But how?" Cammy asked.

" _Sonic Boom!_ " Guile yelled as he released his projectile towards the duo.

In retaliation, Wagner threw out his own projectile as he swung his arm diagonally in an down-up motion.. " _Ultra disc!_ " he called out.

It wasn't long before the two projectiles clashed, but to Wagner's dismay, Guile's _sonic boom_ was able to cut through his _ultra disc_ and began hurling itself towards him. Wagner immediately jumped to the side to avoid it, only to be met by a flip kick from Guile, who took the distraction as an opportunity. Wagner found himself flying in the air before slamming back down into the ground.

" _Spiral arrow!_ " Cammy called out as she jumped forward feet first towards Guile. Spinning herself, she intended to aim for the Colonel's mid-section. Suddenly, she found herself stopping mid-spin as Guile managed to grab one of her ankles. He then lifted her up, leaving her upside down.

"What-" the MI-6 agent started to cry out, but suddenly, she found herself screaming as Guile spun around once before releasing her leg, sending herself hurling forward. It didn't take long for her to slam into Wagner, who had just got himself back on his feet. The two of them let out an ' _oomph!_ ' as they fell back, rolling a few more feet before coming to a stop.

Wagner groaned as the two of them attempted to get back up. "This… is going to be tough even with the two of us working together…"

Cammy took a deep breath. "I'll say…"

Nearby, Jade was still in a two-on-one fight against Tanya and Kitana. Half the time during the battle, Jade nearly found herself trying to convince Kitana to snap out of it and try to remember who she once was. However, if there was anything she learned in the past few months, no matter how much she tried, it wasn't going to work. The whole thing left the Edenian General frustrated.

At one point, Tanya kicked her foot up and a fireball emerged from her boot. Jade waited for the right moment before reflecting the projectile with her staff, sending it flying back towards her enemy. As she expected, Tanya ducked underneath the attack before sliding forward.

For a moment, the two women fought hand to hand until Jade delivered a left took to Tanya's face. Then quickly, Jade pulled out her staff again before using it to get under Tanya. Before Tanya had the chance to back away, Jade quickly lifted her weapon upwards, launching Tanya in the air.

Jade was waiting for Tanya to land back down, but then the green-clad woman suddenly found herself being lifted in the air by a small ground of blue energy waves. With a yell in surprise, Jade turned her head and saw Kitana swiping her two fan blades rapidly in an up and down motion, creating the effect.

From there, Kitana attempted to throw her fans at her, but Jade managed to counter them with her staff, knocking them away in different directions. Soon the energy was gone and Jade landed back on her feet, but by then, Kitana was running towards her.

Having no choice but to defend herself, Jade performed an uppercut with her staff that sent Kitana into the air. From there, she wait before slamming her staff into Kitana's back, smashing her face first into the mud.

By then, Tanya was running back towards her, and Jade quickly threw her razor-rang at her. Naturally, Tanya caught the weapon and, just like before, spun around once and threw it right back at her with all her might. Jade stepped out of the way quickly and the weapon ended up being embedded into the back of a Red Dragon's soldier's head, killing him instantly.

Just as Jade was turning around, Tanya managed to knock Jade's staff out of her hand before landing a few punches to her face. Once she was sure that Jade was dizzy, Tanya then grabbed her by the shoulders and flipped over, sending Jade hurling back before crashing onto her side.

Jade clenched her teeth as she began to get herself back up. _I will not let Tanya get away_ _,_ she thought with malice. _Not after everything she's done!_

Meanwhile, the fight between Kung Lao and Shang Tsung was still ongoing. For quite some time, the two of them exchanged maneuvers while switching between offense and defense. An angry but determined look was on Kung Lao's face as he couldn't help but think about the fact that he was now fighting the murderer of his best friend. It unnerved him to see the ghost of a smirk on Shang Tsung's face. The sorcerer was clearly confident in this battle, and Kung Lao knew that he was waiting for the precise moment to expose his weakness.

The Shaolin monk wasn't about to let that happen.

At one point, Shang Tsung managed to knock Kung Lao back with kick. Still, that didn't stop Kung Lao from quickly grabbing his blade-rimmed hat and tossing it towards the sorcerer in fast speed. However, Shang Tsung simply ducked underneath it before he was hit. The hat then turned and headed back towards Kung Lao like a Frisbee. Shang Tsung stepped out of the way when he heard it coming back, but even so, the hat came a little too close to his neck for his own comfort.

Some strands of his hair ended up being chopped off instead.

Soon, Kung Lao caught the hat with ease before promptly placing it back on his head. He briefly grazed his finger over the brim in a right-to-left motion before getting back into a fighting stance.

 _Hopefully that will make him feel uneasy,_ Kung Lao thought.

Once Shang Tsung was within reach, the two of them exchanged maneuvers once more before a right hook from Kung Lao hit Shang Tsung in the face, causing his head to snap sideways. From there, Kung Lao hit him with a left hook before an uppercut sent the sorcerer upward. Kung Lao then spun himself rapidly, a blue glow of energy surrounding his body, and he managed to hit Shang Tsung just as he was falling back down. The sorcerer then found himself pushed before landing hard on his side.

Shang Tsung clenched his teeth as he began to stand back up. Kung Lao stood in his fighting stance, ready for more. With a growl, the sorcerer spoke. "Your loss is inevitable, Kung Lao."

Kung Lao narrowed his eyes at him. "You'd be surprised by one's determination," he said. "Especially if their opponent was the one responsible for their or their friend's suffering."

A smirk came over Shang Tsung as an idea came to him. In an instant, a green energy surrounded the sorcerer and just as fast, he shapeshifted into someone else… someone who, to Kung Lao, was all too familiar.

Shang Tsung had transformed into Liu Kang.

Kung Lao's eyes widened with horror. "No… you did not just dishonor him."

With a yell, the now disguised sorcerer shot out a small, dragon-shaped fireball at Kung Lao with fast enough speed to where the Shaolin didn't have time to get out of the way. He was promptly hit in the chest, causing him to stagger back. From there, Kung Lao was hit with a bicycle kick, the feet of his opponent rapidly hitting him before one last kick hurled him

Kung Lao started to get up after that last hit, but before he could finish sitting up, he was quickly grabbed by the throat and lifted to the air. From there, the Shaolin monk struggled against the hold, knowing what was coming next.

"Now," Shang Tsung said as he grinned, his green eyes glowing more than ever. "Your soul is mine!"

He was raising his hand in an attempt to suck Kung Lao's soul from his body. Soon, the younger fighter's spirit will forever belong to him.

Suddenly, Shang Tsung felt someone choking him and cutting off his air supply to the point of forcing him to let Kung Lao go. As Kung Lao dropped to the ground, Shang Tsung went to pry the person's hands off his throat… only to find nothing there!

A green energy surrounded his body as he was quickly lifted up and slammed into the ground with enough force to splatter the mud around him. Soon, the vice-like grip around his neck released and he found himself gasping for air. Forcing himself to get on his feet, Shang Tsung turned to see who the culprit was.

Standing a few feet away was the enigma Ermac! To the sorcerer, _this_ was the worst déjà vu he had ever encountered!

"YOU!" Shang Tsung yelled out. "You've already meddled in enough of my affairs! Out of my way!"

Ermac got himself into a fighting stance as he narrowed his eyes at the sorcerer. "We made a promise and we intend to keep it," he declared.

Shang Tsung let out a dark laugh, which was seethed in what Ermac could've sworn was sarcasm. "How amusing! You think you're the only one who promised to get rid of me?"

"Have you forgotten already, sorcerer? We saw to your death once before and we _will_ see to it again!"

"And I'll be resurrected once more just like last time!"

" _If_ the Emperor lives in the end," Ermac reminded him. "You will not live without his intervention, and that's if he's in the mood to reward you with another chance at life."

Shang Tsung growled as he stood in a fighting stance. "I've had enough for you! I've waited a _very_ long time to reclaim the souls I placed within you all those years ago!"

"And I've waited a long time to eradicate a scum like you once and for all!"

From there, the two ran forward, and it wasn't long before they clashed and began their own fight once more…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

Jin Kazama, partially in his devil form, flew forward with inhumane speed towards Shao Kahn. The Emperor stood his ground as he waited for the young warrior to finish his approach. A grin came over his face, having a feeling that he was going to like this challenge.

As soon as he was within reach, Jin's fists were immediately surrounded by red electricity and he began to rapidly throw punches and kicks at Shao Kahn while suspended in mid-air by a couple of feet. However, with the Emperor being prepared, he was able to block all the attacks with ease, much to Jin's frustration.

At one point, Shao Kahn saw an opening and performed an uppercut, hitting Jin under his chin and sending him flying up. However, Jin was able to catch himself mid-air and, using his black feathered wings, kept himself suspended about ten feet up.

Shao Kahn glared at his opponent. "Is _that_ your best?" he said.

In reply, Jin crossed his arms in front of his face before swiping them downward back towards his sides. In the middle of that, a red bolt suddenly shot out from his head and towards the Emperor. Shao Kahn barely got himself out of the way and even felt the heat of the bolt just missing his right bicep.

From there, Jin shot out two more red bolts, both which Shao Kahn jumped away from before he was hit. Annoyed at this point, Shao Kahn pulled out his war hammer and hurled it upward towards Jin.

To the Emperor's surprise, Jin caught the hilt of the weapon in his hand. He then spun around once before hurling it back towards Shao Kahn with such fast speed that the Emperor didn't even have enough time to move away. The weapon ended up hitting him squarely in the chest and, for the first time since the battle began, it knocked him onto his back.

Witnessing this nearby, Ryu took a deep breath. "That's… the first time any of us were able to take him down." Next to him, Kenshi nodded in agreement.

However, the Emperor was down for no more than a few seconds. Grabbing for the hilt of his hammer, he promptly got back up as though he did nothing more than trip over his own feet. Once that was done, he gazed up at Jin, who was still suspended in the air.

"You are NOTHING!" Shao Kahn roared.

Then, with a battle cry, Jin flew downward to cover the distance between him and his opponent once again. From there, the two of them exchanged punches and kicks while trying to overcome the other. The two of them barely noticed the rain picking up, pouring down harder upon their shoulders and making the ground even muddier than before.

Soon, Jin was able to get the upperhand as a right hook managed to hit Shao Kahn's face, making the Emperor's head snap sideways. From there, Jin was able to pummel his fists rapidly at the Emperor's head and sternum until an uppercut knocked the Emperor back and making him lose his footing.

However, as soon as Shao Kahn landed, he rolled back before straightening himself up, his eyes glaring at the young warrior. By then, Jin was flying towards him once again, but at least this time, Shao Kahn was more prepared and parried the next set of maneuvers, at least for a short time.

Suddenly, Jin managed to grab Shao Kahn by the arms before taking him with him into the air, intending on slamming him to the ground with full force. However, Shao Kahn managed to turn the tables by slamming his fists into Jin's face, forcing him to let go. Shao Kahn grabbed Jin's arms, spun around, and then began his descent back to the ground. When they landed, Jin was on his back, taking full force of the impact with Shao Kahn standing over him, a sadistic grin coming over him.

Then, Shao Kahn grabbed Jin's head before lifting him off the ground so that the young warrior was at eye level with him. "Witless boy," the Emperor mocked. " _I_ am Shao Kahn, conqueror of worlds! You will taste no victory!"

With a roar, Shao Kahn spun around once before hurling Jin's body forward. Jin flew in full speed before smashing into a pillar close to the bridge, shattering it into countless pieces. Then, Jin fell on his back and became motionless.

"JIN!" Ryu yelled out. Clenching his teeth as rage simmered inside him, Ryu turned his head to the Emperor. "You'll pay for that!"

Shao Kahn folded his arms in front of him with defiance. "If someone of his caliber cannot defeat me, what makes you think that _you_ can?"

Before Ryu could reply, he heard Kenshi draw out his sword. "Go see if Jin is all right," the swordsman demanded. "I'll distract him."

Ryu was astonished by what he just heard. "But-"

"GO!"

Ryu shook his head, suddenly feeling a bit of déjà vu with Dhalsim's last request to them. By then, Kenshi had already run forward and, soon enough, he and Shao Kahn were once more in a weapon duel. Taking a deep breath, Ryu turned around and headed to here Jin had fallen.

To Ryu's surprise, the tattoos and the wings that were previously there were now gone. By the time the wandering warrior kneeled down next to his ally, Jin's eyes were opening

"Jin!" Ryu called out to get his attention. "Are you all right?"

Jin groaned as he placed a hand over his head. "Ugh… what happened?"

Ryu's eyebrows furrowed a little. "Do you remember anything?"

Jin took a deep breath before he began to sit himself up, his muscles protesting against the movements. Ryu helped him up by supporting his back until the younger fighter

"One minute, I was trying to get up, and now I find myself here," Jin explained. "Plus I feel like I just got hit by a truck."

Ryu frowned at that, realizing that Jin doesn't remember changing forms. "I see."

Jin eyed his friend. "Why, did I miss something?"

For now, Ryu forced himself to shake his head, knowing that now wasn't the time to talk about it. "Not really."

Meanwhile, the sound of metal clashing against metal was heard as Kenshi tried all he could to get himself completely on offense. However, as he and the other two learned since the beginning of the battle, it wasn't going to be easy.

At one point, Shao Kahn tried an overhead attack, forcing Kenshi to block by swinging his katana in an upward direction. As soon as they clashed, they immediately began to push their weapons against each other in order to try to get on the offense.

During the struggle, Kenshi ended up receiving a vision at what he most definitely considered the _worst_ time. However, it gave him information he knew that he and his allies would be seeking once this battle was over…

It was a vision of the result of Dhalsim's fight with the two shokans… or rather with one of them.

Knowing the results made Kenshi inadvertently loosen his grip on his sword and, to his dismay, Shao Kahn took notice. Pulling back, the Emperor delivered an uppercut that sent Kenshi upward in the air before he came crashing down back first. Before the swordsman had the chance to get up, he let out a pained cry as Shao Kahn's foot smashed into his chest, pinning him down.

With a dark laugh, a dark green energy surrounded Shao Kahn's form and he spread both arms out as though he was summoning some powers. He gazed down briefly at the swordsman, who tried to pry Shao Kahn's foot off his sternum, his teeth clenched in both pain and frustration.

"Now," Shao Kahn began to say. "You will die, mortal!"

The Emperor then raised his hammer and began to swing down, intending to swiftly end the swordsman's life…

Suddenly, Shao Kahn stopped mid-swing as something caught his attention. No, it wasn't Jin or Ryu yelling at him to stop nor was it Ryu's running footsteps as he tried to stop the Emperor from delivering the fatal blow.

Even with the pouring rain, there was no mistaking the sounds of high-heeled footsteps clicking against the stoned bridge.

Removing his foot off Kenshi's chest, Shao Kahn fully faced the newcomer – his Empress, Ivy Valentine. A grin came over his face as he noted how she was dressed in her dark purple attire, this one in particular his favorite.

Even with the rain soaking her from head to toe, he found her beautiful.

"Ah, my dear," Shao Kahn called out. "If you have come to assist in this battle, it is not necessary."

A smirk came over Ivy's lips as her blue eyes gazed at the Emperor. "That's a shame since that's _exactly_ what I came here to do."

Ivy didn't miss the astonished looks on both Ryu and Kenshi's faces at her words. She then shifted her eyes at Jin… the way he was staring at her now; he could only begin to wish that looks could kill.

"I knew it…" the young man uttered.

"The enemy will die soon enough," Shao Kahn assured her.

Ivy nodded in agreement. "… True." She once again gazed at all three men before her eyes laid on the Emperor. "I should have you know, my dear, that these three men are the chosen ones who are part of the _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend, the one we talked about not too long ago."

A dark laughed from Shao Kahn echoed through the field. "That is the most amusing thing I have ever heard! Three out of four?" He eyed the three men; Kenshi still on his back, Ryu on his feet, and Jin on his knees. "You fools! You _really_ thought that you could-"

Shao Kahn suddenly stopped mid-sentence as realization dawned on him. A dark chi quickly came over the area and those present could feel it. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as he looked at the Empress.

"… How did you know that?" the Emperor uttered in a low, dark tone.

The smirk on Ivy's face quickly faded in reply. Then, she pulled out her beloved snake sword, uncoiled it, and threw it over her shoulders. Holding the hilt with one hand and the rope near the tip of the blade with the other, she got herself in a defensive position, her eyes never leaving Shao Kahn.

"…Because _I_ _am_ the fourth chosen one."


	89. Chapter Eighty-Eight

**Nexus**

Many of the walls and relics on the platform had been either damaged or destroyed due to the fight between Raiden and Liu Kang. This was mostly because of the projectiles they've been shooting at each other. Off to the side, Fujin could only continue to watch the battle. At this point, he wasn't sure who was more exhausted; them, or him for the countless amounts of times he was forced to move out of the way before he was hit by a projectile.

Not for the first time, Fujin wondered how much longer this battle would last, if it ever ended. He couldn't imagine what was going on in Outworld at this very minute, and hoped that the chosen ones, especially The Four, were holding up for the better.

Raiden let out a roar when he released yet another projectile at Liu Kang. Liu Kang retaliated by shooting a fireball. It didn't take long before the two energies collided with a loud _boom!_ When the explosion cleared, Liu Kang and Raiden quickly covered the berth between them before exchanging various punches of kicks at each other in hopes of dominating the other.

Fujin frowned as he continued to watch the battle, which would determine whether or not the Mortal Kombat champion will win the title of Protector of Earthrealm. Fujin was reminded of Liu Kang and Raiden's student-mentor relationship that formed more than a decade ago.

It almost seemed proper that Liu Kang would succeed Raiden… almost. Fujin could only wish that the circumstance of the title change was different, and he was sure that Liu Kang felt the same. Maybe Raiden would have too if his mind was in the right place.

Fujin will always remember Raiden's tireless efforts to finding the best fighters to protect Earthrealm from annihilation by Shao Kahn and his Outworld Forces. Raiden eventually found a young, orphaned fighter who the Shaolin considered the best fighter they had ever raised. Liu Kang would go through many years of training and was even taught by Bo' Rai Cho under Raiden's recommendation. So, when the Mortal Kombat Tournament occurred, Raiden's gamble on Liu Kang paid off when he defeated Shang Tsung to earn his win.

Fujin's thoughts were suddenly cut off when he heard a yell, followed by a crash. Turning his head, Fujin saw Liu Kang fall to the ground after hitting his back into a wall. The warrior rolled a bit before he ended up facing up towards the purple sky, stunned by the hit he just took.

Not too far away, Raiden was beginning to approach Liu Kang as he began to gather electricity into his hands, his red eyes glowing brightly. "Now," he began. "I will see to your end!"

For a brief moment, Fujin wondered if he should intervene…

~~~

**Wastelands**

The battle between the Chosen Ones and the Outworld Forces raged on. At one point, Lita Luwanda decided that she hated fighting in the rain. It may wash away the sweat, blood, and mud that covered her, but it still gave her an uncomfortable feeling. She wished that she had pulled her long blonde hair into a ponytail before this battle started to prevent it from sticking onto her skin, especially her face. Heck, she wouldn't mind putting her hair in braided pigtails like Cammy right about now.

One thing was sure; Lita was glad to have her _Zweihander_ sword at a time like this, especially with the enemies she was battling against since many of them had their own weapons in hand. She had always believed that she would use her training in military operations. Never did she think that she would be helping in saving the universe. In that case, she would be forever grateful for the training her late father gave her growing up.

At one point, Lita took down two guards at once, slicing one's head off while cutting the other halfway through his torso, and they both eventually fell back in a heap surrounded by their own blood that pooled onto the ground. That was when she heard a whooshing sword coming towards her from behind. Quickly, Lita turned around and managed to block a pair of weapons with her sword. Lita then looked down and saw a pair of sais falling to the ground before they dispersed in a pink mist.

Then, an ear piercing maniacal laugh was heard. Lita quickly looked up and saw a woman dressed in black and pink outfit approached her. "Well, _that_ ugly outfit leaves little to the imagination," Lita uttered, nearly rolling her eyes.

The stranger spoke then. "Ah, so pretty and fair you are," she said in almost a sing-song voice.

Lita gritted her teeth at her. "Something tells me you like the play games. Well too bad because I'm _really_ not in the mood!"

"Awe," the woman cooed. "But I was really hoping to play with you first. I'm General Mileena…" Her voice suddenly turned to one of malice. "And I will pick my teeth with your bones!"

As Mileena began running, Lita stood her ground, her sword out and ready. "Just great, I get the nutter," the Delta Red soldier muttered to herself. "And with that outfit, I'm also surprised she didn't just go into battle wearing nothing but duct tape."

Once Mileena was close enough, Lita immediately flipped backwards in an attempt to kick her opponent under her chin, but Mileena managed to back away before she was hit. Once Lita was back on her feet, Mileena performed a roundhouse kick and was able to knock her opponent's sword out of her hand.

"Bloody hell!" Lita growled. In retaliation, Lita reached for her leg and quickly pulled out a handful of small kunais before throwing them at Mileena in fast speed. However, Mileena suddenly disappeared in a pink mist just has her weapons did moments ago.

"What the-" Lita uttered, but was suddenly kicked in the back of the head, stumbling forward. Thinking that another enemy hit her, Lita turned to face them, only for Mileena to suddenly jump right on top her and knocked her to the ground. Mileena managed to pin her down before removing the veil that covered the bottom half of her face. Lita was more than surprised when Mileena revealed her tarkatan teeth.

" **SHIT!** " she screamed just before Mileena began to bite down on her left shoulder, which immediately began to draw blood.

"Oh _hell_ no!" Lita yelled right before landing a punch in Mileena's face, causing her head to snap sideways. Before Mileena could try to bite her again, Lita landed another punch, kneed her in the stomach, and then punched her one more time in the head.

The last punch left Mileena dazed, giving Lita the chance to get back on her feet and pick up her sword nearby. Just as she did, Lita found herself ambushed by a few more guards, but it didn't take her very long to cut them down.

However, by the time Lita cleared house and turned back to where her opponent was, Mileena was gone…

Not too far away, Bo' Rai Cho was fighting hand to hand with most of the enemies who tried to attacked him. Many of them he was sure were very inexperienced, so taking them on was much too easy for him.

At one point, Bo'Rai Cho flattened a guard with a belly flop, crushing him into the mud. When the master warrior stood up, he saw a large group of Brotherhood clan members running towards him. Realizing that they planned to ambush him at one, an idea came to him.

" _This_ is the best time for a drink," he said as he took out a certain flask he used for such an occasion. He then took a long swig before clasping the cap and putting it away in his pouch.

The next part of this idea had to be done fast due to the rain. Moving towards the statue nearby, he pulled out an item from his backpack. Then, he swiped the tip of it onto the side of the statue and a flame immediately lit up.

The Brotherhood of Shadow members quickly stopped in their tracks as they realized that Bo' Rai Cho was holding a lit torch in his hand.

Gazing at them, Bo' Rai Cho moved the torch in front of his face before taking a deep breath. Then, he exhaled slowly and the alcohol from his mouth turned the fire into a blowtorch, quickly engulfing the enemies into flames, their screams heard over the element's roar. Even the rain couldn't save them at this point.

Eventually, Bo' Rai Cho ran out of breath and the fire from the torch was extinguished from the rain. He dug the tip of the torch into the mud to cool it down before speaking. "A little _hot_ today, isn't it?" he said before chuckling at his own pun.

Meanwhile, the battle between Scorpion and Quan Chi continued. For a while, the long-time enemies fought hand to hand as they tried all they could to get themselves on the offense.

Eventually, Scorpion delivered a kick to Quan Chi's chest before teleporting himself behind him. However, Quan Chi was prepared and quickly produced a solid skull in his hand. When Scorpion reappeared, Quan Chi summoned his magic, chanting a quick incantation before a green mist surrounded Scorpion. The ninja's eyes widened in surprise as he found his own body out of his control before he was forced to walk forward, his arms reaching out to his foe like a zombie.

Quan Chi waited until Scorpion was close enough before smashing the skull into Scorpion's face. The movement broke the spell, and Scorpion barely managed to keep his balance as he stumbled back.

The sorcerer then tried to cover the berth between them, but by then, Scorpion was ready for him. When Quan Chi was within reach, Scorpion quickly pummeled his fist into the necromancer's face with all of his strength. Scorpion felt a pang of satisfaction as he heard the loud _snap!_ of Quan Chi's jaw breaking into two before he fell to the ground.

When Quan Chi was flat on his back, Scorpion didn't hesitate to approach him before he lifted one leg up and smashed it right into the necromancer's chest. Quan Chi found herself yelling in pain as his sternum and a few ribs broke on impact.

Scorpion took a new opportunity while the sorcerer withered in pain. Taking out his spear, the ninja spectre used the chain connected to the weapon to wrap it twice around Quan Chi's throat. From there, he pulled him up into a sitting position before he began to choke the life out of the murderer of his family and clan.

While this happened, Quan Chi used his powers to quickly heal his broken bones. Once that was done, he summoned his magic again to break the chains that were wrapped around his neck. As soon as the pieces began to fall, Quan Chi elbowed Scorpion in the stomach, causing the spectre to let him go and fall back into the mud.

The two of them stood up at the same time after that. They glared at each other for a moment before running towards one another again to continue their battle…

Nearby, Sareena threw a handful of throwing stars at the guards who were coming after her. Two of them actually got themselves out of the way, but the others weren't as lucky as the small weapons embedded themselves into their bodies, knocking them down. Some withered in pain while others died instantly.

The two that managed to not get hit continued their pursuit towards her. Seeing that they each held a weapon, Sareena pulled out her kamas, preparing for battle. However, one got tackled quickly and the other managed to reach her, swing his two knifes at her. Sareena was able to block the maneuvers before a roundhouse kick to the head knocked him unconscious.

Once that was done, Sareena looked over to where the guard was tackled, soon seeing that he was knocked out cold. The person who took care of him began to stand up, and it didn't take long for her to recognize her ally, Smoke.

"I figured I'd help you," Smoke said as he turned his head to her. "These guards seem to be nervous about approaching a cyborg in battle for some reason, so I thought I'd do the approaching for them."

Sareena simply nodded in appreciation.

Suddenly, a Brotherhood soldier quickly approached Smoke from behind. Sareena was about to throw her kama at him in order to protect her ally. However, Smoke had already realized who was behind him and quickly turned around. Before the soldier had the chance to deliver a blow, Smoke promptly poked his fingers right into the soldier's eyes, then held them there while the soldier struggled blindly against his grip.

Sareena watched as smoke began to seep from the soldier's body as he screamed in pain and agony. Before she could figure out what was going on, the clothes, skin, and muscles of the soldier began to disintegrate as he was burned from the inside by Smoke's powers. Eventually, the soldier was nothing more than a bloody, smoking skeleton before Smoke released him, his bones falling to the ground.

Smoke briefly gazed down at the mess he made through his optic lenses. "Huh, I haven't done that in a while," he admitted. The cyborg then turned his head to Sareena. "Come on, this isn't over yet."

Sareena nodded as they two ran back into battle. Briefly, Sareena gazed at her surroundings, wondering not for the first time if Sub-Zero was safe somewhere in this battlefield…

Not too far away, Cyrax mostly found himself using his pulse blade to defend himself against the Outworld Forces. It was easy to cut down the guards, but the Red Dragon and the Brotherhood of Shadow were more of a challenge to him. Still, he was able to defeat them with easy.

Suddenly, and earthquake was felt and Cyrax nearly lost his balance. Luckily, he was able to keep standing once the shaking subsided. He turned looked at his surroundings, only to stop suddenly as he noticed his superior, Jax Briggs, approaching him. Cyrax noticed his pale eyes, indicating that he was still in his brainwashed state.

"Oh _this_ is just cliché!" Cyrax called out. "The bad guy sends his brainwashed minions to fight their friends! I've seen enough movies to know how this goes, and-"

However, Cyrax didn't have time to finish before Jax suddenly jumped up into the air and attempted to stomp on the cyborg. Seeing this in time, Cyrax managed to get out of the way, making Jax miss him.

Once he was safe, Cyrax put away his pulse blade. "Okay… clearly I'm not going to be able to convince you to snap out of it because the brainwashing seems absolute, and-"

Suddenly, Jax smashed his fist into the ground. Knowing what was coming, Cyrax flipped himself back in the air, missing the shockwave that rode the ground in his proximity. The shaking was gone by the time Cyrax was back on his feet.

" _Aaaand_ ," Cyrax continued, sounding a bit annoyed this time. "Despite that, I'm still going to find a way to free you, even if I knock you out and-"

Then, Jax managed to grab him by the throat and lift him up into the air. " _Gotcha!_ " the militant called out before slamming his fists a couple of times into Cyrax's metal face. When he was through, he tossed the cyborg to the side, and Cyrax flew a few before landing on his side.

"Damn it, I just want to finish my epic speech like all those movie actors!" Cyrax yelled as he stood up. "At this point, I do _not_ want to end up as scrap metal, so..."

Quickly, he tossed a bomb towards Jax. Jax clearly realized what this was and began to jump away. That was exactly what Cyrax anticipated as he shot out his green net from his chest, trapped Jax once it reached him. Jax attempted to struggle against the net, trying to free himself.

"Now…" he said as he tossed another bomb. He didn't throw it too close to Jax, but it was close enough that, once it exploded, it threw him into air. Cyrax waited until he began to fall before perform a spin kick, hitting Jax and sending him flying into he crashed into a nearby statue.

Eventually, Jax got himself free from the net and quickly stood up. With a growl, he began to run towards the cyborg. Cyrax stood where he was in his fighting stance, waiting for more attacks…

Meanwhile, Paul Phoenix swore he felt himself in a rhythm as he plummet his enemies with his fists. He was already covered in mud, sweat, and blood. His hair had since lost its standing hold and was now falling over his shoulders. Nearby, his friend Marshall was fighting his own battle with a guard.

At one point, Marshall performed a flip kick that managed to connect under the guard's chin, sending the bastard flying away. Once he landed on his feet, Marshall turned around and saw that Paul had a good hold on a Red Dragon shoulder while punching him multiple times in the face.

Eventually, Paul stopped what he was doing before glaring at the dazed soldier. "Please… enough…" the soldier uttered as blood dripped from his head.

Paul laughed in his face. "And how many victims said the same thing before you killed them in cold blood?! You think I'll let you go?! You're mad! You've got another thing coming!" With that, he head-butted the soldier right in the face, knocking him out cold before dropping him like a rag doll.

Marshall had to shake his head after what he heard Paul say. "Referencing Judas Priest lyrics? Really? At a time like this?"

Paul huffed in amusement at that. "Excuse me if I'm having such a good time!" That was when another guard tried to go after him, but Paul merely socked him in the head before he also lost consciousness like the Red Dragon soldier. Realizing what he just said moments ago, he turned to Marshall and gave him a shit-eating grin. "I'm having a ball!"

Marshall covered his face with a hand. "Now Queen lyrics. Dear God, help us all…"

"HA! You asked for it, buddy!"

By then, more guards were on the way, and Paul and Marshall both didn't hesitate to start taking them down…

Nearby, Baraka found himself mostly fighting Manji clan and Coast Guard soldiers, some he was able to kill easily with her blades, which were covered in blood. Unknown to the tarkatan, Dragunov was fighting hand-to-hand with some guards from the Outworld Forces, also defeating them with ease.

Once they both won their fights with their respective opponents, the two happened to move when they quickly bumped their backs into each other. They immediately whirled around and ended up glaring at each other. For a moment, they stood there, not making a move.

Suddenly, Baraka quickly lashed out with his blades in an attempt to cut down Dragunov. Dragunov was able to duck and dodge the tarkatan's attacks with ease as he waited for the right moment to strike. Soon, he got his chance as he kicked his foot into Baraka's shin. Baraka let out a growl as he was hit, giving Dragunov the chance to perform a sweep kick, knocking Baraka off his feet. From there, Dragunov tried to stomp his opponent, but Baraka rolled out of the way before quickly standing himself back up.

Dragunov then attempted to step forward to cover the space between them, but Baraka took this chance to get down on one knee and attempt to rapidly swing his blades in an up-and-down motion, forcing Dragunov to move out of the way.

From there, Dragunov got himself behind him before performing a spin kick right in the side of Baraka's face, knocking the tarkatan leader to the side. Not even a second later did Baraka roll back and, once more, stood up. He then glided forward in fast speed and rammed Dragunov hard enough to send the militant stumbling back a few feet.

Baraka then tried to shoot out a projectile, but by then, Dragunov was running towards him again and was able to duck underneath the energy ball. Dragunov then straightened himself out before he managed to grab Baraka's extended arm before flipping him onto his back. Then, Dragunov lifted him up a bit before kneeing him in the stomach, causing Baraka to gasp for breath.

While Baraka struggled, Dragunov grappled him to the ground before wrapping Baraka's arm with both hands. Before Baraka had the chance to retaliate, a loud _snap!_ was heard as Dragunov managed to break the tarkatan's humerus bone into two, causing Baraka to let out an inhumane scream. When that was done, the Russian militant stood up, leaving a small berth between them.

Despite the excruciating pain running up and down his left arm, Baraka stood up and tried slicing down his opponent with his good arm. Once more, Dragunov was forced to dodge his maneuvers…

On the other side of the battle, Alex found herself ducking and dodging various punches and kicks from Sonya Blade, who was clearly still in her brainwashed state. Alex knew that in her position, most would try to help with trying to talk to Sonya into realizing what she was doing. And like many others, she wondered if there even a way to free the Special Forces agent at all.

Eventually, Alex saw an opening after blocking a punch from Sonya, backhanding her just below her collar bone and forcing Sonya away. Alex then moved a bit to kick Sonya behind her knee, but Sonya managed to get out of the way by stepping to the side. Anticipating this, Alex performed a palm strike to her face before a side kick forced Sonya to stumble sideways.

Sonya was able to keep her balance before she shot out her pink ring projectiles at Alex, forcing the younger agent to step away before she was hit. From there, she tried to perform a forward cartwheel kick, but Sonya stepped sideways, evading the potential impact. Alex then turned and covered the space between them before punches and kicks were exchanged.

For a moment, the two women performed their maneuvers before Alex was able to land a punch in Sonya's face, causing her head to snap sideways. Alex then spun and attempted to land a blow with her elbow, but Sonya had recovered and was able to step away.

Just as Alex was pulling back, Sonya took out some pink dust from a pouch before extended her arm forward. Opening the palm of her hand, Sonya blew the pink dust. Alex realized what she was doing once she turned to face her, but wasn't able to protect herself in time before the dust began to sting her eyes, blinding her temporarily.

"Shit!" Alex yelled as she coughed violently while rubbing her eyes. From there, Sonya stood on her hands, grabbed Alex's sides with her feet, and then flipped her over. The brunette flew through the air before landing on her side in the mud.

Coughing a bit, Alex was starting to see again, though her vision was blurred. Even so, she could still see Sonya beginning to approach her again. Alex gritted her teeth, wondering once more how to free Sonya from the brainwash.

Next to them, Kira had shot out a pink projectile towards her opponent, Chun Li. Chun Li ran forward and ducked underneath the projectile before closing in on Kira. Kira was forced to defend herself as Chun Li attacked, but eventually, the Interpol detective was able to land two palm strikes below Kira's collar bone, forcing the red-head to stagger away.

Kira shook his head in frustration before she flipped forward, making Chun Li step back. Kira then tried to kick forward, but was promptly blocked. From there, she spun around and tried a back kick, but Chun Li once more took a couple of steps away from her reach.

" _Kikoken!_ " Chun Li yelled as she shot out her own projectile. However, Kira stepped out of the way before moving forward to cover the space between them. This gave Chun Li the chance to gather up some energy into her hands again as the red head began to approach again.

" _Kikosho!_ " Chun Li cried out as she moved forward. From there, the detective unleashed an energy ball that grew with each second until it was the size of a basketball. She had expected the shockwave to suck Kira in and get hit with the actual ball. However, to her shock, Kira had stepped away before the wave hit her, which the detective noticed once the energy began to dissipate.

Chun Li was going to try the move once more, this time with an energy source big enough to engulf herself, but before she got started, Kira closed in on her and managed to grab her by the back of the head with both hands. Before Chun Li could retaliate, Kira spun them around before the red head slammed Chun Li back first into the ground. Kira then stood up and attempted to stomp her, but the brunette rolled away before standing herself up and getting herself into her crane fighting stance.

"This isn't over yet!" Chun Li promised her.

Kira huffed at that in amusement. "Considering the fact that you're the first person to give me a challenge in a while, I don't expect it to be. However, that doesn't mean that you'll emerge the victor."

"We'll see," was all Chun Li said before the two engaged in combat once more…

In another part of the field, Tira was having the time of her life as she slew her opponents with her ring blade, getting quite a bit of satisfaction at seeing their life draining out of them. Like with the other Black Dragon followers in the battle, it didn't matter which side got killed. She wondered if the Red Dragon noticed the presence of the Black Dragon at this point. She was sure of it though.

Speaking of the Red Dragon, Tira soon noticed one member fighting not too far from her. What was her name? Oh yes, Donna. Such a pretty thing… she'll be even prettier once her throat was slit.

Tira began to approach just as Donna was knocking an opponent out cold with a roundhouse kick. Donna then turned around before stopping as she spotted the brunette approaching her, a sadistic grin on her face.

"Well, well, I found another Red Dragon!" Tira called out in a cheerful tone. "This Black Dragon is going to have so much fun with you!"

Tira smiled as she saw a flicker of fear in Donna's eyes, and she decided to take advantage of that. "What's the matter?" she mocked. "Are you afraid?"

Donna's demeanor rapidly changed as she quickly lashed out her chained double axe blades, swinging them rapidly and forcing Tira to jump back a couple of feet. Then, as Donna moved forward, Tira used her ring blade to block her maneuver before she started spinning her weapon, the next block knocking the axes out of Donna's hand and sending them in different directions.

With a laugh, Tira jumped forward as she attempted a double kick, but Donna backed away before she was hit. From there, Tira spun around before lashing her blade at Donna's ankles, but once more, Donna evaded the unusual weapon by jumping over it.

Noticing the ring blade moving behind Tira, Donna stepped forward before performing a roundhouse kick that hit Tira in the face and making her lose her grip on her beloved weapon. She then followed through with a backhand that caused Tira's head to snap sideways. From there, Donna got next to her, grabbing the younger woman by the back of the head before performing a running bulldog, slamming Tira face first into the mud.

As Donna stood up, Tira lifted her head up and happened to notice that her ring blade was within reach. With rage boiling in her blood, she quickly grabbed for it before getting on her knees and lashing at Donna's legs. Seeing this, Donna was once more forced to step away before she was hit.

Tira then stood up before digging her ring blade into the mud. Using the weapon as leverage, she grabbed a hold of it before swinging herself through the blade's circled hole before kicking both of her feet into Donna's torso. With a cry, Donna flew backwards before landing hard on the ground.

Tira grabbed for her blade before walking over to stand over the Red Dragon follower. "Let's find out just how dark your blood is," Tira said coldly.

However, before Tira could start performing the killing move, she was suddenly attacked by a member of the Outworld guards, forcing the Keisei native to defend herself. It didn't take her very long to slit the guard's throat to near decapitation, causing him to choke on his own blood before falling back to the ground dead.

Tira huffed once that was over. "Kabal was right… they _are_ idiots!"

However, when she went to face her opponent again, Donna was gone. No matter… there were still other victims to satisfy her lust for killing…

Meanwhile, the fight between the Williams sisters raged on as neither one of them were willing to give up until the other was dead. By this time, the rain had drenched their clothes and they were muddy and bleeding from the cuts they received. Bruises also began to develop over their skin.

For a while, the two switched between offense and defense until Anna flipped back in a cartwheel kick that knocked Nina into the air. Nina caught herself by flipping backwards before landing gracefully on her feet. By then, Anna had straightened herself up and saw Nina running up to her just in time.

From there, Nina attempt to kick Anna in the head, but the younger sister was able to duck underneath it. Anna then blocked Nina's palm strikes with her forearms before she tried to knee her. However, that forced Nina to move back before it connected, but that gave Anna the opportunity to get herself on offense, throwing various punches and kicks at her for a few seconds.

Anna then tried to strike her sister in the head with a punch, but Nina ducked underneath. The movement left Anna wide open and Nina took the opportunity to punch Anna just underneath her sternum. The move caused Anna to keel over as all the air rushed out of her lungs, her eyes widen in shock.

It wasn't long before Nina stepped back and released Anna from her hold. Anna quickly fell to her knees as she gasped for air while holding her stomach in pain. At the same time, Nina pulled out her pistol, pulling the hammer back before aiming it at Anna's head.

"I think I'm finally satisfied at this point," Nina said to her. "This will be quite suitable in the middle of a battle that decides the fate of the universe; you, on your knees drenched in a muddy mess, defeated. You and I both know that this was a long time coming. Goodbye, Anna."

In reply, Anna tilted her head up and gazed right at the gun's barrel. Her face was one of malice and disdain, and her chin was raised as though she was staring down at that gun in defiance. It was almost as though she was daring Nina to pull the trigger.

Before Nina had the chance to shoot, the blonde assassin suddenly heard footsteps running up from behind her. She could tell that they were trying to be quiet about it, but the wet mud beneath their feet gave them away. Clenching her teeth in frustration, Nina had no choice but to turn her attention to them or else _she_ would meet her death instead of Anna.

However, the second she turned to face her attacker, a foot kicked her gun out of her hand. Still, that didn't stop Nina from raising her right leg to perform a roundhouse kick, but before she connected the move, she was stopped by three claws that stabbed her right through her thigh, immediately drawing blood and causing her to buckle and fall to the ground onto her good knee. Nina hissed and threw her head back as the pain and agony hit her. Even with that, she refused to give them, or Anna, the satisfaction of hearing her scream.

By now, Nina got a good look at her attacker, and it didn't surprise her at all to see the masked face of Vega!

The two glared at each other for a moment before Vega spoke. " _No one_ touches my dear Anna… not even her own flesh and blood!"

Nina narrowed her eyes. "I see you decided to change tactics the last time we fought here… kick my gun away and _then_ stab me instead of kicking me in the face. Afraid I'll beat you this time?"

"No," Vega replied. "Just doing what I should've done the first time!"

Quickly, Vega backhanded her hard enough to force Nina onto her back, his claws leaving her leg. Nina was just beginning to get up when Vega suddenly stabbed her in her left thigh, nearly pinning her to the ground. Once more, Nina forced herself to not scream as she clenched her teeth and threw her head back, the only sound escaping her lips being a hiss.

When Vega pulled his claws out, Nina gasped in pain. Right after, she turned her head towards where she last saw Anna, only to see that she was missing. This didn't surprise her at all… of course Anna would take the opportunity to run away the moment she realized that she was defeated.

Though curiously, Anna didn't bother to stay long enough to hopefully see to Nina's death.

Vega stood over Nina as he began to pull his arm back, and the woman found herself staring at the claw that was currently seeped in her own blood, the weapon aiming at her neck. "As much as I admire your resilience for pain, I'm afraid you won't be able to handle the next move I'm about to unleash."

Just before Vega would deliver the fatal blow, he was suddenly tackled and pushed off of Nina. Nina turned her head and watched as the two rolled a few feet away from her before they straightened up and glared at each other.

To her surprise, the person who attacked Vega was none other than Steve Fox.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Steve seemed to suggest.

Vega lifted his clawed arm up. "You will die either way!"

From there, the two began to fight, and Nina could only watch since her fresh injuries pretty much put her out of commission from the battle. Despite the pain, Nina forced herself to sit up before crawling on her hands to the nearest statue, which thankfully wasn't too far from her. Leaning her back against it, Nina guarded herself with her gun, daring anyone in the Outworld Forces to attack her.

From her point of view, Nina could see the fight between Steve and Vega. She had known about Steve being her son for a while and, of course, she never discussed it with anyone. However, she was beginning to wonder if, somehow, Steve knew the truth as well…

Not too far away, Shang Tsung once again found himself fighting Ermac while Kung Lao recovered nearby. The two went hand to hand for a while as they both fought to try to overtake the fight.

Soon, it was Shang Tsung who got the upper hand as he landed a punch on Ermac's face. From there, he kicked him twice in the torso before following with a roundhouse. While Ermac was stunned, Shang Tsung raised his arms and a skull-shaped flame ignited underneath the enigma and lifted him into the air.

In mid-air, Ermac caught himself and managed to stay floating in the air, his body surrounded by a green aura. He then flew downward towards the sorcerer before landed two punches to his face, followed with a kick, and then used his telekinesis to push him back, causing the sorcerer to fly back and crash to the ground.

Shang Tsung quickly stood up before summoning his powers again. Just like before, he unleashed a flaming skull that rose from the ground, catching the enigma again. See that he was forced forward, Shang Tsung performed the maneuver two more times to bring Ermac closer before he crashed right at the sorcerer's feet, which of course delighted him.

"Not I got you where I want!" Shang Tsung yelled with a sadistic grin.

However, before the sorcerer could make his next move, Shang Tsung saw an object flying towards him, and he immediately ducked underneath it to avoid being decapitated. Turning his head, he saw that it was Kung Lao's bladed hat.

The hat flew over his head again before he saw Kung Lao catching it. Kung Lao then placed the hat back on his head, the blade gleaming in the light. "I should've said this before, but the last thing you should expect is to keep me down for long," he said.

Shang Tsung straightened himself up and glared at the warrior. "Your confidence won't last forever."

By then, Ermac was back on his feet. "And neither will yours," the enigma replied.

Quickly, Shang Tsung shot out a flame projectile, but Ermac managed to fly over it. This gave Kung Lao the chance to close in on the sorcerer, who heard his footsteps and immediately turned to face him. They exchanged maneuvers for a moment before Shang Tsung struck him with his elbow before a palm strike knocked the Shaolin away.

Then, Ermac grabbed Shang Tsung in a telekinetic hold, lifting him in the air before throwing him over his head and slamming him to the ground. He then performed the move again before releasing his hold on him. Ermac then backed up a couple of feet, giving Kung Lao room to take care of the sorcerer.

Kung Lao waited until Shang Tsung was back on his feet before he ran towards him. Once within reach, Kung Lao began to land a series of punches and kicks at him. Eventually, he drew blood and he noticed the sorcerer starting to become more and more dazed. Briefly, Kung Lao stopped and walked back a few feet, not wanting to knock the sorcerer unconscious.

He will _not_ give him that kind of satisfaction.

Then, with a scream, Kung Lao jumped forward towards Shang Tsung. Using the move he just recently learned from Bo' Rai Cho, the Shaolin flew towards him in fast speed right before his foot hit the sorcerer's sternum with enough force to shatter it. With a pained cry, Shang Tsung flew back before crashing into the ground. From there, he was unable to get up right away.

" _That_ was for Liu Kang!" the Shaolin declared.

Rage filled Kung Lao to the very core as he stared down at Shang Tsung, who struggled to get up from the last attack, his hand hold his broken chest. Bitter memories of holding Liu Kang's broken body more than a year ago consumed his mind. He then reached for his hat and took it off of his head.

"And this is for _all_ the victims who suffered because of you."

Kung Lao then threw it down to the ground. Using a throwing trick he had learned some years ago, as soon as the blade of the hat imbedded itself into ground, it began to spin rapidly like a buzz saw.

Shang Tsung had noticed this and his eyes quickly widened in horror. He started to back up to try to get away. "No! Mercy! Please!"

Kung Lao shook his head as he approached the sorcerer. "I'm sure Liu Kang didn't beg for mercy, but how many others have? The souls you've taken, the people who were forced to watch their families suffer, the people who were permanently injured, the women who were forced to do your bidding against their will, the people who died at your hands… the list goes on and on! I will see to an end that you should have faced months ago. Mercy from me? I don't think so!"

With that, Kung Lao grabbed the sorcerer's ankles and began to pull him towards the spinning blade. Naturally, Shang Tsung struggled against Kung Lao's grip. "No! **_NO!_** "

Then, blade began to cut through his torso, his screams of torture being heard until the blade began to cut through throat and, finally, his head, the process splitting him into two pieces. When the job was done, Kung Lao let go of his ankles before straightened himself up. He ignored the fact that he was covered in the sorcerer's splattered blood, but he did notice his hands were shaking as he realized that his revenge for his friend's death was finally fulfilled.

Behind Kung Lao, Ermac stood a few feet away behind him, staring at what remained of the sorcerer. He could sense the recently captured souls being freed from the sorcerer's grasps and his own worthless soul being dragged into the pits of the Netherrealm.

Finally, Shang Tsung was no more…

~~~

**Nexus**

Fujin found himself conflicted as he watched Raiden approach Liu Kang, who had fallen onto his back. Raiden glared at his opponent as he gathered electricity in his hands, his red eyes glowing more than ever.

"Now," Raiden began to say. "I will see to your end!"

In that moment, Fujin wondered if he should intervene and stop Raiden. However, he didn't have to ponder over that long as Liu Kang suddenly flipped himself back onto his feet, his hand quickly surrounded in a ball of flames. He stared at Raiden with defiance before stepping forward.

With a roar, Liu Kang threw his flamed fist forward towards his former mentor. Raiden did the same as his hands were surrounded by a bright, electric current. An invisible force swept over the platform, nearly pushing Fujin back a couple of feet as their fists collided. From there, the two of them tried to push their fists forward, fighting for dominance in their battle. However, the more they pushed, the larger the two elements around their fists grew.

Fujin was not looking forward to where this was going.

Liu Kang and Raiden glared at each other, their fists clenched and seemingly fighting with all of their might to win this battle.

Then, an explosion was heard, and Fujin was forced to shield his eyes from the sudden bright light. An energy force tried to push him back, but the God of Wind managed to stand his ground. Soon, the light dispersed as well as the smoke that suddenly surrounded the platform. Fujin placed his arms down. Unsure of what he'll see next, he opened his eyes.

Liu Kang was standing as he glared at Raiden, who had fallen onto his hands and knees. Electricity surrounded his body, but it seemed to flicker on and off as though Raiden was trying to maintain what was left of his powers. Whatever happened in the explosion, it had weakened the Thunder God. And the way Liu Kang stared at him, it seemed as though the warrior had found his opportunity to end this battle.

Fujin took a deep breath. Personally, he didn't want things to end like this, but it had to be done…

Eventually, Raiden was able to stand up on his feet. He clenched his teeth in frustration before letting out a thunderous roar. From there, he ran forward to attack his former protégé.

Though Raiden tried to get on offense, Liu Kang was able to fight him with ease, throwing various punches and kicks at the Thunder God, barely being blocked. Eventually, Liu Kang saw that Raiden was being overwhelmed and delivered a roundhouse kick, knocking him back a couple of feet.

A frown came over Liu Kang's face as his right fist was covered in flames once more. "I'm sorry, but it has to be done," he said, truly feeling remorse.

Then, he stepped forward, and with a yell, Liu Kang punched his flaming fist right through Raiden's chest and out of his back.

Fujin drew in a sharp breath and only stared at Raiden's face in that moment. It came as no surprise that the Thunder God was stunned by the turn of events. He had lost at the hands of the Mortal Kombat champion. All three were sure that they never saw this day coming.

Soon, Liu Kang stepped back, pulling his bloodied fist away from Raiden. Fujin didn't miss the fact that it shook violently. He realized quickly that it was an action that he was sure that Liu Kang would always regret.

Raiden collapsed onto his knees, and at first, he was still. Then, Fujin realized a change in his friend, and it didn't take him long to notice exactly what it was.

His eyes had turned white.

A small smile played on Raiden's face as he turned his head and gazed up at Fujin. He managed to say two words to him;

"Thank you…"

Then, he fell forward, his life draining out of him. Seconds later, a bright light hit Raiden's body, and it wasn't long before his body disintegrated into nothing. Then, the light disappeared before it beamed again, this time onto Liu Kang. Fujin knew this sign; the Elder Gods had granted the champion his new status.

It was going to take a while for Fujin to comprehend the fact that Liu Kang was now the new Fire God and Protector of Earthrealm.

Soon the light disappeared, and all was quiet around them.

Taking a deep breath, Liu Kang approached Fujin, stopping when he was just a few feet away from him. The two stared at each other for a few moments before Liu Kang bowed to him in respect. Fujin did the same a split second later.

Liu Kang then straightened himself and said his first words as God of Fire and Protector of Earthrealm; "Let's get to Outworld."

Fujin couldn't agree more. Silently, they walked towards the portal that would lead them to Outworld. Fujin was going to summon his powers to open it, but Liu Kang already raised his hands and activated the portal. Liu Kang's eyes widened as he stared at his hands. It was hard to believe that he possessed these powers now…

It was definitely going to take a while to get used.

Once the portal was ready, they stepped through it, intending on rejoining the chosen ones in the battle that will decide the fate of the universe.

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

"… _Because_ _I_ _am_ _the fourth chosen one._ "

The words repeated a few times in Shao Kahn's head, but the implication of Ivy's betrayal came to him even before she said that… those words were just confirmation. No… it was the fact that she _knew_ who his three male opponents were and why they came to fight the Emperor that clued him in, though it did take him a few seconds for it to sink in.

This entire time, he had expected betrayal from his guards and even his Generals, but not her… not his Empress. Sure, he had his suspicions when she was hesitant to help in destroying her home world, Keisei, but after that, he was sure that she was loyal to him after all.

He should've never given her the throne all those months ago!

Shao Kahn's red eyes narrowed into slits as he stared at Ivy Valentine, and his voice was low and menacing when he finally spoke after a few moments of silence. "You treacherous cur! You planned this all along!"

"Hmph," Ivy huffed in half amusement. "Believe it or not, I didn't. I only learned of the legend of _Ano Sentaku Bou_ just days ago, but _not_ through you… through Dhalsim."

Shao Kahn instantly recognized the name; the one he tried to send Sheeva, Kintaro, and Motaro after weeks ago. The Shadow Priest with the crystal ball had shown that the yoga master was a large threat, and the Emperor knew that he needed to be taken care of.

Now he knew precisely why Dhalsim was a threat to his plans.

"I see," was all the Emperor said about the man's involvement. He then continued. "I must admit, your betrayal was not foreseen. Such a shame… have you been working with the other side, I would have been most impressed with your subtle work as a double agent."

While the Emperor was speaking, Ryu took the opportunity to walk over to Kenshi and helped him back up on his feet after being knocked onto his back a couple of minutes ago. At the same time, Jin got back on his own feet and joined the other two.

"Why the betrayal?" Shao Kahn asked her. "Was it because of Keisei? Because you feared that you lose my favor if you did not obey me?"

It took all of Ivy's will to not laugh in the Emperor's face at that. Still, her amusement was dancing in her blue eyes. "Far from it," she replied. The amusement then faded, replaced by a hint of solemnness. "Perhaps… briefly… I _may_ have loved you at one time during these months I've served with you, but it has since waned long before this."

"And when _exactly_ was that, my dear?" Shao Kahn questioned.

Ivy shook at the pet name he had called her for months. He might as well have spat acid in her face the way she recoiled at that. Still, she kept her defiance in check.

"You are more of a threat to the realms than even YOU realize!" she soon called out, her voice stronger now. She then narrowed her eyes at him. "The essence within you, the one you claimed after the Blood Tournament… do you _really_ have full control of it as you claim?"

Shao Kahn gritted his teeth underneath his mask. "You _dare_ to question my power? Of course I do!"

" **LIAR!** " Ivy screamed. She clenched her hand tighter around the hilt of her sword, feeling her anger well up within her. "I _saw_ you struggle against its power with my own eyes just yesterday! Do you have any idea the true power you hold within?!"

Ivy then straightened herself up, swinging her sword off of her shoulders before letting the uncoiled blade fall next to her side, the tip of it touching the ground. "Soul Edge… the essence you hold… I have fought against it for most of my adult life. If _you_ think that you're the most powerful being in the universe, you are wrong! That essence is the one the universe should truly fear! You may have control of it now, but one day, it will overtake you and make you mad, destroying everything around you, and eventually, it will destroy _you._

"I originally came to Outworld to serve under you in order to get close to the _Chishio No Me_ medallion… so that I may use its powers to finally destroy it. However, the medallion turned out to be the window _for_ Soul Edge; so that it may find its next host. _That's_ why it went after _you_ and that's why you now possess that power… because, somehow, you either lucked out, or it let you take its essence so that it may destroy you from within, slowly."

"And you knew this the entire time," Shao Kahn growled. "Why did you hold back this crucial information?"

"Because a part of Soul Edge runs through _my_ blood," Ivy explained. "Only now do I realize that it manipulated me the moment you gave me the real medallion the day I won the tournament. It made me believe this whole time that you truly had control of it… it made me go against my own home. I knew of my actions and thoughts even though a part of me fought against it… its powers are _that_ subtle.

"So if you, _conqueror_ of worlds, cannot control the essence of Soul Edge, then this conversation is over. As per my lifelong mission to eradicate anything that the essence controls, you must be destroyed!"

For a moment, Shao Kahn was silent as he comprehended what Ivy had said. Soon, however, he raised his war hammer with both hands, ready to annihilate her. He uttered only three simple words in reply;

"So be it."

With a roar, Shao Kahn ran forward towards her. Ivy did the same as she raised her sword, coiled it into one, and ran to meet him halfway. It wasn't long before their respective weapons clashed, and the sound of metal hitting metal echoed through the sound of the pouring rain.

Behind them, Jin looked on at the scene in astonishment. "This… Soul Edge," he started to say. "The way it controls… the way she talked about it… it explains so much." He frowned as he gazed down at his feet, which he noticed was covered in mud. "I'm… I'm sorry I ever doubted her… and Dhalsim for that matter…"

"Worry about that later," Kenshi suggested, he right hand clutching onto the hilt of his sword.

Ryu nodded in agreement, but added one other thing. "Now that Ivy's here, we might have a chance in winning this thing. Perhaps now, we can see if this legend will work."

Jin took a deep breath. "I hope so… we'll know soon enough."


	90. Chapter Eighty-Nine

**Wastelands**

Within the battle, Kazuya Mishima was proving to be a very superior fighter as he cleared house of the Outworld Forces who dared to go after him. It amused him when he thought about the fact that these morons had no idea of the kind of power that he possessed in his veins.

At one point, a Red Dragon in armor attempted to approach, but a single punch from Kazuya's fist, surrounded with red electricity, shattered the chest piece of the armor. The force of the blow also knocked the soldier back and sent him flying yards away from him.

A guard approached him next, and Kazuya nearly rolled his eyes at their stupidity. As soon as the guard was close, he evaded the opponent's weapon before performing a sweep kick, knocking the guard off his feet. Standing up, Kazuya landed a blow to the side of the guard's head, rendering him unconscious.

Next, a shadowed warrior approached and attempted various punches and kicks at him. Kazuya simply dodged them until he found and opening and delivered two forward kicks before shooting out a laser from his forehead. The laser pierced onto the shadow warrior's chest, the force sending him flying away almost as far as the Red Dragon soldier before him.

When that was over, Kazuya stood in his fighting stance, waiting for more opponents to approach him in their vain attempt to defeat him…

Not too far from there, Havik had just ripped off the leg of one guard from his body, causing him to fall back as he screamed with pain and agony, the blood draining from him. Deciding to just leave him there while still holding his leg, Havik gazed at his surroundings briefly.

"How does that human saying go again…" the Cleric of Chaos wondered briefly. He suddenly remembered as a Coast Guard soldier began to run towards him, his sword out and ready to strike.

"FORE!" Havik screamed at the top of his lungs before swinging the leg at the soldier with enough force to actually sever his head from his shoulders, causing it to fly off to the side before the rest of his body slumped to the ground.

Once that was done, Havik dropped the leg to the ground. Just as he began to turn around, he suddenly noticed a red laser shooting towards him, causing him to jump to the side before he was hit. He then looked over and saw a man with yellowish skin wearing green pants, black boots and knee pads, and a military cap on his head.

"Ah, you're one of those Red Dragons if I remember correctly," Havik said to him as he noticed the Red Dragon insignia on Hsu Hao's left knee pad. "I'll have you know that I am Havik, adviser for the Black Dragon."

The Red Dragon, Hsu Hao, narrowed his eyes at the cleric. "You made the mistake of revealing who you work for."

"Well that's where you're wrong, my friend," Havik replied. "You see, I don't work for them… I just advise what I think is good and it's their choice to act on it."

"… So you give orders then?"

Havik growled at that. "Orders?! How _dare_ you insult me! I am the Cleric of Chaos! Chaos is my way, and I will shatter your spine for you insolence!"

With quick succession, Havik bent his knees backwards before shooting out a projectile at Hsu Hao, who managed to move out of the way before he was hit. From there, Hsu Hao jumped high in an air in an attempt to stomp his opponent, but Havik moved away before he was hit. Hsu Hao landed on the ground, the mud splashing around him.

Havik then moved in close before extending both of his arms out and twisting his torso. He his Hsu Hao once in the face, but the Red Dragon subordinate moved out of the way before he was hit again.

When that was done, Havik repositioned his torso before stepping back. He then saw Hsu Hao closing in on him before spinning around and kicking him backwards, sending him stumbling backwards.

With a growl, Hsu Hao took one step before quickly clapping his hands together in front of him. As soon as his hands made impact, a large gust of wind was created with enough force to send Havik flying backwards a few yards before landing in the mud.

"Woo! That was fun!" Havik admitted as he started to get himself up. By then, Hsu Hao was running towards him again, and Havik noticed that he pulled out a pair of sun-moon blades, hold one in each hand.

"Weapon fight! I like those too," Havik said as he pulled out his mourning star. As soon as Hsu Hao within reached, their weapons clashed with a loud _clang!_ From there, they continued their combat…

Meanwhile, Kabal was clearing house, fighting whoever approached him, but clearly focusing on killing any Red Dragon soldier who attacked him. He mainly used his two hookswords to take them out quickly before focusing his attention on the next opponent.

After taking care of another Red Dragon soldier, Kabal turned his and happened to notice Mavado approaching him. Good thing he turned around… he would have hated a surprise attack from behind.

Mavado had already pulled out his own hookswords, holding one firmly in each hand. Kabal immediately got into a fighting stance, ready for his attacks.

No words were exchanged once the two enemies were within reach of each other. Kabal took the first opportunity as he used his inhumane speed to run forward fast enough to make Mavado spin like a tornado, his surprised yells amusing him. From there, Kabal shot out a projectile which hit the Red Dragon loyalist before flying a few feet away, eventually crashing into the mud.

Shaking his head, Mavado managed to stand back on his feet despite his dizziness. Kabal jumped forward and for a moment, their weapons clashed, the sounds of steel hitting against steel being heard. Eventually, one clash was hard enough for the both of them to lose

Mavado didn't give Kabal the chance to retrieve his hookswords as he landed two punches to his metal-covered face. One more punch was delivered at his chest before a side kick forced Kabal to stagger away.

Mavado then planned two rubber ropes to the ground before pulling himself back. He then activated a button on the rope that caused spikes to emerge from the bottom of his black boots. Once he was ready, Mavado launched himself forward towards his opponent.

However, Kabal had recovered by them and sidestepped away. He then attempted another projectile, but Mavado dug his rope in the ground again and maneuvered around Kabal.

Kabal turned to face him and, realizing how close he was to the Red Dragon, promptly head-butted him in the face. Mavado yelled out in pain as he staggered back. This distraction gave Kabal the chance to walk back and pick up his two hookswords before getting himself into a fighting stance.

"Let's see what you're made of!" Kabal called out once his opponent recovered.

With a growl, Mavado picked up his own hookswords. From there, the two launched towards each other and continued their battle…

On the other side of the battle, Heihachi Mishima was holding his own against the Outworld Forces. By this time, he had already decided that they were a large nuisance considering their role in trying to rule the world that was supposed to be _his!_ Plus their attack at his headquarters nearly two months ago had forced him to Keisei. Plus he had to suffer under a village who worshipped him like a God, only they turned to be cannibals intending to place him in a false sense of security before they sacrificed him.

Oh yes… the Outworld Forces will especially pay dearly for that experience alone.

Heihachi noticed a group of tarkatans approaching him, their blades out and ready to spill blood. Quickly, Heihachi jumped forward and performed a spinning double kick, knocking one back and breaking the teeth of the second, flipping him to the ground. Landing back on his feet, Heihachi turned and landed the back of his fist to the next who approaching, the force of him flipping him in a somersault before crashing onto his side.

A fourth began lashing his blades at Heihachi, who dodged and ducked away from them with ease. He eventually found an opening and delivered a palm strike to the tarkatan's stomach with enough force to send it hurling away in fast speed, eventually disappearing within the sea of fighters in the field.

When that was over, Heihachi straightened himself back up. It wasn't long before he noticed more enemies approaching. With a yell, the old man got into a battle stance, ready for more.

"It'll take much more to take me down," he said in a matter of fact…

Meanwhile, Maxi was able to take down the enemies with ease with his two nunchakus. Naturally, it was easy to fight the guards, but the shadowed warriors, the Red Dragon soldiers, and the tarkatans proved to be a bit more of a challenge.

Once he finished with defeating a tarkatan, Maxi turned around and noticed one fighter dressed in black and purple using a sword made out of water to fight against the Coast Guard soldiers.

"Huh, bet the rain is a good advantage for him right now," Maxi mumbled.

To his surprise, the sword was just as effective as the real thing when the water wielder managed to decapitate the soldier with the water sword. Clutching his hands around his nunchakus, Maxi began to approach him.

"HEY!" Maxi yelled out. The warrior whirled his head, getting his attention. Maxi proceeded. "Next time you want to throw that sword around, you might want to watch where you aim that thing."

The man huffed in amusement. "You of all people do NOT give orders to me. Do you know who I am?"

"Like I even care," the Keisei native replied with a roll of his eyes. "All I know is that you're with the Outworld Forces and that's all the information I need to figure out what kind of person you are."

The man growled in annoyance. "I am Prince Rain, one of the Generals of the Outworld Forces!"

"Huh, and just as snooty as one too," Maxi said in a matter of fact.

Rain stood in a fighting stance, narrowing his brown eyes at his new opponent. "You will die for your insolence!"

"Nothing new to me," Maxi replied as he got into his own stance. "Well, all right _Prince_ , this could be worth my while."

Immediately with a roar, Rain flew forward before swinging his water sword at Maxi, who immediately ducked underneath it. As he stood, Rain swung his sword again, forcing Maxi to block with his nunchakus. To his surprise, the sword was just as solid as the real thing, and he figured it had something to do with the amount of water pressure being developed in the weapon. Maxi also imagined that the rain falling around them was a great advantage to… Rain.

For a while, the two went back and forth with their respective weapons as they tried to overtake the other in the battle. Eventually, Maxi found an opening and used his fist to backhand Rain in the face with enough force to make the General stumble back. At the same time, Rain lost his grip on his sword, causing it to disintegrate and the remaining droplets falling into the mud.

With a growl, Rain raised his hand and quickly summoned a lightning strike. Maxi let out a shriek as the bolt suddenly appeared next to his side, barely missing him by a few inches. Naturally, he jumped to the side to avoid it, shaking his head once he was clear.

"Man, that is _not_ cool," Maxi said to him.

Rain then closed in on him again, throwing various punches and kicks at Maxi, who managed to duck and parry them before they connected. Maxi then waited for an opening before landing multiple kicks at Rain's chest before performing a flip kick. However, Rain saw this in time and was able to take a step back before Maxi's foot caught him below his chin.

As soon as Maxi landed back on his feet, he began to quickly move his nunchakus in fast speed at Rain. He had them go in different directions in order to keep the General guessing. Eventually, he crouched low and spun his weapons rapidly at his shins, but Rain jumped over them and backed away before he was hit.

More frustrated now, Rain summoned his powers and, to Maxi's dismay, the General trapped him in a bubble that was filled with water. He watched in delight as Maxi struggled to get out of the bubble as the water began to choke him. Rain thought to let him suffer and drown, but he realized it was too easy. So instead, he walked over to him and performed a roundhouse kick powerful enough to send Maxi flying all the way to the other side of the battlefield, his screams being heard until he was too far away to hear.

"There, that takes care of that pest," Rain grumbled before he rejoined the battle…

Nearby, Feng Wei was taking down as many of the Outworld Forces as possible. Although he was mainly fighting in order to help decide the fate of the universe, Feng Wei also took the opportunity to challenge himself in the meantime. He tried focusing on the stronger fighters in the battlefield, especially the very few shokan and centaurians who were there. It would also annoy him to no end when a guard tried to fight him since it usually only took him one or two punches to get them out of his way.

There was one particular centaurian he noticed not too long into the fight that he wanted to challenge; General Motaro, he eventually learned. He was definitely the biggest of the Outworld Forces. Not only would Feng Wei enjoy the challenge, but it was also a good excuse to take out one of the strongest forces of the army the Chosen Ones were battling against.

It took some time, but Feng Wei soon reached Motaro once the two cleared house. Naturally, it didn't take long for the centaurian to notice him. Realizing why Feng Wei was approaching him,

"You _dare_ challenge me?" Motaro asked almost mockingly. "I assume then that you wish to meet your death early."

In reply, Feng Wei stood in a fighting stance, accepting the challenge. This nearly made Motaro laugh, but he decided to amuse the puny human (even if he wasn't as small as the other Chosen Ones in muscle mass).

With a roar, Motaro ran toward in an attempt to trample the human, deciding to test him out. He ran a few yards before stopping, surprised to realize that Feng Wei gracefully moved himself around his hooves, ducking his head and spinning around at one point. When it was over, the two faced each other once again.

"That was just luck," Motaro declared.

In response, Feng Wei flew forward and attempted a high kick, which Motaro stepped away from. Feng Wei then tried three punches, then followed with two palm strikes, all which were blocked with ease. After the last strike, Motaro saw an opening as he lifted his two front hooves up and kicked Feng Wei's chest, sending him flying back before rolling onto the ground.

"That should take care of you," the centaurian huffed.

But to his shock and dismay, the human actually stood up as though he just simply tripped over his own feet. Feng Wei stood straight for a moment before he posed himself in a crane fighting stance, his eyes glaring at his opponent.

Motaro growled. "I don't know whether you're stubborn or you have a death wish, but either way, I will win!"

Once more, Feng Wei closed in to Motaro and attempted a high kick, which connected on Motaro's chest. He then followed with a shoulder ram with enough strength to make the General take a step back.

With another growl, Motaro spun himself around in an attempt to trip Feng Wei with his tail, but the human simple somersault over the attack, soon landed gracefully on his feet. As Motaro went to face him again, Feng Wei landed two punches on his torso before jumping up, somersaulting sideways while kicking upward, hitting Motaro's under his chin and making his head snap back.

Now pissed off, Motaro waited until Feng Wei landed on his feet before lifting his tail. At the top, he shot out a red projectile towards him, but Feng Wei simply moved out of the way before he began covering the space between them again.

Motaro then tried to crouch a bit in order to land some blows with his fist, but this only granted Feng Wei another opportunity. Taking a chance, Feng Wei jumped diagonally towards the centaurian and, with all of his strength, slammed his head into Motaro's.

The last move actually made Motaro severly dizzy before he collapsed to the ground, temporarily decommissioned from the battle.

Feng Wei stood there for a moment afterwards, moving his neck around to get rid of the kink he suddenly felt. He could also feel blood seeping from a fresh wound on his forehead, and he was also sure that he now had a mild concussion. But at least he managed to find the challenge he was looking for here in Outworld…

Nearby, Yoshimitsu was, of course, taking on the enemies easily. As the Manji Clan leader, it seemed as though most of Shao Kahn's lesser minions were trying to go after him in what seemed like a vain quest for glory, perhaps a good way to earn themselves a promotion.

Yoshimitsu wasn't sure how long he was in battle before he turned his head… and spotting a very familiar figure fighting a Red Dragon soldier in the distance. Yoshimitsu's hand clenched tightly around the hilt of his beloved sword as anger overtook him.

"Bryan Fury…" he growled.

Then, in fast speed, Yoshimitsu began running through the field, intending on taking care of the murderer once and for all. His mind briefly drifted back to the day he had brought a severely injured Bryan to Dr. Boskonovitch in hopes of giving him a new body. Bryan 'thanked' them by destroying the lab, injuring the doctor, and killing the Manji clan members who were posted there to protect the doctor and his work. The cyborg had earned Yoshimitsu's wrath for months.

Now, he would make sure that the scoundrel dies… and only then will he finally avenge his fallen soldiers.

Yoshmitsu wasn't surprised that, by the time he closed in on his enemy, that Bryan's sensors had detected his approach. Yoshimitsu swung his sword and Bryan immediately ducked underneath it to avoid decapitation. Bryan then turned to face the clan leader and, from there, they engaged in combat.

For a minute, Bryan was evading Yoshimitsu's attacks, including jumping over his swing sword when the clan leader tried to cut his feet off. Bryan then crouched low and attempted sweep kick, but it was Yoshimitsu's turn to jump over his attack, using his arm to levitate himself, his blade spinning like a helicopter.

Bryan's maniacal laugh was heard as he gazed up at Yoshimitsu. "You're going to regret starting this battle," he said.

"And you're going to regret ever killing my soldiers!" Yoshimitsu balked with malice.

Yoshimitsu then flew back to the ground and attempted to attack again. However, one swing of his sword ended up leaving him open, giving Bryan the chance to punch him three times in the stomach, stunning him. Bryan then followed through by pulling his fist back and slamming it into Yoshimitsu's mask. The glass over that protected the white mask concealing his face shattered upon impact and the force of the punch caused Yoshimitsu to stagger back.

Bryan then attempted to approach and knee him in the stomach, but then Yoshimitsu rapidly spun himself a couple of times, forcing Bryan back. The clan leader then stopped before he took out a small, green dust from his left pouch while Bryan recovered. The cyborg growled before he made his approach again.

When he was close enough, Yoshimitsu blew the dust right into Bryan's face. He knew that although his enemy was mostly machine, medical records from the doctor's lab showed that his eyes still had sensitive nerves. So the clan leader was delighted when Bryan was immediately blinded and began coughing violently as the stinging took its effect.

Yoshimitsu stood on one foot as he raised his sword next to him. Extending his free hand out in front of him, the clan leader took a moment to stretch his neck a bit. He then simply waited until Bryan recovered from the last attack. From there, they will continue…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

Through the pouring rain, the sound of steel hitting steel was heard as Ivy Valentine's sword clashed with the war hammer held by Shao Kahn. Ivy was nearly taken aback by the sheer force of the conqueror's attack, nearly being pushed back. She knew long before this inevitable fight that the Emperor was definitely no pushover if his overconfidence was anything to go back. Still, his strength was definitely not what she was expecting.

Now she could see why the other three had difficulty taking Shao Kahn down, even when working together.

 _I really hope this legend works_ _,_ the Keisei native thought to herself. _At this point, it's our only chance in winning this._

For a while, Ivy and Shao Kahn's weapons continued to clash as they both tried to overtake the other. At one point, Shao Kahn swung his hammer downward, but Ivy managed to kick his hand away. Though he still kept a good grip on his hammer, at least the move didn't connect to her head.

Ivy then took the opportunity to uncoil her sword before swinging it rapidly at the Emperor. Shao Kahn was forced to back away from the movements, but at one point, one piece of the blade managed to slice the exposed skin of his bicep, immediately drawing blood. Feeling the sting, Shao Kahn glared down at the wound for just a brief moment.

With a roar, Shao Kahn closed in on the woman, but Ivy stood her ground, clearly unafraid of him. She then ducked right underneath his hammer before moving in for a high kick. However, Shao Kahn grabbed for her ankle. Before Ivy realized it, she found herself hanging upside down.

"What-" Ivy started to say, but Shao Kahn suddenly swung her around before slamming her into the ground with force, the wet mud splattering around her. Ivy yelled out upon impact before she was promptly pulled back up. Being swung again, her body eventually slammed into the concrete pavement that connected to the bridge, leaving cracks underneath her. Ivy screamed out in pain before she was once more lifted off. From there, Shao Kahn simply tossed her to the side, sending her sideways until she landed on the ground, her hand still clutching tightly onto the hilt of her sword.

"It's official!" Shao Kahn yelled out to her. "You suck!"

By then, the Emperor heard the other three fighters running up to him, ready to take him down once more. _Fools… they'll never learn_ _,_ he thought as he turned to face them.

Jin Kazama was the first to approach. With a battle cry, he threw various punches and kicks at Shao Kahn. A couple of punches connected, causing the Emperor's head to snap sideways a couple of times. Eventually, however, Shao Kahn jumped forward, a green shadow trailing behind him as he kneed the youngest of the four warriors in the chest, the force throwing him back.

Ryu stepped in next as he attempted a hurricane kick, but Shao Kahn merely ducked underneath it before he was hit. Ryu then turned back around just in time to see the conqueror closing in on him. He clenched his fist, ready for this next move.

" _Shoryuken!_ " Ryu yelled as he performing an uppercut while jumping up into the air. The move actually connected underneath Shao Kahn's chin, causing his head to snap back and take one step away from him. However, as Ryu fell back towards the ground, Shao Kahn was able to recover and, taking the opportunity, jumped up and rammed his shoulder into Ryu, sending him flying back.

Shao Kahn then turned to the remaining fighter, Kenshi, who quickly teleported himself closer in a blue mist before throwing various punches and kicks at the Emperor. Shao Kahn managed to block them with ease, eventually finding an opening. He attempted a palm strike, but Kenshi had detected the attack and forced himself to step away a few feet to avoid being hit.

With the space between them, Kenshi quickly rose his right arm up a bit as his hands and head glowed in a blue aura. Shao Kahn anticipated an invisible hit, but was suddenly taken by surprise when Kenshi's sword suddenly moved out of its scabbard by itself before slashing quickly in an upward motion. Shao Kahn backed away, but the tip of the blade managed to leave a gash on his front torso, which immediately bled just like the cut on his arm that occurred moments ago. In response, Shao Kahn let out a roar as he unleashed a green projectile, which slammed into Kenshi's chest before it pushed him back a couple of yards.

By then, Ivy was back on her feet and despite the immense pain she was feeling from the last attack, she ran back towards the Emperor, her sword coiled into one piece again. By then, Jin and Ryu were on their feet again and doing the same, and it wasn't long before Kenshi followed suit.

When The Four reached the Emperor and completed surrounded him, Shao Kahn let out a roar as a green aura surrounded his body. The aura quickly expanded and hit all four opponents with enough power to push them back once again in different directions.

After landing, Ivy quickly rolled onto her feet before she ran back to the Emperor again while the other three took a moment to recover. Once within reach, the Keisei native lashed her sword at him, forcing the Emperor to duck and dodge out of the way.

This lasted for a bit until Shao Kahn saw an opening and immediately backhanded Ivy just below her collar bone. The force of the hit caused her to drop her sword and she found herself gasping for breath while coughing violently. Shao Kahn then grabbed her by the throat before lifting her off the ground so that she was at eye level with him.

"Your punishment for your betrayal will be severe!" Shao Kahn promised. He then raised his free hand and proceeded to bash his fist into her face in a back and forth motion a few times until he was satisfied. The impact left her daze and Ivy was sure that her face was going to be bruised and swollen soon enough. She also felt something thick and sticky going down the side of her head, and she figured that the Emperor managed to draw blood.

"Perhaps," Shao Kahn began to say. "If you happen to survive this, I will have you brainwashed the same way as Sindel was when she was first resurrected. That's what I should've done to begin with. At least then, your loyalty would have truly been certain."

Suddenly, Shao Kahn was tackled from behind with enough force to actually knock him face first into the mud, losing his grip on Ivy's throat. Ivy backed away quickly to leave some berth between her and the Emperor.

Shao Kahn soon tossed the person who attacked him to the side and off his back. It didn't take long for Ivy to recognize her rescuer; Jin Kazama.

Jin and Shao Kahn immediately stood up before they engaged in combat once more. Ivy was feeling dizzy at this point, but she could still see the fight without too much effort. She watched Jin fight with all he had, his teeth clenched and his eyes full of determination as he rained blow after blow on the Emperor. Some moves were blocked while others actually connected and hit the conqueror.

Then, Ivy's eyes widened more out of confusion as something began to happen to Jin's fists. The more he attacked, the more a green colored aura began to form around it. Even more curious, the more the color glowed, the more Jin got the upper hand as his landed more blows on the Emperor. The process was slow, but it wasn't hard to notice this from her point of view.

"What is that?" Ivy whispered, unsure of what to think as she tried to stand herself back up.

However, she didn't have more time to comprehend this before Shao Kahn managed to break through Jin's offenses and quickly backhanded the young fighter in the face, causing his head to snap sideways. Shao Kahn then grabbed him by the head before toss him forward. To Ivy's dismay, the Emperor threw Jin right in her direction. Before she knew it, Jin slammed into her and the two of them stumbled and rolled away from Shao Kahn, eventually coming to a stop right next to each other.

By then, Ryu and Kenshi were both back on their feet, and the two ran over to where Shao Kahn stood, giving the other two the chance to recover for a moment. This also gave Ivy the chance to look over at Jin, who was just beginning to sit himself up. His eyes were closed and one hand rested on his face.

Despite Jin's distrust towards her and her indifference towards him, Ivy spoke to him with concern in her voice. "Are you all right, Kazama?" she asked.

Jin shook his head as though trying to get rid of a dizzy spell. "Not sure," he whispered. "I feel more strange from the inside than injured, oddly enough. I can't describe it. It's like something's trying to take over me, but it's… not the one I'm much too used to. This is something else."

"Did you notice-" Ivy started to say, but she suddenly stopped as the green aura now began to form around Jin's body. It was more like a light mist and it seemed to move around a bit with the rhythm of the wind and rain. Despite that, the energy remained hovering over the young fighter.

"Jin?" Ivy questioned, unsure if even he noticed what was happening to him.

Right after she said his name, Jin removed his hand from his face before he opened his eyes. To Ivy's astonishment, his amber eyes were replaced with a glowing green color that reminded her of Shao Kahn's red eyes… only they were completely void of pupils and irises.

That was when she remembered something from her meetings with the chosen ones. Dhalsim mentioned that they all had a soul color that had helped him determined who The Four were. She knew hers was purple 'like an amethyst,' but she never found out what color the other three are. She wondered if green was Jin's soul color.

With that in mind, Ivy began to wonder if the _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend was now starting to take its effect.

~~~

**Wastelands**

After exiting the Outworld portal, the Wind God Fujin and the Fire God Liu Kang flew as quickly as possible to the scene of the battle. They eventually spotted their allies fighting against the Outworld Forest in the Wastelands. Fujin sighed with a bit of relief, having expected the scene to be much worse.

Still, he wondered how Dhalsim and The Four were doing in their fight…

"Some are injured and will need care after this battle," Liu Kang said to Fujin. "Others are… brainwashed under Shao Kahn's power. Is it… possible to free them with our powers?"

Fujin took a deep breath as he took a moment to analyze the brainwashed warriors now that he was finally in their presence. His eyes beamed once he figured it out. "Now that we are in their presence, and I can detect the effects of the brainwash, yes!"

Fujin smiled at realizing that fact, but it quickly faded when he realized something. "Remember Liu Kang, our powers here are limited. We won't be able to free everyone."

"That's right," Liu Kang sighed. "In that case, what do you suggest?"

Fujin thought this through for a moment before he made the decision. "Our powers will be needed once the battle is over. The injured will need the care, especially if their wounds are severe."

Liu Kang nodded, making his own decision. "You reserve your powers just for the injured. I'll use my power to restore the minds of the brainwashed. However, it's a matter of how many I can free."

"If you think you've reached your limit, stop what you are doing," Fujin suggested. "I don't want you to drain your energy."

"Okay," Liu Kang said after taking a deep breath. "We'll need more fighters on our side, so I'll start the process now."

Fujin nodded to him, and with that, Liu Kang flew down to the battle. He decided to keep himself invisible from the eyes of the mortals so that he wasn't detected, especially by the Outworld Forces.

It didn't take him long to find the first brainwashed warrior, and he was astonished when he realized who it was…

Meanwhile, Jade continued her fight with Tanya and Kitana. Tanya attempted to flip forward, her feet covered in flames. However, Jade jumped back before she was hit. Kitana then moved in by jumping up straight before flying forward in an attempt to punch Jade, but the green clad woman moved out of the way.

As Kitana landed, Jade closed in on her before delivering two kicks that connected to Kitana's torso, forcing the Princess to stagger back. She then used her staff to perform a sweep, knocking Kitana off her feet.

By then, Jade heard Tanya running up to her from behind. Once again, she pulled out her razor rang and threw it at the yellow-clad Edenian. This time, the razor rang actually cut Tanya on the side of her arm, immediately drawing blood. Jade saw her weapon fly into it imbedded itself into a guard's face, killing him instantly.

"Damn you!" Tanya hissed as she held her bleeding arm.

That was when they felt a strange energy near them. Confusion fell over the two enemies just before a white light hit them. Turning their heads, they saw that it was Kitana who was surrounded by the light.

"What the…" Jade started to say, feeling worried all of a sudden.

Kitana screamed as she levitated a foot off the ground, her eyes glowing briefly. Then, as quickly as it came, the light faded and Kitana fell to her knees. From there, Kitana struggled to stand up. As a precaution, Jade and Tanya both stood in their fighting stances, unsure of what to think.

Kitana was soon on her feet and she opened her eyes. Jade gasped as she noticed that they were no longer pale… they were brown, just as they before!

Kitana seemed confused at first, until she spotted her friend. Then, her eyes seemed to relax. "J… Jade?"

Jade immediately went to her side. "Kitana. Are you okay?"

Once again, Kitana was confused. "I… I don't know, I-"

The Princess suddenly stopped speaking as she spotted Tanya a few feet away. Pulling out her fans, she opened them up before getting into her fighting stance. "YOU!" Kitana yelled. Jade also got into a fighting stance, holding her staff in front of her.

Tanya's eyes widened in shock as she found her eyes scanning back and forth between the women, realizing that the tables had turned in Jade's favor. She had hoped to get the satisfaction of watching Kitana kill her best friend in her brainwashed state, but now it looks like Tanya's life would be the one whose life will end at this point.

Quickly, Tanya turned around and fled the scene.

"Oh you are _not_ getting away again!" Jade screamed. From there, she and Kitana began their pursuit for the traitor…

Nearby, Siegfried delivered a double kick at Sindel, who flew into the air before she was hit. From there, she performed a diagonal kick, her foot landing on Siegfried's head and causing him to stagger back. Getting back on the ground, Sindel punched him in the face before following with a kick to his chest.

She then tried and axe kick, but Siegfried stepped back and, while Sindel was open, delivered a head butt to the head hard enough to force her to stumble back. Sindel shrieked in pain as she held her face where his attack landed.

Then, something happened that Siegfried didn't expect… Sindel levitated a foot in the air, but she was quickly surrounded by a white light, her eyes glowing. She let out a loud scream in what sounded like agony and Siegfried stood in a fighting stance, anticipating anything at this point.

Then, Sindel began to fall back to the ground, and Siegfried took a few steps to catch the Queen before she fell in the mud. He then stood up and tried to shake her awake. "Sindel? Are you all right?"

"What the…" Sindel said in confusion as her eyes blinked open. She looked around briefly before she gazed at the young man's face. Siegfried was relieved when she saw recognition in her face. "Siegfried?"

Siegfried nodded. "Yes, it's me. We're in the middle of-"

Sindel suddenly pushed herself off of Siegfried's hold before she slapped him across the face, stinging his cheek. She then gave him a angry look. " _That_ was for breaking my daughter's heart!"

Siegfried shook his head before looking at the Queen again. Sure, he knew he deserved that, but that was a matter he was willing to discuss later. "Listen, we're in Outworld and, well… as you can see…"

By then, Sindel was looking at her surroundings, realizing what they were in the middle of. "How did it get to this?" she asked, clearly confused.

"That's something that'll need to be discussed later, considering this battle between the Chosen Ones and the Outworld Forces" Siegfried explained. "Do you think you can fight?"

That was when a guard attempted to attack them. Sindel immediately shot out a purple projectile, which hit the guard in the face and knocked him back and away from the duo.

Sindel stared at the young man after that. "I'm sure I can," she said before flying into battle. Siegfried took a deep breath after that before he rejoined the fight…

On the other side of the battle, the fight between Yang and Yun continued with the two of them exchanging maneuvers. At one point, Yun rammed his shoulder into Yang, knocking him back before stepping forward to elbow him in the chest, but Yang parried the move before it connected.

Yang then attempted a punch, which was promptly blocked before he tried to backhand with the same arm. Once again, Yun pushed it out of the way before he jumped up and performed a spinning roundhouse with both feet, knocking Yang back.

Shaking the pain off, Yang waited until Yun closed in on him again before stepping to the side and avoiding another punch. From there, Yang stepped in front of him, grabbed Yun by the shoulder, jumped up so that his feet were pressing into Yun's chest, and then flipping backwards, sending Yun overhead before he crashed into the mud.

By the time Yang stood up, he happened to notice a white light in the area where his brother had fallen. He turned his head, only to see that it _was_ Yun who was surrounded by the light as his body was lifted a foot from the ground. Yun's screams were heard as though he was being tortured.

"What- YUN!" Yang called out, feeling terrified all of a sudden. He stood where he was, unsure of whether or approach or not.

Then, the light dissipated and Yun's body fell to the ground. In response, Yang flew forward until he was within reach and got down on his knees. He turned his brother onto his back, and he sighed with relief as Yun let out a soft moan. His closed eyes tightened a bit before he opened.

They were brown once more.

Yang suddenly felt overwhelmed by the turn of events, but was able to keep his composure. Eventually, Yun's head turned to his brother before he gave him a clearly confused gazed.

"I didn't realize Earth's skies were purple," Yun said.

Yang chuckled at that. "That's because we're not on Earth at the moment. We're back in Outworld."

"How the… shit…" Yun mumbled as he began to sit up. Yang helped him up before they moved themselves to lean back towards the nearby statue. Yun's face turned into confusion as he noticed the raging battle around them. "So… how did we go from fighting in Hong Kong to fighting in Outworld?"

"It's… a very, very long story," Yang explained. "But I'll tell you everything once we win this fight."

Yun chuckled at that. "Worst… morning wake up call… ever."

Yang sighed. "You said it…"

Meanwhile, Cyrax's head snapped sideways as Jax jumped forward and smashed his fist into his face. The force also caused the cyborg to stagger sideways. It was at that point that Cyrax was glad to be a cyborg because he was sure that punch would have made his face cave in.

Still, he was sure that he was going to need his face plate buffed up if he survived.

He then noticed Jax approaching again and quickly teleported himself behind him. Upon reappearing, Cyrax performed his spin kick, but Jax moved himself out of the way before the move connected. Spinning around, Jax shot out a projectile, but Cyrax ducked underneath it just as he was pulling out his bomb, planning to slam it over his superior's head in order to knock him out cold.

That was when Cyrax noticed an odd reading in his system. He stopped in his tracks, wondering what it was about… until a white light surrounded Jax's body. Then, an invisible force lifted him off the ground before he let out an agonizing scream.

"What the hell?!" Cyrax yelled out as he moved a couple of feet back, unsure of what to think. Soon, the light faded and Jax fell to the ground.

"Jax!" Cyrax called out as he ran to his friend. He kneeled down next to his friend, wondering what the heck happened.

However, Cyrax didn't have to wonder for long before Jax opened his eyes, revealing pupils and brown irises. Cyrax inwardly sighed with relief at that.

"Hey buddy," Cyrax greeted. "My system is giving off strange readings, so I'll just ask; how are you feeling?"

"Ugh," Jax grumbled as he rubbed his face with his hand. He then gazed up and noticed his surroundings, a bit taken aback by what he was seeing. "Where the hell are we?" he asked.

"Well, we're in Outworld," Cyrax explained. "And we're in the middle of this battle that decides the fate of the universe and-"

That's when he noticed something and Cyrax turned his head to get a better look. He tilted his head as he immediately recognized the Special Forces traitor, Hsu Hao.

"Hey, isn't that Hsu Hao over there?" the cyborg asked as he pointed at him. Jax followed where he was pointing, and Cyrax was not surprised when his superior's face turned from confusion to pure hatred.

"Yeah, that's him…" Jax growled as he stood up on his feet. "Excuse me," he said before he began to approach the traitor.

Cyrax watched where he stood as Jax made his approach. As soon as he was within reach, Jax grabbed Hsu Hao by the shoulder and quickly turned him around. He then used both hands to grab for the edges of the cybernetic that was implanted in place of his heart.

" _Gotcha!_ " Jax yelled and, with one pull with all of his strength, ripped off the cybernetic heart from his chest. Hsu Hao screamed in terror at the sheer pain that rippled through his body, the blood quickly seeping from wide open gape in his chest.

Jax threw down the cybernetic to the ground with all of his strength. "That's what you get, traitor!" he yelled as Hsu Hao's life drained out of him, his body collapsing into the mud.

"Dayum!" Cyrax called out. Even he was feeling shocked by what he just witnessed. "You were _not_ kidding when you said that you would rip his heart out the next time you saw him."

"HEY!" Hsu Hao's opponent Havik yelled out after all of that. "I was creating chaos with that guy!"

Cyrax turned to Jax after that outburst. "Are you in the mood for a two-on-one battle?"

Jax stood in his fighting stance. "Bring it on!"

After taking care of Jax, Liu Kang realized how much significance there was in his power source after free four of the brainwashed warriors. There were still more brainwashed fighters in the crowd, but regretfully, he had to stop here. Any power he had left would have to be reserved for healing the wounded.

Afterwards, Liu Kang hoped that he and Fujin would have enough power to help the other brainwashed fighters before they return home… and that's if they win this battle at all…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

Ryu and Kenshi closed in on Shao Kahn at the same time right after he threw Jin at Ivy, the two of them flying back and landing in the mud. Naturally, Shao Kahn turned his attention to the two fighters just before they attacked.

It was Ryu who reached him first, and he quickly began throwing a handful of punches and kicks at the Emperor. Shao Kahn soon saw an opening and quickly reached an arm towards Ryu, quickly grabbing him in a chokehold before lifting him off the ground. By then, Kenshi had reached the conqueror, but with a free hand, Shao Kahn took a step forward before clotheslining the swordsman in the face, knocking him back first into the mud.

"I'll take care of _you_ momentarily," Shao Kahn said to Kenshi before he turned his attention back to Ryu. "Now… prepare to die!"

From the moment Shao Kahn got him in a chokehold, Ryu began to collected energy in his hands. Unknown to him, the color that formed in his palms were a mixed color of blue and red.

" _Hadouken!_ " Ryu shouted as his released his projectile. The energy managed to smash into Shao Kahn's chest with enough force to push him back, and the Emperor had no choice but to release Ryu from the chokehold. Ryu landed on his feet and crouched low before looking up. To no surprise, the Emperor was still on his feet after that attack.

"Foolish mortal!" Shao Kahn yelled. "That was pathetic!"

Then with a roar, Shao Kahn ran forward, forcing Ryu to straighten himself up and he met him halfway. When he was within reach, Shao Kahn threw a punch, but Ryu immediately ducked underneath it before delivering a palm strike to the Emperor's stomach with enough force to actually stun the Emperor for once. Ryu then stood up more before hitting Shao Kahn under his chin with an uppercut, causing the conqueror's head to snap back a bit.

By now, Ryu noticed the subtle glow of a red aura surrounding his fists, and it seemed to become more and more noticeable the more Ryu attacked. He also noticed a strange sensation within his chest as though the power within him was slowly growing with every movement he made.

Before Ryu could comprehend the new development further, Shao Kahn's fist suddenly connected to his face, causing Ryu's head to snap sideways to the right. Shao Kahn was then about to hit him again, but then was suddenly stopped by a pair of glowing green hands, holding him back. Taking a couple of steps back, Ryu got a good look at who just helped him out; Jin.

Ryu's eyes widened upon getting a good look at the younger warrior; his entire body was glowing in a green aura... green like a mawsitsit stone as Dhalsim predicted. What astonished Ryu more was Jin's eyes… they were glowing brightly and its color matched the rest of the aura around him, void of pupils and irises. Still, it wasn't hard to miss the determined look on Jin's face as he began to fight against the Emperor.

Ryu briefly gazed down at his hands, noticing the red aura that now began to surround his own body; red like a cardinal, he realized.

Clenching his fists, Ryu briefly gazed back up at the battle in front of him before running forward to help Jin, who was trying to get past Shao Kahn's defenses with various punches and kicks. Shao Kahn noticed Ryu's approach and, when Ryu threw a punch, Shao Kahn blocked it with his hand. It didn't take long for Jin to do the same, and Shao Kahn blocked with a free hand.

For a moment, the two warriors pushed against Shao Kahn's force. The more seconds that past, the more the two fighters were starting to get the upper hand, much to the Emperor's astonishment.

During that time, Shao Kahn had noticed the green aura around Jin and at first, he thought nothing of it despite his curiosity. However, seeing a similar aura in red around Ryu made him began to question what was going on. Briefly, as Ryu's face began to be written with the same determination as Jin's, he briefly closed his eyes while clenching his teeth. Then, when Ryu opened his eyes, his pupils and irises were replaced with the same glowing red color that surrounded his body.

That was when Shao Kahn realized what was going on… the legend of _Ano Sentaku Bou_ was now starting to form. However, looking over quickly at where Kenshi and Ivy were recovering, he saw that neither of them were consumed by the same energy just yet.

There was still time to eradicate at least one of them before the legend took complete hold.

When Shao Kahn looked away, Ryu and Jin took advantage of the brief distraction. Raising their free arms, they both punched Shao Kahn's chest at the same time with enough force to send the Emperor flying a few yards away from them before he crashed back first into the mud. He then rolled away before coming to a complete stop.

Briefly, Jin and Ryu gazed down at their own hands before they turned their attention to each other. Neither of them said anything at first as they both regarded the aura that surrounded their bodies as well as their eyes.

"So," Jin started to say, a very rare smile forming on his lips. "It looks like the legend is starting to kick in."

Ryu nodded in agreement. At the corner of his eye, he noticed Shao Kahn starting to stand up again. He spoke as he turned towards the Emperor. "Now let's see how this weapon works."


	91. Chapter Ninety

**Wastelands**

The rain seemed to be diminishing a bit, but not by much. Even so, the battle in the Outworld wastelands still raged on, showing no sign of stopping just yet, even if the combatants were getting sore and tired. However, it was their determination and will power that helped them keep going.

" _Rising kick!_ " Wagner called out as he performed a flip kick. The brainwashed Guile managed to step back before he was hit. From the corner of his eye, he saw Cammy starting to run towards him.

" _Sonic boom!_ " Guile shouted as he threw his yellow boomerang-shaped projectile at her. Seeing this, Cammy immediately slid herself underneath the projectile, letting it fly over her head. Sliding forward let her get closer to the Colonel.

" _Canon spike!_ " Cammy yelled out as she pushed her hands off the ground and attempted to hit Guile under his chin with her foot. Once more, he moved out of the way before the maneuver connected.

Cammy soon landed back on her feet before she closed in on Guile. She attempted a roundhouse kick, but Guile quickly got down on one knee, getting himself underneath the kick. Just as Cammy was on both of her feet again, Guile threw two punches that landed on her stomach before a sweep kick forced Cammy to crash into the mud.

Before she got up, Guile grabbed her by the hair before pulling her to her feet. He then used his free hand to punch her once in the face, knee her again in the stomach, then followed with a head butt to the face, knocking her back to the ground.

Guile was just approaching Cammy again when Wagner suddenly jumped onto his back, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. Cammy didn't miss the fact that Wagner's arms were surrounded with yellow electricity.

"I don't think so!" Wagner called out. A zapping sound was suddenly heard as Wagner used his powers to send a shockwave through Guile, hoping that the surge would knock him out. However, it only served to make Guile struggle against his grip.

Cammy sat up as he gazed up at Wagner. "Where the bloody hell were you while he was beating me to a pulp?"

"Sorry!" Wagner called out as he sent another shockwave through Guile, making the Colonel struggle even more. "One of those stupid guards tried to attack me, but I kind of had no choice but to-"

He stopped mid-sentence as Guile reached over and smashed his fist a couple of times into Wagner's face, dazing him and forcing the younger fighter to loosen his grip. Guile then grabbed Wagner by the head and spun himself around before Guile began to perform a German supplex.

"SHIT!" Wagner screamed just before the impact was made. His landed head first into the mud, and when Guile let him go, Cammy gasped when she saw that Wagner did not move after that.

"Scott!" Cammy cried out as she ran to her surrogate brother. Once within reach, she checked up on his vital signs… and sighed with relief when she saw that he was still breathing… he was just knocked out for the moment.

Then, Cammy heard Guile approaching again, and she felt anger well up within her. "Damn it," she grumbled as she straightened herself back up to face him. She realized then that, with Wagner knocked out, she was on her own against Guile… she can only hope to somehow end this fight without killing him…

Meanwhile, Hwoarang spun himself around before jumping as he attempted to land an upwards kick onto Baek's face. However, Baek managed to block the move with his forearm. Then, as he landed back on the ground, Hwoarang performed a roundhouse kick, but then Baek was able to grab onto his ankle with both hands.

"Damn it!" Hwoarang called out just as Baek pushed his leg back down before taking a step forward. From there, Baek threw two punches, which were promptly parried by Hwoarang. He then raised a leg to kick, which the red-head ducked from, but this gave Baek the chance to hit him with a spin kick to the face, causing Hwoarang's head to snap sideways. From there, Baek jumped up and landed another kick into his student's face with enough force to knock him into the mud.

At this point in the fight between them, Hwoarang was bloodied and bruised up as well as tired, wet from the rain, and covered in mud that wasn't going to dry off at any time due to the weather. Still, he was determined to try to find a way to free his master from the brainwash, but once more, he wondered how that was going to happen.

Hwoarang's thoughts were suddenly cut off as Baek covered the space between them and attempted an axe kick, forcing the younger fighter to roll back before getting himself back on his feet. Baek then tried a forward kick, but his student managed to parry the move with his hands.

As Baek took a step back after the parry, Hwoarang attempted his own axe kick, and it managed to hit his master in the shoulder, forcing him to keel over. Jumping forward, Hwoarang delivered a double kick to his chest before an uppercut snapped his head back, forcing Baek to stagger away a couple of feet. Hwoarang then stepped forward and kicked him in the ankle, causing Baek to jump on and stand on one foot before he fell. Taking the chance, Hwoarang delivered another roundhouse kick, knocking Baek into the mud.

Hwoarang was just about to close in on him then, but Baek quickly flipped back onto his own feet before he swiftly stepped forward. He then attempted a right hook, which the red-head blocked, but then a backhanded punched managed to connect onto Hwoarang's chest, causing him to suddenly gasp for breath and cough uncontrollably. Baek then jumped up before performing a double spin kick, the last one sending Hwoarang back to the ground.

Hwoarang gritted his teeth in frustration before he glared up at Baek, who was starting to approach him once more. At this point, there was no indication as of how to free his master, and the last thing he wanted to resort to was ending his life…

Not too far away, Chun Li was still fighting hand-to-hand with the criminal Kira. It was clear that neither one of them were going to back down from the fight just yet. Next to them, Alex and Sonya continued with their own one-on-one battle.

At one point, Kira backed up as Chun Li attempted a roundhouse kick. Kira then quickly rolled forward in fast speed as she tried to trip over the detective, but Chun Li jumped over her before landing where Kira had stood just moments ago. Getting back up, Kira turned around and faced her once more.

Kira then ran forward with Chun Li quickly getting into a hand stand. Jumping up while still remaining upside down, Chun Li got her legs into a split before propelling herself forward like a human helicopter.

" _Spinning bird kick!_ " she called out just as her foot connected to Kira's face, knocking her off her feet. Once that was done, Chun Li dropped down onto her hands and turned herself before flipping back and standing up again. Getting herself into a snake pose, she gave Kira a moment to get herself back on her feet.

With a growl, Kira ran forward again, but as soon as she reached her opponent, Chun Li performed two kicks to her face, knocking her back again. At least this time, the red-head was able to stay on her feet.

More frustrated now, Kira reached for her black boots and drew out her fighting knives. With a yell, she flew forward before rapidly lashed her weapons at the detective, who was forced to dodge and maneuver out of the way before the blades cut her. For the moment, Chun Li began to calculate when to make her next move.

Next to them, Alex closed in on Sonya in an attempt to knee her in the stomach, but the blonde was able to parry the move. Alex then couched low for a sweep kick, but once more, Sonya avoided the hit by jumping over it. As soon as Alex stood back up, Sonya stepped forward before kicking Alex in the stomach, causing the brunette to keel over in sudden pain before an uppercut to the face forced Alex to spin and stumble back, holding her left cheek where she was just hit.

Alex shook her head quickly as she tried to keep her focus, especially when she heard Sonya's footsteps approaching her again. Turning to face her brainwashed comrade, Alex quickly kicked Sonya in the stomach, making the blonde-haired woman keel over this time. Alex then stepped forward, spun around, and landed a blow to the face with her elbow with enough force to make Sonya stagger back as he held her face in pain.

Even after that, Sonya remained resilient as she quickly recovered from the move. With a yell, Sonya closed the space between her and Alex before the two women exchanged punches and kicks, changing between offense and defense. However, it didn't last long before Sonya broke through Alex's defenses by slamming her knee into her stomach again, stunning Alex. She then grabbed for Alex's shoulder, spun herself around so that her back was towards the brunette, and quickly dropped to the ground, smashing Alex's head into her outstretched arm.

The last move knocked Alex out cold, and Sonya simply let her drop to the ground before getting herself back on her feet. Next to her, Chun Li had just pushed Kira away and saw what just happened. Unsure of what the blonde would do next, Chun Li realized that she had to draw her away somehow.

"Sonya!" Chun Li called out. That definitely got Sonya's attention as she quickly turned her head before her pale eyes glared at her.

Kira was amused by what she was seeing. "Such a shame," the red head said mockingly. "You're little friend is knocked out and now you're in a two-on-one fight… such a shame indeed."

With determination, Chun Li got into a fighting stance, not backing down just yet. It didn't take long before both Sonya and Kira began to go after her…

Meanwhile, Cody found himself avoiding Guy's _Bushin Seppukyaku_ , backing himself away from his spinning maneuver. However, as soon as Guy landed, he flipped himself back, his foot smacking underneath Cody's chin, causing his head to snap back. From there, Guy stepped forward, elbowed him in the chest, and followed through with a spin kick with enough force to making Cody stumble away.

Still, Cody managed to keep on his feet and was able to recover just as Guy reached him. Avoiding another kick, Cody soon landed two punches into his face, then followed with a roundhouse that made Guy stagger sideways. Afterwards, he lifted his foot again before gliding forward, eventually hitting Guy's face. Once more, Guy stumbled back as he held his face in pain.

" _Criminal Upper!_ " Cody called out as he performed an uppercut that created a tornado between his fist and the ground. However, Guy saw this coming before flipping himself back, creating a berth between them.

"Damn it," Cody growled in frustration.

Suddenly, Guy glided forward, spinning around while crouching low before straightening himself up while performing his own uppercut. Seeing this before he was hit, the former criminal moved himself out of the way before the move was able to connect under his chin.

In retaliation, Cody jumped forward before performing a series of kicks in mid-air with both feet. The maneuver was able to connect, hitting Guy multiple times before the last kick sent him hurling back before hitting a nearby broken statue. He then fell face first into the mud.

Landing back on his feet, Cody found himself not moving right away as Guy began to start getting himself up, clearly not done with their fight just yet. This gave Cody a little more time to think. For almost eight months, Guy had been under this brainwash that seemed completely absolute. In the back of his mind, Cody didn't think that there really was a way to break the brainwash that held onto the mind of his long-time friend.

Cody never wanted it to get to this point, but he didn't think there was any other way to free Guy… aside through death. His fists shook just thinking about it.

Eventually, Guy returned to his feet and sprinted forward towards Cody, who shook his previous thoughts out of his mind. For now, he would focus on the fight at hand…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

Moments ago, Kenshi and Ivy managed to get themselves back on their feet after being knocked into the mud. The rain was still pouring, though at this point, it wasn't with as much force as it was a few minutes ago. Just like Ryu and Jin, they were both covered in mud, sweat, and blood. Parts of their clothes were shredded and torn, which were also soaked along with their hair. Needless to say, they were tired, Ivy less so than the other three. Still, their fighting spirits and their will to save the universe remained, especially now with the indication that the _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend was beginning to take its course if the green and red aura surrounding Jin and Ryu respectfully was anything to go by.

Kenshi slightly turned his head to the woman standing a few feet away. "It seems like the legend really does work when the four of us combine our power."

Ivy nodded in agreement. "So it would seem. But I doubt we're seeing its true potential just yet…" She then realized what she just said as his red blindfold reminded her why he wore it over his eyes to begin with. The Keisei native cleared her throat. "…So to speak."

"Believe it not, I can see their soul colors the way you are, I'm sure," Kenshi explained, referring to Jin and Ryu. "But other than that, they're black silhouettes to me."

"I… see," was all Ivy could say at the moment.

At that moment, Kenshi raised his left hand, and his head tilted down as though he was gazing at his palm. He then quickly clenched his hand into a fist before he tilted his head up towards where Jin and Ryu were fighting Shao Kahn. A split second later, he began sprinting towards the scene.

In the fight, Ryu attempted a hurricane kick, but Shao Kahn was able to grab for his foot before tossing him sideways, sending Ryu flying until he skidded through the mud, eventually coming to a stop. The Emperor then dodged a few punches and kicks for Jin before he found an opening. Taking the chance, Shao Kahn grabbed a hold of Jin's throat before lifting him up and promptly slamming him back first into the ground, the mud splattering around them.

Shao Kahn then went to raise his free hand in preparation to land a blow when an invisible force suddenly grabbed a hold of that arm. With an annoyed growl, the Emperor gazed up and saw the blind swordsman with his hands out, his face clearly indicating his concentration. That's when the Emperor realized something… the blue aura that normally surrounded Kenshi's head and hands whenever he unleashed his powers was beginning to surround the rest of him, though it was currently a faint mist.

In the back of his mind, the Emperor wondered if this was just part of Kenshi's powers rather than the legend that was foretold.

With a growl, Shao Kahn attempted to break the hold, but with a roar, Kenshi was able to push back with more strength, soon sending the enemy flying back a few feet before he crashed into the mud on his side. From there, Kenshi released his hold and began to close in on the Emperor, who swiftly got back on his two feet. With another battle cry, Kenshi unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks. Some were blocked, and some managed to connect, stunning Shao Kahn for just a moment each time.

Then, when Kenshi delivered a left hook, Shao Kahn immediately stepped sideways before promptly reaching behind Kenshi's head and grabbed hold of his crimson blindfold by its tail. The Emperor intended to quickly snap the swordsman's neck in two so that the legend didn't have the chance to completely manifest. However, to the Emperor's surprise, Kenshi swiftly twisted himself out of the grip. In the end, the Outworld ruler found himself only holding the blindfold, its owner stepping back a few feet.

In frustration, Shao Kahn threw the blindfold to the side before turning his attention back to the swordsman. By now, the blue aura was more noticeable and, like Ryu and Jin before him, Kenshi's eyes were glowing with the same intensity, its color matching with the rest of his form.

Chillingly enough, despite the swordsman's disability, he seemed to be staring right at the Emperor intently and with disdain.

By now, Jin and Ryu were up and joined Kenshi, their respective auras engulfing them. Raising one hand, Shao Kahn summoned his war hammer once more before he began running forward with a battle cry. The other three yelled out as well as they also began to run, intending on meeting the Emperor halfway.

A few yards from the scene, Ivy was ready to fight again. Raising her sword, Ivy swung it in an angle, causing it to uncoil. As she did this, the Keisei native felt a strange sensation from within, and it took her a brief moment to realize that it was exactly what Jin described to her a little while ago; it's like something was trying to overtake her, but it felt strange more than threatening. Other than that, she wasn't sure what else to think.

However, one thing was for sure… the legend really was starting to work.

Without any more hesitation, Ivy raised her sword and began running forward, intending on joining the fray. Unknown to her, a very light, purple mist began to form around her.

It didn't take long for Ivy to start swinging her sword, forcing Shao Kahn to duck, dodge, and block with his hammer. At the same time, he was also trying to avoid the attacks coming from Jin, Ryu, and Kenshi, but it wasn't long before he was starting to become overwhelmed by The Four, all consumed by the power the legend foretold.

Anger taking over him more than ever, Shao Kahn let out a roar as he wildly began to swing his hammer, first hitting Ryu, followed by Jin, the two of them flying away in different directions. He then tried to hit Kenshi, but the swordsman promptly blocked the maneuver with his sword, the force of the hit pushing him back a bit. Then, taking the opportunity, Ivy swung her sword forward before the tip of it wrapped around the hammer's hilt. Then, with all her might, she pulled the hammer right out of Shao Kahn's hand, sending it a few yards away behind her. Pulling her sword back, Ivy shifted it so that it coiled back, making the weapon one piece again.

Even more pissed off now, Shao Kahn began to step forward towards the woman, intending on ending her life, but Ivy was ready for him. With a battle cry, she quickly dug the tip of her sword into the ground. A split second later, the tip reappeared just a few feet away, the force of it hitting Shao Kahn and knocking him a few feet into the air before he landed back first into the mud.

Shao Kahn immediately sat up after that move, and he glared at Ivy. That was when he noticed the purple mist around her body, and the matching glow in her eyes. He realized right then and there that the legend now possessed The Four… but he was still breathing… he can still see to their annihilation.

The Emperor slowly got back on his feet, not willing to bow down just yet. By then, Jin and Ryu were standing again, and the two of them joined Kenshi and Ivy, neither of them showing any weariness from being hit by his weapon a couple of minutes ago.

Clenching his teeth, Shao Kahn raised one arm and summoned his war hammer once more. When it was back in his hand, he got himself into a fighting stance as he narrowed his eyes at The Four.

"So… _this_ is _Ano Sentaku Bou_ _,_ " the Emperor growled. He gives all four warriors a defiant look, not letting a mere legend threaten him. "No matter… you are still mortals, and you will all meet your demise!"

~~~

**Wastelands**

With the rain falling upon his shoulders, Kabal used his hookswords to block Mavado's incoming attacks while also using hookswords. The sounds of clashing steel echoed in their ears with each attack Mavado attempted but was blocked by Kabal.

The hooksword battle went on for some time… at least until Mavado had enough with dealing with Kabal's defenses. Backing up quickly, Mavado unleashed a pair of springs from the sleeve of his black trench coat, the ends hooking tightly onto the muddy ground. Mavado then quickly pulled himself back before launching himself forward, his feet extended out. Seeing this however, Kabal stepped out of the way and, for a moment, the Black Dragon leader thought he was in the clear… until Mavado launched back from behind him and hit him in the back, causing Kabal to fly forward. It wasn't long before he landed face first.

Kabal turned on his back after, and he saw that his had lost his hold on his hookswords, the two weapons falling not too far from him. He saw that Mavado was stalking towards him, his own two weapons in each hand. Kabal quickly flipped himself onto his feet, but by then, Mavado swung his hookswords sideways. Kabal jumped away, but not before one tip of the weapons managed to leave a gash on his arm, which immediately bled.

"Shit!" Kabal called out as he felt the sting on his arm. He looked down at his arm briefly and saw that it wasn't as bad as he initially thought… another scar to add to his body amongst the sea of burn scars he received long ago.

Mavado then tried to close in on him again, swinging his hookswords, but Kabal was more prepared this time. The Black Dragon leader ducked under his next attack while moving himself forward. Now within reach, Kabal immediately punched Mavado twice in the face before landing a blow in the stomach with his knee, causing Mavado to keel over. With that distraction, Kabal shot out a purple projectile that hit the Red Dragon in the chest, sending him flying away before he crashed back first.

This gave Kabal the chance to pick up his two hookswords as Mavado got himself back up. With his own weapons in hands, Mavado let out a yell before launching forward, ready to fight once more.

Kabal laughed at this. "Let me show you who the _real_ hooksword master is!"

When he was close, Mavado swung his weapons downward, and Kabal quickly maneuvered himself so that he ended up behind the Red Dragon. Then, using his hookswords, he dug the hooks right into Mavado's shoulders, immediately drawing blood and making Mavado to scream in pain.

Twisting the hooksword while it was still in Mavado's shoulders, Kabal quickly lifted him up off the ground and spun around before smashing Mavado head first into the mud. Once that was done, Kabal released his hold on Mavado, who had since lost consciousness from the last impact.

Seeing his chance to end Mavado's life, Kabal lifted his weapons up, ready for the kill. "Now to end you!" he declared.

However, before Kabal could finish him, he was suddenly tackled by another Red Dragon member. In frustration, Kabal was forced to defend himself against his new enemy. He would get his chance to take care of Mavado when he was through…

Meanwhile, the fight between Yoshimitsu and Bryan raged on as the two fought for dominance. Bryan saw to get the Manji 'pest' out of the way. Yoshimitsu, however, saw to finally kill the cyborg responsible for the death of some of his clan members.

The two fought hand to hand for a bit before a head butt from Bryan knocked Yoshimitsu back… it actually had enough force to shatter the white mask that covered his face since the glass protecting it had broken a little while ago. Bryan grinned at this, realizing that he was going to get the chance to see his nemesis's ugly face.

However, when Yoshimitsu turned and glared at him, the smug look on Bryan's face was quickly replaced with astonishment… turned out somewhere in that helmet, Yoshimitsu had a matching mask, and his face was completely covered again.

"What the-" Bryan started to yell, but was promptly kicked away by Yoshimitsu's somersault kick.

Once standing again, Yoshimitsu got into a fighting pose. "You think you're the only one with high-tech gadgets?" he said with some amusement.

Clearly without the same kind of humor, Bryan stood back up with an angry scowl on his face. He quickly closed in on the clan leader, jumping forward in an attempt to land a kick, but Yoshimitsu was able to step away. Bryan then jumped again, trying to deliver a downward kick, but once more, missed as Yoshimitsu moved away.

"You're tricks will only get you so far!" Bryan called out.

"As are yours," Yoshimitsu reminded him.

He then jumped forward, spinning himself around before he attempted to slash his sword at Bryan, but the cyborg stepped back before the blade cut him. Then, as soon as was on his feet, Yoshimitsu spun himself around rapidly, the maneuver forcing Bryan to keep away.

However, Yoshimitsu cursed himself when he realized he spun one too many times as he suddenly felt dizzy, his body staggering back. With a maniacal laugh, Bryan grabbed Yoshimitsu by the throat before lifting him up and slamming him back first into the mud.

Bryan laughed again before speaking. "Now I can finally kill you once and for all!" he declared.

At the edge of the battle, Quan Chi was starting to have a strange feeling from within… no; it had nothing to do with his current battle with his nemesis, Scorpion. After knocking the spectre back with a skull projectile, Quan Chi gazed up towards the sky, soon realizing what it was… the aura in the air was changing.

It took another moment for Quan Chi to figure it out… Shao Kahn was losing whatever battle he was in. The Emperor's reign on Outworld, and what he had on the universe, was beginning to lose its hold. Whether or not Shao Kahn would actually break through and prevail was questionable at this point.

Either way, Quan Chi did not plan to stick around and find out, not while he had the chance to survive, and possibly, steal the throne of Outworld for himself.

By now, Scorpion was getting back on his feet. In that moment, Quan Chi realized that it was now or never. He would escape for a few days… and then return and begin his process of taking over Shao Kahn's throne. With that in mind, he quickly used his powers to form a portal. In his rush to flee Outworld, Quan Chi did not even think about where he would head to next, only that another realm was feasible at this point, even the Netherrealm.

Naturally, this angered the ninja spectre when he saw what the necromancer was doing. "Get back here, coward!" Scorpion hollered, but by then, it was too late. Quan Chi turned around quickly jumped through the portal. Scorpion tried to chase him, but then the portal closed as soon as Quan Chi went through it.

Scorpion stood there for just a moment before he threw his head back and let loose an angry, howling scream towards the sky…

Back in the battle, the raging fight between Sub-Zero and Noob Saibot continued. At this point, they were both fighting hand-to-hand since they knocked their weapons out of each other's hold not too long ago.

Soon, Noob shot out a projectile from his hands, which Sub-Zero sidestepped away from. However, this left the ice warrior open, giving the Brotherhood leader the chance to slide over, soon ramming his shoulder into Sub-Zero, the force sending him a few Noob then began to stalk towards the Grandmaster, but Sub-Zero quickly used his powers to create a frozen puddle just in front of the shadow warrior's feet. Noob ended up stepping onto the ice patch. From there, Noob began slipping and sliding, and he moved his upper body around to make sure he didn't end up crashing down at all.

This gave Sub-Zero the opportunity to get back up before shooting an ice projectile at him. A thin layer of ice formed around Noob, freezing him in place. Once that was done, Sub-Zero quickly approached his brother before hitting him with a roundhouse to the side, shattering the thin ice and sending Noob away before he hit the ground.

Upon landing, Noob immediately sunk into the ground, forcing Sub-Zero to stop in his place. He gazed around quickly to see where Noob would appear next… only to be suddenly grabbed from behind and pulled under. The two only disappeared for a moment before they emerged from a portal in the sky. From there, Noob slammed Sub-Zero into the ground back first.

After that, Noob got himself on his feet before he summoned his scythe. Seeing this, Sub-Zero quickly formed his ice sword while slowly getting himself back up. However, the Grandmaster was only able to get to his knees before Noob swung down, forcing him to block with the ice sword.

From there, the brothers pushed their weapons against each other in order to try to overtake the other. Their arms shook as they forced more pressure, but eventually, Sub-Zero was able to gather enough strength to begin getting himself back on his feet. However, Noob started to gain momentum, his glowing eyes narrowing at the ice warrior as he pushed his scythe more and more against the sword towards Sub-Zero's chest.

Then… the ice sword shattered under the pressure. This surprised Sub-Zero and he immediately attempted to pull back in order to leave some space between him and Noob. He was only able to take two steps back when a sudden, sharp pain hit his shoulder and practically pulled him forward violently before he could take a third step. The sudden pain that hit him caused him to throw his back and clench his teeth tightly in order to keep himself from screaming.

Sub-Zero then looked to see what hit him… and saw the blade of Noob's scythe digging into his left shoulder.

For the moment, the two brothers stood there as the scythe remained in Sub-Zero's shoulder, his blood beginning to slide down his torso and left arm. Before long, Noob pulled the scythe out of the Grandmaster's shoulder, and Sub-Zero soon found himself back on his knees, his right hand clutching onto his fresh injury.

"Damn," Noob uttered in disappointment. "I missed your heart."

Sub-Zero huffed in half amusement at that. "I'd say you were _way_ off."

With a roar, Noob used his fist to punch Sub-Zero in the face, forcing him on his back. From there, Noob walked towards him before slamming his foot into the ice warrior's chest, pinning him down. Then, the shadow warrior raised the scythe up in preparations to finally kill the Lin Kuei leader.

"Now," Noob began. " I will send you to the Netherrealm!"

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

The fact that the four fighters standing before him were surrounded by different colored auras did nothing to sway Shao Kahn's resolve. If anything, it made him even more determined to end them. He already had a plan in mind; kill and steal the souls of the three men and brainwash and enslave Ivy for eternity... he could always resurrect her if he ended up killing her. He can only imagine the kind of power he would possess once he had The Four in his grasp.

With a roar, Shao Kahn flew forward and, once within reach, he began to rapidly swing his war hammer at The Four. To his dismay, all four of them ducked and dodge out of harm's away with ease. The more the mortal warriors moved, the more the four colors surrounding them seemed to begin to blend, eventually leaving the Emperor confused and disoriented as to where exactly the enemies were located. In frustration, Shao Kahn was forced to back away to give himself the chance to regain himself.

Taking advantage of this, Jin stepped forward first before slamming the back of his fist into Shao Kahn's chest with enough force to stun him. He then followed through with two uppercuts under the Emperor's chin, a forward punch to his chest, and finally, he jumped up and delivered a kick that knocked the Outworld ruler back, causing him to stumble.

Shao Kahn then heard footsteps behind him, but when he turned around, he was suddenly met with Ryu's hurricane kick, the spinning move hitting him rapidly in the chest before the last hit made the Emperor take two steps back. Shaking his head, Shan Kahn tried to hit Ryu with his hammer, but Ryu ducked underneath the swing before delivering a punch to Shao Kahn's abdomen, the force causing him to keel over as he began to gasp for breath. Ryu followed through with two more punches before jumping up and performing his uppercut, the move sending the Emperor into the air.

As Shao Kahn began to fall back down, he was caught by an invisible force, but then was promptly tossed sideways. Just before the Emperor thought he would landed on the ground, the invisible force violently pulled him back and, before he knew it, he smashed into what remained of one of two statues that guarded the bridge leading to his fortress. Even despite the pain that coursed through him, Shao Kahn turned his head as he began to stand back up, noticing Kenshi approaching him. With a roar, Shao Kahn threw his hammer forward, but to his surprise, Kenshi quickly drew his sword out from behind him and, before the hammer hit him, Kenshi swung his weapon in a downward angle, hitting the hammer and sent it flying back towards its owner.

This promptly forced the Emperor to move out of the way and his hammer ended up hitting the statue base and bounced off before landing on the bridge. Shao Kahn only took two steps before something quickly wrapped around his throat before a heeled foot hit him in the back, forcing him on his knees. He was then pulled back as the same foot that kicked him before pushed into his upper spine.

Behind him, Ivy clenched her teeth as she put all of her strength into the hold. The fact that Shao Kahn was beginning to pull on the uncoiled sword's hold around his neck didn't escape her notice. Ivy quickly pulled him back.

"Mark my words," Ivy began to promise through clenched teeth. " _We_ will destroy you."

She then noticed Shao Kahn summoning his own powers, a green aura glowing around his hands. Ivy gasped as she realized that he was about to shatter her beloved sword. Not willing to see that happen, Ivy had no other choice but to pull away, the sword releasing its hold on the Emperor before it coiled back into one piece.

The hold had cut into Shao Kahn's neck, so there were some fresh wounds that were bleeding, the red droplets sliding down towards his chest. Still, he ignored it as he stood back up before turning around to face Ivy. His red eyes immediately narrowed, and Ivy could sense his seething anger, which was no surprise to her.

Shao Kahn pointed at Ivy. "Soon, _you_ will bow to me!"

He was just stepping forward before a projectile hit him from the side. Staggering sideways, Shao Kahn was able to stay up before he began to turn towards his next opponent; Ryu. However, Ryu was already close enough to deliver a right hook to Shao Kahn's head, causing it to snap sideways, and Ryu didn't miss the fact that the Emperor's helmet was beginning to crack.

Ryu then followed with more rapid punches and kicks. There were a few that Shao Kahn blocked, but once more, the brightness of the red aura around his opponent only served to confuse him. This gave Ryu the chance to attack more, the strange feeling in his chest becoming stronger and stronger with each blow he landed. He soon ended his flurry with a kick to the chest, sending him away.

Standing not too far away, Ivy didn't hesitate to attack next as she spun herself around and landed her heel into Shao Kahn's chest, knocking him back a couple of feet. She then spun around to face him before delivering a knee strike to his stomach, forcing him to keel over. Finally, Ivy used a free hand to deliver an uppercut to his face, the force of it causing more cracks to appear on his helmet.

Jin jumped in afterwards as he threw two punches at Shao Kahn. The first he missed, but he managed to hit his face the second time. Jin then ducked down as Shao Kahn tried to retaliate with his own punch, and Jin took the opportunity to perform a sweep kick. The move connected and Shao Kahn was forced to stagger forward. Jin then straightened himself back up, delivered an uppercut under his chin, and then raised his leg up high and delivered a roundhouse kick, sending Shao Kahn stumbling back a few feet. The last impact created more cracks on the helmet, and this time, a few pieces loosened and fell off the helmet.

Just as Shao Kahn regained himself, Kenshi quickly closed in on him before delivering three punches to his face, the last one knocking him back a foot. Then, Kenshi took a step back and raised one hand before he unleashed a misty blue projection of himself that launched towards the Emperor. As soon as the apparition reached him, it hit him with two stimulus punches to the face before a kick hit the Emperor in the stomach, causing him to keel over once again. It was then followed by two more punches, one in the chest, and the last one in the face with enough force to knock Shao Kahn back… and finally shatter half of the frontal part of his helmet, the pieces falling to the ground. The Emperor found himself flying back a couple of yards before crashing into the ground.

The rain around them was still falling, and by now, the strange sensation that The Four were feeling from within was stronger than ever to the point it was just starting to become unbearable. The Four stood next to each other with only a few feet in between them, their respective auras glowing with more and more intensity. They all wondered the same thing; how much longer could they control it before it practically burst out of them?

It was Jin who spoke first. "So why do I have the feeling that this… feeling in my chest is going to make me explode from the inside?"

Only one of them was able to understand what was going on… Ryu was the only one amongst The Four who can shoot out projectiles from his hands. He remembered a similar feeling when he was first training to use the _hadou_ to his advantage… it also had the building feeling within, almost to the point of losing control and feeling like he was going to explode. He had since perfected the art long ago, so it took him until now to realize that the feeling within his chest was very close to what he felt during his training all those years ago.

With that in mind, Ryu had a good feeling as to how The Four can use their new power within… and it was most likely the one way that they can finally defeat the Emperor once and for all.

Ryu spoke up after a moment of silence. "The legend said that our energies, the ones that create the balance of good and sin, are the one that can be used as a weapon when the four of us combine them together."

"Then I assume the 'energies' are the ones building within us right about now," guessed Kenshi.

"Makes sense," said Ivy. "So how do we unleash it?"

Ryu moved both of hands, his palms facing each other before shifting them to his side as though he was about to shoot out another _hadouken_. "Hopefully, it works the same way when I use my own powers. Just focus the energy in your chest and channel it into your hands. Let it build until you can hardly contain it."

"The way you say it, I _really_ hope it does work," said Jin as he posed the same way Ryu was. "The last thing the universe needs right about now is four exploding bodies before they had the chance to end the war."

"If that happens and you happen to survive, Ryu," Ivy started to say as she began to follow his advice. "My spirit will haunt you for eternity."

Kenshi was the last to start focusing the energy into his hands. "Let's just finish this," he highly suggested.

The Four began to focus the building energy into their hands, forcing it to transfer from within their chest where it was forming to begin with. It didn't take long before a new aura formed in between Ryu's hands, eventually forming into a a solid, glass-like red ball that looked similar to a large marble the size of a basketball. Jin happened to see this and he couldn't help but frown a little.

"Well, you're definitely an expert," Jin sighed.

"Just keep your focus," Ryu advised.

A few seconds later, Kenshi was the next to form his energy ball similar to Ryu's but in blue. Even with the formation, he could feel the energy's concentration as it became stronger and stronger with each passing second. In the back of his mind, he wondered how much longer he could contain it while Jin and Ivy focusing on forming theirs.

Ivy had closed her eyes in order to better focus the energy, keeping her mind clear of any other thoughts. Less than a minute after the energy formed in Kenshi's hands, the marble-like ball soon formed. Feeling its power in between her palms, Ivy opened her eyes, and she couldn't help but feel a bit fascinated by it, noting the heavy, thick mist within the glass-like structure swirling inside… in a way, it was beautiful to look at.

Ivy's thoughts were suddenly cut off as she heard a roar nearby. Gazing up, she suddenly felt horrified to see Shao Kahn standing. With half of his helmet broken, he looked even more menacing without it, and Ivy couldn't help but wonder why the Emperor even wore the helmet to begin with.

Soon, Shao Kahn began to run forward as his war hammer appeared in his hand once more. With widened eyes, Ivy turned her head… she, Ryu, and Kenshi's powers were ready to go. The green energy between Jin's hands was swirling, but it wasn't even close to finishing its formation.

"No…" Ivy whispered under her breath. She clenched her teeth as panic rose within her throat, wondering if Jin will be able to succeed in forming the marble aura before the Emperor reached them… she had a feeling that this may be their only chance to end this.

Jin didn't miss the fact that Shao Kahn was closing in on them. Still, The Four stood their ground despite this fact, and Jin forced himself to focus, closing his eyes and thinking about nothing but the energy within him. He did all he could to not think about the fact that Shao Kahn was just mere seconds away from annihilating them while they were all distracted by their concentration.

It wasn't long before Jin felt its power mostly in his hands. He opened his eyes… and to his relief, the green glass-like marble had formed between his palms.

He wasn't sure how long he had to let the energy build in his hands, but by this time, Shao Kahn was just steps away from him. It was now or never…

" **NOW!** " Jin screamed at the top of his lungs.

With a roar, The Four pushed their hands forward, and the marbles were released. In lightning speed, the marbles flew forward, eventually coming together in a swirling circle, their respective colors trailing behind them. Quickly, the marbles fused into one, the colors soon replaced by a glowing white light.

Then, the white marble hurled itself forward, smashing into Shao Kahn's chest.

Shao Kahn's screams were only heard for just a moment before a loud, deafening explosion was heard. A second later, an invisible force smashed into The Four, knocking them all back by yards before crashing hard into the mud seconds later.

Then, all was quiet…


	92. Chapter Ninety-One

**Wastelands**

In the battle, Baek managed to slam his fist into Hwoarang's chest, causing the younger fighter to step back a couple of feet. Baek then landed his elbow on his face before crouching low for a sweep kick, knocking Hwoarang off his feet. From there, Baek attempted to jump up for another maneuver, but Hwoarang quickly responded by kicking upward, knocking him back and giving himself the chance to get back up.

From there, master and student circled each other for a brief period before Baek stepped forward before performing two high kicks with his left leg, both maneuvers which Hwoarang moved away from. He then spun around in an attempt to perform a roundhouse with his right foot, but the younger fighter ducked under it.

While crouching low, Hwoarang tried his own sweep kick, but Baek had already recovered by then and jumped over it. As he landed back on his feet, Hwoarang quickly straightened himself back up before attempted a roundhouse, his feet aiming for his master's head. Once more, however, Baek backed away before it connected.

As Hwoarang pulled back, Baek couched a bit for a low kick, which Hwoarang jumped over, but no sooner did the young man land that he was met with a kick to the face, causing him to stagger back.

From there Baek tried to close in on him, but with a quick shake of his head Hwoarang got back into the fight. He ducked and dodged away from Baek's various kicks before one kicked forward him downward, avoiding it.

Taking this chance, Hwoarang kicked Baek in the back of his knee, forcing the older fighter to the ground as he yelled out in pain. In fast speed, Hwoarang stood up before lifting one leg before kicking downward, his heel hitting Baek in the head and the force of it knocking him into the mud on his side. Hwoarang then backed up a couple of feet, waiting for his master to stand again.

However, Baek didn't get up right away... worry came over Hwoarang and he decided to risk any kind of trick Baek might be playing (not that he would, but he was brainwashed after all… anything was possible at this point) and crouched down to him. He checked his vital and sighed with relief when he noticed Baek was still breathing. Clearly the kick knocked him out unconscious.

Hwoarang couldn't help but frown afterwards. "I'm sorry, master…" he whispered. Maybe when this fight was over, there could be a chance that Fujin could restore his master to his former self… he'll have to see…

Meanwhile, Chun Li found herself fighting alone against both Sonya and Kira. The two ran towards her and, as soon as they were both within reach, Chun Li quickly jumped up and kicked Sonya away. This gave her the chance to briefly focus on Kira.

When she reached the detective, Kira delivered two palm strikes, which were quickly parried by Chun Li's hands. The red head then tried to strike her knee into her opponent's stomach, but Chun Li was able to back away before she was hit. Chun Li quickly stepped forward then as she performed a double high kick, the moves connected just below Kira's collar bone. Then, Chun Li landed the back of her fist in the same place with enough force to send the red head flying away.

By now, Sonya was closing in on the detective, jumping up before kicking Chun Li in the face, making the detective stumble back. While the brunette was stunned, Sonya quickly punched her in the face, landed an elbow blow to her shoulder, and then tried a cartwheel kick… however, Chun Li moved herself behind the blond before the cartwheel hit her.

Chun Li waited until Sonya was facing her before lifting up her left leg. She kicked her a couple of times before her leg gained more and more speed until it was nothing more than a blur, the maneuver stunning Sonya. Then, with one last kick, she knocked Sonya back a couple of yards away before the blonde crashed into the mud on her side.

However, just before Chun Li was able to bring her leg down, something sharp hit her in her right shin, the pain bad enough to case her to fall to her side. Chun Li hissed as she gazed down at her right leg… only to see a knife plunged into her shin, immediately drawing out some blood.

"Damn it!" Chun Li growled as she looked up… soon seeing Kira approaching her, her other knife in her right hand. Quickly, Chun Li collected some chi into her hands, deciding what she was going to do next.

Unaware of what the detective was doing, Kira smiled sadistically as she got closer to her, her second knife in hand. "And all it took was one little knife to bring you down," she said. "Now I'll have the chance to slit your throat."

When Kira was a few feet away, Chun Li unleashed her powers as a large blue ball engulfed her. Soon, the ball hit Kira, its power force making it feel like the red head was being hit by a thousand punches all at once, her screams being heard beyond the noise around them.

" _KIKOSHO!_ " Chun Li yelled just as Kira was thrown. Soon, Kira hit a nearby broken statue a few yards away, knocking her into unconsciousness.

"One down…" Chun Li whispered as her powers faded.

That was when the detective heard footsteps, and Chun Li knew that Sonya was approaching again. Feeling the throbbing pain in her leg, Chun Li knew that she wasn't really going to stand up well even if she tried. Next to her, she noticed Alex starting to wake up after being knocked out a few minutes ago… still, Chun Li knew that the agent was going to be disoriented for a little while longer, which was definitely not enough time before Sonya closed in on Chun Li.

At this point, the detective could only hope for a miracle…

On the side of the field, Noob Saibot had raised his scythe, ready to kill Sub-Zero once and for all. "Now, I will send you to the Netherrealm!"

Sub-Zero glared up at Noob as he began to form an ice ball in his right hand despite the seeping blood leaving the wound in his left shoulder. However, just before Noob swung his weapon down, someone quickly tackled Noob, sending the both of them flying away. Sub-Zero looked to see who had attacked Noob and was surprised to see a familiar gray cyborg.

"Smoke!" Sub-Zero called out as he watched his friend start to fight Noob, who began to retaliate.

Sub-Zero then heard another person coming up to him. He quickly whirled his head, ready to shoot his ice ball, but then suddenly stopped himself as he recognized the woman approaching him.

"Sareena!" he called out as she kneeled down next to him. "Get away! You'll leave yourself vulnerable if you try to help me!"

"No!" Sareena replied firmly. "I didn't come this far just to let you die!" Sareena gazed at the fresh wound. She couldn't really tell much of the damage, but the blood wasn't gushing out so quickly… it meant that Noob missed a major artery. Still, he was continuously bleeding, and Sareena had nothing clean to stop it with.

"You'll be all right," Sareena tried to assure him, deciding to press her hands into the wound to stop the blood flow. Naturally, this caused Sub-Zero to hiss at the contact as a sharp pain shot through his arm. "Just… try to stay awake…"

Sub-Zero found himself staring at Sareena as she focused on controlling the wound, her onyx eyes staring intently at it and with full concentration. Still, he hadn't missed how slightly shaken her voice sounded as she spoke up, and he didn't miss the way her eyebrows furrowed as though she was frustrated. He especially didn't miss how her hands shook against his shoulder, but whether it was from the cold rain or… the emotions she was clearly trying to hide from him, he wasn't sure.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps coming towards them and the two immediately turned their heads. To Sub-Zero's surprise, he saw Matrik approaching them, and he was sure right then and there that she would attack.

Sub-Zero was just about to defend himself when Matrik suddenly got down on her knees. A white glow appeared on her right hand before she hovered it a few inches over his wound. "Sub-Zero, you are injured," Matrik suddenly said in her robotic tone. "Let me analyze the damage. It will only take a moment."

"Huh?" Sareena uttered, clearly confused by the cyborg's new demeanor.

However, Sub-Zero seemed to relax as soon as she spoke. He didn't know how the cyborg came back to her normal self, but that was something he would figure out later. "Matrik?"

"No major damage to arteries or major organs," Matrik confirmed as she got her readings back. "However, I highly advise that you control the bleeding. You will also most likely need stitches."

"I guessed that," Sub-Zero sighed. His blue eyes stared at the green cyborg before he spoke. "Welcome back, Matrik."

Matrik seemed to hesitate for a moment before replying. "I did notice something strange with my logs. The last time I was functional, it had been seven months, three weeks, and two days from today's date. Yet, I find myself nearly in the same situation now compared that last log date. What is going on?"

Sub-Zero took a deep breath, realizing that it's been that long since the battle after the Blood Tournament. "Too much went on… you were out through most of that time. I promise I'll explain everything once things settle down."

Matrik nodded. "I will take your word for it."

Sareena found herself looking at the both of them briefly before she said, "I… assume Matrik is back to normal."

Sub-Zero chuckled a little as he placed his right hand over the wound again, slowly icing it over to begin controlling the bleeding. "I guess so." He turned his attention to the green cyborg. "Matrik, do me a favor and help Smoke out over there."

Matrik nodded before she got up and joined Smoke in his fight against Noob…

In another part of the fight, Yoshimitsu was able to head butt Bryan in the face before the cyborg had the chance to kill him. Bryan flew back a couple of feet, giving Yoshimitsu the chance to stand himself up again. Bryan soon did the same before the two engaged in combat again.

Bryan jumped forward in an attempt to deliver a side kick, but Yoshimitsu moved away, soon spinning a couple of times before his mechanical fist hit Bryan's face, making the cyborg stumble a bit. Closing in on him again, Yoshimitsu crouched low and performed a sweep kick, knocking Bryan off his feet. Before the cyborg could even land, Yoshimitsu managed to catch him with his arms before jumping him and smashing him into the mud back first.

On the ground, Bryan reached up and punched Yoshimitsu twice in the face before an uppercut knocked the Manji clan back, leaving some space between them. Standing up, Bryan found himself angrier. Having enough of their fight, He quickly pulled out his machine gun, which he had been saving for this moment. Yoshimitsu turned himself

"Crap!" he yelled just a split second before Bryan began shooting. Yoshimitsu swiftly moved as he got himself to the edge of the battle, the only way he could guarantee that his allies would not be harmed by Bryan's pursuit. He ran with all he can with a countless bullets trailing just behind him and coming closer and closer to him with each second that past. Finally Yoshimitsu got himself behind a burned tree before quickly getting himself into invisible mode.

Bryan quickly stopped shooting when Yoshimitsu disappeared. Using his sensors, the cyborg searched around for the clan leader's whereabouts. Even if he was in invisible mode, his sensors could still find him. Bryan smirked at that thought alone. It wouldn't be long before the Manji Clan leader was in his sights…

Suddenly, he heard a _whoosh_ just above and behind him, and Bryan turned his head to that direction. Yoshimitsu suddenly appeared in his sensors, and his eyes widened in surprise. He was close… much _too_ close…

A _shing!_ was heard before Yoshimitsu landed on the ground, crouching low with his mechanical arm outstretched and holding his sword, the blade emitting a green glow. Aside from the pouring rain and the fights around them, all was quiet.

Behind him, Bryan stood in shock for just a few seconds. Then, he stretched out his arms and dropped his gun as he let out a blood curdling scream, which was immediately cut off when the mechanics inside him caused his body to combust in a fiery explosion. It wasn't long before what remained of him began to rain down around the area.

Yoshimitsu could still feel the intense heat against his back as he raised his head up, his eyes looking straight forward through his mask. He then uttered only one word upon realizing that Bryan Fury has met his end…

"Retribution."

Nearby, Cammy ran before jumping forward feet first, her body spinning as she aimed towards Guile's feet. However, Guile saw this coming and managed to jump over her before the move connected. This only left Cammy more frustrated.

After standing up, Cammy closed in on the Colonel before she began throwing various punches and kicks at him, but to her annoyance, Guile was able to block and move away from the attacks with ease. Then, Guile tried throwing a punch, but Cammy ducked underneath it before slipping around so that she ended up behind him. From there, she jumped up, wrapped her legs around his waist, and then flipped backwards, sending him flying over her before he slid through the mud.

However, no sooner did Guile stop skidding back did he get right back up. From there, he closed in on Cammy, who was then forced to block his incoming punches and kicks. Eventually, however, Guile performed his _somersault shell_ , making Cammy jumped back. In that moment, she could've sworn that his black boot just barely grazed her chin.

 _Way too close for comfort_ _,_ she thought to herself.

When he was back on his feet, Guile took a step forward before quickly reaching a hand out and grabbed a hold of Cammy's throat. Lifting her off the ground, he punched her twice in the face with his free hand before toss her to the side before she landed in the mud just next to Wagner, who was still unconscious.

Gazing up, Cammy saw Guile approaching again, and now she found herself thinking if she was even going to live to see the end of this battle. And not for the time since it began, she wondered where Jin Kazama was… and that whatever he was doing, he was having better luck than she was…

Meanwhile, Cody performed a sweep kick in order to knock Guy off his feet, but the Bushin ninja was able to jump over it. Right after landing, Guy delivered three kicks that hit Cody's chest before delivering a palm strike to the same area, forcing Cody to stumble away from him.

With the space between them again, Guy jumped up, somersaulting forward before he attempted an izuna drop, forcing Cody to move away. However, this gave Guy the chance to perform his next move…

" _Kamaitachi!_ " Guy called out as he jumped forward. Quickly, he planted a foot into Cody's chest, grabbed him by the shoulders, and then flipping back, sending the blond-haired fighter flying a few feet before landing face first into the muddy ground.

Cody spat out the mud that managed to get into his mouth before forcing himself to stand back up. By the time he turned around, Guy was closing in on him once more. Cody stood where he was until Guy threw multiple punches and kicks at him with Cody blocking and dodging them.

Then, at one point, Cody managed to parry a punch from Guy, pushing him back. Taking the chance, the former criminal stepped forward before landing multiple punches and kicks that were all able to connect. When Cody was done and he pulled back, Guy was still standing, but he was clearly dazed as he tried to keep himself from falling.

Cody then charged some energy into his hands right before he closed in on Guy. " _Final Destruction!_ _"_ he called out just before landing multiple punches into Guy's face and chest. This went on for a few moments before he delivered an uppercut, forming a larger tornado that knocked Guy a few feet back and into the ground face first.

When it was over, Cody stood where he was briefly as Guy struggled to get himself up, soon realizing that Guy barely was able to remain on his hands before he slipped down to the ground again. Cody then found himself not thinking about it when he stalked towards his fallen friend. And he surely didn't think about it when he grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up to eye level.

Cody felt a chill go down his spine as he found himself looking at Guy's eyes. They remained just as pale as ever, and Guy glared at him with disdain, not showing any sign of recognition… only that he was an enemy.

"Go ahead," Guy said with malice. "Kill me… you have won this battle. Finish it!"

For a moment, Cody hesitated, unsure of what to do at first. Once more, he did not want to kill Guy, but the more he looked at his face, the more the blond realized that it was inevitable… the grip of the brainwash was too strong, and if he wasn't free now, he never will be, unless…

Even while knowing in the back of his mind that he was going to be haunted by this action for the rest of his life, Cody drew back his shaking hand as far as possible. Then, with his fingers clenched tightly into a fist, Cody took a deep breath as he prepared to land a killing blow on his friend, realizing now that this really was the only way he can free him…

~~~

**Shao Kahn's Fortress**

The explosion that occurred moments ago didn't knock The Four unconscious, but the ultimate weapon did leave other side effects; the ringing in their ears for one thing as well as the aches and pains they were feeling from both the fight and being thrown by the power of the weapon. The worst of it at the moment was how much energy was sucked out of them, leaving them completely and utterly exhausted.

Jin was the first to move as he forced himself to sit up from where he landed. He clenched his teeth and nearly yelled out as he pulled himself up, soon in a sitting position. He then heard a noise just next to him. Turning his head, Jin noticed Ryu doing the same, and he held one hand over his ribs, more than likely bruised up. He also noticed how the energies that surrounded them for a while was now gone, and Ryu's eyes were back to its normal brown color.

"You okay?" Jin asked with concern.

"I… think so…" Ryu managed to say. "You?"

"I've been better to say the least," Jin admitted. He then gazed at his surroundings, noticing that the spot where they unleashed their powers was now covered in heavy smoke. Jin coughed a little. "Is… is it over?"

Ryu looked over at where Jin was staring, noticing the heavy smoke as well. "I hope so…"

Ten yards away, Ivy managed to get herself on her knees, gasping for breath due to the immense pain she was feeling. She also felt completely and utterly tired as though she had not slept in days, and she was dirty. She decided right then and there that, whenever she got the chance, she was going to take a very long bath… perhaps in a hot springs. Then she would follow with a whole day of sleeping in a warm bed.

She then heard a noise about five yards away and she turned to her right. Ivy soon noticed Kenshi sitting up as well. With his blindfold missing, the blue glow that covered his eyes were gone, and Ivy saw that they were pale with hardly any indication of pupils and irises… they had most likely bled out the day he went blind.

Still, Ivy couldn't help but noticed that Kenshi seemed to be… searching around, a confused look etching over his face. He then stopping turning his head, and Ivy soon noticed that he was facing the spot where they had just defeated Shao Kahn.

She quickly realized it then… he sensed something she and the other two couldn't.

"What's wrong?" she asked out loud. To her left, Ryu and Jin heard her calling out to the swordsman, and they soon noticed the baffled look on his face.

Kenshi was silent at first, seemingly not paying attention to Ivy's question. Then, seconds later, his eyes widened and he clenched his teeth more out of frustration than anything else. He then uttered three words they did not expect to hear.

"He's still alive!"

Jin, Ryu, and Ivy gasped and immediately turned their heads towards the smoke. By now it was diminished a bit… and it wasn't hard to notice Shao Kahn beginning to stand on his feet! His back was turned to them, and his right hand still clutched tightly around the hilt of his war hammer

"No, _no_ , NO!" Jin yelled out, slamming his fist into his mud.

Ryu was just as angry as he felt his clenched fists shaking. "I thought the weapon we unleashed was supposed to kill him!"

By then, Shao Kahn had turned to face The Four. A sadistic grin came over his face, realizing that their power had not worked in killing him. A dark laugh escaped his throat before he began to stalk towards them.

Ivy found herself gazing at the Emperor… only to realize that something was different about him. Thankfully, it only took her a moment to realize what it was; he looked _just_ like he did when she first met him right before the Blood Tournament… his red eyes were no longer glowing, his skin was less pale, and the charcoal and black color of his armor changed back to silver and red.

In her mind, Ivy realized the legend's true purpose… it was not meant to actually _kill_ the 'main source of the conflict.' It was actually meant to significantly _weaken_ him. Once they weakened him, _then_ came the opportunity to eradicate him!

She was about to voice her discovery to the other three, but suddenly, Shao Kahn teleported close to her, ending just a few feet away before stopping. Ivy quickly reached for her sword in order to defend herself… only to find her scabbard empty! She gasped in horror, wondering what happened to her beloved sword.

Gazing around, Ivy soon discovered her sword's whereabouts… somehow it ended up way behind Shao Kahn close to the fortress bridge.

Another low, dark laugh escaped Shao Kahn's throat as his body glowed in a light green aura. "You weak, pathetic fools!" he shouted. "You have _failed_ in defeating me with your mere legend! And now, as promised, you will meet your demise!" He then glared down at Ivy. "And I will start with you…"

He then raised his war hammer, ready to smash Ivy with it. That's when everything started to go in slow motion for her…

To her left, Jin had stood up despite his lack of energy and he began to run towards where she was. She then heard her name being screamed from her right as though trying to get her attention. Ivy turned her head in reply… and saw that Kenshi had telekinetically tossed his own sword towards her, the hilt pointing in her direction.

Ivy immediately reached for the flying sword, which was surrounded by a blue aura. She was almost sure that the sword was not going to make it before Shao Kahn destroyed her, but to her relief, the weapon was soon in her hands, and she quickly clutched onto the hilt tightly.

Then, with whatever energy she had left within her, Ivy quickly stood up and, using Kenshi's sword, plunged it through Shao Kahn's chest.

Nearby, Jin had stopped running once he realized that Ivy took care of things. He gazed up at Shao Kahn's face, seeing a look he thought he would see in the 'confident' Emperor… shock. Blood began to seep through his fresh wound, and he eventually dropped his arms to his side, his hold on his war hammer loosening before the heavy weapon dropped into the mud with a loud thud.

Ivy's blue eyes narrowed as she glared at Shao Kahn. In that moment, memories of her time as Empress were forgotten. His terror, his devastation, his reign… it was now over, and once more, she destroyed another servant of Soul Edge. The realms may know peace once more.

In a time that felt so long ago, Ivy remembered standing in the middle of her mansion in her realm when one of her loyal servants came forth with an invitation to the tournament. The red rock that served as a piece of Soul Edge had glowed in that moment, giving her the feeling that the evil relic was involved somehow… perhaps Shao Kahn knew something at the time. She also once remembered asking herself, 'Could this be my destiny?'

Now she knew why she was led to Outworld to begin with… to help end their reign over the realms.

Ivy then uttered what she knew was going to be her last words to Shao Kahn. "This… is the end."

Ivy quickly twisted the katana so that the sharp side of the weapon was facing up. Then, with all of her strength, she swiped the sword in an upward motion, slicing Shao Kahn into two from the middle of his chest to the top of his head, his blood and guts spewing out quickly.

Immediately after, the ear-piercing screams of countless souls were heard as they began to escape the Emperor's grasps. Ivy found herself clenching her teeth while covering her ears from the horrible noise, her right hand still holding on to the sword. Then, from the corner of her eyes, a bright, yellow light began to form around Shao Kahn. Even with the fatal blow, his screams could be heard beyond the loud ruckus.

Jin, Ryu, and Kenshi also found themselves covering their ears from the noise. However, It was Jin who noticed the yellow light coming from Shao Kahn, and it became brighter and brighter with each passing second.

Now liking where they was going, Jin quickly noticed Ivy's close proximity to the Emperor. Ignoring the screams and using what was left of his energy, Jin sprinted forward with all he had. Once he was within reach, he wrapped his arms around Ivy's waist from behind and twisted them both around before diving forward and away from the light.

In that second, the screams stopped and a loud explosion was heard, causing what remained of Shao Kahn's body to combust completely into almost nothing. The explosion was in the form of the yellow light and it rapidly soon began to spread through the area, eventually going beyond the fortress grounds and towards the rest of Outworld…

As soon as the light flew by them, The Four lost consciousness...

~~~

**Wastelands**

In the battlefield, Siegfried was swinging his sword in different directions as he defended himself against the Outworld Forces. The rain was still pouring from the sky, his blonde hair was drenched, and his armor was covered in a mix of mud and blood as well as his sword. He was also feeling tired, but he continued to press on. He and the rest of the Chosen Ones lost track of how long it's been since the fight began.

Suddenly, after taking down an Outworld guard, the area suddenly seemed to… quiet down. Narrowing his eyes, Siegfried held the hilt of his sword tightly, ready to fight again… but soon he realized why everyone went silent. Just beyond the hills and reaching towards the clouded sky, a yellow wall of light was quickly hurling towards them.

"What the-" Siegfried started to say, but by then, the yellow light reached the battlefield.

Screams were heard as most of the fighters began to panic, unsure of whether or not the light was going to kill them. Even if they did try to run, the speed at which the light was coming was too fast for them to outrun. Soon, the light started coming over everyone, Siegfried included, and he found himself a bit astonished by what he witnessed next…

Those who remained brainwashed suddenly glowed in a yellow light, their screams being heard before they fell to the ground, unconscious. Behind the light, thousands of souls followed it, their ear-piercing screams forcing everyone to cover their ears from the horrible noise. The noise only lasted a minute before it began to dissipate.

Then, to Siegfried's surprise, those in the Outworld Forces started to scream and panic before they all began to run in different directions and away from the Chosen Ones. Siegfried then heard their cries;

"The Emperor is dead! The Emperor is dead!"

"Retreat!"

Siegfried furrowed his eyebrows with confusion… the light with the souls must've hinted at the fate of Shao Kahn. If he really was dead, then… their fight to save the universe was over. Without their leader, the Outworld Forces have no guidance… and without that guidance, they were as good as dead, at least that's what Siegfried guessed at this point. So of course, they made their escape from the battlefield while they still have the chance.

Soon, the Outworld Forces were gone, and only he and the rest of the Chosen Ones remained.

Then, he turned his head and happened to see Ermac a few feet away. He noticed Ermac staring down at his hands with eyes so wide that he looked like he was almost in a panic. Confused, Siegfried started to approach him to see if he was all right, but then suddenly, a burst of souls emerged and began flying in, out, and around his body.

"Ermac!" Siegfried called out, trying to get his friend's attention.

The loud whispers of the souls within Ermac were heard as they swirled around his body. Ermac's reached his hands to his head and his eyes shut tightly as though trying his best to control the souls within him. Seconds later, Siegfried jumped back as Ermac let out a blood-curdling scream and, before the Keisei native could figure out what was going on, Ermac quickly jumped high into the air before he flew off and away from the wastelands in fast speed.

"ERMAC!" Siegfried yelled, by then, Ermac had flown beyond the hills and disappeared from sight…

Nearby, Marshall had witnessed the whole thing involving Ermac and felt astonished. "What the hell happened to him?" he asked.

Siegfried frowned as he gazed down at the ground. "I don't know… but we can only hope at this point that he'll be all right…"

Marshall sighed at that. "Yeah…"

Nearby, Steve Fox straightened himself up after being knocked to the ground. Now that the Outworld Forces were gone, the wastelands were mostly quiet now. The rain was still there, but not as bad it was during the battle.

The thing was… he and the Chosen Ones knew they won this fight, especially with word that Shao Kahn, somehow, was dead. Still, it seemed as though no one was in the mood to celebrate just yet. More than likely it was because they were either tired, dirty, wounded, or all three for that matter. Steve just felt tired and dirty… and at the moment, he hadn't quite comprehended their victory.

A cough quickly disrupted his thoughts, and Steve turned his head to it. Still sitting up against the statue was Nina Williams. The bleeding in her legs had stopped, but they were definitely going to need proper care soon.

Steve walked over to her before he got down on his knees. Nina gave him a suspicious look. "You're not here to 'help out' are you?" she asked.

"Well someone has to help carry you back to the cave eventually," Steve pointed out. "I doubt you can walk with leg injuries like that."

Nina frowned as she looked at the stab wounds in her legs. "Yeah… guess I'll take your advice for now. Is it me or did we actually win this war?"

Steve nodded as a small smile crept over his lips. "Hard to believe, but yeah, we did. We bloody hell won this war."

Nina then focused her eyes on him. "Listen, there something you should know about-"

"I know," Steve said to her. "Right now, though, we need to recover. We'll talk about it when we're all feeling better. Least with this war being over, we have all the time to talk now."

Nina was silent for a moment before she eventually nodded to him in agreement.

On the edge of the field, Ruby Heart found herself gazing at her surroundings, still feeling astonished that the long battle, and the journey for that matter, was over. Her clairvoyant powers had sensed it even before the Outworld Forces shouted it out – The Emperor really was dead.

Ruby Heart then saw something on the horizon just behind the hills. Turning her head, with her back towards where everyone else was, Ruby Heart saw someone standing at the bottom of the hill gazing their eyes in her direction. It didn't take long for the pirate to recognize the figure.

"Dhalsim?" she uttered under her breath.

For a moment, Ruby Heart wondered what he was doing here… he was supposed to be escorting The Four into their battle against Shao Kahn. He couldn't have returned so quickly! However, her thoughts soon left her as spirits began to form behind Dhalsim. Another moment later, a woman and a young boy approached Dhalsim, and the two embraced the yoga master.

Ruby Heart soon realized why Dhalsim stood before her with these spirits… sometime during the battle, he had died… and the spirits with him are those of the villagers of his home. The woman and young child close to him were his wife and son…

It didn't take long before Sally and Datta pulled away. Sally seemed to beckon Dhalsim over before she and their son began to walk away along with the spirits of the villagers. However, Dhalsim turned back towards the pirate and briefly smiled at her. He was content, which did not surprise Ruby Heart… his duty in saving the universe was complete, and he was now reunited with his family and his neighbors and friends.

Ruby Heart then watched as Dhalsim began to follow the other spirits, and it wasn't long before they all disappeared into the horizon, moving towards the afterlife. It was easy for Ruby Heart to hide her tears in the rain, but she still smiled, realizing that their fight really was over. Shao Kahn was dead, the Outworld Forces were defeated, and the universe was safe once more.

However, her smile soon faded as she began to wonder something; did The Four survive their battle?


	93. Chapter Ninety-Two

**Wastelands**

For a while after the Outworld Forces retreated, the field was mostly quiet as the Chosen Ones got their bearings. During that time, they either tended to their own injuries or stood where they were, trying to comprehend the fact that the fight was over.

It was Paul Phoenix who finally broke the silence as he walked over towards his long-time friend, Marshall Law. "Ha, _ha!_ We did it! Shao Kahn is dead and his Outworld scum retreat with their tails between their legs! We won! We saved the universe!"

Marshall couldn't help but grin as their victory dawned on him. "Say, I bet that makes _all_ of us the best in the universe, right Paul?"

"Damn right! For now of course, but _I'll_ be the best after we get back to Earth."

Marshall shook his head, though his smile remained. "Of course you'd say that."

"Hey, I know I've been saying how I feel like I've been in a damn musical lately, but…"

"That would explain your lyrics quote during the battle…"

"Yeah, yeah, but… I got the perfect song for this moment."

Before Marshall could stop him, Paul began singing in his off-key tune, but it only took a second for Marshall to recognize, ' _We Are the Champions._ ' He then thought, ' _What the heck?_ ' and joined in on the singing.

A few seconds later, Bo' Rai Cho approached the duo. "Hey! Believe it or not, I actually know this song! I heard it quite a few times whenever I visited an Earthrealm city."

"Then come join the celebration!" Paul offered.

From there, the three of them stood next to each other as they continued with the song. Nearby, Li Mei noticed the three of them singing, and she couldn't help but winced at the off-key singing. "Ugh, this is _not_ a way to celebrate," she mumbled before walking off…

Not too far from them, Wagner was just waking up, feeling a throbbing pain in his head. It seemed to amplify the moment he heard awful singing nearby. "Damn, is that Paul's terrible screeching?"

He heard a chuckle as Cammy began to help him back on his feet. "Yeah, that would be him. In case it isn't obvious, we won. Shao Kahn's dead and the Outworld Forces retreated. I think they'll be leaving the universe alone for a little while since they'll be in too much chaos with their Emperor's demise."

"Oh… awesome."

Cammy tilted her head at him. "I thought you'd be more excited than that."

"I just woke up and I have a huge headache," Wagner explained as he rubbed his temples with his fingers. "And the worst part is that I didn't drink a single drop of alcohol."

That was when he heard footsteps and Wagner turned to see who it was. When he noticed that it was Guile approach, his eyes immediately widen as he quickly got into a fighting stance, prepared for his attacks again.

"Whoa there, Wagner! It's just me," Guile said, raising his hands up.

Wagner became confused by his statement at first… at least until he saw his mentor's eyes. They were no longer pale as they were when he was brainwashed… they were blue again, just as they should be.

"G… Guile," he managed to say. "You're… back."

"Yeah, I guess," Guile said while rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm… not understanding what's going on, however… one minute, I was fighting that centaurian, and now I find myself here…"

Wagner approached him as Cammy spoke up. "There's… a lot to explain, but the short version is that you were brainwashed under Outworld's rule. It's been almost two months since the Earth invasion."

Guile's eyes widened a bit, falling silent for a moment before a thought came to him. "My family-"

"They're okay," Wagner immediately explained as he placed a hand on Guile's shoulder. "They're safe in the realm of Keisei."

Guile nodded. "Thank you…"

"Scott!" a new voice called out, which naturally made the young man turn his head. Wagner felt instant relief upon seeing Juli approaching him. He began to meet her halfway and the two of them embraced as soon as they reached each other.

"Thank goodness you're alive," Juli whispered. "I couldn't find you for a little while there and thought the worst."

"Are you okay?" Wagner asked her as he gently rubbed her back.

"I'm a little battered, but okay for the most part."

"Same here," Wagner admitted. "But hey… we won, didn't we?"

Juli smiled before burying her face into Wagner's shoulder. "Yes… we did."

Nearby, Lita spotted the couple, along with Cammy and Guile, and saw that they were okay. That made her feel some relief, but she still continued to look around for a little while longer. However, it wasn't long before she saw Steve walking around the field, seemingly looking for something as well.

Immediately, she ran to him and it didn't take long for Steve to hear her footsteps before he turned to face her. By then, Lita was just a few steps away. Soon, she stepped into his waiting arms before the two wrapped their arms around each other in relief. For a while, the two of them stood there in silence and simply enjoyed the moment.

Eventually, Lita pulled back and gazed up at him. "You okay?" she asked him.

Steve managed to smile. "I was about to ask you the same thing. I might need to get my fingers looked at, though I'm sure they're just bruised up. Still, it wouldn't hurt to have it checked out."

"Ouch," Lita said. "I'd hate to see your career get cut short over a broken finger."

Steve managed to chuckle at that. "It's going to take a lot more than broken finger to keep me out of my career."

"That's if the syndicate isn't still after you," Lita reminded him.

"We'll see when we get back to London," Steve replied. He then gave her a sly grin. "Of course, you can always continue the role of playing my bodyguard."

Lita playfully slapped his arm. "Is that I'm all good for is to stand around you and look pretty?"

"Maybe," Steve joked.

"I ought to-"

Lita's sentence was then cut off as Steve leaned down and pressed his lips against her. It didn't take long for her to relax and begin returning the kiss…

Meanwhile, Kilik, Xianghua, and Maxi reunited on the field. The three of them were unsure of what to think at first, at least until they noticed a small celebration involving Hwang and the surviving members of the Coast Guard.

Maxi was the first to say it. "We won… we won the fight!"

A smile formed in Kilik's lips. "Now the realms will be at peace again."

Xianghua jumped up in excitement. "We did it!"

That was when some of the Coast Guard survivors started singing a song, and it didn't take the trio to recognize, ' _Brighter Days_ _,_ ' the song Hwang sang at the campfire last night. Speaking of Hwang, he began approaching the three Keisei natives, a contented half smile on his face.

Xianghua grinned at him. "Not joining in on the celebration?" she asked.

Hwang shook his head. "Not right now. Honestly, I'm still trying to comprehend our win at the moment."

"I don't blame you," Maxi replied. "It's not every day when the universe is saved by tyranny. At least now, the realms will know peace for a while."

Hwang nodded in agreement. "Indeed. We still need to tend to the wounded and… well, not everyone in the Coast Guard and the Manji Clan survived…"

"No," Kilik replied. "But their names will be recorded in history as heroes of this war."

Hwang nodded at that. "They will be for sure…"

Nearby, Dan Hibiki was watching the Coast Guard celebrate as they sang. He was also reflecting on the fight and how he was able to both hold his own and help his allies when they needed it. The focus and concentration that he learned not even a year ago had helped him through the fight and assist in seeing the end to this war.

Dan gazed up towards the sky. Amongst the clouds, he could've sworn that one cloud was shaped like a wolf, but it could've been just his imagination. Either way, he had to smile. Nightwolf's teachings had truly helped his through, but as promised, he would continue living by the shaman's teachings.

Not too far away, Bo' Rai Cho decided that he was done singing with Paul and Marshall and began to search around. He knew that his student Li Mei survived, but he was unsure of his other student's fate, so he decided to begin searching for him.

To his relief, it didn't take long for Bo' Rai Cho to find Kung Lao. He sat at the edge of where the battle had taken place, close enough to still be seen, but far enough so that he can focus on his meditation judging by the lotus position he was currently sitting in.

Bo' Rai Cho soon approached Kung Lao before he sat down next to him. He then reached for his flask which still contained the Keisei wine he had brought with him to this journey. "I saw one half of Shang Tsung on the way over here. I assume you accomplished what you set out to do."

Kung Lao took a deep breath upon hearing that. "Yes," he confirmed. "But I did not do for myself and I did not do it just for Liu Kang. Many have suffered at his hands. A monster like him needed to be stopped. There are many ways to stop someone's evil deeds… teach them the ways of good, put them in a prison or an asylum… but some you can only stop by giving them death. Shang Tsung was one of them. And with Shao Kahn's own demise, this significantly decreases his chances of ever returning. His victims received their justice, and the innocent are truly protected from him now."

Bo' Rai Cho sighed a little before speaking up. "Just do me a favor when you return to Earth… do many good deeds for the next year or so. I'd hate to think that your soul was corrupted when you took the sorcerer's life."

Kung Lao opened his eyes at that. "That has been heavily on my mind since before the invasion."

"Then you know what to do from this point on?"

Kung Lao nodded. "There will be many villagers near the temple who will need help now that we are no longer at war. The Shaolin and I will help these people… provide them with shelter, food, and basic medical care. And I will make sure that they are protected from the evil who will try to take advantage of them."

Bo' Rai Cho smiled at this. "I'm glad to hear it."

Not too far from them, Feng Wei mostly stood where he was, unsure of what to do ever since the Outworld Forces retreated. There was silence for a long time before the other Chosen Ones began their celebration, soon realizing that they had won.

At one point, he spotted Sagat a few feet away and the two made eye contact. The two warriors stared at at each other for a moment before Sagat gave him a respectful nod. Feng Wei did the same before the Muay Thai fighter stepped away.

Eventually, Feng Wei decided to get into a lotus position and meditate. Upon closing his eyes, he began to reflect on this entire journey…

Next to him, Raven looked at his surroundings as his allies celebrated this victory. He wasn't much for celebration, but he did find himself both relieved and happy that the war was over… he wasn't going to walk around with a big grin on his face any time soon.

The agent eventually turned his head and saw Dragunov gazing around as well and it wasn't long before the Russian militant noticed Raven. The two stared at each other for a moment before Dragunov gave him a single nod before walking off. From there, Raven continued looking on the celebration.

On the other side of the field, Julia Chang searched the area, trying her best not to step on the corpses that were left behind from the battle. A frown appeared on his face even though she felt more and more relieved each time she saw an ally alive.

Soon, someone called out her name and Julia turned to where it came from. It didn't take long before she noticed one ally in particular. This put a smile on her face.

"Ken!" she called out as he caught up to her. "You made it."

"Barely, but yeah," Ken sighed. "Just glad we finally took care of the Outworld scum and that the Emperor is dead."

Julia's smile was once more replaced with a frown. "Something tells me Ryu and the others had something to do with that…"

Ken nodded in agreement. "We'll know soon enough. Right now, we should help the wounded and bury the dead."

Julia sighed. "Yeah, you're right. Let's go."

From there, the two of them walked around to see if anyone needed help…

A little while ago, Hwoarang was shocked when the yellow light came over the field, clearly affecting Baek Doo San as he woke up, screamed in agony, and fell unconscious again. After checking him over, Hwoarang realized that he was going to be okay… he wasn't sure what would happen once Baek woke up. For now, he would sit by his master and wait until he regained consciousness.

Soon, Hwoarang heard footsteps. Turning his head, he soon noticed Seong Mi-na kneeling down next to him, a frown on her face as her eyes looked at Baek. "How is he?" she asked with concern.

Hwoarang clenched his fists in frustration. "How should I know?" he grumbled.

Mi-na was a bit taken aback by the way he said that. "Hwoarang, I know this whole thing is bothering you, but you don't need to take it out on me."

Hwoarang glared at her. "How would you feel if your father was brainwashed?"

"Like hell," Mi-na replied. "But I wouldn't start getting short with people either."

"Just wait until you're actually in my shoes!" Hwoarang snapped.

"Will you two please stop arguing?!" someone suddenly called out.

That statement immediately made the two listen as they instantly recognized their voice. Turning their heads, they saw Baek sitting himself up. The two quickly reached over and helped him up.

"M… Master?" Hwoarang stuttered, unsure of what to think at the moment.

By now, Baek was on his knees and he gazed at his two students with brown eyes instead of pale. That confirmed it for Hwoarang… whatever that light was, it broke through the brainwash. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so much relief… probably the day he realized that Baek was alive after hearing that he had been killed a couple of years ago.

"How are you feeling?" Mi-na asked the older man.

Baek took a deep breath as he placed a hand over his face, feeling dizzy suddenly. "I could be better, but I'm not injured or anything." He soon removed his hand before he looked at his surroundings. A confused expression came over him. "What is this place?"

"Outworld," Mi-na explained. "There's… a lot to talk about, but two months have passed since we last saw you…"

Baek sighed at that. "No worse than when I was in a coma for a year. Still, I imagine that there will be much to discuss."

Hwoarang placed a hand on Baek's shoulder. "I'm just glad you're okay."

Baek smiled. "And I'm glad you're both all right."

At the edge of the field, Fujin was helping out a Coast Guard soldier who had an arm injury, and he was assisting with healing it as his own hand glowed white. "It's not as bad as I initially thought," he said to the soldier. "Just give it a rest for a couple of days and you'll be good as new."

"Thank you," the guard said in appreciation.

As soon as the guard's arm was healed enough, Fujin heard footsteps nearby. Standing up, the Wind God turned to see who was coming. He was a bit surprised when he recognized the person walking up to him; Kazuya Mishima.

Kazuya spoke as soon as Fujin made eye contact with him. "If I recall, you're a God."

Fujin nodded at that. "I am."

"In that case, do you have a way for me to get back to Earth? I've been trying to find my way back ever since the invasion started."

Fujin crossed his arms. "We have a ship that can take you home."

"Do you really expect me and that whelp Kazama to 'get along' during the ride?"

Fujin sighed at that, remembering Dhalsim's difficulty with Jin and the Mishimas. "Fair enough." Speaking of the Mishimas... "Where's Heihachi?"

Kazuya immediately growled. "Why do I care?"

"I noticed he went MIA," Fujin mentioned. "I believe he had run off with the rest of the Outworld Forces when they retreated. Unless he finds a means to escape Outworld, he'll be stuck here for quite some time."

"Good riddance then."

Fujin decided to move on from that subject. "If you wish for me to send you home, I only ask that you wait until the sun sets tonight. Caring for the wounded is crucial immediately after a battle, as I hope you know. I'll take you to one of our deity portals, but since you are a mortal, you must earn the right to pass the portal by fighting an apparition of your biggest enemy. I sense that you are a powerful warrior, so I have no doubt that you will pass the test. Once you do, then it is just as simple as walking through the portal. That will take you back to Earth."

Kazuya was silent for a moment before he finally nodded to the agreement. "As long as I get home tonight, then I can wait."

"It's a guarantee," Fujin promised. "Like I said, we'll go when the sun sets."

With nothing more to be said, Kazuya began to walk away as Fujin continued with healing the wounded…

Meanwhile, Cody had been taken aback when the yellow light had appeared during the fight. The screams that came from the light knocked him and Guy back to the ground, and the Outworld Forces ended up retreating from the battlefield. When the battle was over, Cody looked over at his friend and saw that he was unconscious.

"Guy!" Cody called out, unsure of what happened to his friend. But then, he was starting to wonder… was it because of the light, or did Cody actually deliver the killing blow and didn't think about it?

Either way, he checked Guy's vital signs and was relieved to know that he was still alive. _Good… it_ was _the light that did it…_

Before Cody could start shaking him awake again, Guy's eyes suddenly snapped open, and Cody was almost prepared to back away… at least until he looked at his friend's eyes. To his astonishment, they were brown again for the first time in months.

Feeling shocked and relieved by this turn of events, Cody felt himself fall back into the mud and ending up in a sitting position. While he was feeling stunned, Guy sat himself up, a hand over his face as he felt a bit dizzy. He then took a deep breath as he removed his hand before gazing at his surroundings in confusion.

Eventually, Guy turned to his long-time friend. "Cody?"

Cody snapped out of his daze before turning his attention to the Bushin ninja. He managed a small smile. "Hey man… about damn time you came back as yourself."

Clearly, that confused Guy even more. "What are you talking about? What's going on?"

Cody took a deep breath as he patted Guy's arm. "Looooong story. _Very_ long story… I promise I'll tell you all about it when we get back to the cave."

"Cody!" a female voice called out.

Cody and Guy both turned to the voice who called out. It didn't take long before they noticed Maki running up to them with Yang and Yun trailing just behind him. A shocked look soon came over her as soon as she noticed who was with Cody.

"GUY!" she yelled out in surprise. Soon, Maki reached the both of them before she kneeled down next to them, placing one hand each on their shoulders.

"You okay?" Cody asked her.

Maki managed to smile. "With this happy ending? Yes, I am."

"Now with the war over," said Yang. "The realms will know peace again."

Once more, Guy was baffled. "You definitely have a lot to explain to me. I have a feeling plenty of time has passed since I was last awake."

Maki sighed. "Eight months to be exact since the end of the Blood Tournament."

Guy's eyes widened upon hearing that. In reply, Cody placed a hand on his shoulder. "Like I said, I'll explain everything when we get back to the cave…"

Guy simply nodded in response…

Throughout the fight, Cassandra and Sophitia had looked out for each other, hardly leaving each other's side. So when the Outworld Forces did retreat, they were grateful for the fact that they both managed to survive. They checked over for injuries before Cassandra insisted on searching for her friends, which Sophitia agreed to help her out with.

"I really hope they're okay…" Cassandra said quietly as they walked through the land. "After all this time, I hope we all get the chance to live in peace for a long time now that the war is over…"

"I know," Sophitia replied. "Right now, we can only hope for the best."

"There was a saying Mika told me once," Cassandra mentioned. "Hope for the best and expect the worst. It makes a lot of sense when you think about it. You want the best to happen, but if you don't expect the bad stuff to happen…"

"Then you're in for a huge disappointment," Sophitia finished.

The younger sister nodded. "Yeah…"

That was then the sisters suddenly heard more than one running footsteps coming towards their direction right because Cassandra heard her name being called. Cassandra's eyes widened as she immediately recognized Asuka's voice. Turning around, she was elated when she saw Asuka, Mika, and Karin running up to her. Cassandra quickly ran over to her friends, meeting them halfway. Once they reached other, the girls got into a group hug. Nearby, Sophitia looked on and couldn't help the warm smile that appeared on her face.

The four girls stood in their group hug for a moment before Cassandra pulled away, realizing something. "Where's Maki?"

"She's fine," said Mika. "She's with Yang and a few others."

Cassandra smiled at that. "Good."

"Sakura is going to be so happy we all made it," Asuka mentioned.

Karin nodded at that. "Yes, she will be. Now that this is all over, I am very highly looking forward to going home."

"We all are," Mika said. "We definitely all are."

Meanwhile, King and Marduk stood next to each other after the Outworld Forces retreated. It took a little time for them to comprehend their victory, but once their other allies started celebrated, that was when it dawned on them.

Marduk laughed in both astonishment and relief upon realizing that the fight was over. "Too bad the cameras weren't around to see the awesome moves we pulled on those Outworld scum."

"You really are egotistical," King said, though his statement was followed by a laugh.

"Well I can imagine why _you_ would hate cameras," Marduk began to say. "Don't want to risk anyone seeing your ugly mug behind that mask in case it gets ripped off in a match." He ended that with a lighthearted punch to King's arm.

"You're no gem yourself," King replied as he returned the light punch on Marduk's arm.

Marduk laughed again. "You know… despite our differences and our past, I think today proved that we can definitely put our differences aside and work together as a tag team. I'm sure the wrestling business will need to find a way to garner interest again after this war fiasco. Think about it; former rivals teaming together!

"And for the record; I'm not suggesting this just for the money or even the cameras… I'm suggesting it because I really do think we can take on the wrestling world together. What do you say?"

King was quiet for a moment before finally saying, "I'll think about that."

Marduk nodded in reply, deciding to give King some time to think about the offer.

In another area, Kitana and Jade found themselves returning to the field after chasing Tanya around after Kitana was freed from the brainwash. Unfortunately, because the Outworld Forces chose to flee and scatter, Tanya managed to lose herself in the crowd, thus escaping once again.

Jade shook her head at that. "We were so close to finally take care of her, and once again she gets away…"

"There's always another day," Kitana tried to assure her. "Tanya can only run for so long before she runs into a brick wall."

"Yeah, you're right." Jade then stopped in her tracks, and Kitana did the same. Realization dawned on the green-clad woman then… the war was over, she managed to free her surviving freedom fighters, and Princess Kitana was back to herself again.

With all that in mind, Jade felt like a heavy weight was finally lifted off her shoulders. Pulling down her mask with one hand, Jade smiled at her friend. "It's good to have you back, your highness."

Kitana frowned a little. "I assume something happened to me and would explain my sudden jump from Edenia to Outworld."

Jade nodded. "A lot has happened indeed, but I promise you'll know everything very soon."

Kitana's eyes suddenly widened as she realized something, but before she could say another, a new voice joined them. "There you two are."

Kitana was instantly relieved when she turned to see who it was. "Mother! You're all right."

"And trying to comprehend what's going on," Sindel said as she joined the two younger women.

"Like I was explaining to Kitana," Jade began. "I'll definitely discuss everything once this excitement around us has died down."

Sindel gazed at her surroundings. "Yes… I saw plenty of those injured. Let's help them anyway we can."

Jade and Kitana agreed and they began to following the Queen. As they did, Jade happened to turn her head to Kitana and noticed the confused, faraway look on her face. "Is anything the matter?" Jade asked.

Kitana blinked a couple of times before slightly shaking her head. "It's… nothing… just something I remember, but… it's nothing important."

Jade simply nodded, realizing that whatever was on Kitana's mind, it was something she did not want to discuss right now. However, whatever it was, Jade had a feeling that it was going to bother the Princess for a while…

Meanwhile, Chun Li leaned herself back on a statue while Alex tended to the knife wound in the shin of her right leg. The knife still remained in her leg, though Alex had since removed the hilt with only the blade remaining to help with the pressure.

"I'm thinking it's best to have Fujin here before I pull the knife out," Alex mentioned.

"I don't blame you," Chun Li replied. "I don't think the knife hit an artery, but I wouldn't take the risk either unless we know for sure it's safe." She then let out a small hiss and resisted the urge to reach out to the wound. "The shock is wearing off, however… it's starting to hurt."

"I almost wish Jane Guile was here right now," Alex said. "She would've taken care of this by now. Sorry I'm not a field medic."

"Its fine," Chun Li assured her. "I just wish Fujin would get here already."

Alex was about to say something, but then a hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder. Because she wasn't expecting it, she suddenly jumped and screamed out, which made Chun Li scream as well. Both turned their heads and nearly jumped again when they noticed Sonya, not realizing right away that her eyes were blue once again.

"You don't happen to have any aspirin for this raging headache I'm having, do you?" Sonya asked, clearly not aware of what was going on.

"I could probably use some penicillin eventually," Chun Li pointed out.

Sonya looked over and noticed Chun Li's wound and hissed at the sight of it. "How did that happened?"

"Kira threw it at me," Chun Li mentioned.

Sonya's eyes widened at that as she suddenly began to recall her last encounter with the criminal. She placed a hand over her head while another went over her stomach in the same area where Kira had stabbed her. "Shit… what the hell is going on? I think I should be dead if my memory serves correctly…"

"Long story," Alex said quietly as she placed a hand on Sonya's shoulder. "Very, very long story…"

"I can only imagine," Sonya said as she looked at the brunette. "You look like you went through hell."

Alex huffed without much amusement. "That's somewhat of an understatement..."

"We'll explain everything later tonight," Chun Li promised.

"Yeah, we really should focus on that wound."

Sonya took a deep breath to get her focus back. "Right… of course."

"If anything," Alex started to say as they both tended to the wound. "I'm glad you're back…"

"Chun Li!" a male voice suddenly called out. Chun Li quickly turned her head to the voice, and it didn't take long for her to spot her fiancé, who was running over to her.

"Lei!" the detective called out just as he reached her. Sitting himself next to her, he gathered her in his arms for an embrace, which Chun Li returned.

"Thank God you're okay," Lei said, clearly relieved.

"For the most part," Chun Li said. "Just have a knife wound to take care of."

Lei looked at her leg and noticed the wound that Sonya and Alex were tending to, mainly cleaning it and wrapping some gauze around it. He nearly felt dizzy at the sight… which was funny because he had seen worse during his career as a cop. He did notice the fact that Sonya was helping out and clearly free from the brainwash, but that was a conversation that would be saved for later.

"Come on," Sonya said once they finished covering the wound. "The best thing we can do is get her back to the cave."

"Of course," Lei said as he took Chun Li's arm and wrapped it around his shoulder. Sonya did the same on the other side before they lifted her up.

"Just make sure the knife stays in the wound," Sonya reminded them.

As they began walking back towards the cave, Alex only trailed behind them for a few feet before someone to her left caught her eye. Stopping in her tracks, Alex turned her head to get a better look.

On the ground was the corpse of Hsu Hao with his cybernetic heart ripped out from his chest. There was a large, gaping hole where the heart used to be, and Alex was sure, judging by the pool of red liquid around him, that he had completely bled out. As it turned out, only one member of the Outworld Forces stayed behind, and clearly they did not care whether or not the Chosen Ones noticed. Alex immediately recognized the person kneeling besides Hsu Hao's lifeless form – Donna.

Donna held a red item in her hand, and it didn't take long for Alex to figure out that it was a portion of Hsu Hao's cybernetics. Donna's shoulders shook in quiet sobs as endless tears streamed down her pale face, clearly mourning for the loss of her lover.

Alex gazed up towards the sky, only realizing now that the rain has since stopped pouring. She hadn't even had the chance to think about anything when a hand suddenly touched her shoulder. For the second time, she nearly jumped a mile in the air.

"Shit!" she yelled out as she turned to the person who grabbed her shoulder. She suddenly spun around before her eyes landed on her superior, Jax Briggs. Seeing that his eyes were brown again, Alex realized that he was no longer brainwashed.

"Hey Walker, what's up?" he greeted with a smile.

Alex shook her head. "Hey Jax," she breathed as she tried to calm her nerves. "Damn it, that's the second time someone spooked me like that today."

Jax chuckled at that. "I assume Sonya did the same thing earlier?"

Alex tilted her head at her superior. "You know about Sonya being alive?"

"I told him everything," Cyrax mentioned as he approached the two. "He's all caught up for the most part."

"Yeah," Jax said. "Hard to comprehend, but I'm sure it'll all sink in by tonight."

Alex nodded solemnly. "Yeah…"

"Come on," Cyrax said. "I'm sure you must be hungry, though all we have it military rations."

"Naturally," Jax sighed. He turned to the Second Lieutenant next to him. "You coming?"

Alex shrugged. "Sure."

The three of them began walking together, though Alex turned her head one more time to a certain spot on the field. Hsu Hao's corpse still remained in its place, but Donna had since disappeared…

Nearby, the wound that Sub-Zero had received in his shoulder has since been bandaged up and mostly healed by Fujin. Fujin had suggested that he get some bed rest as soon as they returned to the cave. Throughout the healing process, Sareena never left the Grandmaster's side. Sub-Zero, who had removed his helmet and mask a while ago, was also aware that Smoke and Matrik were helping others who survived the battle and needed their wounds cared for like he did.

"We… should go back to the cave," Sareena suggested.

"I agree, though I'm not quite ready to get back up yet," Sub-Zero replied.

"I assume you're that exhausted," she guessed.

"A little," the ice warrior admitted. "Though the truth is, I'm trying to comprehend what happened. Guess I assume my new armor would have made me stronger somehow considering all the others minor changes I experienced last night."

"Maybe it needs time to make you stronger," Sareena pondered. "Perhaps next time… when you see your brother again… you'll best him then."

"Maybe," Sub-Zero said quietly.

Without thinking about it, Sareena reached her hand out to gently grasp onto his, which of course was cool to the touch. Sub-Zero didn't have to look down to turn his hand and clasp his hand with hers.

"I'm just glad you're all right," Sareena admitted. "The wound didn't look good when I first saw it."

Sub-Zero gave her a ghost of a smile. "You were worried about me for a little while there."

Sareena tried to feign innocence. "I was _not_ worried. After all, you were stabbed and bleeding, and I thought I wasn't able to control it and I thought you were going to…" She suddenly shook her head while rolling her eyes. "Oh, what the hell, I'm just going to do it!"

She then used her free hand to place over the left side of Sub-Zero's face and, before he realized what she was about to do, Sareena leaned forward to claim his lips with her own. They were cool to the touch, just as she had always imagined, and she wasn't surprised when Sub-Zero didn't react to the kiss right away, obviously taken aback by her boldness… though at one point, she worried that he didn't return her feelings as she felt him unclasp his hand from hers.

Sareena started to pull away, feeling a bit disappointed, but Sub-Zero ended up moving his good arm and placed his hand behind her head. He then leaned forward to press his lips against hers. Sareena returned the kiss with more eagerness.

Nearby, Smoke happened to notice Sub-Zero and Sareena kissing, and he couldn't help but feel happy for them. "It's about damn time," he said out loud.

Matrik, who noticed the kiss as well, tilted her head a bit. "I assume they've grown close within the last few months during my… absence."

"Indeed they have," Smoke mentioned. "Though, eh… I think I kind of disrupted this moment late last night before the battle." He then shrugged a little. "Oh well… at least Sub-Zero didn't tear me apart and reassembled me into a punching bag."

"That would not have been good," Matrik said with a tone of amusement.

Smoke turned his head to the green cyborg. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm not sure," Matrik admitted. "I was confused at first, but just recently while we were helping the wounded, I got a couple of logs back from… between the Blood Tournament and now…"

"So… you remember some things in the past eight months then…"

"One of them was a fight in an old city against... you."

Smoke realized that was the fight back in Keisei when she and Noob attacked him and Sub-Zero during the invasion there. "Oh yes… I remember that fight."

"Was I under Noob's control?" Matrik asked suddenly.

"At one point, yes," Smoke answered. "But before that, well… you remember Sub-Zero's student, Frost?" The gray cyborg proceeded after Matrik nodded. "Well, somehow she programmed you to follow her commands and attack Sub-Zero and any of his associates. At one point, Noob found Frost and I assume he made a deal with her. They found you too, and of course, you ended up working under Noob against your will. I assume whatever buttons I pressed managed to awaken you and bring you back to normal. That's the short story."

Matrik tilted her head down. "I am… ashamed. I meant no harm against you or the Grandmaster."

"It's not your fault… and trust me, I know how you feel. I had been under control before too, and not just by the Lin Kuei either. It sucks, I know… but perhaps one day, we'll both be free from these shackles. Then no one will try to control us anymore."

Matrik solemnly nodded. "Perhaps…"

Not too far from them, Yoshimitsu walked around the area, gathering his surviving Manji Clan members. He winced each time he saw a fallen comrade, and he would take a moment to retrieve a trinket from them to bring home to their surviving families before placing it in his pouch. He would not do this at any other time, but considering the circumstances, there was a good chance that the fallen would end up being buried here in Outworld.

Eventually, Yoshimitsu gathered every Manji Clan survivor together and he stood in front of them. He noticed how tired and exhausted everyone was, and he didn't blame them one bit. He felt exactly the same as he did, which was why he was hoping that his next words to them would raise their morale a bit.

"We did it," the clan leader spoke up. "After months of fighting, the war is finally over. We'll be returning to the realms soon enough."

His words must've broken through the clan's daze as they realized that, after so long, their long fight against Outworld had finally ceased and they emerged victorious. Raising their weapons, they began to shout and cheer in celebration. Yoshimitsu smiled under his mask… though he didn't plan to shout out his victory like them, he inwardly felt the same way they did.

And like them, he was looking forward to leaving this realm for good…

At the edge of the field, Ruby Heart watched both the celebration and the recovery amongst the Chosen Ones and their allies. Considering the spirits she saw in the aftermath of the war, the pirate had chosen to remain on the sidelines, giving some alone time to herself. However, an hour after the battle ended, Fujin approached her before he stood next to her.

For a moment, they were quiet, at least until Ruby Heart spoke. "Aside from some of the Coast Guard and Manji Clan soldiers, Dhalsim is the only casualty…"

Fujin frowned at that news. "We knew it was a risk when he volunteered to lead the battle to Shao Kahn… but if it wasn't for him, we would've never have found a way to finally win this fight." He sighed a little. "Still… I wonder about The Four… if it wasn't for my weakened powers here, I would've already figured that out by now."

"Yeah," Ruby Heart said. "I didn't see their spirits, but that doesn't mean that they're alive either… still, right now, we can only hope they survived. Shao Kahn is dead, for sure, but who knows what occurred at that fortress."

"True," Fujin agreed. "For now, we'll remain here and give them a couple of days to get back here. If they don't return…"

Ruby Heart nodded to him. "We'll… return the others to their respective realms then."

From there, the two fell quiet as they looked on towards the battlefield…

Far from the field though still within sight of it, Liu Kang watched on as everyone celebrated and recovered after their fight against the Outworld Forces. It felt strange seeing everything from this point of view, but it was something he knew that he would eventually get used to.

Liu Kang also realized something else… if ever the realms were in danger again, which he hoped wouldn't happen for a while, it will be _he_ who would call upon these Chosen Ones to fight the latest threat, and it would be he who would lead them to battle. The thought of that responsibility was overwhelming, but he had a feeling that Fujin would deem him the most capable of being their leader… but again, if that time comes.

For now, the Mortal Kombat Champion would return to the Heavens and begin his new task as God of Fire and Protector of Earthrealm. With a ghost of a smile on his face, he began to make his way towards the deity portal to begin his duties.


	94. Chapter Ninety-Three

**Cave Grounds**

The sun was starting its descent behind the mountains of Outworld, darkening the realm as the purple sky began to turn a navy blue. The rain and clouds had disappeared hours before. By now, things were calm for the most part… the dead were buried and the wounded were now resting.

The Chosen Ones who didn't need any bed rest after the battle were soon called upon by Fujin to gather at the campfire outside. There was a slight chill in the air despite the fire and most of them either dressed warmly or wrapped themselves in blankets. A few of them; friends or couples, huddled together for further warmth.

Fujin and Ruby Heart took center stage in front of the gathered warriors, and it was the Wind God who spoke up first. "It is hard to believe, but… we won this fight, and the realms are safe. However, even though we received victory today, we must always prepare for tomorrow."

"Isn't that how it always is?" said Marshall. "Just when you thought one threat is over, another one comes up."

"Unfortunately, Shao Kahn's demise gives room for more enemies to move in," Ruby Heart explained. "Who knows what will be next… all we can do now is to be prepared. For now, however, we can focus on peace and recovery."

"There are… some things we need to discuss," Fujin began.

There was silence for a moment after he said that. These were things he and Ruby Heart decided to talk about with the others. For tonight, however, they decided not to discuss Dhalsim's death. They were already planning on revealing some grim news anyway, and hearing about the yoga master would be too much. That they will reveal in the next day or so.

"There's one thing I have to ask," spoke up Siegfried. "What happened to Ermac? He seemed to have lost control of the souls within the second that light came over the field."

"I witnessed that event," Fujin mentioned. "I believe it had something to do with Shao Kahn's demise. As most of you know, Ermac was once a servant of Shao Kahn until the Blood Tournament. I assume that whatever spells the Emperor placed on him bonded the souls into one mind… whatever that bond was, I believe that it shattered when that yellow light came over the battle, the one that signaled Shao Kahn's demise."

"So what will happen to him now?" asked Paul with concern.

"That I am not sure," Fujin replied solemnly. "But I feel that the souls within him will fight for domination of his body. He will emerge once more when he and the other souls are ready, that I am sure.

"I also have some news concerning your previous leaders, Raiden and Rose."

That got everyone's attention. "Rose?" asked an astonished Lita. "But… I thought she died…"

"So did we," Ruby Heart said. "But it was… recently discovered that Rose was somehow resurrected and brainwashed to serve Shao Kahn, more than likely for her abilities. We think that her psychic powers were used to pinpoint the location of certain fighters they deemed a threat."

"That would explain why the forces were able to find Yakushima Island so easily," guessed King.

"And mine and Dhalsim's location when we were both back in Kerala," added Ruby Heart.

Fujin proceeded from there. "Unfortunately, we were unable to save Rose before she had died… the only thing we can take comfort in is knowing that she is no longer being used as a puppet."

"Damn…" sighed Hwang with a small shake of his head while the others fell silent at the news.

"As for Raiden," Fujin continued. "He, too, is free from his corruption, but like Rose, we were unable to save him completely. His essence will be reborn somewhere else with no memories of his past."

"I assume that's a God's version of death," guessed Dan.

"Precisely," Fujin said.

"Then I'm guessing that Earth will have a new protector soon," spoke Asuka.

"Earth does have a newly appointed protector now," Fujin confirmed. "But with all the chaos that still lingers, their identity will be revealed in time. Just know that Earth will be in good hands from this day forward."

"As long as they don't go bat shit crazy on us," pointed out Cody. "But seriously, it's a shame about Raiden and Rose… they were good leaders and did not deserve what became of them."

"I couldn't agree more," Fujin replied. "Raiden was a close friend of mine for millennia and was like a brother to me. Though I will mourn his loss for some time, I take comfort in knowing that his essence will live on in another form. I believe that Rose's spirit will ascend to the Heavens. Like many who ascend to there, they will live out in peace for eternity. It's… hard when one is not with you physically, but to know that they are with you spiritually… that is the best comfort one can take in a time like this."

Ruby Heart took a deep breath after that as she quickly blinked back the tears that formed in her good eye. She quickly adjusted the eye patch over her right eye before speaking. "I… believe that covers it for tonight's meeting. We'll be discussing out departure tomorrow and-"

"Wait, wait, hold on a minute!" called out Ken as he stood up. "This meeting is _not_ over just yet."

Fujin nodded. "What do you wish to share, Ken?"

Ken shook his head. "I'm not here to share words… you pretty much covered what we needed to hear… all except one thing. Now that this war is over, I think it's about time we solve the only mystery left… what happened to Ryu, Jin and Kenshi?"

Sagat looked up in confusion, not expecting that question. "What now?"

Julia stood up as she joined Ken. "The three of them went missing right before the battle, and those of us who did figure it out have been wondering over their whereabouts ever since. Though I wonder… did the three of them going missing have anything to do with the demise of Shao Kahn?"

For a moment, Fujin and Ruby Heart were silent. They also didn't miss the fact that one other person got up and went over to stand next to Julia and Ken; Alex. Nearby, Cammy stood up as well, and though she also approached, she ended up standing a few feet back, a worried expression on her face.

Fujin and Ruby Heart turned to each other for a brief moment, but finally, it was Fujin who gave the pirate a single nod. Ruby Heart realized with that gesture what he was thinking… the war was over and Shao Kahn was dead… there was no reason to hold back the secret any longer. Ruby Heart nodded in reply, understanding him.

"Yes, the three did set off to eradicate Shao Kahn," Fujin finally revealed.

"If that's all it was about, then why was it so secretive?" Cammy asked as she crossed her arms.

"Ryu's letter to me said that revealing why they left would 'complicate the fight,'" Ken mentioned.

"And he was right," Fujin cut in. "We are sorry that we had to keep it a secret. It's not that we did not trust any of you, but considering their roles in this fight, we could not afford that knowledge to be known by anyone else except those three, myself, Ruby Heart, and Dhalsim."

"What makes those three so special?" asked Julia.

"They were part of a long legend that was foretold in a tablet in Dhalsim's village," Ruby Heart answered. "The legend of _Ano Sentaku Bou_ foretold that powerful warriors with the perfect balance of good and sin contained a weapon within them that, when combined, would defeat the 'main source of the conflict.'"

"That 'main source' being Shao Kahn of course," Fujin added.

"And if Shao Kahn is dead," Julia managed to say. "Then… they succeeded…"

"But did they survive?" Alex asked quietly.

Fujin sighed at that. "That… we're not sure of right now. We can hope at this time that they return soon. I imagine that the fight was brutal and it might take them a day or so to return to camp."

"Therefore," Ruby Heart began to say solemnly. "We'll stay here until the sunrise after tomorrow. After that… we _have_ to go… and… I hate to say this but… we would have to assume the worst."

Hearing those words immediately angered Ken and he took a step forward towards the two. "So we only wait until they return?! Why don't we go out there and search for them instead of waiting around for them!"

"The smart thing to do right now is to stay here so that they don't get lost trying to find us," Fujin said.

"But we can't search for them _after_ that?!" Ken called out. "No respect to you, Fujin, but I didn't fight tooth and nail for two months just to lose my best friend, who may as well be the only family I have left!" He then pointed to the two women standing next to him. "And I'm sure as hell that Julia and Alex didn't come all this way just to lose their men either!"

"Ken!" Julia called out as she stepped over to him. By now, tears slipped down her face, but she was still able to speak as she placed a shaky hand on Ken's shoulder. "It's okay… you don't need to speak up for me. After Fujin explained everything, I accepted the fact that Ryu was chosen for this… it… it sounds like it was his destiny to go out there and give Shao Kahn hell as well as Jin and Kenshi's."

"I know," Ken sighed. "But you think they'd deserve the same kind of peace like everyone else will get now since it was _they_ who ultimately ended the war by killing the Emperor…"

Hearing all of this, Fujin made a decision. "I can make a compromise," he said. "We'll stay until sunset tomorrow night. We'll all go on the ship then and, during the night, we will search for them. I imagine nighttime would be their time to stop and rest during their journey back there, so as long as they stay in one, place, finding them will be easier. If we do not find them by sunrise… then we will depart to the other realms so that the rest of you can go home. Once that is done, I will personally search for their whereabouts and… perhaps see if their souls have… ascended."

Julia nodded in agreement, even though the thought of Ryu being dead shook her to the core. "That sounds like the best course of action. Thank you…"

"That's the best I can offer," Fujin said solemnly.

Immediately after that new plan was revealed, Alex quickly departed the grounds and headed back towards the cave, doing all she can to keep her tears at bay until she got some privacy. The rest of the group soon began to disperse whether towards the beach or back to the cave.

Lita turned her head to Cammy and didn't miss the worried expression on her comrade's face. Lita placed a gently hand on Cammy's arm in comfort. "You all right, mate?"

Cammy shook her head. "I… I don't know…"

"Despite what Fujin said, I have a feeling those blokes survived… I know you're worried about Jin, but… he'll be all right. He's strong… I don't think it would be that easy to kill him."

Cammy sighed. "Suddenly, I wish I was as optimistic as you are, Lita."

"You always were a pessimist," Lita sighed. "Come on… let's go inside and have some tea… if there are any mugs available…"

Cammy huffed in a bit of amusement. "Suddenly, I really miss Raiden and Rose…"

"I know… me too…"

~~~

**Near the Ruins of Shao Kahn's Fortress**

Ivy could hear her name being called as she started to see through the darkness. It was nothing but blur for a while, but eventually, she forced herself to blink her eyes a few times. The more she did this, the more she noticed two figures looking down at her. Beyond them, the sun was starting to set, though the sky was not quite dark just yet.

Soon, her vision was clear, and sitting beside her on either side were Ryu and Jin.

"Ivy," Ryu said with a bit of relief. "You finally woke up."

Ivy shifted her eyes between Ryu and Jin, clearly confused by what was going on, but it soon hit her… they were here to destroy Shao Kahn… and last she remember, he was still alive… and there was a loud explosion…

"Did we… did we do it?" Ivy asked unsurely as the other two helped her sit up.

Ryu nodded. "If you mean defeating Shao Kahn, then yes, we did it. He's gone for good this time."

"Ivy," Jin started to say. "I'm sorry I doubted you this whole time. Considering your position as Empress and everything, I had to think the worst…"

Now Ivy was starting to remember other things and she took a deep breath. "Just… don't call me a hero or anything praising like that," she uttered. "I sure as hell don't feel like one even if we did save the universe…"

"I can agree with that," Jin nodded.

"Still," Ryu began to say. "The rest of the universe will think otherwise, especially once they hear that _we_ defeated Shao Kahn…"

Ivy suddenly felt a headache coming over her. She was just lifting her right hand to ease the pain, but then realized that she was holding something in that hand. Gazing down, she noticed the hilt of a katana… Kenshi's katana.

That was right… she killed Shao Kahn with this sword.

Realizing that she hadn't seen the swordsman since she woke up, Ivy looked at her surroundings, but it didn't take long for her to notice Kenshi approaching the trio. His red blindfold was tied over his eyes again, concealing his blindness.

Jin looked up at Kenshi when he heard him approaching. "How is it?" he asked.

"I didn't find anything unusual," Kenshi mentioned. "Though I find myself stepping on more glass shards than I care for. It makes me glad I'm wearing boots right about now."

"Must be damage from the fortress," Ryu guessed as he looked at Shao Kahn's Fortress. Some time while they were unconscious, the fortress had collapsed, probably by whatever light emitted from the Emperor's corpse before it combusted into nothing.

Ivy noticed this and slightly shook her head. _That is déjà vu to me_ _,_ she thought to herself.

"We have a couple of hours of sunlight left," Kenshi continued. "We should at least try to get back to… where we left Dhalsim."

Ivy looked up at the swordsman in astonishment. "Dhalsim was with you?"

"He tried to escort us to the fight, but a couple of shokan who Dhalsim recognized attacked us," Jin explained.

"Recognize?" Ivy said. "That must've been Sheeva and Kintaro… they were assigned to kill him because Shao Kahn considered him a threat due of the legend..."

"And they succeeded…" the swordsman said quietly. "Dhalsim is dead…"

Ryu gasped, feeling upset by this news. "Dead? …I knew we should've stayed behind to help him…"

"He had to make sure that we made it here at our fullest strength," Kenshi reminded Ryu. "I didn't like it either, but it had to be done."

"Wait," Jin said. "Kenshi, how did you know that?"

"You remember, right before Ivy showed up, when Shao Kahn smashed me to the ground and almost killed me right there?" Kenshi mentioned. "Right before that, I got a premonition of Dhalsim's death. The female shokan - I assume that's Sheeva - was the one who killed him."

"Huh," Ryu huffed. "I didn't know you were psychic too."

"Only for current events and even then, it's very limited," Kenshi explained. "Sento, my sword, shows me these events, but even those moments are very rare. Either way, my abilities are not as intricate as Dhalsim's was…"

"Makes sense," Jin said.

"You don't happen to know if our friends back at the camp are okay, do you?" Ryu asked with concern in his voice.

Kenshi solemnly shook his head. He then spoke more quietly. "I tried to figure that out, but… I'm not getting anything. The only way we'll know for sure at this point is for us to get back to the cave grounds."

Ryu drew in a sharp breath as he combed his fingers through his dark hair. "I hope Julia is all right…" he uttered.

During the conversation, Ivy managed to get back on his feet with Ryu and Jin doing the same. After Ryu's last words, she turned to Kenshi, who turned his back to the three. Remembering that she was still holding his sword, Ivy approached him, only having to walk a few feet forward.

Ivy then stood a couple of feet behind him before extending her arm out, passing the Sento back to him. "I believe this is yours," she said.

Kenshi slightly turned his head in her direction before he reached for his sword, grasping onto the hilt. "Thanks," he said as he placed it back in his scabbard.

"No, thank _you_ ," Ivy corrected him. "If you hadn't thrown your sword to me, not only would I have been dead, but we would've missed our chance in killing him for good."

"I assume the sunlight won't last any longer," Jin spoke up. "We should… find Dhalsim.

"Let me get my sword," Ivy said, remembering where it fell. She headed over there as the three men waited for her. She wasn't surprised to hear the sounds of crushed glass underneath her boots since Kenshi had mentioned it earlier.

Reaching the bridge that had led to the fortress, Ivy retrieved the sword she had recently named Valentine, after her own surname of course. She brushed her hand over the flat side of the weapon, grateful that it was still intact. It had been with her for a number of years ever since she forged it with her own hands…

Soon, Ivy placed the sword in the scabbard next to her left hip before she rejoined Ryu, Jin, and Kenshi. From there, they began their journey back through the forest.

Unknown to them, amongst the ruins of the fortress was a collection of tiny red shards…

~~~

**Cave**

Inside the cave, Siegfried was on the hunt for some food, though he was very sure that there were nothing more than military rations around here. He had it in mind to go and hunt for some Outworld warthog, though he has been long sick of eating those beasts for a while now. And he wasn't about to fish out one of those seven foot long fishes his allies mentioned to him either.

While looking around his room, thoughts ran through the young man's mind. He had spent months in Outworld, a few weeks on Earth, only a few days in Keisei, and back to Outworld, but one thing was for sure… he was ready to return to Keisei… particularly the Holy Roman Empire, his homeland.

Still, even with that thought, Siegfried still wondered about his own future. Sure, he had helped in saving the universe, but something inside was telling him that he still had a long way to go before he made up for the atrocities he committed for seven long years. He wasn't sure how, but he was certain that it was something he would figure out upon returning home.

Deciding to go to the lounge area, Siegfried left his room and headed over there, figuring that he would find some food there. He then pushed the curtain to the lounge area aside and he quickly noticed someone in the room. He turned his head to get a better look at who it was.

On the couch nursing a cup of tea was Princess Kitana.

Naturally, Kitana gazed over in his direction to see who entered the lounge. For a while, the two of them stared at each other, unsure of what to say, but eventually, Kitana spoke up. "You don't have to stand there and gawk… come sit down."

"Um, all right," Siegfried said, feeling unsure though he took her offer. He sat down next to her on the couch, but left some space between them so that they were both more comfortable.

"My mother told me she slapped you when she got out of the brainwash," Kitana mentioned. "I must apologize for her behavior. Ever since we restored Edenia after Outworld's first invasion of the realms, she's been… a bit protective to say the least."

"To be honest, I don't blame her," Siegfried replied. "I deserved what was coming for the way I treated you back at the tournament. You deserved to know the reasons for my actions."

"So why didn't you say anything back then?"

"Because, at the time, had I told you the truth, it would have put your life, along with your mother's and Jade's, in danger."

This made Kitana tilt her head. "I think you mentioned that before. What would have put our lives at risk exactly?"

"Have you ever heard of Soul Edge?" Kitana shook her head and Siegfried proceeded. "Well, it had a hold on me for a quite some time…"

From there, he told her everything he told Jade back in Keisei… Soul Edge's history, at least what was known, the curse that fell upon him, how he tried to avoid them during the tournament, and the aftermath of being freed. He also went on to explain why he left her room the night they consummated their previous relationship.

Kitana was silent as Siegfried told his side of the story, not saying a word until she was sure that he was finished. "This… explains everything," she said, feeling astonished. "I can see why you couldn't say anything back then."

"I wish I could have," Siegfried replied. "But I couldn't even trust myself. That was why it was all secretive. Now, when I return to Keisei, I will be working on atoning for the atrocities I've committed while under Nightmare's hold. I'm not sure how I will go about it, but I will find a way."

"That's a very noble goal," Kitana nodded. "I wish you the best. I also wish for the two of us to depart on a friendly note."

Siegfried knew what she meant… she was offering to stay friends despite their past relationship. He figured that things between them were most definitely over long before Outworld began their second invasion against the realms, back when he was assisting the City of Lei Chen.

"I wish the same," Siegfried agreed with a nod.

Kitana smiled at that. "I'm glad to hear that." She suddenly spun around as she faced the curtain. "I know you're spying on us, _Jade_."

The curtain was suddenly pushed aside and Jade walked right into the lounge. "Just testing you, Princess," she said with a soft laugh. That also earned a laugh from the blue-clad woman.

As Kitana sipped her tea, Siegfried looked up at Jade, who gazed at him as well. While Kitana wasn't look, Jade gave him a brief nod before she went off to look for some food in the lounge. Siegfried knew what her nod meant… because Kitana had forgiven him for his actions, then Jade was willing to forgive him as well…

Meanwhile, Yang knocked on the side of the cave next to one of the closed curtains. It only took a split second before the person in the room said, "Yeah?"

"It's me," Yang replied.

"Come in."

Yang pushed the curtain aside with one hand before entering the room. Sitting on the side of the lone bed was his brother Yun. Yun gazed up as soon as Yang walked in. "Hey, what's up?"

"Aren't you glad no one claimed your old room before you came back?" Yang half joked.

Yun managed a smile as Yang sat down next to him on the bed. "I'd like to think you kept a watchful eye during my absence."

"You should've seen the spider that was in here when we got back," Yang mentioned. "I'm sure it would've made the best guard… better than the ones the Outworld Forces had anyway."

"Sounds like I missed out on quite a bit…"

Yang frowned a little. "Yeah… you did…"

Yun leaned forward then as he placed his hands over his face. "Damn it, Yang… when I saw you fly away after you were hit, I honestly thought you were done for… you have no idea how glad I was to see you alive. Now I only have to wonder about the 'what-ifs' as I try to figure what I did as a brainwashed minion-"

"None of it was your fault," Yang tried to assure him. "The war is over, and we can finally move on. Whatever you did… it wasn't your fault. It was all Outworld's fault and they are finally paying for the hell they inflicted on all of us. It's over now…"

Yun shook his head as he turned to look at his brother. "Hey… how did you deal with all these weeks? At least for me, it was all in a blink of an eye, but you saw all the horror for two months, and I can only imagine how you felt about what happened to me…"

Yang shook his head as he frowned. "Needless to say, it wasn't easy…" He then lifted up an object that he held in one hand to show to his brother. Yun's eyes widened in surprise as he realized what it was…

It was his blue and yellow cap.

"This had kept my sanity together the whole time," Yang continued, though more quietly. "It was a constant reminder that things will turn out for the better… and that we will be reunited again…"

Yun was quiet as he took his cap from Yang's hand. For a moment, he stared at the hat before slowly placing it on his head… back where it belonged. He adjusted it for a moment before he was satisfied.

"There… that's better," Yun said with a small smile.

Yang managed to smile back, but then something about seeing Yun with his cap on again made all the emotions he managed to keep in check suddenly come out to the surface. Quickly, he buried his face in his hands in order to keep the tears forming in his eyes at bay.

Seeing this, Yun frowned as he felt his own tears stinging his eyes. There was much that he and Yang still needed to discuss, but he realized why Yang nearly broke down… he was relieved that this nightmare was finally over and that he was able to get his brother back well and alive.

Yun then pulled his brother into his arms and held him against him before he spoke up. "Hey… everything will be all right now…"

Yang managed to take a deep breath before responding. "Damn right it will be…"

An hour later, Cyrax happened to walk into the lounge. He wasn't surprised when he heard voices beyond the curtain. Either way, he stepped through, and it didn't take long for him to notice his superiors, Jax and Sonya, sitting on the couch.

"Cyrax!" Jax called out when he noticed him. "Want a drink?"

"Unless it's beer, I'm good, but thanks for the offer," Cyrax replied.

"It's not beer, but its sake," Sonya mentioned as she raised the bottle up to show to the cyborg.

"I'll pass," Cyrax said as he sat in front of them on the dark brown coffee table. "But I'll join you two either way… you know, after all that's happened, it feels damn good to have you both back."

"After everything you've told me this afternoon, I admit it's hard to comprehend," sighed Sonya. "Though I'm absolutely not surprised that bastard Shao Kahn brainwashed me into one of his soldiers."

"At least he didn't turn you into his bride," Jax said with a grin that indicated that he was joking. Sonya rolled her eyes at that, though she did smile.

Cyrax tilted his head at that. "Bride? Where did that come from?"

Jax chuckled at that. "Long story short, but years ago during the Mortal Kombat tournament, Sonya actually had a dream that Shao Kahn captured her and he forced her to marry him."

"I still remember the dress clearly," Sonya said. "My hair was down and all permed and I was wearing a long sleeve white gown with those puffy, ugly shoulder pads. It was like I was back in the eighties or something, it was weird."

"Our mission and Johnny Cage teasing you about marriage, I think, made up that concoction in your head," Jax guessed.

"Still, it was amusing to hear," pointed out Cyrax.

"Though oddly enough, I actually _was_ captured by him after the tournament," Sonya mentioned. She quickly took a sip of her drink before proceeding. "Though all it was meant for was to lure Jax and the others to Outworld and set up for the tournament there."

"That was fun," Jax said sarcastically while rolling his eyes.

"I'm pretty sure I was in the middle of the cyber initiative by then," Cyrax sighed. "I don't remember all that much after the first tournament."

"Oh yeah, I forgot you were there," Jax replied. "And I recall you were there to assassinate Johnny Cage. Why was that anyway?"

"So he can get his eight bucks back after seeing _Ninja Mime_ ," Sonya joked.

"Ha, ha," Cyrax replied. "To be honest, the Lin Kuei never gave me a reason. They just wanted me to kill him and that was that. That was around the time when I realized how truly blind I was by my loyalty to them. Personally, I don't think there really was a reason to kill him. I defeated him in the tournament and that was enough."

Jax sighed then. "You think Kenshi and the others will come back okay?"

"I hope so," Sonya replied. "They're good men and deserve peace as much as we do for their efforts."

"Oh, while you were brainwashed, Kenshi left Special Forces," Cyrax pointed out to the blond. "After the Blood Tournament, he only stayed long enough to finish the paper work and… attend your memorial service."

"I'm not surprised to hear that," Sonya said. She acknowledged the fact that they had a memorial service for her, which was nice, but nothing she wanted to talk about right now. "And… I assume since she came to the tournament without permission from the higher ups that Alex did get demoted."

"Just by one rank," Jax mentioned. "I tried to stall them, but they weren't having it. They gave her crap assignments too, so she hasn't had the chance to get her rank back up before the invasion happened."

"Naturally," Sonya grumbled. "Sometimes I think we should just branch out and form our own fighting team… no regulations hanging over our heads."

"At least we won't have traitors in our ranks now that Hsu Hao is dead," Cyrax reminded them.

"Very, very true," Jax said. "Still, the regulations are there for a reason, Sonya."

"I know, I know," Sonya sighed. She then turned her head to the curtain in the lounge room. "Speaking of Alex, I should check up on her. I can't imagine what's going through her mind with Kenshi being MIA at the moment-"

"Actually," Cyrax spoke up quickly before Sonya had the chance to stand up. "I think it's best to leave her alone right now. To be honest, she's… had it rough the past few weeks."

"What happened?" Jax asked with concern.

Cyrax shook his head. "I won't go into details… I'll let Alex tell you guys the story when she's ready, but… let's just say that Shang Tsung _really_ pissed off Kenshi, though it definitely could've been worse."

Sonya drew in a sharp breath after hearing that. "Makes me glad the bastard is finally dead for good."

"Likewise," Cyrax said. "I don't know what Kung Lao did to him, but it was brutal and pretty damn bloody, and I'm very sure the bastard suffered. It was definitely well-deserved in my opinion."

"Damn right," Jax said as he raised his mug. "Despite all the hell we've been through, let's enjoy this peace right now… I'm sure the second we get back to Earth, we'll have a lot of work on our hands."

"I'll drink to peace for sure," Sonya agreed before she took another sip of the sake.

Cyrax couldn't help but feel elated. "It's really good to have you both back…"

~~~

**Deity Portal**

Fujin kept his distance as he gazed at the platform that served as the deity portal. On the platform was Kazuya Mishima fighting the apparition of his father, Heihachi. The fact that Heihachi was Kazuya's greatest adversary did not come as a surprise to the Wind God. The brief time he saw them both together in Keisei, he was able to sense the pure hatred between them.

Even now, the real Heihachi's whereabouts were unknown, though Fujin suspected that the older Mishima was alive and somewhere in Outworld. Whatever Heihachi was up to at this point, and why he ran off with the Outworld Forces, was currently unknown. Fujin was sure that Heihachi wanted nothing to do with them since he was willing to fight back against them earlier.

Whatever it was, it was definitely going to be for Heihachi's own gain.

The fight between Kazuya and the Heihachi apparition took about ten minutes before Kazuya landed a killing blow – a palm strike through the heart – thus winning the battle. Naturally, this earned Kazuya access to the deity portal.

When it was over, Fujin approached Kazuya. "You have won… the portal access is yours now… you may return to Earth. Just stand underneath the glowing ball above."

Kazuya only nodded… whether in reply or in thanks was the question, but least now, Fujin didn't have to worry about taking him back to Earth by way of Ruby Heart's ship. The last thing the other chosen ones needed was for him and Jin to rip the ship in shreds… and that's if Jin survived his battle at all.

Kazuya soon moved over to stand underneath the large ball that served as a portal. It wasn't long until a white light engulfed him, the process brief. As soon the light disappeared, so did Kazuya…

When that was over, Fujin heard footsteps nearby. Turning his head, Fujin soon noticed Scorpion approaching him. Fujin nodded to him. "Scorpion," he greeted.

"Quan Chi escaped Outworld," Scorpion growled.

That was news to Fujin. "Do you know why?"

"Because he is a coward," the spectre simply said.

Fujin took a deep breath at this. This was something he would have to look into as soon as a possible. Right now, there were other tasks at hand. With Scorpion here now, Fujin could now take care of one of them.

"Still, you had assisted in helping the other chosen ones in their fight against our enemies, and we have won," Fujin explained. "With that, I am now able to deliver my part of the deal."

Scorpion's eyes widened at that. "My family and clan will finally walk the Earth again…"

Fujin nodded. "Indeed. And as promised, if ever they are in danger, you will be called upon to protect them. I will personally see to that." Scorpion was silent for a moment before he finally gave the Wind God a simple nod. "Now," Fujin said. "Before you return to the Netherrealm, I have something to show you…"

Before Scorpion could ask the Wind God what it was, he was suddenly engulfed by a white light. It temporarily blinded him as he raised his arms to shield his pale eyes.

Soon, the light disappeared and Scorpion could see again. He gazed at his surroundings, noticing the wooden cabins, the small hills, and the countless trees covered in pure, white snow. Snowflakes gently fell from the sky, adding more to the pile below his feet.

Scorpion then noticed something else… the people that surrounded him. The women and children were dressed in simple kimonos of various dark colors, and the men all dressed in simple black and yellow ninja garb.

He realized where he was then… the village of the Shirai Ryu… and the people gazing at him were his clan. The Elder Gods really did keep their word…

" _Otosan!_ " a young voice suddenly called out.

Scorpion turned to the voice… and for the first time in more than a decade, he felt pure joy as his young son ran to him, clearly excited to see his father. Immediately, Scorpion got done on one knee to greet his son. The young boy soon reached him and immediately threw his little arms around the spectre's shoulders. Scorpion returned the embrace.

"Jubei…" Scorpion whispered as he held his son close to him. " _Watashi no musuko…_ "

He then heard footsteps nearby, and Scorpion gazed up to see who approached them. He then froze as he recognized the woman dressed in a simple brown kimono with a black sash around her waist. Her long black hair was left down to fall to her hips, and a smile graced her porcelain face. What stood out more was the single red rose that decorated her hair, the flower resting on the right side of her head.

Scorpion slowly stood up before he began to approach the woman… his wife. "Kana…"

Kana smiled more in reply. "Hanzo…"

He soon closed the space between them before they embraced each other, neither of them letting go for a while. All was quiet around them as the light snow continued to fall around them. Even their son kept a respectful distance during his parents' reunion.

As soon as they slowly began to pull away, Jubei spoke up. " _Otosan_ , I looked after _okasan_ just like I promised."

If Scorpion could smile, he would have. "Yes, and I am very proud of you. And you continue to keep that promise for me…" There was a solemn expression on Jubei's face, but despite that, he nodded in understanding.

Kana frowned as she looked back up at her husband. "I only wish you can stay with us… but it was explained that you would not return when we came back to Earth…"

"It is true," Hanzo said. "But know this… if you and the Shirai Ryu are ever in danger, I will be called upon to protect you. No harm will come to you ever again."

Kana placed her hands on either side of Hanzo's face before she pressed her lips gently against his yellow mask, the closest they could get to a kiss. "Goodbye, Hanzo…"

"Goodbye, Kana…"

He briefly placed his forehead on his wife's before he began to pull away. As he did, Jubei rejoined his mother's side and the two looked on as their husband and father stepped away.

Eventually, Scorpion stopped before he gazed at his surroundings, acknowledging the other clan members. Though he would return to the pits of hell, he took comfort in knowing that they - and his wife and son - will live on. The Shirai Ryu has returned from extinction… they will be strong again even if he would not be here to see that.

Scorpion turned his head again as he looked at Kana and Jubei one more time. Then, a burst of flames engulfed him, and he soon returned to the Netherrealm…

~~~

**Forest**

The sun had set just an hour ago, and the only light that was seen came from four lit branches held by The Four. They all held the branches at a curved angle so that the fire did not burn the branches too quickly.

In front of them was the pyre they spent an hour building on a field near the forest… and on top of that pyre was the body of the yoga master, Dhalsim. His body was laid out in a way that made him look as though he was sleeping and at peace.

No words were said because none of them were sure what to say. All they could offer was a solemn silence in respect. Jin was the first to step forward. In his heart was regret, wishing that he could tell Dhalsim how sorry he was for doubting him over Ivy being a chosen one… but in a way, Jin had a feeling that Dhalsim already knew. Jin could hope that the yoga master forgave him. He soon dropped his lit branch to the base of the pyre before stepping away.

Ryu came forward next as the fire began to ignite. Tears had formed in his eyes, but he was able to keep them at bay. He then conveyed the same thoughts he had when Dhalsim told them to go. _If anyone is a true hero at the end of this war, it is you... if it wasn't for you Dhalsim, we would've never have found a way to win… thank you… may you now rest in peace._ He then tossed his branch into the fire before backing away.

Kenshi was next to go, and he stood there for a moment as thoughts ran through his mind. He thought back on the day Dhalsim revealed that he was the third chosen one. Even then, Kenshi was hell-bent on hunting Shang Tsung down, but Dhalsim made him realize what was important. It had been hard for him to put aside his anger and guilt, but he managed it… because Dhalsim had faith in him. He didn't realize it until now, but Dhalsim in some ways reminded him of his long-deceased grandfather because of his wisdom and patience. That comparison suddenly forced him to swallow away the forming tightness in his throat. Shaking the thoughts from his head, Kenshi tossed his branch into the fire before backing away.

Ivy was the last to go and she soon stepped forward. By now, the fire ignited by the other three lit branches had grown bigger. Ivy realized then that, for as long as she lived, she would never forget Dhalsim. He had saved her from an oblivion she would've never realize she was falling into if it were not for him. He trusted her and believed in her, and though his psychic abilities had a lot to do with that, the fact that he still took a risk with her spoke volumes of his trust in her despite her past deeds. With tears in her eyes, Ivy tossed the last branch into the fire.

The Four stood a little while longer in front of the burning pyre in silence. Eventually, they began to leave the field and back into the forest as the smoke rose from the pyre and into the night sky above…

A half hour later, Jin, Ryu, Kenshi, and Ivy had set up a campfire, the four of them surrounding it as they sat a few feet away. For a long while, none of them said a word and the only sound around them was the crackling of the fire's embers.

Eventually, it was Jin who spoke up. "How do you feel about destroying Shao Kahn?"

Ivy knew that he was asking her this question, so she gave him an answer. "It was necessary, especially with him being a servant of Soul Edge."

"I've been hearing a lot about Soul Edge, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around it," said Ryu. "All I've gathered is that it's evil, was the cause of the Evil Seed event in Keisei about seven years ago, and had used the _Chishio No Me_ medallion as some kind of window."

"There's also the fact that it chooses a host to collect souls for itself in order to become more powerful," Ivy reminded him. "Whoever held the medallion long enough would eventually be 'chosen' to become Soul Edge's next host… basically using their body as a vessel for its own evil doings."

"That's why the last host tried to go after Shao Kahn," Jin said.

"Precisely," Ivy replied. "Though even I'm baffled by how Shao Kahn got it under his control for a little while there. Either he's stronger than I thought, or he lucked out and the essence decided to try to work from within him. I'm personally leaning towards the latter."

"Aside from gaining more power," Kenshi began to question. "What was the reason for Soul Edge's creation to begin with?"

"No one knows what or even who created Soul Edge to begin with," Ivy explained. "However, there is another weapon in Keisei that was made to counteract Soul Edge. We call it Soulcalibur. Very few have had the opportunity to wield it, but it's simple… it's the complete opposite of what Soul Edge is capable of. Where Soul Edge is about chaos, Soulcalibur is about order. Needless to say, however, no one has truly had the chance to use Soulcalibur to destroy Soul Edge, at least as far as I know. If anything, fragment energies that formed into weapons have been destroyed, but not the main source, which was the one Shao Kahn wielded within."

"Makes you wonder," Ryu began. "Do you think the essence of Soul Edge within Shao Kahn was destroyed upon his demise?"

Ivy frowned at that thought. "I hope so…"

"I didn't detect anything unusual when I was scouting the area," Kenshi mentioned. "Perhaps it really was destroyed upon his death. That or the essence escaped somehow."

"If so… we'll know eventually, but I hope it doesn't come to that."

Ryu decided to change the subjected as he looked at the youngest warrior of The Four. "Jin, I've been wondering about something… last night, when Dhalsim gave you the vision of the future had we not succeeded… you were hell-bent on making sure Kenshi and I didn't see it."

"I'm not understanding that myself," Ivy agreed. "The deal with Soul Edge made me snap out of the vision, but that was the worst of it. I assume that you saw more than I did."

Jin took a deep breath at that. "This may come as a surprise, but… I wasn't sparring you two because the vision was 'horrible.' Of course you two could've handled the devastation I saw. I needed air afterwards because my mind was trying to comprehend what I just saw and nothing more.

"The reason I told Dhalsim to spare you both was because… I saw many who were dead… amongst them were our friends… Julia and Alex included." Jin turned to Ryu. "I didn't think it was something that either one of you would have wanted to see. I don't know whether it would have hardened your resolve or shatter your morale… well, maybe I'm sounding a little bit dramatic about it, but all I know is that, if I was in your shoes, I would've wanted to be spared as well. The dreams I have of my mother's death haunts me enough."

Ryu nodded at Jin. "I appreciate that. That is something that, even if we won like we did, well… the vision alone would have haunted me for a very long time."

"That's what I figured," Jin said before he turned to the swordsman across from him. "I also figured that, well… I don't know how your senses work Kenshi, but if I'm right in my theory that you only see us in shadows, I didn't think that you'd want your first time seeing Alex to be her lying in a pool of blood…"

Kenshi simply nodded to him in reply, though Jin didn't miss the fact that the swordman's Adam's apple bobbed a bit as he swallowed right before the nod. He realized then that describing the pool of blood was not the best thing to mention.

Ivy decided to move on from the subject. "I think it's best if we all got some sleep. The sooner we fall asleep, the sooner we can head back to this cave you mentioned."

"What do you think will happen when we get there?" Ryu asked. "I don't think our friends would be forming a welcome committee for Ivy right away…"

"That's an understatement," Jin sighed.

"I assume Fujin will make that decision when we get there," Kenshi guessed.

"I won't worry until then," Ivy added.

Eventually, the four of them settled down to try to get some sleep. However, for a long time, none of them were able to get any shut eye…

Gazing up towards the sky, Jin knew what he was planning to do upon his return to Earth… end his curse. He wasn't sure how to go about that aside from killing Kazuya and Heihachi, both who he suspect were still alive at this point. He would kill them when he had the chance, and if there was no other way to free himself from the Devil, then he would end his own life. For now, he would go hunting…

Julia was at the forefront of Ryu's mind, clearly worried whether or not she lived through the battle. Jin's visions didn't help much to quell his current thoughts, but one thing was for sure… he hoped that she and Ken had looked out for each other and that, when he returned, they were both waiting for him well and alive. When they got back to Earth, he would decide what to do from there…

It was the quiet around him and the thoughts that kept Kenshi up. He knew what he was going to do when he returned to Earth; continue his vigilante work and perhaps proceed to do so in his home land, Japan… at least until he figured out Shang Tsung's whereabouts, if he survived the battle today. Alex lingered in his mind as he wondered if she was safe and unharmed… and hoped that there was a chance for them to finally sort things out between them.

Ivy knew one thing for sure… she was going to get the hell out of Outworld and return to her mansion in Keisei. Because of her 'role' in the war, Ivy planned to isolate herself from the rest of the universe for a while, at least until she could find a way to atone for her atrocities. For now, however, she was looking forward to finally going home…


	95. Chapter Ninety-Four

_The Next Morning…_

**Cave Grounds**

Throughout the night, Julia was unable to sleep, though she had tried her best to. She would try to think of happy memories… of her mother, of her friends, of her projects, of Ryu… but none of it seemed to work. A couple of times, she would hear footsteps outside the curtain that covered her room, and her heart would jump with hope, thinking that it was Ryu… only for the footsteps to keep walking past.

 _Where is he?_ Julia thought for who knows how many times.

Not for the first time since she went to bed, Julia looked at the time on her watch and saw that it wouldn't be long before dawn. She realized suddenly that she had not watched the sun rise in a while.

Getting out of bed, Julia was already dressed in a gray t-shirt and black sweatpants… clothes she had left behind after the Blood Tournament and most definitely smelling musty from being in the cold cave for so long. However, she didn't care about the smell last night and she decided not to care now as she decided to step outside, not even bothering to put on her shoes.

Dawn was already peaking above the mountains in the distance as a soft wind swept over Julia's face. Her long brown hair was free from their usually twin braids, falling just past her hips. Some strands slightly swayed behind her by the wind as she began to walk towards the beach.

The five minute walk didn't seem so long, but before Julia knew it, her bare feet were digging into the grainy sand. The water in front of her had a small tide and she stood maybe about ten feet away. She thought to roll up her pants and let her feet soak in the water, but she imagined that it was much too cold to do that right now. So instead, the young woman chose to sit down, drawing her knees to her chest before hugging her legs with her arms.

With the exception of the light wind and the soft splashing of the water tides, all was quiet around her, though Julia was sure that her allies would be up and out of the cave soon enough. At least right now, she can enjoy the peace and quiet.

Then, a memory came over her from her time in the tournament;

… _She slowly found herself gazing into his dark eyes. She couldn't understand why at that moment, but to her, it began with a single thought. However, the thought soon became real as she leaned herself forward and slowly left a brief kiss on Ryu's lips before pulling away. Julia looked at him afterwards and saw that his eyes widened a bit more and his jaw had partially dropped in surprised._

_The young woman suddenly found her cheeks turning red, wondering if she had just made a mistake just now. "Um…" she began to say. "I, eh, think we should head back…"_

_She began walking back towards the cave, but had only taken two steps when she suddenly tripped over her own feet out of nervousness. Seeing her fall at that moment, Ryu reached over with both arms out and he managed to catch her. After being caught, Julia turned herself around so that she was facing him._

_"You all right?" Ryu said with a smirk._

_Julia laughed a little, her nervousness ceasing. "Yeah… I am now. Remind me not to rush like that again."_

_From there, Ryu got the message of what Julia was thinking… she believed that with her kissing him just moments ago that she may have ruined their friendship. Ryu thought through this for a split moment before leaning down towards her to return the kiss, easing her fears. Ryu himself couldn't understand why he felt the need to kiss her, but it was an easy answer… he had feelings towards her that he kept denying. Now that they were kissing however, he couldn't deny those feelings any longer._

_Their kiss only lasted a minute, but to them it felt like an eternity. The kiss was still for a moment, but soon their lips moved in a slow rhythm as Julia wrapped her arms around Ryu's waist._

_Soon, however, Ryu slowly pulled away from the kiss and the two gazed into each other's eyes. Both were a brown color with his being a dark shade and hers being a lighter shade._

_Julia found herself smirking after a few seconds. "We should go back inside."_

_A breeze hit them at that point and Ryu nodded. "I couldn't agree more."_

_While holding hands, the two began walking back towards the cave._

As the memory left her mind, Julia felt the tears stinging her eyes and she forced herself to keep them at bay. She tried to tell herself that she let herself cry for two days straight already. Has it only been two day since she and Ryu got back together? Suddenly, that moment felt like another lifetime. No wonder she felt like an emotional wreck.

 _Please spirits,_ Julia began to pray. _Let him be okay…_

That was when she heard footsteps behind her… definitely too light to be male, so she knew that Ryu hadn't come back yet. Still, she turned her head to see who it was and soon notice that it was Alex. She also didn't bother to get out of her pajamas and was now wearing a white tank-top and blue, black, and white flannel pants. Also like Julia, she came to the beach bare-footed.

"Hey," Julia greeted.

"Hey," Alex replied quietly as she sat down next to the younger woman. She too drew her knees to her chest, but she rested her arms on top of them. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all."

For a long time, the two of them sat next to each other in silence and simply watched the sun rise above the distant mountains beyond the water in front of them. As it was when Julia first got here, only the light wind and the soft, splashing sound of the water tides ten feet away could be heard.

When the sun managed to peak out and shine it rays on the beach, Julia ended up turning her head to Alex, who was now resting her chin on her arm. Julia didn't miss the fact that she looked completely and utterly exhausted judging by the dark circles under her eyes, which were also puffy and red. No doubt Alex didn't sleep as well last night either.

Julia turned her head back towards the water before she asked, "You okay?"

Alex took a deep breath before replying. "I was just thinking about my Aunt. She lives in Florida where I grew up, and I haven't heard from her since before the invasion. First thing I'm going to do when I get back to the States is look for her…"

Julia frowned at that. She was more referring to how Alex was coping with Kenshi being missing, but Julia guessed that the older woman had taken the question as something more like, 'What's on your mind?' Either that or she was trying to avoid the subject.

"Any other relatives?" Julia ended up asking.

Alex shook her head. "Parents died long before this and I was an only child. You?"

"Adoptive mother died a couple of years ago, though I still have – or had – contract with the tribe I grew up with." Julia took a deep breath. "I heard Shang Tsung is finally dead…"

"Yeah, good riddance," Alex said bitterly through clenched teeth. "I've been meaning to thank Kung Lao for that. At least now I can sleep again…"

"I didn't know you've been having sleeping difficulties."

"Only since _that_ day… but at least that piece of shit's death is more good news for Kenshi to come back to…" Alex then let out a shaky breath as she combed her finger through her brown hair. "God, where are they?" she barely whispered. "Where is he…?"

Julia felt her own tears slip out of her eyes over the first question. Her voice shook at her next words. "They're strong, brave men who've faced much adversity in their life. It would be an injustice if they… didn't survive…"

"We should be out there looking for them, not sitting around twiddling our thumbs like a bunch of kids playing hooky."

"We will tonight at sunset," Julia reminded her. "I want to look for Ryu as much as you want to look for Kenshi, but… well… let's hope they come back before then. If not, we'll definitely be out to look for them tonight."

Alex shook her head. "I guess I'm just thinking about how, back when we were just colleagues, Kenshi just went out and looked for me when I was imprisoned in the dungeons. He didn't bother to wait around… heck, he didn't bother to tell anyone where he went… he just went and searched until he found me. The sad thing is, had I not got my ass kidnapped, Kenshi would've never discovered Shao Kahn's _real_ hideout and our mission would have really stalled to nowhere."

Alex turned her head to the younger woman. "I feel like I'm doing a disservice to him after what he's done for me, you know?"

Julia smiled a little. "Something tells me… Ryu would've done the same for me. But think about it… those Outworld Forces are out there hiding who knows where. Even if you and I went together, we wouldn't last long against that entire horde."

Alex huffed at that. "That would be my kind of luck…"

"I think," Julia started. "They would have wanted us to stay put or search for them in a large group rather than just one or both of us because of the dangers out here. I hate it too, but until tonight, all we can do is wait and hope for the best."

In the back of mind, Julia knew that she was being a hypocrite. After all, she went out the other night to look for Ryu and wounded up in the wastelands _alone_. When she and Ryu talked the night before the battle, Ryu didn't outright tell her not to do it again, but he was clearly concerned that she even thought about roaming Outworld alone in the first place. Until now, however, Julia hadn't even thought about what had happened to Alex back at the Rockies and realized that the risks were even higher here in Outworld when she went through the forest alone. In a way, Julia was very lucky.

Alex shut her eyes in order to keep her tears at bay. "I just hope they made it out alive…"

Julia nodded. "Me too…"

Later that morning, Cody decided to head over the hot springs. Ever since the battle ended, he had spent most of the day helping out those who were injured in the battle. He also tended to his own injuries, which were minor. Then, when the group meeting was over just before sunset, Cody settled into his bed and passed out for a good fourteen hours. He only woke up an hour ago.

Now that he was fully rested, Cody decided to take the opportunity to head over to the old outdoor hot springs and finally take the bath he knew he needed since the end of the battle. The forest he walked through was mostly quiet with only his footsteps being heard. He wondered if his surroundings will be this quiet once he was relaxing in the hot water.

Just before he reached a fork in the trail that would lead to the springs, Cody happened to notice something orange at the corner of his eye to his right. Turning his head, Cody wasn't surprised when he saw Guy sitting on the ground in a lotus position. With his hands resting on his knees and his eyes closed, Guy was clearly meditating.

Cody frowned a bit. He and Guy haven't had the chance yet to discuss everything since Guy was freed from the brainwash yesterday. When they returned to the cave, Guy had retreated to his old room and Cody hadn't seen him after that, at least until now.

The blonde thought to continue on to the hot springs and leave his friend alone for now, but he only took two steps before he heard someone say, "Cody?"

Cody stopped in his tracks and turned back to Guy, whose brown eyes were now open and gazing up at him. Cody gave him a small smirk. "Hey."

"Sit down for a minute," Guy offered as he stretched out a hand towards the tree next to him. Cody decided to oblige and walked over to the spot, soon sitting down on the grass and leaning his back against the tree.

"How are you feeling?" Cody asked him, unsure of what else to say at the moment.

Guy took a deep inhale before he answered. "I guess you can say that I'm trying to get my bearings. One minute, I was fighting Sodom, and the next, I find myself at the tail end of a large battle."

"Sodom, huh?" Cody uttered. He turned his head to his ally. "That fight you had must've been the night before... well, let me put it this way; the Blood Tournament turned out to be a lure for us strong fighters to come together… basically, Outworld led us lambs to a slaughter to make it that much easier to invade the realms."

"I always knew something wasn't right with the tournament," Guy said. "Sounds like my hunch, as well as Nightwolf's, was right."

"Yeah… Shao Kahn sent his forces out to kill us all, but thanks to Raiden and Rose, almost all of us made it out alive."

"I assume there were casualties then."

"Yeah," Cody answered. "Nightwolf was one of them as well as some members of MI-6… Raiden and Rose too, though… that was recent in a way. I also saw Sodom's corpse during the battle on my way to the portals, so… you don't have to worry about him going after you anymore."

Guy simply nodded at that. "What happened to… me?"

"I'm guessing that Sodom was the one who brought you to Shao Kahn because the next time I saw you, you were brainwashed into working for him," Cody explained. "He, eh… sent you to kill me, why, I don't know… but between that day and yesterday, eight months have passed as Maki mentioned yesterday."

Guy gazed down at the ground just in front of him before he spoke up. "While I was mediating, I realized that there were… two things I seem to remember between that time… one, a apparition of a woman in an olive green kimono with long, silky black hair… I think she was trying to break through the brainwash…"

"Rena I assume?" Cody guessed.

Guy confirmed that with a nod before proceeding. "The second was… right before I was freed…"

Cody hissed at that before rubbing a hand over his face. "Then you remember when I almost…"

"You didn't know and you made a decision that you thought was best in that moment," Guy assured him.

Cody gritted his teeth with some frustration. "If I had known what would happen right after that, I would've never drawn my fist back!"

"But that's the thing... you didn't know." Guy turned his head to his friend. "Don't blame yourself just because you didn't know what was going to happen seconds later."

Cody pointed a finger at him. "You know I would've blamed myself otherwise after the fact when I figured out what that yellow light did to our other brainwashed friends!"

"If it makes you feel better, I would have understood had I known what was happening…"

Cody combed his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, well… it doesn't because unless we had the chance to discuss it before it happened, then the guilt would've still lingered over my head like a black cloud."

Cody then calmed himself down by taking a deep breath before speaking again. "Shit, Guy… here I am bitching and moaning about what I went through and what could've been, and here you just got out of being brainwashed for almost eight months…"

Guy gave him a ghost of a smile. "At least you remember those things… me? I'll probably be wondering what kind of atrocities I've committed these past eight months…"

"But you do remember seeing Rena and what I almost did…"

"My guess is that those were the points where my mind was fighting tooth and nail to break through the brainwash, but whatever magic was used, it was too strong."

Cody nodded at that. "Yeah… it really was. But it turns out that all it took was for Shao Kahn to be sent to the pits of hell for good to make that happen." He then gave Guy a serious expression. "But Guy, take your own advice… whatever you did under the brainwash… it wasn't your fault either. You had no control over the brainwash, and if you have to blame it on anyone, blame it on Shao Kahn."

Guy took a deep breath before he nodded. "It'll take time, but… I'll do my best."

Then, for a long time after that, the two Metro City heroes sat in contented silence…

Amongst the cave grounds, Bo' Rai Cho looked on as his two students, Kung Lao and Li Mei sparred a few feet away. Normally, the older man would be paying more attention to their training, but at the moment, other thoughts ran through his mind.

It had been far too long since he was last here in Outworld, his birthplace. Earth had become more of a home to him than here over the years, but considering the aftermath of this war, well… even though Outworld was the enemy, Bo' Rai Cho couldn't help but think of the innocent civilians who had to suffer under Shao Kahn's reign. He also realized that these civilians were most likely not going receive much aide because, naturally, the other realms would be too hesitant to offer their help.

Eventually, Kung Lao and Li Mei stopped sparring and turned their attention to their teacher. They noticed that their teacher had a faraway expression. "Master?" called out Kung Lao. "Is everything all right?"

Hearing the question, Bo' Rai Cho shook his head a little, but he followed that with a smile. "Yes, everything is fine. I just have some things on my mind."

"Penny for your thoughts?" Li Mei asked.

Hearing that made Bo' Rai Cho chuckle, remembering how back in Keisei, Li Mei had been confused when those words were said to her, and now she was actually using them. "Well… I was thinking about how the innocent here and Outworld will manage now that the nightmare is over. They have suffered much due to the many wars and atrocities of their 'ruler.'

"For the first time in thousands of years, Shao Kahn's reign is finally over. With him gone, this will finally give the innocents here a chance to start anew. The thing is, if my hunch is correct, other realms will not be rushing to aide them since it was Outworld that started this war to begin with."

"It's like I mentioned the other night," Li Mei began. "I don't expect the other realms to be friends with Outworld anytime soon."

"It's indeed a scar that would need many years of healing," added Kung Lao.

"There's also the human flaw of lumping people into one category rather than focusing on the few who's really to blame," Bo' Rai Cho pointed out. "Therefore, with all that in mind, I've decided to remain here in Outworld while the rest of you return to your homes. My connection to Earth and Fujin may be the best hope for these people."

Kung Lao nodded to the martial arts master. "It sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you, and I only wish you the best."

"And I wish you the best as well," Bo' Rai Cho said. He then turned his head to the young woman next to him. "Li Mei… I know this is a lot to ask as I understand your grim memories of losing your family and villagers in Sun Do due to the atrocities here… but I invite you to join me in my new task. If there is one thing I've learned over the years is that although Earth is considered my home, there will always be a part of me that desires to return here every so often, especially in times of need. I feel that many who survived here have faced the same loss as you have, and your presence may help them realize that they are not alone in their pain. In the end, however, it is ultimately your decision."

Li Mei frowned a little as she pondered over the offer her master made. She also thought about why he wanted her to help in his new task and realized that, especially after this war, that there are survivors out there who went through the same pain she had. Many here were enslaved and villages and cities were wiped out. She imagined that only a few were able to survive the horrors. Sharing her story, as Bo' Rai Cho mentioned, would have a good chance to show them that they are not alone.

Taking a deep breath, Li Mei nodded to the older man. "Yes, I will accompany you on your task."

Bo' Rai Cho smiled in reply. "I would have understood if you had said no, but I am honored that you have accepted my offer."

Kung Lao sighed a little. "I'll surely miss you both once the rest of us leave this realm."

"I promise you, Kung Lao," the master began. "Someday, Li Mei and I will revisit Earth, but only when our task with helping the survivors is complete."

The Shaolin warrior smiled at that, feeling glad that the two Outworld natives will begin a new journey to bring hope to those who have lost it so long ago. The civilians here truly deserve it.

Back inside the cave, Wagner and Juli went together to pay a visit to Guile, who had spent most of his time in his room since the battle ended yesterday. Wagner didn't blame him because he can only imagine trying to comprehend losing months of his life in an blink of an eye… and finding out what you did probably wasn't helping things either.

Wagner had been willing to tell Guile everything when they talked last night, all except the part when Guile threw his projectile at his daughter back at the Rockies. The Air Force Sergeant wasn't willing to tell him that because he wasn't sure how Guile could handle knowing that. That's probably something that's best for Jane to tell her husband if she chooses to.

When they reached the curtain, Wagner knocked on the side of the cave that led to the room. "Hey Guile, it's Wagner and Juli."

"Come in," Guile greeted from the other side of the curtain.

Wagner and Juli walked into the room, taking a couple of steps forward. Guile was sitting at the foot end on the bed gazing at a wallet-sized photograph in his hand. Wagner went over to see what it was, and soon realized that it was an old picture of Guile with Jane and Amy. Amy had been a toddler at the time the picture was taken, and if Wagner had to guess, this was around the time when he was still getting to know his mentor at the Military Academy.

Guile gazed up at them with a small huff. "Hmm… to think I had this picture in my pocket the entire time."

Wagner forced himself to grin. "Sounds like you need a new pair of pants."

"Well in that case, it was lucky that we left our suitcases here with our clothes in them after the tournament… though they do smell like cave and must."

"Well that's what happens when they collect dust for eight months."

"And that's why I keep telling you to pick up your own clothes off the floor back at your apartment," Juli quipped.

Wagner narrowed his eyes at that. "Don't rub it in."

"Either way," Guile said, deciding to change the subject. "Thank you both for looking out for Jane and Amy. I… didn't want to send you away, but it was either that or that centaurian would have killed us all. I imagine the car was cramped anyway."

"Funny thing, we ended up picking up Kenshi on the way out after that," Wagner mentioned. "Of course, if you had been with us then, one of us would've had to ride on the roof of the car."

"Um… the roof was ripped off on the Hollywood Freeway, remember?" Juli reminded him.

Wagner rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that… well, then one of us would have had to ride in the trunk. Probably Cyrax since he's the cyborg."

"Don't let him hear you say that," Juli advised.

"Did you ever meet up with your sister?" Guile asked the Sergeant.

Wagner solemnly shook his head. "Not a peep. We spent over five weeks at the Rockies, and Lisa never arrived at the base…"

Guile placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's like I said two months ago… she's a strong girl. When we get back to Earth, we'll look for her. After that, I'm sure the military would have us focus on recovery for a while."

Wagner sighed at that. "I just hope no one else starts another war in the meantime…"

Meanwhile, Steve Fox sat in front of the campfire outside. Sitting next to him was Nina Williams, and the two of them were finally catching up on their… relation. Steve wasn't sure how long they've been sitting there, but Nina ended up doing most of the talking, which surprised him a bit since she was usually cold and quiet.

"That's the gist of it," Nina said once she explained everything… the events leading up to her cryogenic state, her original assignment to assassinate Steve, and how she discovered that she was his mother. She even told him about his grandparents, who were long deceased, and surprisingly, her sister (very, very briefly).

"I'm not surprised at all about an assassin being after me," Steve said. "The syndicate was after my arse for months because I didn't throw a fight like they wanted me to. Do you think they knew about our connection?"

"I doubt they knew that," Nina assumed. "However, I am interested to know how MI-6 had all those files."

"My guess is their investigation in the Mishima Zaibatsu," Steve guessed. "Cammy hadn't gone into details for obvious reasons, but apparently, MI-6 has had some of their agents go on recon scouts to their hideouts in the past… clearly they've gone through many computers logs, including your cryogenic research and my birth. That's why you were able to find that information on their computers."

"Hrm, makes sense," Nina uttered.

"So… are you still going to do it?" Steve suddenly asked.

Nina looked at him in confusion. "Do what?"

"Assassinate me."

Nina huffed at that. "I had plenty of opportunities to see though to my assignment, especially yesterday when we were all too busy fighting. However, after this war, I doubt they'll be able to pay me even if I did succeed."

That put a bad taste in Steve's mouth. He stood up before he began pacing around a bit. "So it's about the money then?"

"It wasn't about the money," Nina pointed out.

"What was it about then?" Steve asked bitterly.

For a moment, Nina was silent, unsure of how to answer that question. She eventually gave him one. "It was no longer necessary due to the war."

Steve shook his head at that. "For as long as I can remember, I've always wondered who my biological family was, but there's an old saying… some things are not worth knowing. Turns out my mother is a cold blooded assassin and, worse, my aunt's with the Outworld Forces. I'd hate to find out who my father is."

"Well lucky for you, even I have no knowledge of his identity," Nina mentioned, her voice still void of emotion.

"Good, because I've learned enough," Steve growled. "Perhaps I was grasping at straws when I was hoping that somewhere in that cold heart of yours that you had some kind of compassion. Maybe not from some kind of motherly instinct because that's just asking for _way_ too much, but something that was just enough to where I can go home and take comfort in knowing that I have a mother somewhere who actually cared enough to not pull the trigger on me because I happen to be her son. But I guess even that is too much to ask.

"Just know that this is something I won't be discussing with anyone, not even to Lita. I sincerely doubt anyone would believe that you're my mother anyway… and it's not just because we look like we're the same age either."

From there, Steve decided that he had enough and began to walk away and back towards the cave. Neither he nor Nina bothered to turn around to acknowledge the other again. Throughout the whole conversation, Nina realized that despite learning the truth about Steve, she felt absolutely nothing towards him…

Turned out he was right about one thing... she had no motherly instinct... and she was fine with that.

Steve had it in mind to go retrieve some Outworld liquor and retreat to him room, but before he even got past the cave entrance, he noticed Lita walking in his direction. She smiled upon seeing him.

"There you are," she greeted as she approached him. "I was looking all over for you."

"What do you need?" Steve mumbled.

Lita felt taken aback his words, soon noticing how grim his gaze was. "Are you all right? You look like you're ready to punch someone."

"To be honest, that's exactly how I feel right about now."

"What's wrong?"

Steve suddenly realized that he was being short with her. He took a deep breath to get his anger under control. "Nothing, just… I'm sorry Lita, I just have a lot on my mind right now. On a smaller note, I'm eager to return home to London."

Lita wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "We all are, but we'll be leaving soon. At least now, the war is finally over."

Steve nodded. "True. So… you were looking for me?"

"Yeah. I, um… well, Cammy's in the lounge by herself and I think now's a good time to… talk to her about us."

Steve frowned. "Now?"

"We agreed to do this as soon as possible, and I think now is the best time since everything is settled down for the most part."

Steve frowned a little, realizing that Lita was right. He just hoped that this all doesn't end up in a shouting match. "All right… let's get it over with."

From there, the couple walked towards the back of the cave where the lounge was. Upon opening the curtain, they saw Cammy sitting down on the couch with her feet propped and ankles crossed on the coffee table in front of her. One arm rested over her stomach and the other on the arm of the couch.

"Hey Cammy," Lita greeted.

"Hey," Cammy replied. "Did Jin come back yet?"

"Not yet," Steve confirmed.

Cammy frowned a little. "Too bad… I still want to beat him to a bloody pulp for pulling that pressure point move on me yesterday."

"You do realize that he did that because they had to keep it a secret, right?" Steve reminded her. "That's what Fujin said at the meeting last night."

"I know that now… doesn't mean I have to be happy about it." Cammy then turned her head to them. "By the way, before you say anything, yes, I know you two are… seeing each other."

Hearing this shocked Lita. "H… how did you know?"

"Well, for one thing, I saw you two snogging on the battlefield yesterday after we won," Cammy mentioned. "But even before that, I saw the way you two looked at each other after we arrived here… and Lita, I recall you had a crush on Steve long before he and I got together, so you two getting together doesn't surprise me."

"I swear Cammy, I did not just jump right into the bed as soon you left it," Lita promised. "And I also swear that we both came here to actually talk to you about us."

"I know," Cammy said. "That's why I brought it up now to make it easier on all of us… and honestly, I deserve it after not telling you about Jin right away, Steve."

Cammy then stood up from the couch before speaking again. "I mean it when I say this… I wish you both the best. I think you two are good for each other." She then chose to depart, leaving the couple alone in the lounge.

Lita felt torn after that, even if Cammy did assure her that she was happy for them. Something told her that, despite the assurance, things between them was going to be awkward for a while…

Since the battle ended, Sub-Zero had spent most of his time in his room in order to recover from the shoulder injury he had received. The wound was mostly healed thanks to his ice powers and Fujin's healing magic, but until they got out of Outworld, he was going to have to rest up. Only then would Fujin's powers be restored and he could finish with healing the ice warrior's wound.

Despite being told that he needed bed rest, however, he currently had a desire to go in the hot springs. The rest of his body had been aching ever since he returned to the cave. Slowly, Sub-Zero began to get up from his bed. However, he was only halfway up when the curtain to his room open. He wasn't surprised to see that it was Sareena who waltzed in. In her hand was a small box Sub-Zero knew contained medical supplies.

"Didn't Fujin say that you needed bed rest?" Sareena reminded the ice warrior as she approached him.

Sub-Zero groaned at that. "You're not going to start coddling me, are you?"

"No, but even I know when to take medical advice," Sareena pointed out as she sat down next to him. "Speaking of which, I came in here to change your bandages."

"And here I thought you were spying on me," Sub-Zero joked.

Sareena chuckled. "I'm not that clever yet. Maybe with time, I will be."

"I hate to know what you're like when you're angry."

"Well, let's just hope my demon form doesn't emerge," Sareena sighed as she began removing the old bandage from his shoulder.

The two of them were silent for a while as Sareena focused on changing the bandage. Seeing the healing wound, it wasn't as bad as it was yesterday thanks to Fujin, but remembering how it was yesterday still lingered in Sareena's mind. It indeed could've been much worse.

It took some time to remove the bandage, clean the shoulder with an anti-septic solution, and cover it again, but soon it was all good as new. Once Sareena was done, Sub-Zero helped her put away the supplies with his good arm.

"I think with all the good you've done in this war, that won't happen," Sub-Zero guessed, continuing where they left off. "I know you usually retain your human form by using the environment around you, but I bet that the more good deeds you do, the more suppressed your demon form will be."

"Maybe, but we'll see," Sareena said though she wasn't feeling too optimistic about that.

"You'll get your chance when we return to the Lin Kuei headquarters," the ice warrior pointed out. "I'm planning our first task to be assisting in the recovery efforts on Earth."

"Maybe then, and with me helping you fighting this war, the clan may finally respect me." Sareena then smiled. "Though if you had accepted me a long time ago as you mentioned in Keisei, then… that shouldn't be so hard."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Sub-Zero's face before he reached over to brush his fingers along Sareena's jawline, feeling her soft, warm skin underneath his cool, calloused touch. The simple gesture made her smile widened more, and he found that he liked it when she smiled.

"And I'm sure my new armor will earn the Lin Kuei's respect… if they didn't by now."

Sareena chuckled as she began to lean her head towards him. "Well, even if they don't, _I_ think it's a good look for you."

She then closed in on him to gently press her lips against his, which he immediately returned.

Back outside, although a day had passed, Sakura was still thrilled that not only was the war over, but all of her friends came back to the cave well and alive. Although she wasn't alone since the Edenian Freedom Fighters were also resting in the cave at the time, she still couldn't help but worry about them the whole time. It made the entire morning go slow to the point where it seemed to make up for the eight months she lost since the end of the Blood Tournament.

Aware that the group would be leaving the cave grounds at sunset tonight, Sakura, along with Asuka, Mika, Maki, and Cassandra, headed down the beach area a little ways over where their friend Ibuki's grave was located. Beforehand, they had all collected various wildflowers to leave at the base of the grave, which was the first thing they did when they arrived.

"We won the war, Ibuki," Maki told her as she set her flowers onto her grave. "All this fighting and the emotional rollercoaster we all experienced are over and we all can finally begin recovering."

"And we got Sakura back," added Asuka as she wrapped her arm around her friend.

Sakura returned the hug before saying, "I'm sorry you're not with us Ibuki… but… at least know that, wherever you are, you are at peace."

"I'd drink to that," said Cassandra. "If we actually had a bottle of alcohol right now."

"Hopefully not Outworld liquor," Mika sighed.

"The only thing I'm looking forward to right now is getting home," said Maki.

"And I can finally see if my Dad made it," added Asuka.

"And my parents," said Mika.

"And my family," mentioned Cassandra.

"And mine as well," sighed Sakura. "I can't imagine what my parents and brother had to go through after thinking I was… gone…"

"They'll be thrilled to have you back," said Maki. "We sure are."

"What do you all plan to do when you get back to Earth?" asked Cassandra.

"Start arranging my move to Hong Kong," Maki mentioned.

"Get back to my wrestling career," added Mika.

"Go back to school," said Asuka.

"Same here," agreed Sakura.

"In between all that, we'll definitely help with recovery," said Maki. "There's a lot that has to be done when we get back."

"I'd help," spoke Cassandra. "But I imagine that my family would want me to come back to Keisei after all this time."

"Definitely," agreed Mika. "It was fun having you at my house, Cassandra and I'm sure going to miss you."

As they all talked about their future, Sakura gazed down at Ibuki's headstone as she realized something… despite the time she had lost and despite the things she had done when brainwashed, Sakura realized that there was a bright future to look forward to now. Even with the trauma, Sakura made a silent promise to Ibuki that she would move forward and live in the moment rather than the past.


	96. Chapter Ninety-Five

**Former Palace Grounds**

The sun was starting to set, and every Chosen One were now gathering their stuff and heading to Ruby Heart's ship. Tonight, they would depart the former tournament grounds and begin their search for The Four. Everyone was aware of this as well as the fact that, if they were not found by sunrise, then they must leave. Fujin promised to continue searching for them once everyone was back home. Not everyone liked the idea, of course, but there were those who needed their wounds healed before they became infected, and the sooner they leave Outworld, the better.

Before that, Ruby Heart, Fujin, and Kung Lao stood by the beach once most everything was ready to go. Standing in front of them was Bo' Rai Cho and Li Mei, who stayed to bid everyone farewell before they trekked deeper into Outworld to help any survivors.

"We got to say goodbye to everyone in the ship," Li Mei mentioned. "As much I want to return to Earth, I realized that I'm needed here."

"I'm sure that you are right in your theory that the civilians here won't get as much aide as they need when recovery begins," Fujin said. "Especially with Outworld being the enemy in the first place. Once I get everyone back to their respective realms, I will begin aiding you."

"Until then, we plan to help them anyway we can," Bo' Rai Cho said.

"Does Outworld not have a Protector?" asked Kung Lao.

"Because of Shao Kahn's reign, Outworld has not had its own protector in many years," the Wind God explained. "Though now that you mentioned it, I think it would be wise to have one now that they are free."

"It's amazing how much more there is to do even when the worst is over," Ruby Heart mentioned.

"Indeed," Bo' Rai Cho agreed. He then turned his attention to Kung Lao. "It's been an honor to have been your teacher through these months. I hope that you continue to learn as you journey through life and that you take my advice to do many good deeds for a while."

Kung Lao nodded. "As soon as I return to the temple, I will begin my task."

"Good, good."

From there, student and teacher bowed to each other in respect. Then, as Kung Lao straightened himself back up, Li Mei stepped forward towards him before she gave him a friendly hug, which he returned.

"It was great knowing you," Li Mei said as she pulled away. "I won't forget the things I've learned while I was on Earth. Hopefully someday, I'll come back to visit the temple. Goodbye Kung Lao."

"Goodbye Li Mei," Kung Lao bid. "May your life's journey be one filled with happiness from this point forward."

However, before the two Outworld natives began to leave, all five suddenly heard footsteps nearby. Startled, they all turned to see who was coming, thinking that it was an intruder, possibly a leftover from the Outworld Forces. To their shock, four people were approaching them and it didn't take long for the group to recognize them.

"You weren't going to leave without us, were you?" asked Jin Kazama, who had a small smirk on his face. Following him were Ryu, Kenshi, and Ivy, all of them clearly alive and unharmed. They did, however, have some healing bruises and lacerations here and there.

"Wow… that was the fastest search I've ever been a part of," said Kung Lao with a grin.

Despite the shock she was feeling, Ruby Heart managed to gather her voice. "Um, actually, we were all about to head out and look for you," she said concerning Jin's question. "Welcome back."

Li Mei suddenly realized who the woman with them was. "Hey, aren't you-"

"I assume that you mission was successful?" Fujin quickly cut in before the young woman could finish.

Ryu nodded. "Yes, it was… needless to say, it was a tough fight." He then frowned. "However, Dhalsim-"

"We know," Ruby Heart said. "My clairvoyant powers saw his spirit ascend to the afterlife. We informed everyone of of his death this afternoon."

"Well," began Bo' Rai Cho as he looked at the three men. "It is good to know that my student and I will be departing tonight knowing that you are well and alive."

Jin tilted his head. "You're leaving us already?"

"As natives of Outworld, Li Mei and I will be remaining here to help civilians in the recovery efforts now that the universe is without this chaos. This will now be a good time for us to leave. I bid you good luck and farewell."

Everyone said goodbye, though Ivy remained silent and stood a few feet away from the group. As the two Outworld natives left, Bo' Rai Cho didn't bother to look in her direction. However, Li Mei did, and Ivy was sure that the glare the younger woman she was giving her would have killed her on the spot if it was possible.

That didn't surprise Ivy at all.

It was Kung Lao who finally brought her up. "What is she doing here?" to Ivy's surprise, his voice wasn't in disdain… it was more curious than anything.

"Believe it or not, Ivy was part of the legend I brought up yesterday," Fujin confirmed. "I never mentioned how many warriors were involved in the legend because I didn't want everyone to start asking question about the fourth's identity."

"So I assume everyone knows about _Ano Sentaku Bou_ now," guessed Kenshi.

"Yes," Ruby Heart replied. "Once we knew Shao Kahn was dead, we deemed it safe to reveal the truth. Most were surprised, but everyone understood."

"Not surprising," said Ryu. "Aside from Dhalsim, had anyone else…" He found that he couldn't finish the sentence.

"It is with great elation that everyone else in our group survived," Fujin announced. "Some of them have injuries, but other than that, they will be fine. I'll be able to heal them more properly once we leave Outworld when my powers are restored."

Though they clearly tried to hide it, Ruby Heart was able to notice how much more relaxed the three men were upon hearing this news.

Fujin then spoke again. "Ruby Heart, fetch a cloak from your ship. Kung Lao… I ask that you remain quiet about Ivy's presence on the ship. I know she was the Empress here, but she has cooperated with us ever since she found out about her role in the legend. We can trust her."

As Ruby Heart left, Kung Lao was silent for a moment before replying. "Okay… I admit I'm not too thrilled about it, but since she did help defeat Shao Kahn, I'll follow your orders."

"You don't have to talk like I'm not here," Ivy pointed out.

Kung Lao ignored her as he proceeded. "While you guys get set up…" He then looked at the blind swordsman in front of him. "Kenshi, if you don't mind, I'd like to talk to you for a moment before we get back on the ship."

There was a brief pause before Kenshi eventually nodded to him. From there, he and Kung Lao began to walk along the beach and away from the group so that they could talk in private.

Fujin turned to the other three. "Ivy, we'll wait here until Ruby Heart gets the cloak for you so that it's easier for you to get on the ship discreetly. Ryu and Jin, you two go ahead and head back to the ship. We'll be leaving soon, and… some of your allies are eager to see you."

The two of them nodded to him before they began to head to the water and towards the ship. As they did, Ryu spoke. "I guess Fujin decided to take her back to Keisei. I know _we_ trust Ivy, but I'm not sure about the others… you saw the way Bo' Rai Cho and Kung Lao ignored her presence and the way Li Mei glared at her…"

"I know," Jin agreed. "But if that's what he thinks is best, then so be it."

"I just hope the ship can actually make it out of Outworld before all hell breaks loose if someone happens to discover her presence."

"… True."

On the ship's docks, most everyone was ready to go including Jade, Kitana, and Sindel. Looking out towards the mountains beyond the water, although they knew that it was a beautiful sight, it unfortunately triggerd grim memories of their past here.

"Even after restoring Edenia the first time, I still hate coming back here," mentioned Kitana. "All the things I've done… all the atrocities committed…" She turned to her mother. "And how he forced you into marrying him all those years ago…"

"Those days are over now," Sindel replied. "Now that he is dead, Edenia will truly know peace now. There will be a lot of recovery and rebuilding to do, but before we know it, Edenia will be strong again as it was many years ago." She then turned to Jade. "If you don't mind, Jade, I'd like to appoint you as recovery leader for the royal castle and the surrounding villages."

Kitana chuckled. "Not even out of Outworld yet and already the Queen puts you to work."

"I don't mind," Jade admitted as she smiled. "If my work guarantees years of peace, then I am happy to accept the task."

Sindel nodded. "I'm glad to hear that. Of course, Kitana and I will help as well. We're all in this together."

"The one thing I'm looking forward to is finally leaving behind this realm for good," Kitana chimed in. "We can finally move on from our past. He is dead now… and he will never haunt us again."

Nearby, Baek was walking around the ship's dock. This happened to be his first time on this ship and he was already fascinated by the technology. He had heard rumors of a flying slip sailing through the skies in recent years, but now that was a rumor that he can believe since he was standing right on it.

Best of all, this magnificent ship was going to bring everyone back home.

Baek wasn't surprised, during his walk, to see Hwoarang and Mi-na were walking together while talking. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but by the relaxed expressions on their faces, he could rest assure knowing that they weren't arguing right now.

Hwoarang turned his head and, upon seeing his teacher, suddenly stopped in his tracks, which made Mi-na did once she noticed. "Master!" he called out. "I swear, we weren't arguing!"

Baek eyed him. "I sure hope not. I hate to think that you two didn't get along during my absence." He then turned his head to Mi-na to wink at her and show that he was just giving his student a hard time. Mi-na was forced to resist the urge to burst out laughing.

"I know we talked about what happened yesterday," Hwoarang began to say. "But there's one thing I realize that I didn't ask… how much do you remember?"

Baek took a deep breath at that. He then beckoned them with his hand before he began walking, signaling them to follow him. The two immediately began walking alongside the older man.

"To be honest, I don't remember anything beyond Eitai Bridge in Japan," Baek said. "I personally would rather not try to think about what I may have done in my brainwashed state. I… already have enough dark memories to think over, even many years later." He then turned his head to look at his students. "What matters now is that this war is over… and you two made it out safely."

"It wasn't easy," Mi-na admitted. "And, well… I know you said that winning isn't everything, but it sure feels good to win this fight."

"Yes… there are some victories worth feeling good about," Baek admitted. "This is definitely one of them. Which reminds me…" he then looked over at the young man next to him. "I am very much looking to what you have learned these past two months."

Hwoarang groaned a little as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Could we at least rest for a while… the last two months were exhausting."

"I'm afraid not," Baek replied. "Even when a war is over and won, the training never ends. You should know that by now!"

Another groan escaped Hwoarang's throat, and once more, Mi-na tried not to laugh. _Guess some things will never change_ _,_ she concluded.

Meanwhile, Smoke also happened to be walking through the dock when he noticed Matrik gazing out towards the realm. Ever since the battle ended over a day ago, Matrik had mostly kept to herself. Though she spoke with Smoke immediately after the battle, they hadn't discussed anything else since then.

With not a lot of people on deck right now, since most of the others were currently settling into their rooms, Smoke took the opportunity to walk over to her.

"Still thinking about the what-ifs?" Smoke asked once he was standing next to her.

Matrik shrugged a little. "Somewhat… though actually, I'm quite fascinated by this ship's technology."

"I feel the same way," Smoke admitted. "Though when I first saw it, I thought my programming had gone haywire… anyway… how are you feeling?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure," Matrik replied. "It's not like I remember much anyway with the exception of what I was able to recover. The sad thing is… since I cannot remember who I was before the Tekunin, I can recall only having my own free will for about three months altogether."

"You'll have more memories soon enough now that you're free again," Smoke assured her. "I've only had about eight months of free will after close to ten years of being trapped in this. It's a lot to comprehend, I know… but at least now you can create new memories of your own."

"It's funny how with all this technology that we have, we can't even try to erase the bad ones," Matrik pointed out.

Smoke shook his head. "Unfortunately no… the tech's designed clearly made it that way… probably just in case we did gain our free will."

"Another thing that is bothering me is that, well… I'm not sure what to do or where to go once we are back on Earth. I could start looking into my past, but I am unsure where to begin."

"You can return to the Lin Kuei headquarters if you wish," a new voice joined in. The two cyborgs turned their heads and saw Sub-Zero approaching. His arm that was part of his injured shoulder was currently in a makeshift sling.

"Aren't you supposed to be on bed rest?" Smoke asked him.

Sub-Zero rolled his eyes, but chose to ignore Smoke. "After this war, the Lin Kuei could use more recruits, and I would be honored if you joined us, Matrik. Your skills would be a valuable asset, but of course, this is your choice. And even if you did decide to leave later, you may do so as long as you do not reveal our secrets to any outsiders. The Lin Kuei will not punish you for leaving like they have done in the past."

Matrik seemed to think over it for a moment, but clearly it didn't last long before she crossed one arm over her torso, her fist over her where her heart would be. "I accept your offer, Grandmaster, and from this day forward, I will protect and serve the Lin Kuei to the best of my ability."

"Great!" called out Smoke once her pledge was done. "Now I won't be the only cyborg in the clan."

Nearby on another part of the dock, Raven was also gazing out towards Outworld through his dark sunglasses. After a very long two months, he was most definitely ready to go back to Earth. He was also sure that, upon his return, that his superiors will quickly be giving him a new mission. Considering the aftermath of this chaos, the agent guessed that it may have something to do with security while everyone else tries to get Earth back in order.

That was if his superiors didn't declare him dead first… that was going to be another whole set of paperwork that he would have to worry about.

Raven's thoughts were then cut off as someone walked up next to him. Raven turned to see who it was and, about five feet away, he saw that it was Dragunov. Like the agent, Dragunov chose to gaze out towards Outworld while they waited for the ship to finally start making its departure.

Briefly, Raven reflected on their time trying to survive the brutal blizzard of Russia after the first invasion. Suddenly, it seemed like a long time since that happened, but one thing was for sure; despite his superior's suspicions on this soldier and SPETNAZ, Dragunov remained loyal throughout both their ordeal and the entire war.

Raven turned back towards Outworld before speaking. "I'm still onto yours and SPETNAZ's activities…"

He heard Dragunov turn his head to him, but Raven proceeded. "However, you've proven your capability and loyalty these past two months. So despite the circumstances…" Raven then turned his head back to him. "I'll put in a good word to my superiors about your actions here in Outworld as well as our fight through the blizzard back in Russia. That's the best I can offer."

Dragunov's only reply was a simple nod in appreciation.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "You can talk, you know."

A ghost of a smile came over the militant's face before he decided to make his leave. That only left Raven shaking his head in a bit of frustration before he turned his attention back towards Outworld…

~~~

It was no surprise to Ryu when he and Jin were immediately greeted by some of their allies upon returning, all of them happy and relieved that they made it back well and alive. However, there was a brief moment where they asked about Kenshi's whereabouts, but it was Jin who assured them that he was fine and will be on the ship momentarily.

From there, Jin decided to head over to his room on the crew deck. Ryu was about to do the same when he suddenly heard his name being called. Ryu smiled as he instantly recognized the voice and he turned to the person who was approaching him.

"Ken!" Ryu called out.

Ken soon caught up to him and greeted him with a light punch to the arm. "About time you made it back! We were all worried about you guys."

"I can only imagine," Ryu replied.

The two of them began to slowly walk the dock. "Luckily, Fujin told us everything last night," Ken mentioned. "But it's funny how you guys suddenly show up just as we're about to go out and look for you."

"Yeah, Fujin mentioned that too."

Ken took a deep breath as he put an arm around Ryu's shoulders. "Seriously though… I really was worried. I'm usually optimistic, but I was almost sure this time that you weren't coming back."

Ryu put an arm around his long-time friend as well. "I'm sorry it was all secretive… I wanted to tell you, but as I said-"

"You didn't want to complicate the fight," Ken finished. "But hey… I imagine you guys kicked Shao Kahn's ass all the way to hell."

"It took a while, but we did it."

"How long do you think that bruise on your face will last?"

"Hopefully not too long," Ryu said. "Just… don't make me laugh for a while."

Ken laughed. "I'm tempted now."

Ryu immediately became serious. "How's Julia?"

Ken took a deep breath. "Holding up as well as you can expect. Poor girl was really worried about you since we discovered that you went MIA."

"Where is she now?"

"She's taking a nap in her room. She told me to wake her up when the ship departs from here." Ken gave his friend a warm smile. "I'm sure this ship will be leaving very soon, so I think you should go down there and do that. I bet that's going to be the best wake up call she'll ever receive."

Ryu suddenly felt a bit nervous for reasons he couldn't explain, but he managed to nod. "I'll… do that."

Ken then briefly patted Ryu on the back before he turned and walked off. Taking a deep breath, Ryu began to head towards the small stairs that led to the crew deck below.

It only took a minute for him to reach Julia's room. Being as quiet as possible, Ryu entered the room before closing the door behind him. Looking towards the full-size bed, Julia was lying on her left side at the edge of the mattress and was clearly asleep. Seeing her like this brought relief to Ryu. Aside from the obvious bruise on her forearm, she was okay.

Ryu stood at the door for a moment before he forced himself to move. Once more, he was careful to not make too much noise as he approached the bed. Soon, he stopped in his tracks and kneeled himself in front of Julia. He realized then that, aside from the setting, this was exactly how he left her over a day ago.

Has it only been a day? It seemed much longer than that…

Reaching out to her, Ryu placed one hand on Julia's arm, being careful around the bruise, before leaning his head forward to gently place a kiss on her forehead. The kiss ended up stirring Julia awake. It took her a few seconds to open her eyes, blinking a couple of times to clear her vision… as soon as she stopped, Ryu smiled at her, and her brown eyes quickly widened with surprise and a small gasp escaped her lips.

"Ryu!" she cried out. Suddenly, Julia practically flew out of the bed while throwing her arms around his shoulders, surprising Ryu and knocking him back into a sitting position. Both of them on the floor, Julia's hold on him tightened as she buried her face into his shoulder. Once he got his bearings back, Ryu returned the embrace, his arms tightly wrapping around her waist.

They sat like this for only a few seconds before Julia managed to speak. "I thought I'd never see you again…" She then choked back on her sobs as tears began to fall down her face.

Ryu gently rubbed her back in comfort. "It's okay now," he assured her. "It's okay."

Julia eventually was able to calm herself down before lifting her head to look at him. She managed to smile through her tears. "Damn it, I seriously need to stop crying… I've been such a wreck the past few days with everything that's happened…"

"I know," Ryu said. He lifted one hand up to wipe the tears from her face. "But it's over now. We're okay and we're all going back to Earth."

In response, Julia leaned her head to him before she pressed her soft lips into his. Ryu quickly returned it before the two found themselves in a passionate kiss. For a while, the two of them held each other close, and Julia couldn't help but feel safe and protected within his strong arms, especially when he pulled her closer to him. Julia then put more fervor into the kiss as she slowly opened and closed her mouth in a slow, soft rhythm, which he followed as he lifted one hand to brush through the strands of her brown hair.

Eventually, Ryu and Julia pulled away from the kiss, giving themselves a moment to catch their breath. He then began to stand up while helping Julia onto her feet at the same time. From there, the two of them moved over to the bed before lying on it, facing each other. Once more, they wrapped their arms around one another and remained in close proximity with Julia burying her face under Ryu's chin.

"We have time now," Julia whispered to him. "All the time in the world…"

For a while after that, the couple were simply contented with holding each other in their arms in silence on the bed.

~~~

On the beach close to the ship, Kung Lao brought news concerning Shang Tsung's demise to Kenshi. The Shaolin gave him details on what transpired in his fight with the sorcerer as well as the nature of his death. Upon hearing this, it was as though a huge weight was lifted off of Kenshi's shoulders. Although the swordsman wanted to be the one to send Shang Tsung back to hell, at least the sorcerer was dead now. Kung Lao also told him about Ermac's involvement as well as the enigma going MIA after the battle ended.

When Kung Lao finished, Kenshi had only one question in mind. "Did you have a personal reason for going after him?"

"I did," Kung Lao replied. "He murdered the closest person I had to a brother. Now his soul can rest and those who have been affected by his evil deeds are free from the nightmares."

"Hmm," Kenshi hummed. "Then in that case, we both had our chance in seeing to his demise since I took care of him eight months ago. With Shao Kahn dead, there is a very good chance that he will not return."

"At least now, we can both move on from this," Kung Lao said. "And I can continue my work at the Shaolin temple."

"And I can continue my work as a vigilante," Kenshi added. He then took a deep, quiet breath before proceeding. "I appreciate what you've done and what you've told me, Kung Lao, but if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to the ship as soon as possible. It's… been a very long two months."

"It has been for all of us," Kung Lao agreed. "In the case, let's head back."

From there, the two of them trekked through the waters and back towards Ruby Heart's ship. They climbed up the roped ladder to the main deck, where Kenshi was immediately greeted by some of his allies. Although the swordsman appreciated his allies' greetings and thanks, it was something he wasn't in the mood for right now. As a matter of fact, it was already making him hate his new hero status.

Kung Lao must've realized this as he stepped onto the deck. "Come on everyone, give him room!" the Shaolin called out. "At least let the guy rest for a little while before we all celebrate our victory."

The group seemed to listen as they stepped aside, giving Kenshi room to head over to the stairs that led to the crew deck. His own room happened to be on the lowest deck, so it took him a couple of minutes to get there..

Upon reaching and opening the door to his room, Kenshi walked in before gently closing it behind him. He then went over to the bed as he began to unbuckle the straps of the scabbard containing his sword. Soon, he was able to remove the scabbard from his back before carefully placing it in on a small table nearby.

He then sat down on the bed and the first thing he immediately noticed was that the sheets had been disturbed. Confusion swept over him since he swore that he made this bed the day they arrived in Outworld, which was the last time he slept - well, tried to sleep in here.

Kenshi took a moment to remove his gloves and place them on the nightstand before he reached over to fix the sheets. He barely began to pull them back when his hand brushed over an object, its fabric more rough compared to the sheets. Taking it in his hand, he brushed over the fabric with his fingers before he quickly figured out what it was – his dragon sash.

That was when he realized why the sheets were disturbed; Alex had been in here.

Carefully, Kenshi folded up the sash before getting up from the bed and placing it next to his sword. He was just straightening himself back up when the door to the washroom suddenly swung open. Not expecting that, and wondering how he didn't hear footsteps to begin with, he instinctively whirled around to face the person who came out of the room.

At the threshold of the washroom, Alex froze in her place the second she noticed Kenshi by the bed. She guessed that he had been very quiet about coming into the room because she hadn't heard any footsteps in the last few minutes. For a few moments, the two of them remained facing each other, giving Alex the chance to notice the couple of bruises on his face as well as a healing laceration on the side of his forehead… but other than that, he looked okay.

There was so much to say, but the lump that formed in her throat prevented her from speaking right away. Alex tried to swallow it down, but the mix of grief, anger, vexation, and most prominent, relief bottled up within suddenly was drawn to the surface as she burst into tears.

Throwing all caution out the window, Alex walked over to Kenshi and, when she was within reach, threw her arms around him in a fierce embrace before she buried her face into his shoulder. Kenshi immediately responded by wrapping his own arms around her, his hands resting on her back. For a long time, they remained like this with neither one of them saying a word. Alex was able to keep her sobs at bay even as the tears continued to fall from her eyes.

Eventually, it was Kenshi who spoke first as he began to gently rub her upper back with one hand. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I'm so sorry…"

His words confused Alex as she pulled her head back to look up at him. She wasn't sure whether he was apologizing for going off to fight Shao Kahn without telling her or for the whole situation with Shang Tsung. However, it didn't matter to her any more… what mattered now was that he was here; alive, unharmed, and safe.

In response, Alex leaned up towards Kenshi and her lips were on his in almost an instant. He returned it with more force just as she reached her hands up to comb her fingers through his dark hair. Briefly, he broke the kiss as she felt his arms move down towards her hips before he lifted her up to his height, which caused her breath to hitch in her throat in surprise before she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. He then brought his lips to hers again and she did not hesitate to return it.

In that moment, it was as though the nightmares of the past few weeks were finally behind them. With Shang Tsung dead for good, they could now move on with their lives without worrying over him trying to hurt either one of them again.

Later that night, they were both able to fall into a peaceful sleep for the first time in what seemed liked ages…

~~~

Jin felt instant relief upon returning to his room on the ship. The last couple of days had been very long, and he still felt a bit achy despite the bath he had taken in the hot springs earlier in the afternoon.

However, he only took a couple of steps when the door to his room suddenly pushed open, the knob slamming into the wall with a loud thud. Jin immediately turned around and nearly got into a defensive position… at least until he recognized the familiar petite blonde-haired woman who clearly looked like he was about to chew his head off.

"You have _a lot_ of nerve knocking me out like that!" Cammy called out as she slammed the door behind him. "And you are damn lucky Fujin explained everything or I would've beaten you to a bloody pulp… even though I actually still want to."

Jin relaxed as he straightened himself up a bit. "Is that the only thing you're mad at me about?"

"Surprisingly, yes," Cammy confirmed as her anger relaxed a bit. She shook her head a bit before she approached him. She then spoke more quietly. "I'm just so damn glad to see you alive."

Cammy then closed the space between them and wrapped her arms around his shoulders in an embrace. Jin was a bit taken aback by the gesture for a couple of seconds, but he eventually returned the hug.

"Sorry I had to do that," Jin replied after a moment of silence. "I knew you were going to continuously insist on where I was going, and it was actually wasn't my choice to keep this a secret this time."

"Sad thing is, you're right," Cammy admitted as she pulled away from him. She then gazed up at his amber eyes. "I would've kept insisting until I was blue in the face. As much as you made me mad, I guess I can't blame you for knocking me out… at least you didn't hit me in the head and give me a concussion."

Jin gazed down at his own feet. "Yeah…"

Cammy frowned a bit. "Was the fight brutal?"

Jin looked back up at her. "If it's any indication, I'm still feeling the effects a little, though nothing that will keep me down for a while… I am definitely looking forward to sleeping in a nice, warm bed."

"It sounds less bad considering the bruises that are decorated on your face and arms right now."

"They'll recover in a few days."

"I know…" There was brief pause before Cammy spoke again. "Jin?"

"Yeah?"

"… Now that it's all over, what will you do now when we get back to Earth?"

It was a question that he knew the answer to. "End my curse."

Hearing this made Cammy frown more, but she figured this would be his answer. Considering what she saw a few nights ago while kissing him in the lounge, plus the fact that he brought up 'the monster inside him,' Cammy realized that, whatever this curse was, it was definitely supernatural…and clearly, it was something Jin was haunted by. Knowing this, Cammy knew right away that once they were back on Earth, they would go their separate ways again… but at least now, she was going to have the chance to say goodbye… maybe now, it would be easier to move on.

Before Cammy had the chance to say anything, Jin turned around and began to head to the washroom nearby. He spoke as he walked. "When we get back to Earth, I'll be taking care of it. I'm not sure how, but I'm going to find any means necessary to get rid of it."

As soon as he reached the door, Jin stopped in his tracks. He looked down at his feet again before he turned his head to gaze at Cammy. "And… when I do finally lift this curse, well… I can't make any promises... but I'll try to find you."

He then walked into the washroom before closing the door behind him, leaving Cammy alone. She only stood there for another few seconds before she began to leave the room. She stopped briefly at the threshold and turned her head to look at the washroom door.

No… she didn't come into this room expecting for them to start where they left off all those months ago in London… but at least she took comfort in knowing that, when he was ready, then he would come back to her. Truthfully, however, Cammy knew that she wouldn't be waiting for him forever… she had a life to live and she can only hope that was something that he understood but didn't bother to mention.

"Good luck," Cammy whispered before closing the door behind her.

~~~

An hour after sunset, the ship's propellers turned on and soon began to head up towards the darkened Outworld sky. Standing alone amongst some storage boxes at the back of the ship, Ivy gazed up at the propellers through the hood of her black cloak, fascinated by the technology that she clearly wasn't used to seeing. She always thought that the Dragonflies here in Outworld were impressive, but this… this was marvelous and she almost wanted to ask Ruby Heart how it all worked, but she imagined that the pirate would not be too eager to give that information away to her.

However, she didn't admire it for very long before she looked back at Outworld, seeing it becoming smaller and smaller with each second the ship ascended. Suddenly, this entire place really seemed like nothing more than a wasteland… these many months definitely have been very long since she left her home the first time around.

Thinking about everything she had done as Empress of Outworld, Ivy knew that she would be spending many years, perhaps the rest of her life and beyond, atoning for her mistakes. She would isolate herself for a while once she returned to her mansion, but once she was ready, she would set out for a new journey to make up for it. She didn't know how, but she would do everything as humanly possible to atone.

Even with the future in mind, Ivy still couldn't help but wonder if the essence of Soul Edge truly did die with Shao Kahn…


	97. Chapter Ninety-Six

**The Skies of Edenia**

It took half the night, but soon the flying ship crossed the portal barriers in the Outworld sky. Using his powers, Fujin guided the ship to its first destination – the realm of Edenia. Many of the chosen ones remained asleep at that time, and Edenia’s skies were a dark blue glittered with stars.

Only after the sun rose later on did everyone get a better look at the world, and it was around this time that Fujin took the opportunity to heal everyone’s injuries now that his powers were restored. Despite the smoldering ruins of buildings that once stood tall, Edenia was still able to hold its enchanted beauty with its rolling green hills, lush plants and trees, and crystal clear rivers and waterfalls.

It turned out to be the perfect time for one of the couples amongst the chosen ones. With help from Fujin and Ruby Heart, they managed to gather most of their allies onto the main deck as witnesses. Ruby Heart stood in front of the couple, whose hands were clasped together in front of her.

“How does it go again…” Ruby Heart mumbled and suddenly snapped her fingers. “Oh yes, now I remember! Sorry, I’ve only done this once… anyway! We are gathered here today, in the face of this company, to join together Lei Wulong and Chun Li in matrimony; which is an honorable and solemn estate and therefore is… eh… oh yes, and therefore is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and soberly. Into this estate… or ship, whatever… these two persons present come now to be joined. If anyone can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now – and get promptly thrown off the ship by my own hands - or forever hold their peace.”

Of course, no one spoke a word during the brief pause. Knowing now that there’s no reason to throw anyone overboard today, Ruby Heart continued. “Lei, do you take Chun Li to be your lawful wedded wife? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live? Least you won’t feel the wrath of my fury?”

Lei cleared his throat a bit nervously at that, but he still managed to smile at Chun Li. “I do.”

Ruby Heart continued. “And do you, Chun Li, take Lei to be your lawful wedded husband? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto him for as long as you both shall live? Least you won’t feel the wrath of my fury?”

Chun Li tried not to laugh, knowing that Ruby Heart was kidding… hopefully. “I do.”

“I’ll save a little time for you here,” Ruby Heart proceeded. “Do you both swear to be wedded lovers, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, and cherish, 'til death do you part, and therefore won’t need to hear from me?”

“We do,” Lei and Chun Li both said at the same time.

“This is usually the part where rings are exchanged, but with the lack of rings… and lack of best man for that matter…” Ruby Heart then pulled out a pair of blue, silk fabrics cut into rectangles from her pocket. “This will have to do for now.” She gave them each a piece. “Just tie them on each others wrists. May these silks be blessed so, when they give them to each other and wear them, it may abide in peace and continue in love until life’s end. With these silks, until you get actual rings, you shall both be wed.”

Lei and Chun Li took a moment to tie the silks onto each other over their left wrists. Once that was done, Ruby Heart proceeded. “By the power invested in me, as Captain of the greatest ship the galaxy has ever known, I now pronounce you husband and wife! Now, kiss!”

Immediately, Lei wrapped his arms around Chun Li before turning around to dip her, causing her to call out in surprise before she found herself laughing with joy. Then they leaned towards each other for their first kiss as a married couple.

“I now present to you – Mr. and Mrs. Lei Wulong!” Ruby Heart announced.

Everyone who witnessed the wedding clapped and cheered just as Lei and Chun Li straightened back up and ended the kiss. They looked at their friends and smiled, knowing that this opportunity came so close to not happening. However, with the universe saved by their hands, the chance for this kind of bliss was now real.

“Let me be the first to congratulate you two,” said Queen Sindel. “I would also like to extend an invitation to everyone here to stay the night in Edenia before you all depart home. I think this would be the perfect opportunity to properly celebrate not only your marriage, but our victory. I can provide you with the finest Edenian wines as long as our cabinets in the castle weren’t raided, but we’ll know once we get there.”

“Even if they were,” said Lei. “We’d be honored to accept your invitation… as long as everyone is all right with that.”

“I’m cool with it,” spoke up Cody.

“Me too,” replied Paul. “As much as I like to go home, one more night of victory celebration before we head back wouldn’t hurt.”

“As long as we leave first thing in the morning, I’m all for it,” said Guile.

“Then it’s settled,” spoke Kitana.

“Say, does anyone else want to get married while I’m at it?” asked Ruby Heart. She then spotted Yang and Maki. “How about you two?”

Yang and Maki immediately blushed at the suggestion, though Maki chuckled a bit. “No, we’re good, but thanks.”

“Oh snap,” the pirate replied.

During the wedding and the aftermath, Jin had witnessed the scene. However, he decided to keep his distance and sat amongst the white sails. In a way, he felt happy for his allies. Many of them seemed to have a future to look forward now that the war was finally over.

He couldn’t say the same for himself, however, not with his curse running through his veins.

As of now, Jin knew of only one way to end his curse… first, he would hunt down both Kazuya and Heihachi. That was if they were both still alive, but then again, knowing his luck, they most definitely were. Then, when that was done, well… as of right now, there was only one option for him…

End his own life.

However, if another opportunity presented itself, Jin would most definitely take it. Then maybe… just maybe… he would seek out Cammy…

Meanwhile, Nina Williams ignored the festivities in front of the ship, preferring to remain in the back amongst the cargo crates. Mostly, she was looking out towards Edenia, and she had to admit to herself, the realm was beautiful. Maybe, if she lived long enough to see retirement, she could settle here. At least then, no one would find her as easily as they could on Earth.

Speaking of which, Nina personally wasn’t sure what to do once she returned to Earth. For one thing, she was sure that getting new clients as an assassin would be scarce for a while. She only knew of one thing as of now… if she ran into Anna or Vega at any point, she swore to finish them off for good… no more dragging this on anymore. The moment she saw them, she would promptly place a bullet in their heads.

Nina ran one hand over her right leg, where one of two wounds, courtesy of Vega, was located. They were recently healed thanks to Fujin. At least now she can walk without any pain.

One day, she would ‘return the favor.’

~~~

**Outworld**

The day after the battle, the sun was only starting to set when what remained of the Outworld Forces approached the area where Shao Kahn’s Fortress once stood. All was quiet amongst everyone with only the soft wind being heard.

Mileena happened to be gazing down at the ground when she noticed something amongst the broken glass… the horned piece of Shao Kahn’s helmet. Slowly, she bent down to pick it up before straightening herself back up. Her eyes stared at the piece, which contained a small trace of blood on it.

“Just as we expected…” said Rain, breaking the silence. “The Emperor is dead.”

“Huh,” hummed Motaro. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Where’s Ivy?” asked Kira.

“Probably dead too,” guessed Rain.

“So I assume that means that Outworld no longer has a ruler,” said Anna.

Tanya suddenly smiled sweetly at this. “Yeah… that’s true.”

“Mileena is Shao Kahn’s heir,” called out Baraka before anyone else had any ideas. “She should rule.”

Vega nearly went into hysterics over the idea. “Mileena, ruler of Outworld?! That’s a good one!”

“I should rip your head off for that!” Mileena growled as she quickly pulled out one of her sais.

Vega immediately got into a fighting stance. “Go ahead and try it! Then I can smear that ugly face of yours from existence!”

“How about you shut up before I send you both to the Netherrealm!” a new voice joined in. Everyone turned around and saw Sheeva approaching them. Sheeva looked a bit disheveled, but other than that, she looked no worse for wear.

That was when Mavado realized something. “You weren’t at the battle. Where were you?”

“I’d like to know that myself,” agreed Motaro as he folded his arms in front of his chest.

Sheeva quickly glared at the centaurian before speaking. “Kintaro and I ran into the yoga master we were assigned to kill on our way. He was accompanying three warriors to take out Shao Kahn and distracted us as they ran off.”

“Where’s Kintaro?” asked Vega.

“He is dead,” Sheeva confirmed. “Dhalsim… managed to kill him… I was the one who broke his back in half in the end.”

“Then… I asssssume thessssse ‘three warriorssss’ took out the Emperor and the Empressssss?” guessed Reptile.

Sheeva balked at this. “Shao Kahn is dead… but Ivy is not and with good reason.” She snarled at her next words. “She is a _traitor!_ She turned _against_ our Emperor and killed him herself! I saw the tail end of that battle myself. At first, I was so sure that she was fighting alongside Shao Kahn, but the moment she stabbed him… if the blast after his death hadn't knocked me out unconscious, they'd all be dead by now. "

“Were you at least able to get a good look at the other three warriors?” asked Baraka.

“One of them is definitely Jin Kazama, the one who fought Ivy in the final round of the tournament,” Sheeva confirmed. “The other two I’ve never seen before. One of them wore a red blindfold over his eyes and had a sword, and the other had a red bandana over his forehead and wore a white karate gi.”

“Hmm, Shang Tsung did mention wanting to get revenge on a blind swordsman a while ago,” said Anna. “That must’ve been him.”

“Well considering he’s dead, getting more information from the sorcerer won’t help us,” said Rain. “Maybe Quan Chi can figure out their identities.”

“Where the hell is Quan Chi anyway?” asked Mileena.

“Who knows,” replied Vega. “He probably got burned to a crisp by that spectre he’s so obsessed over.”

“Doubt it,” said Tanya. “Quan Chi is not exactly easy to get rid of, especially since he was dead to begin with.”

“Speaking of the dead, where’s Noob?” asked Baraka. “And those crazy people he found in Keisei.”

“Probably went back to the Netherrealm,” guessed Motaro. “Not sure about the crazies, however. Probably ran off after we retreated.”

“I wasn’t aware there were crazies amongst us more than usual,” said Mavado.

“Why do I get the feeling I knew who they were?” mumbled Kira.

“Whatever the case,” started Rain. “Shao Kahn is dead… and it’s inevitable that we’ll all fight for the empty throne.”

“What do you expect us to do? Flip a coin?” guessed Vega. “Luckily for you goons, I have no interest in ruling this piece of shit realm.”

“Even though we’re stuck here for a while,” mentioned Anna.

“Here’s the thing,” spoke up Kira. “Considering how I’m pretty damn sure that whatever civilians are leftover will not hesitate to kill us, the best thing we can do right now is to work together. I know, very far-fetched, but let’s face it… there aren’t many of us left and with Shao Kahn now dead, the civilians will surely not hesitate to hunt us down and slaughter us all. Sure, we could use what’s left of the guards as a distraction, but we all know that they’ll easily just get themselves killed. For those of you ‘hoping’ to become the next Outworld ruler, if you have any desire to survive long enough to sit on that stupid throne, then the best thing for all of us is to rely on each other for survival until that day comes. When it does come, then go ahead and kill each other for the throne as you desire.”

“How many of you want the throne?” asked Motaro. He ended up raising his hand along with Sheeva, Tanya, Rain, Mileena, and Baraka.. Six out of eleven, they all realized.

“The thought of being Queen is nice, but not for this realm,” admitted Anna as she agreed with Vega.

“If I’m going to rule any realm, it’ll be Earth,” mentioned Mavado.

“I just think being a ruler sounds like a pain in the ass,” said Kira.

“Either way, I think we can all agree on one thing,” began Sheeva. “We will find a way to hunt down the four who killed Shao Kahn and slit their throats one by one! I especially want Ivy to suffer!”

“The time will come,” said Mavado. “Right now, we’ll have to build an encampment somewhere. In the meantime, the Red Dragon and I will scout the area.”

“What for?” asked Reptile.

“Any leftovers, search for survivors who are on our side, and hunt for food,” Mavado said. “If we’re all going to try to survive, this is the best way to start. We’ll begin right away.”

“It’s best to set up camp in the forests,” said Baraka. “Then that way, it wouldn’t be easy for others to find us.”

“I’m fine with that,” said Reptile.

“In that case, let’s go,” mumbled Rain.

The group began to head further into the woods with the exception of Mavado and Kira. Kira had noticed that they were behind a broken pillar, thus out of sight of the Red Dragon, so it gave her and Mavado the chance to talk.

“Survivors?” Kira asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Someone saw that Donna was still alive,” Mavado mentioned. “But no one has seen her since the battle ended yesterday.”

Kira shrugged a bit. “She might be dead by this point, so why care?”

“Believe it or not, Hsu Hao and I made a promise a few years ago to her father, a former Red Dragon superior, before he disappeared. If anything were to happen to him, then we would take her under our wing. As you may have noticed, she and Hsu Hao grew close despite his stoic nature due to his heart cybernetics. Now that Hsu Hao is dead, well… Donna's frame of mind was always fragile to begin with. The cybernetics in her brain will surely affect her if we don’t get her to our main facility on Earth soon.”

“Out of curiosity,” Kira spoke up. “Were the cybernetics in her brain her choice?”

“She would have been in a vegetative state had it not been for the cybernetics after the… incident. She did, however, volunteer to install a collective data chip to help the clan. So… the sooner we get her back to Earth, the better.”

“I see,” Kira said. “Well… all I can really say at this point is… good luck.”

Silence fell between them as Mavado briefly turned his head to make sure that none of his surviving clan members were watching them. Once he was sure, he reached his hand up to trace his fingers along Kira’s cheek. Before she had the chance to respond, Mavado leaned down towards her and his lips were instantly on hers. Kira responded the same and the kiss lasted a few seconds before Mavado quickly pulled away before turning around to walk towards his waiting clan members.

For a minute afterwards, Kira was left feeling a bit baffled. It was the first time that Mavado showed any tenderness towards her…

~~~

**Edenia**

It was the middle of the day when the flying ship finally arrived at the Edenian Royal Castle. To the astonishment of many, there wasn’t as much damage to the castle as initially though, at least from the outside.

Queen Sindel, Princess Kitana, Jade, and the surviving Freedom Fighters were the first to embark off the ship. They were immediately greeted by the surviving Edenian Knights, who had noticed the ship coming towards the castle and went to investigate. As soon as they noticed the royal family, they promptly kneeled down, bowing their heads in respect.

“Welcome home, your highness,” one of them said aloud. “We had hoped that you and the Princess had survived this war.”

“It’s good to be home,” Sindel replied. “I’m happy to announce that the threat against the realms is over, and Shao Kahn and his Outworld fiends will no longer be a nuisance to our home. You may rise.”

The knights straightened up before the one who greeted her spoke again. “Edenia was heavily hit, but as of now, repairs are underway.”

The knight then looked passed her shoulder and noticed the group on the ship. Judging by their clothes, he figured that these people were not from here.

Sindel noticed this. “Those on the ship will be our guest just for tonight,” she informed him.

“I thought as much,” the knight replied. “However, I must warn you that the inside of the castle is still under heavy repairs. I’m not sure how many are on the ship, but bringing everyone inside might not be the wisest decision.”

“I’m completely fine with camping outside!” called out Paul, who heard the conversation from where he stood.

Kitana shrugged a little. “In that case, we will set up camp outside the castle tonight. If you may, round up any food and drink that is available.”

“As you wish, your highness,” the knight said with a small bow of his head.

Once everyone was aware of tonight’s camp out, most of them began to embark off the ship. As some of them walked along the grass, Wagner couldn’t take his eyes off the huge castle and could only imagine how many rooms and the kinds of accommodations it had.

“Okay, remember how I said our reunion should be at Ken’s mansion?” he asked those around him.

“I remember,” replied Maxi. “What about it?”

“Forget what I said. Let’s party here in the future.”

Julia chuckled next to him. “Ken’s San Francisco mansion has a home theater with stadium seating.”

“… Forget what I just said, Ken’s mansion it is!”

“This isn’t going to be one of those reunions where no one’s sure where the actual location is, is it?” asked Cody.

“Probably,” replied Marshall.

~~~

**Later That Night…**

After the Edenian sun set for the evening, a large bonfire lit up the small field where many of the chosen ones were gathered. Various foods and drinks were passed around and, for the first in what felt like forever, everyone was relaxed and having a good time. A lot of conversations were heard as well as laughter.

“Okay, seriously, we need music here,” said Hwoarang as he noticed the lack of it around. He the spotted one ally he knew could sing well. “Hwang! Sing for us!”

“Do I have to?” groaned Hwang.

“Oh come on!” encouraged Mi-na. “Now that we won this war, a celebration is in order and we need music for that.”

“We can always get Paul to sing instead,” Hwoarang pointed out with a sly grin.

That idea immediately straightened Hwang’s back. “Fine, I’ll sing! I still wish we had accompanying music.”

“I have an out-of-tune guitar on the ship,” mentioned Lita. “But I don’t know how to play and I don’t know if anyone else around here plays either.”

“Too bad,” said Steve. “Well, in the case-”

Steve was suddenly cut off as they heard someone else starting to sing in a deep, baritone vibrato in their native tongue. Immediately during the first verse, everyone within hearing distance turned their heads, only for their jaws drop open in shock upon realizing who was singing; Dragunov.

Dragunov’s eyes showed a bit of amusement over everyone’s astonishment as he continued with the next verse. This lasted a half a minute before Dragunov decided to stop, standing up to get more wine and leaving everyone who heard him sing baffled by what they just witnessed.

Hwang first spoke. “Eh… guess me singing is not necessary anymore.”

“Guess not…” said Mi-na as she scratched his head.

“That was creepy,” Hwoarang mumbled. “Didn’t expect something like that from Dragunov of all people.”

“It’s always the quiet ones,” murmured Lita. “ _Always_ the quiet ones.”

“I think this will be a good time for us to have a drink, Lita,” Steve said.

“Yes, please!”

Nearby, a small competition was going on between Paul and Marduk. Using a boulder they found and carried closer to the party, they clasped hands as they rested their elbows on top. Soon, using all of their strength, they began an arm wrestling competition.

“Come on Paul!” cheered Marshall, who stood behind him. “I got treasure riding on this!”

“No you don’t!” yelled out Cody.

“A whole bottle of Edenian wine is considered treasure to me.”

“That stuff hardly has alcohol in it!” Cody pointed out.

“Do you have any idea how much money I can fetch for imported wine from another realm?” Marshall replied. “Especially in the immediate aftermath of a galactic war?”

“Of course you’d try to sell shitty wine to reel in some cash,” Cody exasperated.

“Which reminds me, we've got to go back to the Rockies as soon as possible. We left behind that gold necklace we found about a week before we were picked up.”

“I get sixty percent of whatever you get back for it!”

“That's not fair!”

“Will you two shut up?!” Paul yelled as he pushed against Marduk’s hand as he tried to take him down.

“What’s wrong, Phoenix?” Marduk asked with a sadistic grin on his face. “Getting tired and distracted?”

“You wish, buddy!” Paul replied. With a growl, he managed to push Marduk’s hand back a few inches, managing to get the upper hand in the arm wrestling competition.

“I think you just pissed him off,” said King, who stood behind Marduk.

“Do you _ever_ take that damn thing off?” Paul asked, referring to King’s leopard mask.

“He’s a luchador to the core, what did you expect?” Marduk stated.

“Holy crap, that rhymed!” called out Cody.

“I bet you’ve tried to take off his mask in a match before,” guessed Marshall.

“Lots of time,” Marduk confirmed. “But I’ll tell you, he’s got that mask on real good. I wouldn’t be surprised if he used superglue to keep it on.”

“Maybe,” King joked.

“Anyway, that’s all in the past now,” Marduk continued. “When we get back to Earth, King and I will be working to become the best tag team the wrestling world has ever known.”

Paul gave him an astonished look. “Really? After all this time, you’re finally-”

However, Paul’s surprise caused him to loosen his hold a bit, and Marduk immediately took advantage of it. With a yell, he quickly pushed Paul's arm back, soon slamming it down into the boulder. Paul's eyes widened in shock after that while Marduk gave him a shit-eating grin.

“What the-” Paul called out. “DAMMIT!”

“HA!” Marduk called out as he raised one arm up in victory. “Who’s the best in the universe now, chump!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Paul grumbled as he stood back up while rubbing his now-sore arm. Meanwhile, King grabbed the bottle of wine Marshall had in his hand, having won the bet between them.

Marduk looked at both Marshall and Cody. “All right, who’s next?”

“I am,” a new person said. Everyone turned their heads to see Sagat approaching them.

“Oooh yeah!” Marduk called out as he rested his elbow on the boulder. “Now _this_ is going to be a challenge!”

“I like it,” said Cody. “Two immovable objects going at it in an arm wrestling competition.”

“Also known as, ‘battle of the freakishly big and tall baldies,’” added Paul.

“I oughta shave your head for that,” Marduk said, half joking.

“That’d be something to see,” Marshall chuckled.

Sagat soon settled down in front of the boulder before extending his arm out. With neither one of them saying anything, he and Marduk clasped hands, took a deep breath, and soon began to pushed their hands against each other with all their strength. Moments past, but they hardly moved as they arms began to slightly shake.

“This is going to take a while,” Marshall eventually said as he settled back against a log.

Nearby, Kilik and Xianghua were leaning against a log as they listened to Maxi and Kung Lao telling stories of their own adventures. Eventually however, it ended up being turned into what Kung Lao would later call a pissing contest.

“A few years ago, after the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, I found myself fighting twenty tarkatans at once by myself," said Kung Lao.

“Please,” Maxi laughed. “I once ran a whole ship by myself and was faced with three enemy ships. Had to use the canons just so I wasn't completely overwhelmed.”

“Eh, actually,” Kilik began. “I was there with you that day, Maxi.”

“Not the point, Kilik,” Maxi grumbled through clenched teeth. “Besides you didn’t even know how to run a ship at the time.”

“But someone had to fire the canons, right?” Kilik asked with a small smirk.

“HA!” Kung Lao laughed. “So you did have help.”

Maxi stared at Kilik. “You’re a horrible friend.”

“Remember, Maxi, lying gets you nowhere,” Xianghua said.

“You can say the same about keeping secrets,” Maxi pointed out.

Xianghua glared him as he gave her a knowing look. “What are you talking about?”

Maxi quickly shifted his eyes to Kilik before he stared at Xianghua again. “Just do it already!”

“Do what?” asked a curious Kilik.

“NOTHING!” Xianghua called out before Maxi had the chance to say anything.

Kung Lao stood up there. “I think I'm going to go get myself some of that Edenian wine.”

“You know what, that sounds like a great idea,” Maxi agreed as he also stood up from his seat. “And on the way, I can tell you about the time it was me against two-hundred cannibals on a desert island.”

The Shaolin monk chuckled. “And after that, I'll tell you about the time I fought two sorcerers _and_ a shokan in one day... at once.”

“In your dreams probably,” Maxi snorted with lightheartedness.

“I'm sure those cannibals were nothing more than mirages,” Kung Lao guessed with a laugh.

As the two continued to walk away (and banter), Kilik turned to Xianghua, an amusing look playing on his face. “Some things never change,” he quipped.

Xianghua giggled. “Definitely not. But you know... I'm glad for that. Even though so much of the world has changed because of this war, it's good to know that certain things in life can still remain as it was.”

Kilik nodded.

That was when they heard footsteps approaching them. Thinking Maxi and Kung Lao returned, Xianghua turned her head to greet them, only to notice a familiar green-clad Edenian coming up to them, a smile on her face.

“Hello,” Jade greeted. “Mind if I join you?”

Kilik smiled a little. “Sure, there's plenty of room,” he replied as he patted the empty log space next to him. Accepting the invitation, Jade sat down next to him.

Xianghua sighed as she stood up from his other side. “I'm going to go get myself some wine. You two want any?”

“I'm good,” the two of them both said almost at once.

Xianghua shrugged. “Okay,” she said before departing. She found herself grumbling a bit. _There are some things I wish_ did _change._

Close by, Yoshimitsu was walking around, mostly observing the party. Of course, many of his allies greeted him and he would reply with a polite nod. Even with the ruins around them, he found himself admiring the beauty of Edenia. Despite sending his clan members here in the past, Yoshimitsu had never visited the realm himself before, at least until now, so it was definitely something. It reminded him that, whenever he got the chance, he should inquire about Edenia's culture and a map of their world.

At one point, Yoshimitsu turned his head and noticed Jade and Kilik talking to each other just as the young woman, Xianghua, stood up and headed towards the refreshment stands. He didn't miss the face that the young woman looked... fairly disappointed to say the least.

 _If I hadn't known better, I'd say Xianghua fancies that young lad,_ the clan leader guessed. He then turned to Jade as she and Kilik spoke quietly, and he didn't miss the fact that Jade seemed much more relaxed

Yoshimitsu couldn't help but wonder then... did Jade fancy Kilik? And if she did, did the Edenian notice Xianghua's disappointment when they began to talk? Realizing what he was thinking, Yoshimitsu quickly shook the thoughts from his head. Why should he be concerned? None of this was any of his business.

Turning his head again, Yoshimitsu noticed another group talking amongst themselves; Sub-Zero, Sareena, and the three cyborgs; Smoke, Cyrax, and Matrik. He realized right then and there that this was the perfect opportunity to speak to them since they were all together.

Coming up to them, Yoshimitsu was about to greet them, but Smoke beat him to it. “ _Ahoj,_ ” he greeted.

Yoshmitsu tilted his head at the gray cyborg. “I assume that means 'hello' in your native tongue?”

“Czech to be exact,” mentioned Cyrax.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” asked Sareena as she gazed up at the sword wielder.

Yoshimitsu shrugged. “For the most part, though once we return to Earth, there will be much work to be done in recovery and helping displaced civilians.”

“I can relate to that,” Sub-Zero agreed. “I'll be having my surviving Lin Kuei assist those in the surrounding villages.”

“If they survived,” Smoke pointed out.

“Of course.”

“If you wish,” Yoshimitsu began to state. “I'll assign a few members of my clan to assist in your efforts. I'll have them arrive with as much food and medical supplies as they can muster as well as fortify your hideout until you feel that your security there is adequate. Again, this is your choice as the Lin Kuei's Grandmaster.”

Sub-Zero was silent for a moment as he thought over Yoshimitsu's offer. Soon, he gave the clan leader a simple nod. “It's something I'm sure the civilians will appreciate very much. Besides, an alliance between the Lin Kuei and the Manji Clan would greatly benefit us both. If I have enough surviving clan members left, after your clan fills their end of the bargain, we can assist with whatever you need in the recovery efforts.”

Yoshimitsu nodded then. “I do have one other offer, specifically for you three.” He then turned his head to the three cyborgs currently present.

Cyrax tilted his head. “What kind of offer do you have in mind?”

“I don't know the entire story of the cyber initiative, I only know what I've heard throughout this journey, but I do imagine that you three wish to be free from your cybernetic confinement.”

“Since day one,” Smoke mentioned.

“Since before I became a cyborg,” said Cyrax.

“Since I gained my free will... the first time,” added Matrik.

“I thought as much,” Yoshimitsu nodded. “In Japan, I am a close ally to, in my opinion, the greatest doctor I have the honor and privilege to know. Not only is he knowledgeable in medical science, but he is also an expert in cybernetic research and development. With this mix expertise, I have no doubt that he could find a way to reverse your cybernetics to the best of his ability depending on how complex your tech is. Whenever you three are ready, come to his lab in Japan and have him get a look at you. You'll most likely still remain with some cybernetics, but... I imagine that he would do his best to make you as closely human-like as possible again.”

“Huh,” Sub-Zero uttered as he turned to the three cyborgs. “That is definitely something to think about it for sure.”

“I never thought the opportunity would ever come...” uttered Smoke. “It's... a lot to take in for sure.”

“I agree,” Matrik replied.

“Like I said, it's your choice,” Yoshimitsu said.

Cyrax nodded to the clan leader. “Thank you for this opportunity. We will definitely come to you and this doctor when we're ready.”

Meanwhile, Wagner and Juli chose to sit on the grass close to the campfire, their backs leaning against one of the logs set up around the field. From the refreshment stands, they both agreed that they didn't like the taste of Edenian wine, so they settled with a fruity drink that tasted similar to grapefruit.

“So,” Juli began to say, a small smile playing on her face. “Looking forward to eating ten double double cheeseburgers from In'N'Out when you get home?”

“Hell yeah!” Wagner called out. “And don't worry, I'm going to jog one mile for every cheeseburger I eat.”

“No you won't,” Juli chuckled.

Wagner leaned forward briefly to kiss her on the cheek. “You know me too well.”

“Of course. We've been together for five months and spent two of those months trying to survive what we all thought was the end of the universe,” Juli mentioned in a matter of fact.

Wagner raised his glass just above his head. “Cheers to surviving what we all thought was the end of the universe.”

“I'll drink to that,” Juli agreed as she raised her own cup.

From there, the two of them took a brief sip of their drinks before Wagner spoke again. “There's another thing to cheer about in a way.”

“What's that?” Juli asked.

“Well...” Wagner began to look around then. “It's nice to see our friends finally relaxed, with no worries linger over our heads. I haven't seen this since during the earlier days at the Blood Tournament.” He then noticed one group in particular and pointed at them. “They better not celebrate _too_ much or else they're going to wind up with a big headache in the morning.”

Juli turned to where he was pointing. Across the way, they noticed the group consisting of Mika, Asuka, Sakura, Karin, and Cassandra talking and giggling loudly at once as they downed a bottle of wine they were all sharing. Moments later, they noticed Cassandra's sister, Sophitia approaching before she scolded Cassandra for her tipsy behavior. Wagner could've sworn he could hear Cassandra say, 'yes ma'am,' to every other thing Sophitia was saying.

Juli noticed a pair just a few feet away and pointed to them. “I'm surprised they didn't join in on all that giggling.”

Wagner looked to see where Juli pointed and soon noticed Yang and Maki. They were also sitting on the grass and leaning themselves against a log. Yang had one arm wrapped around Maki as she rested her head on his shoulder. Neither them said a word to each other, seemingly content on just enjoying each others company.

At least until Yang's brother, Yun, suddenly came up to them and flopped down next to Yang before he began to start talking. Maki raised her head up, but Yang kept his arm around her. From there, the three of them ended up having a lighthearted conversation, at least judging by their smiles and relaxed state.

Wagner shrugged a little. “Nah, I can see why they didn't.”

He then turned his head again and, not too far from Yun, Yang, and Maki, sitting on the grass and leaning on another log were Kenshi and Alex. They sat next to each other as they shared what was clearly a quiet conversation, both of the looking relaxed. Wagner was sure that the last few days put a lot of things into perspective, so to see that things were going to be okay between them made him feel pretty good. Heck, even now, with everyone around them, it was almost as though they were the only ones there.

Well, that was until Sonya and Jax came up to them. Wagner almost burst into laughter the second Sonya playfully slapped Alex on the upper back, causing the younger agent to yell out in surprise, which only made Sonya laugh more. From there, the four of them carried on in their own conversation.

That reminded Wagner... he and Sonya still needed to talk after all that's happened. Since Sonya was freed from the brainwashing, they've only had the chance to talk briefly, which was mainly just a 'hello' and 'what's up?' After all, he was there after Kira had stabbed her the morning after the end of the Blood Tournament. He was also pretty sure that Sonya might already know about him and Juli, not that it was that big of a deal or anything.

At least Juli knew about their one-night stand. That would have been a big deal if he hadn't said anything beforehand...

Nearby, Julia walked over to where Ryu was sitting before she sat down next to him. In each of her hands was a glass of the fruit drink that was being served. She gave one glass to Ryu, who took it in his own hand.

“I took a sip of this stuff before coming back,” Julia began to inform him. “It taste like grapefruit.”

“Huh,” Ryu replied right before taking a sip of his drink. He took a moment to let the flavor linger in his mouth before nodding in approval. “You're right, it does taste like grapefruit.”

“Told you,” Julia chuckled.

Ryu took another long sip before talking again. “It's strange... seeing everyone like this now. It's almost like the last two months didn't happen at all.”

“I know what you mean,” Julia said. “But as you know, this war is over now and we can all shed out worries away.”

Ryu sighed. “It wouldn't be long before another war comes up.”

Julia frowned a little. “Hopefully not for a long time.”

Briefly, the two of them fell quiet as they looked at their surroundings. At one point, Julia leaned herself into Ryu before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. From there, they sat like this in contented silence for a few more seconds.

“You know,” Ryu started to say. “When we get back to Earth, well... I know I want to travel a bit, but other than that, I'm not sure what else to do.”

“Well... I do have one idea,” Julia mentioned.

“And that is...?”

Julia straightened herself up so that she was gazing into Ryu's eyes. “Go back to Arizona. I actually have to take care of a few things down there when we get back. Pack a few things, find out if my classmates survived, and more importantly, save whatever data survived from my reforestation project. Once that's all done, we can finally spend the summer traveling, just as we planned last year.”

Julia then reached for his free hand and gasped onto it with her own. “And at least this time, I have no reason to send you away again...” she added quietly.

Ryu leaned forward to give Julia a kiss on her lips before pulling back a few inches. “Try not to think about that anymore,” he suggested. “That's all in the past now. It's like you said earlier.” He smiled. “We have all the time in the world now.”

In reply, Julia gave him a warm smile.

Not too far from them, Lei and Chun Li were sitting on a log, each of them holding a glass of Edenian wine in hand. “Here's to a happy future for us, Mr. Wulong,” Chun Li toasted.

“Likewise, Mrs. Wulong,” Lei replied. Just as they tapped their glasses together, Lei's eyes suddenly widened in horror as realization dawned on him. With a free hand, he brushed his fingers through his long black hair. “Holy smokes, we're married!”

Chun Li chuckled. “Yes we are.”

Lei let out an exhale before he smiled. “Too bad we won't have a proper honeymoon when we get back to Earth. I would've loved to have taken the time to visit Maui.”

“Well, it'll definitely be something to look forward to once all the hard work we'll have dropped onto us is complete.”

“Something tells me that's going to take ages.”

“Probably.”

Before they continued, they heard someone loudly calling for everyone's attention. It took a few moments, but soon everyone fell quiet and had turned their heads to Queen Sindel, who stood in front of everyone. A glass of what looked like champagne was in her left hand and a pleasant smile graced her face.

“First and foremost,” the Queen began. “I want to congratulate Lei and Chun Li on their union. I wish you both lifelong happiness.”

Everyone cheered and clapped at that with at least one of the guys going, 'Whoop, whoop!' in the middle of all that. Sindel then raised a hand, signaling everyone to quiet down so that she can proceed.

The warm smile on Sindel's face soon faded then, and her mood became a bit solemn. “I would also like to take the time to give a moment of silence to our fallen comrade, Dhalsim. I am sorry that I did not get the chance to know him, but from what I've heard, he's was a valiant warrior who, like many of us, fought this war with bravery and honor. If it had not been for him, we would've never have found a way to win this war. Let us live our lives and enjoy each day from this day forward so that his sacrifice will not be in vain.”

With the exception of the crackling fire and the light wind around them, all was silent between everyone as they thought about the deceased yoga master. Each of them took comfort in knowing that Dhalsim was now at peace and reunited with his family, friends, and neighbors whom he had lost in the war.

“May you rest well, Dhalsim,” Sindel concluded.

She was just about talk more about their victory when there was a sudden commotion nearby. One part of the group turned their heads and it wasn't long before Guy and Nina, the only two people who remained on the ship and didn't join in the festivities, stepped into the light made by the fire.

In between them, holding each arm, was a person wearing a black cloak.

“Oh no...” Ruby Heart uttered as she and Fujin, realizing Guy and Nina's discovery, began to step towards them.

“What's this all about?” asked a curious Kitana as she joined her mother's side.

Guy grabbed for the hood of the figure's cloak. “She managed to sneak onto the ship!” he announced right before pulling the hood back, revealing the face of Ivy Valentine. Clearly, she was shocked mainly because she had been discovered, but more so because she wasn't sure how the others would react to her now. She was practically expecting to be lynched at this point.

“YOU!” Jade growled as she stood up and quickly pulled out her staff, ready to fight.

“Who the hell is that?” asked Marshall.

“Ivy, the Empress of Outworld herself,” replied Nina.

“Ah, so _that's_ the winner of the Blood Tournament,” said Marduk.

“How did she manage to get on the ship?!” called out Chun Li, a hint of malice in her voice.

“Did you know about this, Fujin?” asked an astonished Cammy.

Before Fujin had the chance to say anything, someone suddenly yelled out, “Wait!” Turning his head to where the call came from, Fujin nearly sighed with relief as Jin, Ryu, and Kenshi began to approach from where they were originally sitting.

It was Ryu who spoke up first. “Before we all start asking questions and pointing fingers, there's something you should know... despite Ivy's title as Empress of Outworld, it was _she_ who assisted us in eventually defeating Shao Kahn once and for all.

“She was actually part of the _Ano Sentaku Bou_ legend Fujin mentioned to you,” continued Jin. “It was _not_ three of us... but four of us... who had what it took to eliminate the Emperor.”

“As soon as she found out her role, she was willing to cooperate with us,” Kenshi explained. “Even Dhalsim had trusted her even before he revealed her role in the legend.”

“That doesn't explain why she was willing to be Empress to begin with as well as her actions in the war,” hissed Jade.

Ivy frowned a little, and most who could easily read faces realized that she was feeling remorse, which surprised them. “It's... hard to explain... but some of you might know about an evil essence called Soul Edge. Some of you may know about this by now, but a part of it's energy was within the _Chishio No Me_ medallion, the tournament prize.”

Ivy noticed some wide-eyed look at that revelation, but she continued from there. “The medallion burned to ash after Shao Kahn took Soul Edge's main essence after battling with a being named Nightmare, who was using a vessel of a human as it's host to do it's deed. Turns out that Soul Edge was trying to control Shao Kahn from within, more than likely trying to use _him_ as its next host, the next Nightmare if you will. Had the legend of _Ano Sentaku Bou_ not been discovered, the realms as we know it would have turned into nothing, as Dhalsim had originally predicted...

“I believe Soul Edge, despite Shao Kahn having control, was influencing me from within. It's powers are subtle, and most people influenced by its powers don't realize it until its too late. My atrocities, my actions, even my own thoughts, were Soul Edge's influence, and I realized it recently because I've studied its effects for years... it something I should've realized, but didn't...”

Ivy then gazed at everyone around her. “I don't expect you to understand, nor do I expect forgiveness. Just know, whether you believe me or not, that I will be spending the remainder of my life atoning for my atrocities.”

“I can vouch for her,” a new voice suddenly said. Everyone turned their heads as Siegfried Schtauffen stood from where he sat. He took a couple of steps forward before he continued. “Everything she has said about Soul Edge is true. Many do not realize its capabilities until it is too late. At least now... I know what happened after waking up in that rubble.”

Ivy's eyes widened at Siegfried's revelation. “ _I_ was that vessel Soul Edge used. For seven years, I was used as its host, making my own thoughts as though it was my own, killing and taking souls against my will and making me think that it was _I_ who had chosen those actions. It is a burden I do not wish on anyone, even my own worst enemy. I've been atoning for my sins since I became free eight months ago...”

Everyone fell silent at this, realizing that Siegfried's own experiences made everyone think about what Ivy had just said. Had the younger man not stepped up, Ivy was sure that she would still be arguing her point until she was blue in the face. With the exception of a few, she was sure that no one else would have believed her otherwise.

At least she knows now that she wasn't alone in her fight against the evil essence, even if it had most likely died alongside Shao Kahn.

Finally, Sindel began to approach Ivy, a small frown on her face. “I believe it,” she said. “With this essence controlling you from within Shao Kahn, he still managed to find a way to manipulate you. Whether it was him who controlled you using its powers or the powers itself, well... you and I have much in common...” Sindel said solemnly.

“I know,” Ivy admitted. “He told me what he did to you and your daughter all those years ago. I'm sorry for that... and I'm sorry the sorcerers used their powers to brainwash you and the others. That was Shao Kahn's orders, not mine.”

To Ivy's surprise, Sindel walked towards the Keisei native. Once within reach, the Queen gently grasped onto to either side of Ivy's face before she placed a gentle kiss on the former Empress' forehead.

“I know that you are sorry, and I can see that in your eyes,” Sindel said as she stepped back. “There is no need to convince me.”

She then spoke aloud so that everyone around her could hear her next words. “On behalf of Edenia and the Royal Edenian Militia, I, Queen Sindel, grant you, Ivy Valentine, forgiveness.”

All was silent around them after that statement. By now, there was a mix reaction amongst everyone. Some seemed to relax, though others seemed to still stand their ground on their feelings towards her, especially Jade judging by the suspicious look on her face.

No, Ivy would never get everyone's forgiveness, even with time, but perhaps, once she was able to forgive herself, then that would be what mattered most.


	98. Chapter Ninety-Seven

**Edenia**

The chosen ones were up bright and early (much to the dismay of some, who preferred their beauty sleep) and up on the docks. They were all ready to say goodbye to Jade, Queen Sindel, and Princess Kitana, who of course will remain in their home world as everyone else departed.

“Let's hope that the next time we meet, it will be under better circumstances,” said Kitana.

“Hopefully that'll be the case,” agreed Chun Li.

Soon, Sindel and Kitana began to leave the ship to rejoin the Edenian knights and the surviving Freedom Fighters, who waited for them. Jade, however, lingered behind just a little longer, eventually giving her farewell to two people in particular.

Right by the ladder leading to the grass below, Jade reached a hand out to shake hands with Yoshimitsu, who didn't hesitate to return the gesture. “Thank you for all you've done,” Jade said. “Not just for you and your clan helping out in this war, but what you've done for me during our mission at the fortress.”

“Just remember the things I've told you,” Yoshimitsu advised. “Despite our burdens as leaders, our positions are one of honor and duty, and that is something we cannot forget.” He bowed his head to her in respect. “I only wish the best for you.”

Jade bowed her head back before they unclasped hands. “Same to you.” She then turned to the last person waiting to say goodbye; Kilik.

Kilik managed to smile once the two made eye contact. “Well... at least now with this war over, Edenia will know peace again, hopefully for a long time.”

“As will Keisei,” Jade pointed out. “Well, as Kitana said, hopefully the next time we all meet, it will be under better circumstances.”

“Likewise,” Kilik agreed.

Knowing that it was time to go, Jade closed the space between them before giving him a brief hug, which Kilik returned. Then, as she pulled back, Jade left a brief kiss on his cheek just below his scar before completely stepping back. “Until then,” she began. “Goodbye, Kilk.”

“Goodbye, Jade,” Kilik bid.

From there, Jade began making her way down the roped ladder to rejoin the royal family and the knights. Once her feet were firmly planted into the ground, Yoshimitsu pulled the ladder back up before Kilik volunteered to shut the door tightly, locking it securely.

Yoshimitsu turned to Ruby Heart, who was at the ship's steering wheel. “It's time to go,” he announced.

Ruby Heart nodded. “Our next stop is Keisei,” she mentioned.

It wasn't long before the propellers spun and the engine were heard before the flying ship to make its way up towards the sky. The Edenians waved goodbye to those departing until the ship was too far from the castle to see them clearly.

“It would be nice if we all met up again under better circumstances,” Kilik mentioned out loud.

“It would be,” Yoshimitsu replied. “But like with many things, only time will tell.” He then departed to check on his clan members before Kilik went in another direction to find his allies.

~~~

**Outworld**

It was the middle of the night when Havik and the surviving Black Dragon clan members arrived to the rubble where Shao Kahn's fortress once stood. The group had spent most of the last couple of days evading Red Dragon clan members (even using their leftover pendants to convince a couple of them that chaos was the way... now they can get vital information though them, but that would be saved for later). Kabal eventually deemed the area 'order-free' before they approached it.

“Welp!” Havik called out as he stared down at what was left of the fortress. “I'm going to take a wild guess here and say that Shao Kahn is dead.”

“Looks like it,” Kabal agreed as he looked at his surroundings.

“Who cares!” called out Tira, a scowl on her face. She then began to walk around the area. “That Shao Kahn was a creep anyway.”

“I barely got to know the guy before he decided to take a dirt nap,” Havik said. “Oh well! At least now he won't pose order on the rest of the universe. Too bad... I bet, given the chance, I could've persuaded him to the side of chaos... from all I've heard about the guy, he did create chaos for quite a while some years ago.”

“Maybe,” Kabal said with a shrug. “The guy was nutty to begin with. Makes you wonder how he survived so long... it also makes me wonder who finally did him in.”

“I'm sure we'll find out soon enough... definitely someone imposing their kind of... order... disgusting it you ask me. Then again, unless we get lucky, we'll probably never know the truth.”

Kabal sighed a little. “Well, perhaps this will be the chance to return to Chaosrealm... or Keisei... or Earth... anywhere but Outworld. I doubt there's anything else for us to do here, especially after all the death and destruction.”

“Maybe,” Havik shrugged. He then gazed at his surroundings a bit. “Speaking of death and destruction, too bad about Fury. I liked that cyborg.”

“Yeah, it is a shame,” Kabal agreed. “He did have good taste in cigars.”

“And he indeed had the best maniacal laugh I ever heard.” Havik took a deep breath before proceeding. “Well, perhaps we can try to find some portal to a realm... any realm really... as long as its not Orderrealm.”

The Cleric of Chaos turned his head, noticing Tira standing about ten yards away with her back turned to them. “Tira! If you're ready, we're going to find a way _out_ of this _world_!”

Unknown to anyone, Tira was looking at something she had picked up from the ground. A sadistic smirk came over her as her purple eyes gazed down as the small collection of red shards she found amongst the rubble. She found herself mesmerized by the glitter it was giving off even with the moonless night sky above them. 

 _So pretty..._ Tira thought at one point.

Hearing Havik calling out right after that thought, Tira quickly placed the shards in her pocket before turning to face him, a sweet smile on her face. “Coming!” she called out in a cheery sing-song voice.

She then skipped over to the duo before the three of them joined the surviving Black Dragon clan members nearby. From there, they began their search for a way out of Outworld.

~~~

**Chili-san, Lee Dynasty, Keisei**

It took most of the day to return to the part of Edenia where the portal barriers were located. Once again, Fujin used his powers to make sure that the ship went to Keisei. After being briefly surrounded by the purple energy, the ship soon found itself just above the waters of Keisei and began heading towards the direction where the city of Chili-san was located.

“So far, so good,” Ruby Heart found herself saying as she gazed up at the propellers of her ship. “Nothing broke down at this point. Maybe my ship's finally getting used to going through all these portals.”

A few hours later, the ship arrived at the docks. Clearly, those in the city had noticed the ship coming up and, recognizing the propellers, they knew that the chosen ones had returned from their journey. Eagered to greet them, and knowing officially that the war was over, many of the soldiers and civilians went to the docks to welcome them backed.

Admiral Lee was the first to greet everyone as they began to depart the ship after it was securely anchored. Hwang was one of the first to get off the ship. The second he saw his superior, he stood at attention and saluted him.

“At ease,” the admiral ordered, and Hwang responded by standing in a parade rest. “I can guess that all went well in Outworld.”

“I'm pleased to report that our mission was a success,” Hwang announced. “Shao Kahn is destroyed and, as far as we can tell, his minions do not plan to retaliate any time soon. Without his powers, they will no longer be a threat to the realms.”

“Any casualties?”

Hwang frowned. “We've lost a few Coast Guard soldiers as well as some Manji clan members. I'll give you the casualty list as soon as I write out my report. As for the chosen ones, we only lost one; Dhalsim.”

“I see,” the admiral replied solemnly. “That's a shame. He was a good man.”

“Indeed he was.”

Admiral Lee took a deep breath before proceeding. “I'll ask the cooks to prepare everyone their suppers tonight.”

“They would appreciate it very much,” Hwang said. “They plan to depart for home tomorrow morning, so if possible, may we accommodate them for one more night?”

“Of course,” the Admiral agreed.

Hwang happened to look over the Admiral's shoulder, and he didn't miss the reunion between his friend Seong Mi-na and her father (and his mentor) Seong Han-myeong. The two greeted each other with a smile before sharing a brief hug. After pulling away, father and daughter began to talk, though the Coast Guard solider couldn't hear what they were saying at the moment.

Hwang couldn't help but feel good about that. He was pretty sure that it was going to be a while before Mi-na left the city after all that's happened...

Nearby, Sophitia found herself gazing at her surroundings, searching for someone in particular. Soon, she was able to spot her husband from within the crowd.

“Rothion!” she called out to get his attention. It took barely a second for Rothion to spot her within the crowd. They quickly walked towards each other before they reached one another, not hesitating to throw themselves into a fierce embrace. For a while, it was as though there was no one else around them as they took comfort in each other's arms.

“Thank the Gods you're okay,” Rothion eventually whispered in her ear. He then pulled back a bit before the married couple shared a lingering kiss before Rothion pulled back. “Is your sister okay, too?”

“Yes, she's fine,” Sophitia informed him with a smile. “The war is over and we'll be going home soon. Home to our family, and home to our children.”

“I received another letter from them while you were away,” Rothion mentioned.

Sophitia smiled. “I look forward to seeing it.”

Not too far from them, Juni felt so much relief when she was told that the ship filled with her allies had returned. Feeling much better since receiving her injury during the Keisei invasion, she was well enough to walk around as long as she was careful. With a sling around her arm to prevent her from moving it too much, it definitely made walking around much better.

Perhaps now, Fujin could heal what lingered in her injury. Because of the severity of her injury, Fujin was unable to heal it properly with his powers at the time even after he returned from his journey to Earthrealm during their stay here. It had to heal naturally for a few days before he could get to work, at least that's what he told her at the time.

She was greeted by many of the allies she met during the journey, but eventually, she saw Lita Luwanda approaching her. Not surprising to Juni, a big grin came over the weapons expert's face.

“Juni!” she called out as she approached her. Once within reach, Lita threw her arms around Juni, but it didn't last long for good reason.

“Owe, owe!” Juni called out. “Arm! Arm!”

“Oh!” Lita said as she quickly pulled back. “I almost forgot about that.”

Juni chuckled a little. “It's okay.”

“I'm glad to see you up and walking,” Lita mentioned.

“I'm more glad you and everyone else made it back,” Juni said. “Where's Cammy?”

“She's fine in case you were wondering,” Lita replied. “She should be coming off the ship any moment now.”

Juni nodded. “Good. Well, you're going to have to tell me all that's happened since you left for Outworld.”

“I imagine that'll definitely happen tonight during supper.”

“I'm sure of that.”

On the docks, Jane Guile was looking around a bit through the crowd, trying to spot anyone in particular coming off the ship. Next to her, her eight-year-old daughter Amy was excited once she realized what was going on. “They're back!” she had called out a couple of times earlier.

It wasn't long before the chosen ones departed off the ship and began to making their way through the docks. Many of them spotted Jane and Amy and greeted them. They agreed that they were definitely looking forward to going back to Earth.

Then, Jane turned her head before finding herself suddenly frozen in her spot. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage as she recognized Guile, who began to approach her. Amy froze as well as soon as she saw her father. Jane wasn't sure what to think at first, not until she looked at his eyes. Last time, they were pale and empty. Now they were blue and full of life, just as she remembered.

Guile must've noticed the bewildered look on their faces because, soon enough, he gave his wife and daughter a reassuring smile. That mostly likely clued in Amy because, suddenly, she called out, “Daddy!” before she began running towards him. Jane immediately followed Amy right behind her.

Guile got down on one knee to meet Amy's height right before the young girl threw her arms around him in a fierce hug. The hug lasted a few seconds before Amy pulled back, a big smile on her face. “You're back!” she called out in a matter of fact.

Guile nodded. “I am. And soon we'll be back home on Earth. Did you behave for your mom these past few weeks?”

Amy nodded in reply. “Yes.”

Soon, Guile gazed up at Jane before standing. For a moment, the two of them stared at each other, unsure of what to do at first. Eventually, Jane found that she could no longer keep her own tears at bay.

“Will...” Jane murmured before she stepped forward into his waiting arms.

It wasn't long before they held each other close, finally reunited after what felt like a very, very long nightmare. Feeling relieved, Jane let the tears fall down her face as Guile gently rubbed her back in comfort.

~~~

_That evening..._

Just days ago, the chosen ones had gathered in the dining room, all reunited under one roof and wondering what will happen once they were in Outworld. Now back in the same dining room from their first day here, they were enjoying the meal served by the cooks of the Coast Guard Headquarters. The group had even invited Admiral Lee himself to join them.

This gave Hwang the chance to bring up a particular opportunity to his superior. Prior to their arrival in Keisei, he spoke with Jax Briggs and Sonya Blade about forming an alliance between Keisei's Coast Guard and Earth's Special Forces. With Special Forces' experience with building man-made portals, they could build a link between two allying worlds. The portal would benefit them when it comes to new ideas, helping each other out in future universal wars,

After discussing all of this, Admiral Lee brushed his fingers over his chin for a moment as he thought through everything he was told. Soon, he gave his young soldier an approving nod. “This would be a great opportunity for everyone. An alliance would greatly benefit us as well. This would be the beginning a strong bond between Keisei and Earth. I do have a concern over how we're going to build this portal. I am highly sure that your technology is far superior to ours, and I'm not sure if we are able to provide the necessary resources here to build it.”

“I'm sure we'll find a way to work around that,” Jax mentioned. “It'll be a challenge for sure, but one that I highly hope will benefit both worlds once the project is complete.”

“The only problem I'm seeing right now is how we're going to move between both worlds until the portal is complete,” Sonya pointed out.

“I'm sure that can be arranged,” mentioned Yoshimitsu. “My sword's powers can transport you between Earth and Keisei. Just get everything you need done and we'll go from there. The Manji Clan can act as a liaison between both militia until the portal is ready.”

Jax nodded, liking the idea. “Sounds good.”

“Out of curiosity,” spoke up Ruby Heart, deciding to change the subject. “Since those of us from Earth will be departing in the morning, what do all of you Keisei natives plan to do after this?”

“Huh,” Maxi huffed as he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “I honestly haven't really thought too much over that... what with the universe almost coming to a standstill for eternity.”

“Understandable,” Fujin assured him.

Maxi shrugged. “Well... I could travel for a little bit... maybe going on a site seeing tour in this area before I head back home to Ryukyu.”

“Cassandra, Rothion, and I are definitely going straight home to Ottoman,” mentioned Sophitia. “And we'll finally all reunite with our family again.”

Cassandra nodded in agreement. “It's been a long time coming for me.”

“I'll be heading back to Ming Dynasty and return to my post at the Imperial Castle,” mentioned Xianghua. “I'm sure they're wondering where I am after all this time.”

“I'll be returning to the Proving Grounds to reflect on this journey,” said Kilik.

“I'm sure I have a lot of training here to catch up on,” spoke Mi-na. “After all, I was gone from here for almost a year.”

For a moment, Siegfried didn't answer because he was unsure of what to do next aside from atoning for his past deeds. However, the more he heard what his other Keisei allies planned to do, the more it became apparent where to go from here.

Finally, the young man spoke up. “I'll be heading back to my home country, Holy Roman Empire. From there... I'll figure out what to do.”

“And if ever we reunite again,” mentioned Ruby Heart. “I hope it's under much better circumstances.”

“I couldn't agree more!” called out Maxi.

~~~

_That Night..._

Even before the ship arrived in Keisei, Ivy Valentine made a decision... she was not going to leave Chili-san until the sun was set. The dark would make it easier for her to depart discreetly. It would be many weeks before she was back in her mansion, but she was willing to endure the travel.

She only came off the ship just before the sun set for three things; one, to purchase a horse to travel on as well as some tack equipment. Two, as much food supply as she can muster. Finally, a couple of new sets of clothes. One of them she was wearing now; a dark purple and black _hanbok_ dress that was made with cheap, lightweight material that she knew was affordable for the average peasant. She didn't mind as she was sure that she was no longer going to wear the outfit once she returned to the Britannian Empire. Underneath the dress was black riding pants as well as black riding boots to make it easier for her to travel.

A few hours after it got dark, Ivy was ready to go. Her remaining clothes were packed as well as her food supply. All she had to do was head off to the stable where her purchased horse was, get the tack equipment set up, and then be on her way.

Ivy was double checking her supplies when she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. Whirling around to face, she had expected to face someone out for revenge. That, or one of the chosen ones ready to confront her.

To her relief, she soon recognized Jin, Ryu, and Kenshi as they approached her. She then noticed Ryu had a box in his hand and Kenshi had a large, black satchel in his.

Ivy tilted her head. “What's all this?” she asked.

Ryu raised his hand holding the box up a bit. “We figured you should eat something since you weren't at dinner tonight. We managed to save you a plate from the dining quarters.”

“And since we're sure you'll be departing tomorrow,” continued Kenshi. “We got you some supplies for when you travel.”

Ivy nodded as she took the satchel in her hand. “I... appreciate it. Though funny thing, I actually was just about to leave.” She then looked into the satchel and saw that there was even more food as well as a few necessary camping equipment. Funny... she didn't think she would need this stuff. Ivy figured that she could use whatever nature supplied, but there was one thing in here that she realized she didn't have until now... a blanket.

“Why don't you eat first before you leave,” Ryu suggested as he gave her the box of hot food.

Ivy shrugged before taking the box in her hand. “I suppose it's not wise to travel on an empty stomach.”

“Definitely not,” said Jin.

“I assume you ate already?”

“We did,” replied Ryu. “And we'll probably head back inside since we'll be leaving first thing in the morning.”

Ivy ended up sitting down on one of the wooden crates in the storage room she was staying in. She opened up the box before pulling out the plate packed with food; a grilled chicken with some herb spices, mashed potatoes with gravy, and green beans. It was a simple meal, but one that was definitely making her mouth water as she was already imaging how good it was going to taste.

“I also assume you three are highly looking forward to going back to Earth,” Ivy guessed right before digging into her meal.

“Indeed,” Jin confirmed.

For a while, the four of them fell silent as Ivy took the time to finish her plate of food. It should've felt a bit awkward for her, being the only one eating while the other three lingered where they stood, but in another way, she realized that she didn't mind the company at all.

However, all four of them realized something in their minds in this moment, and it was something that didn't need to be said out loud. After all that's happened... after ultimately being the ones to save the universe from a future of nothingness... no matter where their paths took them from this point on, their unique connection would bond them for life.

Soon, Ivy finished her meal and she placed the plate down on the crate. “Thank you,” she said as she stood up. Soon, she took the satchel and placed it around her torso before picking up a second bag filled with more food supply.

“What will you do next?” Ryu asked her before she had the chance to take a step forward.

Ivy took a deep breath before answering. “Atone for my atrocities. I don't know how... but I'll figure it out sooner or later. What about you three?”

“Continue my vigilante work,” replied Kenshi.

“End my curse,” said Jin.

“I'll be traveling for a bit,” mentioned Ryu. “But other than that, I'll be trying to figure what's next. For the first time in years, I'm not sure of my next path in life.”

Ivy then began to make her departure off the ship. However, before she headed out to the docks, she spoke one last time to them. “I wish you three the best.” 

Soon, Ivy Valentine left the ship and began walking though a path towards an uncertain future...

~~~

_The next morning..._

The sun was barely beginning to rise when the Keisei natives staying behind came to the docks to say farewell to their Earthrealm friends. For most of them, their time together was short. However, for two of them, it had been a long eight months, and though they were glad to be home now, there was no doubt that they were going to miss Earth as well as their friends.

Cassandra found herself in a group hug along with Mika, Maki, Asuka, Karin, and Sakura. Just behind her, Cassandra's sister Sophitia and her brother-in-law Rothion watched on as they patiently waited for her.

“It's going to be so weird not having you around my house,” said Mika.

“Thank you for your hospitality during my stay,” replied Cassandra as she did all she could to keep her tears at bay. “I'm going to miss you all.”

“We'll miss you too,” said Asuka. “I hope we can all see you again someday.”

“While there's no war and fighting of course,” mentioned Karin.

“You got that right,” agreed Maki.

“Maybe once they get that portal set up, we can finally start visiting each other more often,” said Sakura.

“That would be great,” Cassasndra said. “Hopefully, that will be possible someday.” 

“Until then,” began Mika. “Let's not think of this as a farewell. Let's think of this as a 'see you soon.'”

Cassandra nodded as she began to pull away, breaking up the group hug. “Okay then... see you soon.”

They all said 'see you soon' one more time before the others began to head back to the ship. Only then did they burst into tears, realizing how much they were going to miss their Keisei friend.

Nearby, Hwoarang and Baek Doo San were saying goodbye to Seong Mi-na at the dock. Just behind her was Hwang as well as her father, Han-myeong waiting patiently for her.

“I know you haven't had the time needed to truly learn all there is to know about Tae Kwan Do,” Baek said to the young woman. “But keep practicing what I was able to teach you. Perhaps someday, you will have the opportunity to revisit Earth and I can teach you more of what I know.”

Mi-na bowed to him in respect. “Thank you for everything, Master Baek. I learned much during my time on Earth, and if it had not been for you, I'm sure I would've lost my way around Earth.”

“I wish you the best,” Baek said as he bowed back to her.

Soon, Mi-na turned her head to Baek's student, Hwoarang. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed a slightly sour look on her face. “Why are you looking at me like that for?” she asked.

Hwoarang folded his arms in front of his chest. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh come on,” Mi-na pushed. “You're thinking about something. Speak your mind.”

Hwoarang groaned a bit before finally answering her truthfully. “Well... believe or not, I'm actually going to miss you... there, I admitted it.”

Mi-na playfully hit his arm. “I'll miss you too, you know. You're a good sparring partner.”

“Yeah, well... so were you.”

“If it makes you feel better, Hwang's buttons are not easy to push as well as yours were.”

“I heard that!” Hwang called out from behind her.

Hwoarang snorted with amusement. “Okay, that's a funny thought to leave on.”

Mi-na then closed the space between them before they gave each other a brief, friendly hug. “You know,” she said. “I always meant what I said back on the island... you're like a brother to me.”

“And you became like a sister to me over time,” the redhead admitted.

Mi-na then pulled back before giving him a warm smile. “Take care, Hwoarang.”

Hwoarang nodded. “You too, Mi-na.”

She then went to rejoin Hwang and her father just as Hwoarang and Baek began to rejoin the others on the ship. It wasn't long before the ship began to move away from the dock, and everyone there waved goodbye as the Earthrealm natives did the same from where they stood. Eventually, the ship became too small for them to see its travelers. 

“Now that you're home and safe, my daughter,” Han-myeong started to say. “I think we should head straight to the temple and start right where we left off in your training. It's a good thing you had breakfast already.”

Mi-na frowned a bit. “Right now?”

The older man nodded. “Yes, right now.”

“Well...” Mi-na began to say as she thought of something. “This would give me the opportunity to show you the things Master Baek taught me.”

That made Han-myeong smile. “I look forward to see what you learned during your stay on Earth.”

“I'm interested to know myself,” Hwang said.

“Don't you have guard duty?” Mi-na asked him.

“I'm off duty until tomorrow morning.”

Mi-na groaned inwardly. _Of course the valiant soldier gets one more rest day before life goes back to normal... somewhat._

Nearby, Cassandra began to walk alongside Sophitia and Rothion back towards the Coast Guard headquarters, having been invited to stay one last night before they headed home.

“I have a stage coach ride book for tomorrow morning,” mentioned Rothion.

“I've already sent a letter to mother last night, letting her and the rest of the family know we're coming home,” said Sophitia.

“I bet you're looking forward to seeing Patroklos and Pyrrha again.”

Sophitia smiled. “I am. And there are other things I look forward to.”

Cassandra tilted her head curiously. “Like what?”

“Well, for one thing, I look forward to introducing some new ideas at father's bakery,” Sophitia mentioned. “I got a few inspirations during our stay here. It'll also be very, _very_ nice to have you help out again. All those chores can be very exhausting, especially when there isn't a lot of helping hands to make the job go faster.”

Cassandra groaned at this. Already, she was not looking forward to the chores, especially with cleaning out the warm brick ovens. “Of all the things to bring up...”

Not too far from them, Kilik and Xianghua were both at the stage coach ticket stand while Maxi stood nearby as he waited for them to finish purchasing their tickets home. Once they were done, they went over to their friend.

“What's the verdict?” Maxi asked.

“Two tickets to take us straight to Peking,” Kilik replied. “It leaves tomorrow morning.”

“In other words, the three of us have an entire day to take a tour of Chili-san,” added Xianghua. “We didn't really get to do that during our stay.”

“I see,” Maxi said. “And actually, now that I think about it, your trip tomorrow will definitely give you two plenty of time to chat.”

“... Sure,” Xianghua said, giving Maxi a warning look that told him, _Don't even think about it!_ Maxi gave her a knowing grin in reply.

“I wouldn't mind going to that pub one more time tonight,” Kilik admitted.

“Oh yeah, that place where Jade beat up those drunks who tried to flirt with her,” Maxi chuckled.

“Anyway!” Xianghua suddenly called out. “After we leave, what will you do next, Maxi?”

“I know I said I was going to travel a bit yesterday, but now I'm thinking it might be a good idea if, some time tomorrow, I take a ship straight back to Ryukyu.”

“What made you change your mind?” asked Kilik.

“Well for one thing, I haven't been back in over a year,” mentioned Maxi. “But most importantly... I'm still wondering if my hut is still standing... if it hasn't been occupied by macaques by now.”

Xianghua sighed at that. “Of course...”

After saying goodbye to everyone, the first thing Siegfried did was buy a ticket home to the Holy Roman Empire, which incidentally, was leaving soon. He was glad for that actually. The sooner he was home, the better. Too much time had past since he was last there.

In the back of his mind, Siegfried wondered if he should visit his mother. Ever since he killed his father as a naïve adolescent, he had been too ashamed to face her, though being Nightmare's vessel for seven years definitely didn't help things along.

If anything, he could at least discreetly check to make sure that she survived the war.

Eventually, he was inside the stagecoach alongside a couple and another gentleman, but he paid no attention to them just yet. Instead, Siegfried looked on at the sea beyond the city. Where he lived, there was no nearby sea, and he knew that it was going to be a while before he saw the majestic sight again.

It was amazing how one can appreciate the little things after fighting in such a big war...

Before Siegfried knew it, the stagecoach started to move, beginning the long journey back home...


	99. Chapter Ninety-Eight

**The Skies of Keisei**

Long after departing from Chili-san, Ruby Heart's ship was surrounded by nothing but blue skies, the ocean, and scattered clouds just above the sails. Standing on the deck's edge gazing at the sight, Mika, Karin, Sakura, Asuka, and Maki stand together as they watched the clouds go by.

“That cloud right there,” said Asuka. “Is it me or does it look like the head of a dragon?”

“Hmm not really,” said Karin. “It looks more like a cat's leg pointing up to me. The end of it makes it looks like claws.”

“I'm not seeing it,” mentioned Sakura.

“I'm seeing something, but it _just_ might be too inappropriate to mention,” Maki said with a large grin on her face.

Mika gasped at that. “Maki! Get your head out of the gutter!”

The other girls laughed as Maki blushed a bit. “Hey, I'm trying to lighten the mood! And actually, I agree with Asuka. It does look like a dragon's head. Those 'claws' look like those things they have on their heads like a mohawk.”

“I see what you mean.”

Eventually, the light mood turned somber a bit, especially when realization dawned on Mika. “You know... when we get back to Earth, things are going to be different. The world we knew three months ago is not going to be the same as it probably is now after all the devastation left behind from the war.”

“Even if it had,” said Asuka. “I'm hoping my father is still alive.”

“My parents too,” mentioned Karin. “And my butler Ishizaki.”

“Same with my parents as well as my brother,” said Sakura.

“And my parents,” added Mika.

“I hope they all made it through the war,” said Maki. She quickly shook her head, deciding to change the subject. “I'm hungry. Anyone want to come with me to grab a bite to eat?”

“I will!” called out Mika. “Luckily, they brought in some food from Keisei so we're not stuck on military rations until we get back to Earth.

“No thanks, I'm good,” replied Asuka.

“Me neither,” said Karin.

“Same here,” agreed Sakura.

“All right, Mika and I will be back in a little,” said Maki. Soon, the two of them left to get some food, leaving Asuka, Sakura, and Karin alone at the deck.

“Hmm, speaking of food,” began Sakura. “I think I'm going to eat as many hot dogs as humanly possible when I get home. It'll be a good start in preparing for my dream to go to Coney Island for their annual hot dog eating contest.”

“Ha, I recall you saying something about that during the tournament,” pointed out Asuka. “Doubt they'll hold a competition this year, but maybe next year, that chance will come.”

“Speaking of competitions, Sakura,” spoke up Karin. “I believe you and I are still due for that rematch I've been asking for.”

“Ha!” Sakura called out. “It has been a long time coming, hasn't it? Well then, Karin, as soon as things are settled, we'll meet up for our overdue match.”

Karin grinned mischievously at that. “When that day comes, bring your best.”

“Be careful what you wish for, Karin,” said Asuka. She then pointed a thumb at herself. “That 'best' just might be _me_!”

“That's be really cool!” Sakura called out. “Maybe after Karin and I have our match, we can hold another competition.”

“Sounds like fun!”

Karin chuckled at that as she turned around and began to walk away. “Well, in that case, I'll have to find myself a tag team partner, won't I?”

Asuka had to giggle a little once Karin was out of earshot. “Some things never change.”

Nearby, Cammy decided to walk along the docks, enjoying the view of Keisei knowing that it was most likely going to be a long time before she saw the realm again, if not the last time. Aside from a new people who decided to hang out on the deck, Cammy was alone for the most part, though she didn't mind it at the moment.

“Cammy?” someone suddenly called out. Turning her head, the agent soon noticed Juni standing nearby. Fujin had since healed what remained of her shoulder injury from the Keisei invasion, freeing her from the confines of the sling she had to wear until then.

“Hey Juni,” Cammy replied.

Juni frowned a bit as she noticed how tired her comrade looked. “Are you okay?”

Cammy managed to smile. “I should be asking you that after what happened.”

Juni lightly smiled as she reached her hand to her previously injured shoulder. “It's much better now that Fujin healed it.” She then frowned a little. “Still, I wish I was there with you all when you departed for Outworld.”

“I know,” Cammy replied. “Try not to worry about it. Soldiers like us won't always be at the battle we want to be in. Any kind of circumstances will put us in a spot where we won't be able to join our allies. Unfortunately, that's what comes with our careers. Besides, the fight was brutal... it might've been good that you weren't there.”

“That's what Lita said,” Juni mentioned. “Still... I'm glad the fight was victorious... though I wish everyone had made it back...”

Cammy sighed as she thought about Dhalsim. “I know...” She then turned her head, gazing up towards the blue sky. “What I'm really hoping now is that we'll know peace for a while. The universe seems to love to plunge itself into war every once in a while. Another war so soon after this, well... it would be hard to recover, and I don't want to see that happen.”

“None of us do,” Juni agreed. “Though we could try to be optimistic... hope for the best.”

Cammy chuckled a little. “Well... experience has made me a pessimist... in more ways than one.” She then turned her head to Juni. “That's why I expect the worse.”

“I suppose...” Juni then had a thought. “Can I ask you a personal question?”

Cammy shrugged. “Sure.”

“Well... ever since you came back, I noticed that you and Lita haven't really been talking much. Did something happen in Outworld?”

Cammy sighed at the question. “It's... complicated... but just know that things will be okay. I... think we're just both exhausted after all that's happened.”

Juni frowned. _That's what Lita said when I asked her yesterday,_ she thought.

Cammy then decided to make her exit. “When we get back to London, Juni, we have a lot of work on our hand... recovery, aiding the needy, and best of all, lots and lots of paperwork.”

Juni nodded, even though she knew her comrade wouldn't see it. “Of course...”

Meanwhile, a sparring session was going on between Sub-Zero and Feng Wei on the deck. Nearby, Paul, Marshall, Cody, Guy, Sareena, Smoke, and Kung Lao watched on. For a while, everyone was quiet as they anticipated on who would emerge the victor.

“Suddenly, this all seems unreal,” Paul suddenly said out loud.

“What is?” asked Smoke.

“This whole war and all that's happened in the past two months. You see, while it was happening, it seemed to have no end. You can't help but wonder if this was all we were going to see for the remainder of our lives. All the bloodshed, the loss of lives, trying to survive, this... constant circle of sorts.”

“And now that it's over,” began Kung Lao. “It seems unbelievable that it happened at all.”

Paul nodded. “Yeah.”

“I wouldn't know,” said Guy. “One minute, I was at the tournament, and the next, I woke up eight months later at the tail end of a big battle.”

“Honestly, I don't know which would be worse; dealing with the war, or waking up after all that time,” said Marshall.

“It doesn't matter how much time has passed,” said Smoke. “It can be quite overwhelming when you wake up after losing all that time.”

Guy turned his head to the cyborg. “I seem to recall at the tournament how you were under the control of your superiors for a long time.”

“About a decade's worth,” Smoke pointed out.

Guy frowned a bit. “I guess I shouldn't complain about eight months then.”

“It's like I said... it doesn't matter how much time passed, the shock is still the same.”

“I bet it was a pain in the ass catching up with the times,” guessed Cody.

“You bet!” Smoke called out. “When I was a human, it was all about disc-mans and CD's. Now its all about smartphones and music apps.”

“Remember walkmans?” Cody asked with a chuckle. “I don't think most kids today even know what that is.”

“That thought suddenly makes me feel old... and I'm apparently an ageless cyborg.”

“Do you think you'll consider Yoshimitsu's offer when we get back to Earth?” asked Sareena.

“I'm considering it, but I like to learn more about this doctor Yoshimitsu knows before I make an official decision,” Smoke replied. “But first, I'd like to go back to the Himalayans and help out with recovery and aide.”

“I think that's what many of us will be doing when we get back,” said Kung Lao.

“I just hope some other asshole doesn't start another war until we get back on our feet again,” said Marshall.

“I don't want to think about that...” groaned Cody.

“You have to remember, Cody,” said Guy. “Even in times of peace, we must always be prepared for the atrocities of our enemies.”

Cody frowned a bit. “It definitely sucks for sure. And Guy... have I told you how good it feels to have you back?”

“A few times before we even left Outworld,” Guy answered.

It was then that Sub-Zero and Feng Wei decided to call their sparring session a draw. The two of them stood tall before bowing to each other in respect. “It was an honor sparring with you,” the ice warrior said.

“Likewise,” Feng Wei replied. Once they straightened back up, the Kenpo fighter chose to depart while Sub-Zero joined with the others.

“Good spar,” mentioned Cody.

Sub-Zero nodded to him before speaking. “I overheard what you said. Guy is right... even with the peace, we must remain prepared.”

“I was about to say, before Cody cut in, that is true,” said Paul. He then looked over at the only woman in their group. “Especially for you, Sub-Zero, since you now have this lady to protect.”

Sareena narrowed her eyes a bit. “I can hold my own just fine.”

“Whoa there,” Paul said while raising both hands up in defeat. “I didn't mean to offend you, I just thought since you two are together now that the idea of you have your own knight in shining armor was a nice thought.”

“In Sareena's defense, she can hold her own in a fight with the best of them,” Smoke said.

“Everyone on this ship is an excellent fighter,” mentioned Kung Lao.

“Even those chatty school girls,” added Smoke.

“Huh, that's also true,” said Paul. “Most of us all came together because Raiden and Rose had seen potential in us. We wouldn't be here otherwise.”

“Going off topic here,” began Cody. “But I want to say, Sub-Zero, that even though I'm still pretty young myself, I'm a bit jealous how your new armor gives you the Benjamin Button effect.”

Sub-Zero gave him a confused look. “Who?”

“Hello! Earth to Cody!” called out Marshall. “Sub-Zero doesn't follow pop culture, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” Cody mumbled while scratching his head. “Well, it was a movie about this guy who went from being old and to getting younger and younger because of some disease or something. I've never even seen the movie, but most people who heard about it pretty much knows the premise.”

“Hey, I have an idea!” Paul called out suddenly. “Sub-Zero, since you're not sparing with Feng Wei, are you up to sparring with me?”

“Now this I have to see,” said Marshall.

Sub-Zero shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

“Ignore his ego,” Cody advised to Sub-Zero. “He just wants to make you mad.”

“You're the one to talk,” mentioned Guy, though he said it with a small smirk on his face.

Cody gave his friend a faux shocked look while placing his hand over his check. “Guy, I'm surprised... that hurt,” he said dramatically.

“Enough talk!” Paul called out. “Sub-Zero and I are about to duke it out.”

“Then stop talking and start fighting!” yelled Smoke.

From there, Sub-Zero and Paul walked over to a cleared out space to begin their own sparring session...

On the other side of the ship, Wagner and Sonya had run into each other not long after the ship departed the city of Keisei. Juli had decided to take a nap when they left, so this gave Wagner the chance to look for Sonya, eventually finding her on the deck.

“Hey there,” Sonya greeted at the young man approached her.

“Hey,” Wagner replied. “What's up?”

Sonya shrugged. “Not much. Still trying to get my bearings after all that's happened.”

“I can't imagine. I seem to have a knack for rescuing friends and family who were... sorry, I can't even find a less offensive word than brainwashed.” Wagner said those words completely void of any humor.

Sonya's eyes widened as she realized that he mentioned 'family.' “Were you able to help your sister?”

Wagner nodded. “I did. Rose actually helped out with that. It happened the day that you... well...”

“Got gutted by Kira?” Sonya finished for him. “But don't worry... I'll get my payback someday.”

“Don't let that vow consume you,” Wagner mentioned. “Me personally, I've been lucky _to keep myself grounded even after what happened to Lisa. I also had lost my best friend to Shadaloo the same day I discovered Lisa was alive_. With the stories I heard from Guile and his wife, when he was on the Shadaloo case, he was so filled with hate and rage that he practically abandoned everything to satisfy his vengeance. See, Guile's best friend went missing because of them, and eventually, he was murdered. He said, in the end, coming close to losing everything he loved wasn't worth it.”

“He's right,” Sonya said. “And I know that now, especially after my hunt for Kano after what he did to my unit years ago.”

“Kano, huh?” Wagner uttered. “Sounds like a story you'll have to tell me about someday.”

“Sure,” Sonya said. “In the meantime, Jax and I definitely have a lot of work to do when we get back to Earth. I'm sure it's mostly the same in the Air Force.”

“Especially the paperwork that will take days to fill out,” Wagner said with a chuckle.

“Jax actually created a template in these cases. 'Makes the job go faster,' he says. I'm not sure if its the same concept as the Air Force, but I can send you a copy if you want.”

“If the internet is working by then, that would be awesome.”

They then fell silent for a minute as they found themselves gazing out towards Keisei. By now, everything was blue with the exception of the parted clouds. They both knew that it wouldn't be long before they crossed the portal barrier that would lead them back to Earth.

“She's pretty by the way,” Sonya suddenly said.

Wagner was confused by that. “Who?”

“You're girlfriend... I forgot her name.”

“You mean Juli?”

Sonya chuckled. “Why, do you have another girlfriend waiting for you back on Earth?”

Wagner snorted. “Definitely not. And even if I wanted to be unfaithful, I'm not _that_ lucky.”

“Not lucky even if you did share a one-night stand with the most famous Special Forces agent in the universe?” Sonya asked with a sly grin.

“You know what I mean!” Wagner called out, though he could definitely feel his cheeks burning at the memory. He then took a deep breath before continuing. “To be honest though, with the exception of Juli, I haven't talked to anyone about that night. First of all, I respect you. I may be young, but I'm not immature enough to spread that around to everyone like I just scored big time. And also, it's none of their business. I only told Juli because I felt she had the right to know before you two met face to face.”

“That's sweet,” Sonya said. “I can definitely respect that. You're a good man, Scott. Don't ever change.”

Wagner had to smile at that. “I'll try not to... and you just called me by my first name.”

Sonya chuckled. “Because I know you hate it. Anyway, I should start getting ready for our return to Earth. If I remember, it doesn't take long to get there from this world, though I imagine the actual trip home will still take a bit of time.”

“Probably another day by the time we reach Earth,” Wagner guessed. “I'm sure I'll see you around even after we all go our separate ways.”

“With recovery and aide, I'm sure of that,” Sonya agreed.

A couple of hours later, after Juli woke up from her nap, she and Wagner found themselves turned into babysitters since Guile and Jane asked them to watch Amy. The three of them had spent much time together since they reunited, but it came to the point where Amy's parents needed a little time alone to talk. Wagner understood this once they mentioned it, and the younger couple took Amy with them to the edge of the ship to look at all the clouds and try to guess what they were shaped like.

Guile and Jane slowly walked together hand in hand around the deck. “This... has been the longest two months of my life,” Jane mentioned. “I was so sure that the world was truly going to end. All the horrors I've seen, especially on that first day, is surely going to haunt me for years.”

“I'm sorry I wasn't there to help,” Guile said a bit quietly.

Jane got them to stop walking before she turned to face him. “It's not your fault,” she said to him. “Don't blame yourself for the things you can't control. Besides, everyone on this ship took very good care of us, especially those staying at the Rockies.”

“How was Amy the whole time?” Guile asked.

Jane took a deep breath. “Better than I expected during those times we weren't being hunted down. Things were much better for her once we were in Keisei. I think having other children around her age to play with helped a lot. I think... the hardest part for me was trying to be brave for Amy. I was so scared out of my wits, and on top of all of that, I couldn't help but wonder if I was ever going to see you again...”

Jane then covered the space between them and pulled her husband close to her in a tight hug. “At least now, we're finally going home, and I am looking forward to it.”

“I think we all are,” Guile agreed as he returned the embrace. “Once we're back on earth, I'm going to go home, and...” He suddenly found that he couldn't think of what to say next.

Jane looked up as a grin suddenly came over her face, deciding to finish the sentence for him. “Be a family man?”

Guile eyed her. “Are you making fun of me?”

Jane laughed at that. “Why Will, what gave you that idea?”

“I think you are,” Guile said with a smirk. “But if anything... that statement is true.”

Jane smiled more. “I thought so.”

Not too far from them, Ryu and Julia were also walking hand and hand around the deck, enjoying the view of Keisei. “It won't be long before we're home,” Julia said. “And before we know it, we'll be traveling.”

“You looking forward to it?” Ryu asked her.

“I am,” Julia said. “Though... I'm not sure where to start...”

“We can always start in Japan,” said a new voice. The couple turned their heads and soon saw Ken approaching them, a content smirk on his face. “Then we keep going east until we're back in the United States.”

“You know,” said Julia. “Traveling around the world like that sounds great! There's so many places I want to see... if they're still standing of course.”

“We'll know soon enough,” Ken said. “Of course, if you'll both have me on your adventure.”

“Of course,” said Ryu, remembering how Ken told him how he wanted to travel with the both of them not long ago.

“Definitely,” agreed Julia. “And, um, not because you're loaded with cash, I swear!”

Ken grinned suddenly. “Who said I was paying for the trip?” He managed to laugh as soon as he saw the baffled look on both their faces. “I'm kidding!”

“If it helps, I have quite a bit in my savings account,” Julia mentioned. “Not necessarily as 'rich' as you, but enough to be comfortable. Inheritance money, mostly. So you definitely won't be paying for everything.”

“I can always just hunt for food and sleep outside if needed,” said Ryu.

Ken snorted. “Even with lavish offerings, you still choose the hermit life.”

Ryu smirked. “It's what I know best.”

“You have to remember now, Ryu,” Ken began to say. “You're one of The Four... that's a big deal. When word gets out that you helped in Shao Kahn's demise, you're going to need buildings to hide in because all the paparazzi will want your picture. Aaaand, if Hollywood can find a way to pluck Ivy from Keisei, you two, Jin, and Kenshi may just star in your own reality show of sorts.”

“Oh spirits...” Julia grumbled as she placed a hand over her face. “Anything but _another_ reality show...”

“And that will be my chance to be your publicist or agent,” Ken chuckled.

“In that case, you tell this... Hollywood that I'm not interested,” Ryu said. “And I'm sure the other three would agree with me.”

Ken decided to change the subject then. “Oh Julia, I've been meaning to mention earlier... I remember you said something about your reforestation project some time ago, something you were working on at your university?”

Julia nodded. “Yeah. Actually, the first thing Ryu and I will be doing is to go to Arizona to see if my project survived. What about it?”

“Well I was thinking... if for something reason your project didn't survive the war, you let me know. I can fund you if you need to start from scratch again.”

Julia felt surprised to hear this, but she managed to speak. “Ken, I... no, I couldn't...”

“I insist,” Ken offered again. “Its the least I can do.”

Julia took a deep breath before finally nodding. “Thank you, Ken. I'm very grateful. I'll let you know the status as soon as I get back.”

Ken then decided to depart then. “We'll be home soon,” he said. “You two let me know when you're ready to see the world, call me.”

“We will,” Ryu said. Once Ken was out of earshot, Ryu turned his attention to Julia. “That's really nice for him to offer.”

Julia nodded. “It was...” She then sighed a bit. “Now that the war is over... do you Ken will be okay? After his family...”

Ryu took a deep breath. “I... I think he will be. I think as long as he keeps himself busy, he'll be fine. And he has us... that will keep him going, I think.”

Julia nodded at that. “Yeah... I believe it.”

In the storage area of the ship, Yoshimitsu and his clan gathered together for a quick debriefing. A majority of the clan members who came with Yoshimitsu to Outworld stayed behind in Keisei either because it was their home world or because they would be returning to their post there.

“The most important thing we'll be doing upon our return is to aide the civilians who suffered in the war,” Yoshimitsu mentioned. “Supplies may seem like they're depleted, but we will make the best of it and find a way to assist any way we can.”

One of them spoke up. “You know what I look forward to the most? Stealing from the rich and giving their money to the poor again.”

The other chuckled a little at that. Even Yoshimitsu had to smile underneath his mask. “They will indeed find ways to get rich off this war and make the needy suffer in their desperation to survive. Needless to say, we'll be rectifying that, just like old times.

“I also recently formed an official alliance with the Lin Kuei clan. We will be aiding them as they help the villagers near their hideout. In return, they will assist us in whatever we need. In times such as these, allying ourselves with strong clans will benefit everyone involved.”

“Then the rumors are true,” another clan member said. “The Lin Kuei did turn to the good side.”

“Sub-Zero has proven himself to be a capable Grandmaster,” Yoshimitsu mentioned. “I promise you that our alliance with them will not be in vain. I will also be planning to post more troops in Edenia. They had barely recovered after their first invasion before this war happened. In the future, I will be making negotiations with the Royal Crown and their Edenian Knights.”

“We do have a lot of work cut out for us, don't we?”

Yoshimitsu nodded in agreement. “Indeed. For now, take this time to rest. The ship should be arriving on Earth soon, but it'll be another day before we reach land. After that, we will return to our stronghold in Japan and begin our work.”

“Yes, master,” the clan replied as they bowed to their leader. Soon the group dispersed and left the storage room, leaving the clan leader alone.

With the quiet around him, Yoshimitsu wasn't sure what to do with himself. For a moment, he paced himself around the room before he ended up standing by one of the small, round windows. Through his mask, he gazed out towards the blue skies of Keisei with the occasional white cloud passing by. To him, he felt a sense of peace at the sight.

In that moment, realization dawned on him. After so many months of him and the Manji Clan fighting against Shao Kahn and his Outworld Forces, the war was finally over. They had won.

And Yoshimitsu realized only now how exhausted he was...

As a leader, Yoshimitsu couldn't afford the luxury of a break, even if he desired it. Even if the universal peace lasted a long time after today, there was still much work to do. If anything, he at least took comfort in knowing that he was able to avenge his fallen comrades when he finally killed Bryan Fury in Outworld.

That was one burden that was finally off his shoulders.

For some reason, thinking about that lifted burden brought his thoughts to Jade. Out of all the chosen ones on the ship (and aside from himself), she had seen more devastation and suffering. Edenia was under siege for three months by the time Earth was invaded, so for her, she had been fighting for five months, almost as long as he and his clan had. And despite nearly losing it when she accidentally killed Rose, Jade did a very good job at keeping it together.

Despite the doubts she had shared with him, Yoshimitsu knew that Jade would truly make a great leader someday.

Back on the main deck, Ruby Heart was whistling the tune of ' _Yo-Ho-Yo-Ho (A Pirate's Life For Me_ )' in a slow pace while steering the ship. It wasn't as though she needed to... the spirit of the ship always did that for her... however, she wanted to stick around for the moment the ship crossed the portal barrier back home to Earth. So, in a way, steering the ship was a way for her to kill some time until them.

The wind was blowing against her back, pushing the ship forward. That was definitely a good thing. It meant that they'll be at their destination much sooner than planned. Then again, Ruby Heart had a feeling that Fujin may have something to do with the wind's direction.

Speaking of Fujin, the God of Wind soon approached the pirate. “Any minute now, we'll be reaching the barrier,” he informed her.

“Good to know,” Ruby Heart replied. A thought came to her then. “Suddenly, this all seems surreal. The war is over, the universe is safe, and soon enough, we'll all be home and moving on with our lives.” She then frowned a bit. “I'm just sorry Dhalsim couldn't see it.”

Fujin gave her a warm smile. “I'm confident that he is seeing this as we speak.”

Ruby Heart tilted her head at that. “From the Heavens you mean?”

Fujin nodded in reply.

Ruby Heart took a deep breath at that. “At least he's at peace now, and with the family and friends he lost when Earth was first invaded.”

Fujin decided to change the subject then. “What do you plan to do once we all go our separate ways?”

Ruby Heart shrugged. “Long term? Not sure. Soon after this, however? I'm going to France for a while. I, eh... want to see if my parents survived. I haven't seen them in years.”

“I'm sure they'd be delighted to see you after so long.”

“We'll see,” Ruby Heart said. “Then, once that's done, I'll just let _Jita Victoire_ guide me.”

Fujin was confused by that. _“_ Who's _Jita Victoire?_ ”

Ruby Heart patted the steering wheel. “I just christened my ship. Not exactly in the proper way or anything but... it was long overdue.”

That was when the ship was surrounded by a purple aura. Ruby Heart knew that this meant even before Fujin began to use his powers to guide the ship through the portal back to Earth. Ruby Heart couldn't help but smile then... they were finally going home.

~~~

**Outworld Wastelands**

In the aftermath of the fight between the Outworld Forces and the Chosen Ones, Noob Saibot and his Brotherhood of Shadow minions immediately retreated. However, they didn't follow where Shao Kahn's other minions went, but instead, Noob used his powers to send himself and his own minions back to the Netherrealm.

That's where they would remain for a few days before they returned to Outworld, specifically the area where Shao Kahn's fortress once stood. It didn't take a genius to realize that the Emperor had indeed met his demise. Other than the rubble that laid in waste, there was nothing else around, not even the sign of life.

Noob did, however, wonder about the whereabouts of Quan Chi. _He would have taken the opportunity to take over the throne by now,_ he thought.

One of his shadowed soldiers approached him. “My lord, shall we search for the others who worked under the Emperor?”

Noob seemed to think through this before making a decision. “Not yet. For now, we will explore the region for any corpses and change them so that they may join our ranks. If we run into them during our search, we will attend to that issue then.”

“And what of the Black Dragon?”

Once more, the wraith thought over this before replying. “Our 'understanding' still stands if they wish to uphold their end. My guess is that they're still somewhere in Outworld. Like with the others, we'll deal with them if we run into them.”

“Why not rule Outworld yourself?” another shadowed soldier asked.

Noob laughed darkly. “No need. I have the Netherrealm at my disposal. As tempting as it is to rule two realms, the Netherrealm best suits my purpose.”

The wraith then turned and called aloud. “There is nothing here! We will move forward towards the south.”

“If I recall,” one minion said. “There were still bodies left over after the Blood Tournament when we left to search for the chosen ones...”

If Noob could grin sadistically, he would have. Why hadn't he thought about that before? “In that case, we will head there.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The Brotherhood of Shadow soon began to head south, though Noob himself lingered back a little longer.

Extending one hand our, the wraith summoned his scythe, the sapphire jewels on the blade glimmering in the sun. Staring up at it, he remembered how close he came to finally killing Sub-Zero for good with this very weapon, an oath he had sworn some time ago. Sure, it had managed to taste his blood, but clearly he was going to survive the wound he left in his shoulder.

No matter... Noob would finish Sub-Zero once and for all the next they meet...

 


	100. Chapter Ninety-Nine

**Outworld**

Heihachi Mishima lost track of how many days its been since the fight between the Chosen Ones and the Outworld Forces ended. Ever since then, he had been wandering Outworld trying to find his way out of here. As a matter of fact, he was so sure that when the Outworld Forces retreated that they would go through a portal to another realm, hopefully Earth.

That turned out to not be the case at all. Wherever the Outworld Forces went, it surely wasn't through a portal. As a matter of fact, he was pretty damn sure that they never left Outworld at all.

He felt foolish suddenly, a feeling he rarely ever let himself feel. He should've stayed with the Chosen Ones instead, even with that whelp of a grandson amongst them.

 _This is ridiculous!_ Heihachi throught to himself. _I'm stuck here in this forsaken realm and I'm pretty damn sure that wretched son of mine managed to find his way back to Earth! They probably made him the CEO of_ my _company by now!_

 _And when I'm through with him, then I'll get rid of that grandson of mine. Then_ none one _will have the chance to take over the Mishima Zaibatsu! I will keep my chair until my very last breath!_

It was in that moment that he found a small encampment with the usual tents and campfire within the forest he was trekking through. One thing was for sure... whatever they were cooking smelled delicious. Heihachi had relied on nothing but the rivers and the berries in order to survive.

Feeling hungry suddenly, Heihachi approached the camp, his footsteps grabbing the attention of the nine inhabitants there, clearly survivors of the war. Before he started to ask, one young lady stood up as she gathered some food onto a plate. “You poor old man,” she said, her voice full of sympathy. “You must be hungry.”

Heihachi felt confused suddenly. Did he look that bad? No matter... he was getting food after all (and he was so desperate for something other than berries that he was willing to ignore the fact that the young lady called him a 'poor old man').

Immediately, Heihachi scarfed down the food. He wasn't even sure exactly what it was... fish maybe? But it tasted damn good and it reminded him of salmon in a way, though it oddly tasted sweet.

Clearly he didn't take long to eat before he handed the empty plate back to the woman. “Thank you kindly,” he said.

By now, the other campers began to approach him. One of them spoke. “You must be starving! Here, have more food!”

“I poured a drink for you! You must be thirsty!”

“I'll collect some clean clothes if you need it!”

“There's an extra spot for sleeping! It'll be dark real soon and this place could get dangerous with all those tarkatans!”

As the group made their offerings, Heihachi suddenly found himself completely surrounded and with no way to escape. He saw the warm smiles, the sympathy in their eyes, and he hardly had room to breathe. For all he knew, they were pulling him into a false sense of security for their own gain. They could possible be cannibals for all he knew!

The group were still talking when Heihachi suddenly threw his arms up and screamed in terror. Then, while he had the chance, he quickly turned around and began running in fast speed and as far away as possible while still screaming.

The campers seemed confused by his outburst for a moment before the young lady who gave him the plate of food frowned. “Poor old man. The war must've taken a toll on him.”

~~~

**Hong Kong, China, Earthrealm**

As predicted, it took a day for Ruby Heart's ship, the newly named _Jita Victoire_ , to reach the mainland after crossing through the portal barrier, bringing them over the Pacific Ocean. From there, it was decided that the ship would stop at two drop-off points; the same ones used to pick up the fighters for the Blood Tournament.

Hong Kong happened to be the closest one, so they stopped there first.

On the main deck, those who have chosen to depart in Hong Kong said goodbye to those who will be leaving by way of San Francisco. No one was sure when they would all see each other again, but perhaps a year or two from now, Ken would send out the invitations for their first reunion get together. Time will tell however.

The only person who didn't say goodbye to anyone, however, was Nina Williams. Even though the San Francisco drop-off point would be closer to Ireland, her home country, she made the decision to depart here. The soon she got back to her regular routine, the better. Perhaps, in the future, she would find a way back to Outworld and, finally, settle her score with Anna as well as getting rid of that nuisance, Vega.

That's unless life takes her on another course.

A few left the ship quietly after their farewells. Sergei Dragunov was one of them. His first task would be to find the best source of communication and let his superiors in SPETNAZ know that he was alive and will be returning to the base in Russia in a couple of day's time. Perhaps until then, he could go on a little sight-seeing tour in one of the most famous cities in the world, even with the buildings' noticeable damage.

It felt strange for Kung Lao to return to China by himself, having left here with Bo' Rai Cho and Li Mei not to long ago to fight the Outworld Forces. Still, he knew that the other Shaolin Monks would be very glad to have him back, and he was sure that they would be happy to hear that the war was won. He was also sure that Liu Kang, wherever he is, would be proud of him. Still, Kung Lao was going to take Bo' Rai Cho's advice to do many good deeds for the next year.

Sagat was another who left the ship silently. Taking a deep breath, he felt more at peace than he ever had in what felt like ages. He was sure that he would be heading back to Thailand very soon. Until then, he was looking forward to it.

Back on the ship, Guy held a piece of luggage in his left hand, the one he had brought with him and left in the cave in Outworld during the tournament. “Feels strange to be back, doesn't it?” Cody asked him, standing just a few feet away.

Guy took a deep breath before he solemnly nodded. “In a way it does. Still, it's good to be home.”

“It sure as hell is good,” Cody agreed. “Still... you sure you don't want to come back to Metro City?”

Guy shook his head. “I'm going to go to Japan for a while, head back to the Bushin clan's hideout. I need time to comprehend all that's happened. It's the only way I'm going to be able to cope.”

Cody nodded in understanding. “I'm sure we'll see each other again one of these days, even if the next time is at that reunion we've all been talking about.”

“I'm sure,” Guy said. He then extended a hand out. “Take care, Cody... and try not to get into too much trouble.”

Cody chuckled as he shook his friend's hand. “You too, Guy. And I can't make any promises, but I'll at least try to keep myself out of jail.”

A ghost of a smile came over Guy's face before he nodded to him. He then turned around and began to embark off the ship. After everything that's happened to his friend, Cody could only hope that Guy will be okay from this point on.

Mika, Karin, Asuka, and Sakura left together, intending on finding a way to contact their families and find a way to get themselves back to Japan. “Times like these, I wish it was easy to find a payphone,” said Mika. “With today's popularity of cell phones, it makes payphones practically unnecessary.”

“My phone's batteries died before we even got to Kagoshima,” Asuka mentioned. “I wish I had my charger.”

“I'm sure some open shop could let us borrow their phone,” Sakura guessed.

“For all we know, they're probably all closed because of this war,” said Karin.

Nearby, Dan Hibiki happened to overhear this. Deciding to help them, he approached the girls. “I believe I might be able to help you girls.”

Karin tilted her head at him. “How?”

“Well you see, I may be currently living in Osaka, but my Mom and sister happen to live right here in Hong Kong. If they managed to get back here, since they were on a trip when the invasion happened, we can all stay at my Mom's house and you can contact your family through the phone there.”

Mika suddenly jumped forward and gave Dan the biggest hug she could muster. “Thank you, Dan! Thank you thank you thank you! You have no idea how much this will help us!”

Mika's hug, however, ended up squeezing the air out of Dan's lungs. “Can't... breathe!” he choked out.

While this was going on, Asuka happened to turn her head before spotting Feng Wei a few yards away. He happened to be looking around before he spotted her. The two of them stared at each other for a moment before, to Asuka's surprise, Feng Wei gave her a brief nod in what seemed like respect. Asuka wasn't sure how to respond to that, but by then, Feng Wei had turned around and disappeared amongst the crowd.

She was sure that he would keep his promise for a match between them one of these days. Only then will Asuka will regain the honor of her father's dojo again.

A couple of yards away, Maki stood with Yang and Yun as they looked at Hong Kong, their home. “You know,” Yun started to say. “I know the damage is noticeable from here, but... I practically imagined it being nothing more than a pile of rubble.”

“I'm with you on that,” Yang agreed. “Though I can't imagine what it looks like from within, to be honest.”

Yun happened to look around the area. “I'm hungry... I'm going to see if there's a vending machine around here... if they're working. You two want anything?”

“I'll take some tapioca pudding if they have it,” Maki requested. “Actually, when I get the chance, I'll probably eat an entire tub of tapioca pudding. I deserve it after being without it for two months.”

Yang chuckled at that. “I don't blame you. I'll just have a bag of whatever flavored potato chips that's available.”

“I'll be back then,” Yun said before he began to look for a vending machine.

Having a few minutes of alone time now, Maki took Yang's hand in her's. “I wish I could just stay here, but you know I have to go back to Japan to tie up a few loose ends.”

“I know,” Yang replied as she gently squeezed her hand.

“I know,” Maki agreed. “But to be honest, it shouldn't take long. I just have to get the right paperwork to make this all work. I'll also need a job.”

“I'm sure we can get you a job at the restaurant I work at,” Yang said. “If it's still standing of course.”

Maki had to chuckle at the thought of working at a restaurant. “I never thought I'd be a waitress, but you know what? I'll take it. Hopefully this whole process won't take too long.”

Yang then leaned towards her before pressing his lips against hers. Maki returned the kiss and they were like this for a few moments before pulling away. Yang smiled at her. “Don't take too long.”

Maki smiled back in reply.

Nearby, Hwoarang and Baek embarked off the ship and began to make their way through the dock. “I'll see if I can book a flight or a ship to Seoul as soon as possible,” Baek said. “In the meantime, we'll have to find a motel to stay in.”

“Fun,” Hwoarang replied.

“And hopefully my favorite Hong Kong restaurant is still open,” Baek mentioned. “That'll be a good place for dinner tonight.”

“I think you've mentioned it before,” Hwoarang said.

“You won't be disappointed, I promise. In the meantime, however, once we're settled at the motel, we'll start where we left off in our last lesson. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

Hwoarang took a deep breath at that, not looking forward to going back to his normal routine. However, he then remembered how he came close to losing his master to this war, still seeing the imagine of Baek being thrown off the bridge and towards the river below. If this war had done anything to Hwoarang, it was that it taught him how to be grateful for what he still had. Even if it meant going through the rigorous training, at least Baek survived.

Not too far from them, Lei felt a ton of relief as he found an abandoned shopping cart on the dock. As soon as he reached the cart, he threw all the luggage that Chun Li had taken with her to Outworld nearly a year ago.

“Sorry dear,” Chun Li apologized to her new husband. “I forgot how much stuff I took with me when we boarded the boat to Outworld for the tournament.”

“For someone who's well organized _and_ very practical, you don't travel very light,” Lei pointed out.

“A lot of it was paperwork from the office, just to remind you,” Chun Li said. “Most of it I had to re-do after we left Outworld the first time.”

Lei suddenly groaned at the thought of paperwork. “That is one thing I am _not_ looking forward to once we're back at headquarters. You know that our superiors will be asking questions about every little detail that went on.”

“I know,” Chun Li. She then walked up behind him before she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. “But you know what... we don't _have_ go report to the office just yet. We can just head back to my place and just... have a quiet day until tomorrow morning.”

Lei chuckled at that as he placed his hands over hers. “You know... I like that idea. One more day before we go back to work will do us both good. Though I wonder... why your place?”

Chun Li chuckled. “Because my place is bigger than yours, remember?”

“... That is true.” Lei then turned so that he was facing his wife. “In that case, let's head off before anyone in town knows we're back.”

He then leaned down to claim her lips, which she eagerly returned. However, it only lasted a few seconds before they pulled apart. From there, they departed the dock while Lei pushed the shopping cart full of luggage.

Meanwhile, Smoke was pressing a few commands on his arm panel while walking alongside Sub-Zero, Sareena, and Matrik. “Okay, I got that information from Yoshimitsu. Understandably, he won't give me the location of the facility just yet, but he said that I can just speak to any member of his clan and they'll send the message to him.”

“It sounds like you're considering his offer,” guessed Sareena.

Smoke was still for a moment before he slowly nodded. “I've been thinking about it heavily ever since he made the offer in Edenia. I know I won't be fully human again, but even if this Dr. Boskonovitch gets close enough, that's all that matter.”

“You think you might take the offer, Matrik?” asked Sub-Zero.

“For now, I'll leave the idea be,” replied Matrik. “I want to take the time to discover who I am first before I take that step.”

“In that case, I'll be the first to volunteer,” said Smoke. “Unless Cyrax beats me to the punch. Of course, I'll help with recovery first. Once things are less insane, I'll request to visit the facility.”

“I wonder how many of our clan members survived,” wondered Sub-Zero.

“We'll know soon enough,” said Sareena.

Back by the ship, Jin Kazama was the last to leave, having said farewell to anyone he walked by. Upon stepping onto the dock, it felt strange to be back on Earth, especially with being one of The Four to see to the end of the chaos. He was sure that the life that everyone knew was going to be different from this point forward.

Jin then decided to find a way back to Yakushima Island. He'll then make a decision on how to go about ending his curse from there. Pulling up the hoodie of his jacket over his head, a shadow crossing over his face, he began to make his departure.

~~~

**San Francisco, California, USA, Earthrealm**

It would be a day in a half before the _Jita Victoire_ arrived at the docks in San Francisco. Apparently, however, word spread around the world about 'the heroes on the flying ship' after dropping off some of them in Hong Kong. And those on the ship were sure that someone leaked that they were going to arrive at this very dock at some point, hence the waiting, anxious crowd.

“Oh just _great..._ ” grumbled Cyrax. “Just what we need to welcome us back... the paparazzi and news reporters along with an adoring crowd.”

“It's not _that_ bad,” said Guile. “We'll just end up on TV for a day or so.”

“Yay! I'm going to be on TV!” called out Amy as she looked over the edge of the ship from where she stood.

“Well... at least someone's happy,” Cyrax mentioned.

It wasn't long before the ship was docked and anchored. Ruby Heart and Fujin chose to stay on the ship, watching with a bit of amusement as the chosen ones attempted to embark off while the crowd greeted them.

Naturally, Marduk let himself be interviewed by the first reporter who approached him. He especially felt a good ego boost when he saw three cameras pointing at him. “Aren't you Craig Marduk, the wrestler?”

“I am,” Marduk replied.

“How did it feeling fighting against one of the biggest threats against Earth?” the reporter asked him.

“Well, a lot of us here had a tough fight,” he replied. “But with the exception of that Emperor, who's dead by the way, a lot of his minions were nothing but talk! Once you knew their routine, they were completely and utterly unpredictable! Fighters like me... well, let's just say I hardly broke a sweat!”

That's when Marduk noticed King walking by. He immediately grabbed his arm before pulling him over. From there, Marduk wrapped an arm around the luchador's shoulders before continuing. “I also want the world to know that, when the wrestling business is back in full swing, King and I will be the best damn tag team Earth will ever know! We'll take on all challengers! Anywhere! Anytime!”

In response, the cameras began to flash as Marduk grinned and gave them a thumb's up. King murmured low enough for only Marduk to hear. “You are so lucky I'm wearing a mask at a time like this.”

“At least the viewers will be spared from seeing your ugly mug,” Marduk pointed out.

“Yeah, but I can't say the same about you,” King chuckled.

“... Just smile for the camera,” Marduk suggested through clenched teeth while still grinning.

King simply gave the cameras a thumb's up instead.

Just next to them, Paul, Marshall, and Cody were also being interviewed by another reporter. Naturally, Paul did most of the talking as he answered a few questions about their time in Outworld and the things they've witnessed and what they and everyone else had done.

“There were actually four people who beat the mastermind of the war,” Paul mentioned.

“Who are they?” the reporter asked.

“Sorry, I can't say,” Paul replied. “Two of them have swords and there's a good chance they'll swiftly cut my head off if I said anything.”

“Don't worry, we'll find out,” the reporter said with a sweet smile.

Cody raised an eyebrow. “I don't like the sound of that.”

The reporter ignored him as she asked a new question. “Now that the war is over, what will you do next?”

Paul raised his arm up. “If it's still standing... I'm going to Six Flags!”

Marshall raised an eyebrow. “Not Disneyland?”

“Nah, too cliché.”

Meanwhile, Raven managed to use his ninja skills to completely avoid the crowd. Eventually finding a quiet spot, he placed his communicator into his ear. He then managed to activate his radio, hoping that the battery is still working. “This is Agent Raven, contacting anyone at HQ, over.”

It took a moment for anyone to reply. Though the reply was mostly static, Raven was still able to understand them. “HQ reporting. It's good to hear from you, Raven. We thought you died in Russia after the first invasion.”

“Sorry to be out of contact, but I wasn't able to get communication until now. I had also left to fight the war in Outworld. Needless to say, we were victorious.”

“Good work,” the superior replied. “For now, report back to HQ. We'll discuss your time in Outworld as well as your next mission upon your arrival.”

“Understood. Returning to HQ immediately. Raven out.”

Once more using his ninja skills, Raven began to make his departure.

Meanwhile, Cammy, Juni, Lita, and Steve also managed to avoid the reporters. Once they were in the clear, the four them ended up looking at their surroundings, finding it hard to believe that they had returning after helping to end a big war.

“It's hard to believe,” said Lita as they looked around the dock. “It's like we came full circle since this was where we left for the tournament... I just wish Wolfman, McCoy, and Ginzu were here to see it.”

“Me too...” agreed Cammy.

“Of course now we'll have to find a way to get back to London,” mentioned Steve.

Lita snorted. “I almost forgot how tedious the travel was.”

“If you don't mind waiting, I think that cafe over there is open,” Cammy pointed out. She then turned to Juni. “You want to come along?”

“Sure,” Juni replied. She then turned to Steve and Lita. “You two want anything?”

“No thanks,” answered Steve.

“We're good, but thank you,” Lita replied.

Once Cammy and Juni were out of earshot, Steve turned his attention to Lita. “Do you think you and Cammy will be okay?”

Lita took a deep breath at that. “I sure hope so... I think we both just some time, especially after this war we went through.”

“True,” Steve said. “Still... I don't want what we have to wedge between your friendship with her.”

Lita sighed as she took his hand in hers. “That's sweet of you, but try to worry about it. This is between me and Cammy.”

Steve then leaned towards Lita to leave a brief kiss on her lips before he pulled back. “Okay... just promise not to make me the referee while you two work this out.”

Lita chuckled. “I'm sure that won't be necessary.”

Meanwhile, Cyrax found that he had to shoot out his green net just to keep the reporters away from him. This gave him, Sonya, Jax, Kenshi, and Alex the chance to make a run for it, eventually finding a spot at the docks where they were surrounded by the crowd.

“Jeez, now I know how Johnny Cage feels,” grumbled Sonya.

“Unlike us, Johnny Cage loves the attention,” mentioned Jax.

“Unless they caught him in his briefs while working on his tulip garden.”

“Thanks a lot,” grumbled Alex. “That visual will probably not leave my head for the rest of the day.”

“It would be nice revenge for all the crap movies we had to put up with,” said Cyrax. “Especially _Ninja Mime_.”

“Still want your eight bucks back?” Jax asked.

“Hell yeah!”

Sonya took a deep breath. “Well, now that we're back, hopefully it'll be a while before we fight in another war.”

“Don't jinx it!” Cyrax called out. “Now we'll probably be on the front lines tomorrow.”

“When that time comes, we'll be there,” Jax said. He then turned to the swordsman who was walking with them. “You sure you don't want to come back to Special Forces, Kenshi?”

Kenshi shook his head. “As much as I appreciate my time in Special Forces, I'll have to decline. I'm content with going back to what I was doing before the war.”

“Try to hide yourself well in the shadows,” Cyrax suggested. “I'm sure someone will leak your role in the war to the world sooner or later, if not the universe.”

“I was wondering,” Sonya said. “How should we get back to base? Airplane? Car? Train?”

“I bet the airports are in chaos right now, so it'll probably be faster by car,” Jax said. “We'll go and rent a couple of cars and head back down to Los Angeles from there.”

“Sounds good to me,” replied Cyrax. “Even though the drive between here and LA is dull.”

As the three continued to talk, Alex happened to notice that Kenshi was no longer walking alongside them. Thinking that a reporter might've kidnapped him, she turned her head and saw that he was still walking, though he was clearing going at a slower pace than the rest of them were. She stood in her spot until he caught up with her.

The swordsman then spoke up. “You didn't tell them about resigning yet?” he asked curiously.

Alex shrugged a little. “Not yet. I'll probably tell Jax once we're back in Los Angeles. I'm sure he's got a lot on his mind right now anyway. It'll be easier to bring it up once he's back in his office.”

Kenshi nodded before something else came over his mind. “Have you... thought about what we talked about a couple of days ago?”

Alex took a deep breath at that. “You mean about going with you to Japan? It's a pretty big decision, I'm... still thinking it over.”

Though Kenshi gave her a neutral expression in response, Alex couldn't help but frown a bit, feeling bad about not give him an answer right away. There was no doubt in her mind that she wanted to stay with him, but at the same time, the thought of moving across the ocean was frightening to say the least. Though she was certain that nothing would hold her back, a move like that was still a major thing she had to think carefully over.

Eventually, Alex reached her hand out and grasped on to to his. “Just... let me try to find my aunt first. Once that's done, I'll make a decision from there.”

Kenshi nodded as he brushed his thumb over the back of her hand, the gesture making her smile a little. Then quietly, they both began to walk through the dock, going in the direction where their Special Forces allies headed.

Meanwhile, Wagner and Juli managed to dodge the reporters, neither one of them wanting to give out any interviews. At one point, the two of them saw a group trying to free some reporters from a glowing green net and Wagner couldn't help but laugh out loud.

 _That was totally Cyrax's doing!_ Wagner thought with amusement.

Soon, they were in the clear and Wagner sighed with relief. “Finally! That was _not_ how I imagined returning to California.”

“Me neither,” Juli agreed. “I thought it would be more peaceful departure like in Hong Kong.”

“Imagine... we save the universe only to get crushed to death by reporters.”

“Embarrassing way to go for sure.”

“Of course now we lost track of the Guiles,” Wagner pointed out. “Should we go find them?”

“We can wait for them. I am _not_ going through that crowd again!”

“I don't blame you.”

Suddenly, Wagner heard his first name being called out. Confused, he looked around for a bit, though he was pretty sure that someone was calling out for another Scott. He then heard his name being yelled a second time.

That was when he spotted someone running towards them from the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he saw a blond-haired woman coming in his direction. To Wagner's shock, he instantly recognized her.

“Holy shit... Lisa!” Wagner called out. Soon he was running to meet his big sister halfway.

Juli followed behind him as Wagner and Lisa reached each other before throwing themselves in the biggest hug they could muster. The both of them laughed with joy now that they knew that they both survived the war after two months of separation.

“Thank goodness you made it!” Lisa called out, clearly feeling relieved that her little brother was alive.

“I could say the same for you,” Wagner said as he pulled back to look at her. “That agreement we made about not trying to find each other... I'm _not_ listening to that advice ever again in the future.”

Lisa chuckled. “Not like you listened to me to begin with when we were kids.”

By now, Juli caught up with them and she smiled at Lisa. “Hey, you made it!”

Lisa smiled as she hugged Juli, who immediately returned it. “I'm glad you're okay,” the blonde replied.

“Hey wait a minute!” Wagner called out suddenly as the girls pulled away. “We live in Los Angeles... what are you doing here in San Francisco?”

Lisa began to explain then. “Those who survived the first invasion ended up spreading out through Central Valley since there was so much open space up here. I ended up at a shelter in Salinas. I would've came to the Rockies sooner, but I ended up volunteering to help out with keeping the peace.”

“It was probably for the best,” Wagner said. “Our stay was, to say the least, the longest five weeks of my life.”

Lisa frowned. “That bad?”

“Well... it could've been worse. There's one other thing I'm wondering about... how did you know I was on that ship?”

“A few days ago, all electronics came back up,” Lisa replied. “Must've been around the time you guys ended the war. Anyway, I saw on the news about the flying ship filled with heroes who helped stop the war in Outworld. My gut feeling was telling me you were on the ship since you've been to Outworld before, so I convinced a friend to take me up here. We just arrived this morning.”

“What friend?” Juli asked.

“Oh just someone I met during the first invasion,” Lisa answered. “We ran into each other while trying to escape. She had her car, but it ended up getting a flat tire, so I went to help her. The whole thing was just so sad because she was desperate to find her husband while clutching on to her young child. The three of us ended up sticking together throughout the whole war.”

Wagner suddenly couldn't help but wonder, even before he asked Lisa who the mother and child were, if it was who he thought it was...

Meanwhile, Ryu, Julia, Ken, Guile, Jane, and Amy all walked together through the dock, managed to keep away from the reporters. “The least they can do is wait until we're settled back,” grumbled Jane.

“That's how they work, unfortunately,” mentioned Guile.

“At least we'll be on TV!” called out Amy.

Jane chuckled. “That is true, sweetie.”

“Well, I'm sure Ryu and I will be heading back to Arizona tomorrow,” said Julia. She then turn her attention to Ken. “Can we crash at your place until then.”

“Sure, we'll head over to my mansion momentarily,” mentioned Ken. “Hopefully it's still standing, but we'll know soon enough.” He then looked at the Guile family. “You three need a place to stay before you head back home?”

“We could probably stay for a couple of days before we get back to Pasadena,” said Jane. “It'll definitely be nice to sleep in a nice, warm bed again.”

“If anything, we'll stay at a hotel if the mansion is not standing,” added Guile.

As they continued to discuss what to do next, they suddenly heard a child's voice yelling out. Instinctively, Ken found himself gazing at his surroundings, wondering where the call was coming from. The child then yelled out again, and this time, Ken clearly heard what they said;

“Dad!”

Ken whirled his head on instinct again, wondering if it was nothing more than his imagination. And then, amongst the small crowd, he saw a little blonde-haired boy waving in his direction while the young woman holding him smiled with tears spilling from her eyes.

Shock came over Ken as he instantly recognized them; Eliza and Mel, his wife and son... they were alive!

The others had stopped as soon as Ken did, wondering why he looked like he just saw a ghost. Soon it was Jane who noticed who he was looking at and gasped in shock while covering her mouth with both hands.

“Oh my God...” Jane uttered as tears also filled her eyes once she spotted her younger sister and nephew.

Ken snapped out of it then and immediately ran towards them. He knew Eliza would have done the same if she wasn't holding Mel in her arms, but he didn't mind at all. The run, however, felt longer than it actually was, but eventually, he was within reach and immediately pulled them both into a tight embrace, though he tried not to crush his son between him and his wife too hard. In response, Eliza buried her face into his shoulder before she began to sob with relief. Ken ended up tightly closing his eyes, managing to contain the tears that began to form in his eyes.

The both of them didn't say a word for a long time before Ken finally murmured, “I thought you and Mel died...”

“I thought you died too,” Eliza mentioned as she pulled her head back to look at him.

Ken reached up to wipe the tears from Eliza's face. “I went back to the mansion, but by then it was nothing but a rubble.”

“One of the maids managed to get us out just as the invasion started,” Eliza explained. “I tried to head to the airport where you went, but then the car got a flat tire on the way... if it wasn't for the girl I met, we probably wouldn't be alive right now.”

Ken sighed at that... so it _was_ one of the maid's hand he saw in the rubble on that dark night. If only he had known that Eliza's car was missing from the driveway... perhaps he would have held on to more hope then.

Not wanting to talk more about what happened right now, Ken began to plant kisses on every inch of Eliza's face before he let one linger on her lips, which Eliza eagerly returned. Eventually, they pulled back before Ken turned to his son to kiss him on the side of his head.

By now, the Guiles had caught up with them with Amy riding piggyback on Guile's back. Ken took Mel in his arms and stepped back as Eliza and Jane pulled each other into a hug before the sisters cried in one another's shoulders.

Ken smiled at his four year old son. “Were you good for your mom while I was away?” he asked him.

“Yeah,” Mel replied with a nod.

Ken held him closer then, thanking whoever was watching over his family up in the Heavens during the war as well as the girl who helped them.

From where they stood, Ryu and Julia look on at the reunion. They were both silent, but smiles came over their faces nonetheless, feeling as much joy as their friends were feeling right now. At one point, Julia wrapped one arm around the crook of Ryu's elbow before she leaned her temple against the side of his shoulder. Ryu simply responded by placing the side of his head against the top of hers, the strands of her brown hair brushing against his cheek.

And from that moment, the future seemed to look brighter...

~~~

**Mt. Fuji, Japan**

_One Month Later..._

Snow still lingered on the tip of Mount Fuji, but that didn't stop the spring season from making its presence known. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and the green grass below was covered in a blanket of pink and white petals. More petals continued to gently fall from the branches and joined with the others on the ground.

Riding on horseback, Yoshimitsu rode through a secret trail that led to the Manji Clan's main camp. Following him were a few other soldiers, who had accompanied him on a recent mission to deliver stolen money and food from a rich aristocrat before spreading them out to a recently established tent city not far from Tokyo.

Going through the trail took about twenty minutes, but soon the leader and his clan members arrived at the base, a walled brick fortress that surrounded a small village. From where he was, Yoshimitsu could see smoke emitting from the fortress, more than likely from the lit fireplaces inside the modest homes.

At the gate of the fortress, one of the guards approached the incoming group. “Welcome back, Yoshimitsu,” he greeted. “You've returned at a very good time.”

Yoshimitsu tilted his head at this. “I assume you have news for me.”

“I don't, but Seji does. Something came up during a couple of the scouts' assigned missions. I'll personally tell him to meet you in the meeting room if you wish to see him now.”

The leader nodded to him. Seji was the second in command of the clan's Earth faction and was watching over the fortress during Yoshimitsu's absence. “I'll head there right away,” he informed the guard.

With that, the guards opened the gate to the village before Yoshimitsu and the other clan members went inside. They went to bring the horses to the stables first. One of his members offered to remove the tack off Yoshimitsu's horse as well as providing the animal food and water. Appreciating the gesture, Yoshimitsu immediately headed to the meeting room.

He was the first to arrive, but it wasn't long before three clan members entered the room. The one who stood on the right was holding a hot kettle of what Yoshimitsu was sure was tea. The clan member on the left held four white porcelain teacups and saucers in his hands.

Yoshimitsu nodded to them before he looked at the one in the middle. “The guardsmen informed me that you have news for me, Seji.”

Seji nodded as the four of them began to sit down around the low cheery wood table in the room, getting themselves in a kneeling position on black throw pillows. The one who held the cups began to set them up, leaving one cup and saucer in front of each person.

“The news is urgent to say the least,” Seji said. “Nearly in the same day, two groups of our scouts we sent out on separate assignments practically came running back here. We would have sent someone to deliver the message, but I personally felt that we shouldn't let the news go beyond the fortress, so we simply waited until your return to make that kind of judgment.”

“I can understand that,” Yoshimitsu replied as the soldier with the kettle began to pour the hot tea into the cups. “I assume there are _two_ urgent news then.”

Seji nodded slowly before he began to tell his leader what they were. “The group that was sent out to investigate the Mishima Zaibatsu made a strange discovery... a demonic presence somehow took over the corporation some time between the first invasion and, I'm guessing, a couple of weeks ago. There's even a rumor going around that this demonic presence happens to be the corporation's first owner; Jinpachi Mishima.”

“That's strange,” Yoshimitsu pondered as he rubbed his masked chin with his fingers. “Jinpachi Mishima died over thirty years ago.”

“You're probably right, but with that family's history, anything is possible.”

“... That is true.”

“There is one intelligence report we managed to retrieve at their facility... within the next couple of weeks, the Zaibatsu will officially announce the 5th King of Iron Fist Tournament. There's no reason behind the tournament, but it's all in the report we retrieved in their computer system.”

“Hmm,” Yoshimitsu hummed as he thought through this. This gave the three other soldiers in the room the chance to sip their tea. Of course, with his mask still on and in the company of others, Yoshimitsu was not about to take his mask off in front of them, not even for what was definitely good-smelling tea... chai and jasmine, he realized.

“In that case,” the clan leader soon said after some silence. “Once the tournament is announced, I'll personally participate as a way to investigate their activities. The last thing we need is for this demonic presence to make the recovery efforts on Earth even worse. We've barely began to get back on our feet and we still have a lot of work to do.”

“I agree,” Seji nodded.

“Anything else from that mission?”

“Not much other than Heihachi Mishima being MIA and Kazuya's return to Earth. We know Jin Kazama is on Earth, but his whereabouts are currently unknown as of now.”

“I see,” Yoshimitsu uttered. However, in the back of his mind, the possibility of Jin being on Yakushima Island was entirely possible, though that something he didn't think was relevant to share at this time.

“Now,” the clan leader began. “What about the other mission?”

Seji drew in a long inhale before he began to explain. “There's... been strange activities near an ancient temple. However, none of us have been able to get closer look.”

“Which ancient temple?”

“The one out in the deserts of the Middle East. We had scouts there originally investigating the activities of a rogue terrorist group in that region, the ones who've been disrupting the recovery efforts. A lot of supernatural activities have been lingering in and around the temple as of recently Even the terrorists themselves are too afraid to go near even the path leading up to it. The only people brave enough to go through is those from a small village nearby. Apparently, there's a rumor that the temple's main guardian is a young woman from that village.”

“I see,” Yoshimitsu said. “What kind of supernatural activities are we talking about?”

“Once more, it involves the energy of a demonic presence, thought I highly doubt they're related to Jinpachi,” Seji proceeded. “There are still scouts in the area trying to figure out exactly what this all means, and we'll indeed rely more information to you as they come.

“However, there is one thing you should know... this is the same temple that holds the legend of _Majin Seiryu Ki_.”

Yoshimitsu fell silent at that after that revelation. Seji and the other two soldiers waited patiently before their leader reached for his teacup, taking it into his good hand.

“I'll think over this,” he finally said. “For now, I want the scouts to find out more on what's going on out there. This demonic presence may not exactly be the one inside, but possibly an outside presence. It's possible that someone's trying to get into that temple. Also try to talk to that guardian if you can. She might know more about what's going on. Conduct a message to the scouts out there in the meantime and have one of the troops previously scouting the area sent there. I'll use my sword to transport them to the base when the time comes.”

“We'll get on it right away,” Seji said as he and the other two stood up. From there, they began to take their leave before closing the sliding door behind them.

Once he was completely alone, Yoshimitsu reached for the edge of his mask before pulling it up to let it rest on the top of his head, revealing his face. He then brought the cup to his lips before sipping the tea, savoring the taste. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think about what Seji said, especially the last sentence mentioning _Majin Seiryu Ki._

He then placed the cup down on the saucer right before uttering three words. “The Demon Rectifier...”

Yoshimitsu realized then that peace was not going to last for very long...

 


	101. Chapter One-Hundred

**Earthrealm, Unknown Area**

_On the day the war ended..._

It was almost like deja vu as Quan Chi practically flew right out of the portal before crashing into the sands face first. For a moment, he remained motionless in his position before he eventually lifted his head up. Using his hand, he wiped the sand out of his face before coughing out some of the ones that managed to get into his mouth.

In his rush to get away from the ninja spectre Scorpion, Quan Chi developed a portal faster than he was used to. Though he knew that he was on Earthrealm, he randomly picked a spot without thinking about exactly where his magic was going to take him.

It could be worse though... he could've ended up in an active volcano instead. Still, even though he was definitely in the deserts, it was more of a matter of exactly which desert.

However, upon looking at his surroundings, Quan Chi became curious. Not only was there sand, but there were countless pillars placed around him in a disorganized mess. Still, this was a sign of one thing... something important was here, even if it was nothing more than an old relic.

Slowly getting up on his feet, Quan Chi made the decision to explore the area for a little while, perhaps for a couple of days before he decided to return to Outworld. The one good thing about being an immortal sorcerer was the fact that he could go without food and water for as long as he desired, not like the weak mortals who would die within a couple of weeks without it.

Still, it was hot as hell here... though he would definitely take this kind of heat over the one in the Netherrealm any day. However, the current lack of water can be quite irritating to the throat after a while.

Walking around, there was a lack of wind and no other living being was in sight, at least until, ironically, a scorpion emerged from the sand, disturbed by the sorcerer's too-close movement, and it tried to sting his ankle with its stinger. Quan Chi merely crushed the scorpion under his foot before moving on. If only it was _that_ easy to get rid of the ninja spectre for good.

The sorcerer eventually lost track of how long he was walking before he noticed a set of stairs after going through a narrow trail. Quan Chi had to guess that there were about two hundred steps leading up to something.

At the final step, Quan Chi stopped where he was as he gazed at his surroundings. The place looked abandoned, but clearly not all that long from what he can tell. Four statues that were very similar to the one of Anubis stood tall, two on the right and two on the left. They were either in perfect condition or mostly damage from being exposed to the elements for, what he guessed, thousands of years. Past the statues, rows of pillars, stacked neatly in two rows, led to another set of steps in front of the wide walkway that laid in between. At the top of those stairs was a door that led into a tall building that was most likely a temple.

Naturally, Quan Chi went straight towards the door, not stopping in his walk until he was standing right in front of the entrance.

On the door, Quan Chi noticed Egyptian writing carved into it. Using his magic, he brushed his hand over the words, which lit up in a bright green light after his fingers passed over them, translating the words into his mind.

Once he was done, a sadistic smirk came over his face. Through these words, Quan Chi discovered exactly what this place was...

…The Temple of Azazel...

 

 

 

**The End**


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